Need help with a Tasco.

Greetings,
I just won an Ebay auction for a Tasco 302012. The price was right
($63.00 USD) so I went for it.
It is an older black telescope with a heavy wooden tripod.
It arrived disassembled and with multiple eyepieces, tubes and other
bits and pieces.
I found out that it is a reflector type with a 4 1/2 inch mirror. and
the focal length is 900 mm.

My problem is that I know nothing about telescopes and it didn't come
with a manual.
If someone has an old manual that I may purchase or copy, I would
greatly appreciate it.

Since it's arrival I have learned that :
Tasco is out of business.
Tasco telescopes are not considered to be very good quality.
The older 302012 can be improved with good eyepieces(?).

Once I have a manual I will be able to learn what the various parts are
for and then I will be able to ask intelligent questions. So please bear
with me.

Ernest
Tucson

You spent $62.50 more than it's worth.


--
"In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go
again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

SIAR
www.starlords.org
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"Ernest Kemp" wrote in message
...
Greetings,
I just won an Ebay auction for a Tasco 302012. The price was right
($63.00 USD) so I went for it.
It is an older black telescope with a heavy wooden tripod.
It arrived disassembled and with multiple eyepieces, tubes and other
bits and pieces.
I found out that it is a reflector type with a 4 1/2 inch mirror. and
the focal length is 900 mm.

My problem is that I know nothing about telescopes and it didn't come
with a manual.
If someone has an old manual that I may purchase or copy, I would
greatly appreciate it.

Since it's arrival I have learned that :
Tasco is out of business.
Tasco telescopes are not considered to be very good quality.
The older 302012 can be improved with good eyepieces(?).

Once I have a manual I will be able to learn what the various parts are
for and then I will be able to ask intelligent questions. So please bear
with me.

Ernest
Tucson



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Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord


--
"In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go
again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

SIAR
www.starlords.org
Freelance Writers Shop
http://www.freelancewrittersshop.netfirms.com
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Ad World
http://adworld.netfirms.com

"Ernest Kemp" wrote in message
...


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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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While this may, in fact, be true... it is certainly not helpful.

"Starlord" wrote in message
...
You spent $62.50 more than it's worth.

"Starlord" wrote in
:

You spent $62.50 more than it's worth.



The tripod might be ok.

L.



--
"In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day
go again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

SIAR
www.starlords.org
Freelance Writers Shop
http://www.freelancewrittersshop.netfirms.com
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Ad World
http://adworld.netfirms.com

"Ernest Kemp" wrote in message
...
Greetings,
I just won an Ebay auction for a Tasco 302012. The price was right
($63.00 USD) so I went for it.
It is an older black telescope with a heavy wooden tripod.
It arrived disassembled and with multiple eyepieces, tubes and other
bits and pieces.
I found out that it is a reflector type with a 4 1/2 inch mirror. and
the focal length is 900 mm.

My problem is that I know nothing about telescopes and it didn't come
with a manual.
If someone has an old manual that I may purchase or copy, I would
greatly appreciate it.

Since it's arrival I have learned that :
Tasco is out of business.
Tasco telescopes are not considered to be very good quality.
The older 302012 can be improved with good eyepieces(?).

Once I have a manual I will be able to learn what the various parts
are for and then I will be able to ask intelligent questions. So
please bear with me.

Ernest
Tucson



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.547 / Virus Database: 340 - Release Date: 12/2/03

Starlord wrote:

You spent $62.50 more than it's worth.



Is that any way to treat a newbe? I came to this group looking for help
and learn about astronomy and you are trying to discourage me. I'll bet
that you were a newbe once and your first telescope probably didn't cost
thousands of dollars either.
I DO know how to use the kill filter, would you like me to start with you?

I will not go away as I know that there are many helpful people in this
group.

Ernest
Tucson

"Ernest Kemp" wrote in message
...
Greetings,
I just won an Ebay auction for a Tasco 302012. The price was right
($63.00 USD) so I went for it.
It is an older black telescope with a heavy wooden tripod.
It arrived disassembled and with multiple eyepieces, tubes and other
bits and pieces.
I found out that it is a reflector type with a 4 1/2 inch mirror. and
the focal length is 900 mm.

My problem is that I know nothing about telescopes and it didn't come
with a manual.
If someone has an old manual that I may purchase or copy, I would
greatly appreciate it.

Since it's arrival I have learned that :
Tasco is out of business.
Tasco telescopes are not considered to be very good quality.
The older 302012 can be improved with good eyepieces(?).

Once I have a manual I will be able to learn what the various parts are
for and then I will be able to ask intelligent questions. So please bear
with me.

If it comes with a small "solar filter" that fits over the eye piece rather
than the front of the scope, throw out the filter immediately.

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 19:49:26 -0700, Ernest Kemp
wrote:



Starlord wrote:

You spent $62.50 more than it's worth.



Is that any way to treat a newbe? I came to this group looking for help
and learn about astronomy and you are trying to discourage me. I'll bet
that you were a newbe once and your first telescope probably didn't cost
thousands of dollars either.
I DO know how to use the kill filter, would you like me to start with you?

I will not go away as I know that there are many helpful people in this
group.

Ernest, stick with it. Think of it as a baptism of fire. It's usenet.

In the meantime, welcome to amateur astronomy.

I started out with a Tasco, ages (like 30 years) ago. It was a
reflector, and it might have even been a 3 or 4.5 inch like you have,
but obviously not the same model. It eventually fell apart :-))

While there are better scopes out there now, because technology has
improved, *any* scope if it's used right, and for it's limitations, is
in my opinion, better than the naked eye.



There are a few pages I can point you to.

http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com....escopes017.htm

http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com....escopes095.htm

These guys may even have a manual.

http://www.photobarndirect.com.au/bi...productCatID=3


This guy has a review of it, and once he cleaned it up, he was
reasonably satisfied.

http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/entry.ph...1f0bfb10abc64a



If you go to one of the search engines, you will probably find more
stuff on scope cleaning, collimating etc.

If you can find a local astronomical group in your area, they may be
able to help you. I KNOW they will welcome you with open arms. :-))

You may not get much improvement with new eyepieces, but you never
know. Any local astronomy club will have observing nights, and someone
may let you borrow an eyepiece to see if you get an improvement before
you spend up.


--

Find out about Australia's most dangerous Doomsday Cult:
http://users.bigpond.net.au/wanglese/pebble.htm

"You can't fool me, it's turtles all the way down."

John Zinni wrote:



If it comes with a small "solar filter" that fits over the eye piece rather
than the front of the scope, throw out the filter immediately.



Right now I haven't a clue as to what all the stuff that came with the
telescope is. I am a total newbe.
After I learn about what everything is, I will ask the group what parts
are really useful.

Using a telescope to view the sun is not something I would care to try
without an expert right next to me showing me exactly what to do. Frying
my eyeballs doesn't sound pleasent. Thanks for the advice though, as I
am sure that there are some that aren't careful.

Regards,
Ernest

Using a telescope to view the sun is not something I would care to try
without an expert right next to me showing me exactly what to do. Frying
my eyeballs doesn't sound pleasent. Thanks for the advice though, as I
am sure that there are some that aren't careful.

Post a link to the ebay picture of your scope. It'll still be up and we can see
what you've got.
Don't worry about Starlord...he's a bit grumpy sometimes, but can offer good
advice.

Capt RB