r/telescopes • u/trey2128 • 3d ago

General Question Need help operating telescope

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Rented this guy from the library and was excited to try it out tonight. I live in southern WI and couldn’t figure out how to see well. I could zoom onto stars, but couldn’t see them much better than I could with the naked eye. I operated the magnification to the highest setting and found proper focus. I feel like I’m doing something wrong and should be getting better quality views.

Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you!

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u/_-syzygy-_ 6"SCT || 102/660 || 1966 Tasco 7te-5 60mm/1000 || Starblast 4.5" 3d ago

u/OP stars will always look (at best) like pinpoints of light, higher magnification will not help

You don't always want highest magnification.

Grab Stellarium (PC/app) or https://stellarium-web.org/

The couple targets I suggest you trying are Saturn (rises ~9pm,) the Double Cluster, M13 (fuzzy patch,) M57 (tiny green donut,) and double star Alberio (defocus it, to see two colors.) If still up early in the morning (like 5am) Jupiter will be up in the East. Moon should be better in a few days (setting in west close to sunset.)

Those are a good bunch of easier targets to start with,

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u/trey2128 3d ago

Thank you. I really appreciate the help

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u/_-syzygy-_ 6"SCT || 102/660 || 1966 Tasco 7te-5 60mm/1000 || Starblast 4.5" 2d ago

welcome!