How to Align A Telrad Finder Scope

If you take a couple of minutes to align the finder scope with your telescope before you start observing, it will be easy to find objects for the rest of the evening!

Slip the Telrad unit into the mounting base and finger tighten the screws until they hold the unit snugly.  Do not overtighten the screws or they will strip out.  The unit has a clear piece of glass at a 45 degree angle at one end and a long battery compartment at the other.  When mounted correctly, you should be able to sight through the glass along the battery compartment in the direction that your telescope is pointing.

Turn the Telrad on and turn up the intensity on the reticle all the way.  Put a low power eyepiece in the telescope and focus on something really bright like Venus, Jupiter or Sirius.  Put the object right in the middle of the field of view, then look through the Telrad and see how the reticle is centered on the object.  There are three little adjustment knobs on the back of the Telrad, just below the glass on the back of the unit.  As you look through the Telrad, turn each of these slowly back and forth and watch the effect on the reticle circles.  Adjust the knobs until the object is dead center in both the eyepiece and the Telrad circles.  You're ready to go!

10/01/2017