Tasco40-076420 telescopic

Lorraine, join a club or get instruction book. An optical telescope which uses lenses is known as a refracting telescope or a refractor; one which uses a mirror is known as a reflecting telescope or a reflector. Besides optical telescopes, astronomers also use telescopes that focus radio waves, X-rays, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation.

Purpose of Telescope One Minute Astronomer

My advice is NOT to buy a Tasco telescope. These are called "department store" telescopes and their quality is not very good.

Instead buy from a regular on-line telescope shop. Here are two:

http://www.agenaastro.com/

http://www.optcorp.com/

DO NOT buy a Bushnell telescope! These are considered "toy" telescopes and are usually not suitable for Astronomy.

Instead buy a Dobsonian telescope like this one:
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=classicdobs/~pcategory=dobsonians/~product_id=08942

You cannot buy a useable telescope for less than about $200.

Read my tips on my profile page and read these web sites:

http://www.texasastro.org/telescope.php

http://www.texasastro.org/mounts.php

Join a local astronomy club and the members will help you with your telescope. Also read these:

http://www.texasastro.org/telescope.php

http://www.texasastro.org/mounts.php

You will not find a manual for that small REFLECTOR style telescope. However the picture above-- that you show in your question shows the telescope mounted BACKWARDS actually pointed toward the ground!

Apparently FIXYA also does not know how to set up a reflector style telescope. The eyepiece and focuser end is on the UP end of the telescope with the mirror on the bottom end of the telescope.

Here is a manual for a MEADE brand telescope probably very similar to your telescope.

http://www.meade.com/manuals/TelescopeManuals/Reflectors/062002Jupiter114EQ-D.pdf

Read my TIPS on my profile page.

Do not buy either telescope-- both are junk.

Instead buy one of these --

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09804

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=08942

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=refractors/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09794

You can build a Dobsonian style telescope -- look here-
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/manualv2.pdf

Building a refractor would be lots more expensive! for the optics-- however you can buy this small refractor being sold now for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 -- and see how they are constructed--

https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/

None of these come with a manual-- the weight counter balances the tube---

Check out these web sites for pictures which will help you assemble the telescope--

http://www.telescope.com/control/category/~category_id=refractors/~pcategory=telescopes

http://www.universetoday.com/guide-to-space/telescopes/refractor-telescope/

http://www.meade.com/manuals/TelescopeManuals/Refractors/90AZ-ADR.pdf Here is a similar Meade telescope manual---

To the second guy posting the same problem-- you went and bought a cheap department store telescope--- what do you expect for $89-- ???

If you would have spent just a little bit more you could have had one of these--

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=08942

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=refractors/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09794

Don't buy telescopes at Wal Mart or Sears!