**Newbie Alert** Stupid Question Follows

[tprice]

Ok...I am sure I am setting myself up for great embarassment here. But what the heck. The only stupid questions are the ones you never ask right?

Anyway...I am totally new to owning a telescope. I recently got a Meade ETX-70 with the hope of taking a peek at Mars while it is so close.

However, I must be a frigging moron because I can't even get the moon in focus using the thing. At best I get a big white blurry blob.

I figured the moon should be relatively easy to view and see some pretty substanial detail right??

I have tried both the 25mm and 9mm eyepieces that came with the telescope.

Any suggestions for an astronomical newbie? I am stumped as to why I can't get anything in focus.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Todd Price

[Skyjim]

It might not be you - do you see any change in the way the image in the eyepiece looks when you turn the focus knob?   Possible the focuser isn't working.   If nothing is happening in the eyepiece when you know the moon is in your field of view and you are turning the focus knob, either there is something extremely wrong with the optics, you have a dust cap in the diagonal or one of the eyepieces (unlikely, but I had to mention it), or the focuser isn't working.

Use the 25mm while doing the check to give the widest field of view.  It's not a dumb question!

Jim

[tprice]

Nope no dust cap. And nothing seems to happen when I turn the focus knob, short of me knocking the object out of line a little, but nothing happens with focus that I see.

I will double check it and try again tonight.

Thanks a ton for the suggestion.

[payloadcontroller]

when you turn the focus knob, do you feel the ratchets engaging? Or does it just freewheel?

[tprice]

It is moving as I can see the sleeve on the outside of the scope moving back and forth.

I was able to focus in on a house across the marsh during the daytime today. Just waiting for Mars to rise this evening and I am going to give it a shot.

I think the culprit may have been condensation on the mirror inside the telescope.

I will let you all know...thanks so much for your help!

Todd Price