Hi Bob,
Which manufacturer and model did you buy?
I've got a couple of small telescopes myself. The original one is a Meade ETX-90AT and the new one is a Meade ETX-125AT with the Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC). The latter is the more expensive, and thusly better, of the two telescopes, but both are computer controlled, and capable of locating stars, planets, constellations, comets, etcetera on their own, once they're properly aligned. You can also purchase updates for the software from Meade as more stellar treats are found and catalogued. Both of these telescopes are designed for amateurs and are quite small (5.5" for the larger of the two, and 4" for the smaller one).
Right now, there's a special treat in the skies for amateur astronomers. It's Comet Machholz, and it's really easy to locate. It's just a tad (and I mean a tad) south and west of the star cluster "The Pleiades". ("The Pleiades" looks like a really tiny dipper, and it's very high in the eastern skies shortly after dark, rising to near overhead by around 9:00pm.) Use a good pair of binoculars to find "The Pleiades", and the comet will be just out of view, slightly south and west of the cluster. Once you've located it in binoculars, you can then use your telescope to view it. The comet looks like a fuzzy white star through a telescope, not the typical picture of a comet as a bright "star" with a long tail. Tonight and tomorrow night, the comet will reach its peak brightness as seen from Earth. It's a really easy find for amateurs. If your skies are particularly dark, Comet Machholz can even be seen with the naked eye.
EK!!! |
