On 27 Aug 2003 19:55:03 -0700, (screamingchild) typed:

I have had a Bauch & Lomb 4.5" Telescope for several years now and
haven't had a chance to use it (had babies right after I bought it).
Well, I was so excited to check out Mars tonight but I just can't
figure out how to use it. I feel so stupid!!! I've got Mars directly
in the crosshairs of the finderscope, and the lowest eyepiece in
(25mm) but when I look through the main telescope I can't see a thing
. . .just gray fuzz. It's pitch black out, no lights at all. When I
put my hand in front of the main tube I can see it through the
eyepiece . . . quite clearly. A higher powered eyepiece makes it look
farther away. ARG!!!! What am I doing wrong (well, other than putting
my hand in front of the telescope)? I can't believe that I am going
to miss this. I am so mad at myself.

Any advice would be appreciate.

I've had that happen when I got my first telescope years ago.

#1: unless the object is centered in the eye piece, switching to higher
power eye piece would leave you with an empty space.

#2: the higher the power, the faster the object seems to move in the
eyepiece.

#3: always check the focus knob before blaming anything else. Even
changing the eye piece requires you to adjust.
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