Finder Scope Alignment

One of the most command complaints with a scope is I can't find any thing other than the moon.

The fix for this is to align the finder scope. Which should be close to the eyepiece the easy way of alignment is to do this in the daytime or just before twilight find a radio tower or a high voltage power pole above the horizon this object that you are using needs to be a least a mile away.

Look in the finder and find the radio tower. Now with the lowest power eyepiece in the telescope the lowest power eyepiece will have the highest number on the eyepiece example 25 mm & 32 mm. The 32 mm will have the lowest power and the widest field of view. Move the scope in one axis only at a time left to right then up and down and all movement might appear backwards in your scope.
After you find the radio tower move it to the center of view in the scope now look in the finder scope you should then carefully adjust the finder scope to show the tower in the center of it. You should have three screws that will allow the finder scope to be moved. Some scope will have two sets of three-adjustment screw .be sure you look in the scope to make sure it hasn't moved and the radio tower is still in the center if it has moved recenter the tower and then check your finder scope. Don’t over tighten the screws on the finder scope hand tight should be good, after you have done this with a low power eyepiece.

Step up the power use a 13 mm or 9 mm and repeat the above now look at one item on the tower such as a light and look in the finder and center it in the finder. A light touch on the adjustment screws will pay off. Using the radio tower is the best object to align the finder scope.
It will not move once you get the tower in view unlike a star which will appear to move in the sky if you bump your finder in the night observing session you can use a radio tower with it's red light as your alignment subject.
You will need to realign you finder scope every time you use the scope because you will bump the finder when you set up the scope and tear it down and during transportation of the scope.

But after a few times you will be able to do this in a few minutes even in the dark.
Also when you try to find a star or a planet always start with a low power eyepiece and once you have found and centered your target then you can use more power. Becareful when you remove the eyepiece from the scope so you don't move the scope off of your target.

Telrad Finder Alignment

With a Telrad the Alignment it still the same You will have three screws on the back of the telrad these are your adjustment screws. Start with a low power eyepiece get the object in the center of the scopes view and adjust the three screws until the object is in the center of the Telrad. After that is done use a High power eyepiece and recenter the object in the Scope first then look at the telrad a light touch will pay off when doing this. ****Telrad may require the sky to be a bit darker when Alingment is done.***

Finder Scope vs Telrad

Telrad Pros':
Very easy to use. Easy to align. Can be used without having your eye right on it.

Telrad cons':
It takes batteries. It dosen't magnify the object, so you will need to know more about the sky for small faint objects.

Finder scope pros':
It will have more power to see smaller objects. It also collects light so a small object will be easier to find. Never needs batteries.

Finder scope Cons':
In most finders the object will not look the same as in the scope. The Scope will invert the image. You must get your eye up to the finder scope to use it. Most finders have a smaller area of sky that they can see at one time.

Overall It will depend on the user. Some prefer the Telrad and some like the Finder Scope. And Some Users have both on their scopes. Personaly I have both, but use the telrad far more than I use the Finder Scope