Note: charts replaced with PDF versions 23-Aug-99

The Telrad is perhaps the single most useful tool to the beginning amateur. It is a simple 1 X finder scope that mounts to almost any telescope. It allows you to aim the telescope with both eyes open, and without reversing the image. It is a cinch to align with your telescope, a task that can take most of the night with cheap finder scopes. It projects three red circles into space, allowing you to center the scope on bright stars or planets. Because it has no magnification you see the sky exactly as your charts show it. In many cases it is the only finder scope you'll need. (in bright city skies, it will be more difficult to use).

Place the Telrad circles between the bright stars shown around the Messier object you wish to view, and with you widest field eyepiece (usually the lowest power) you should find the Messier Object very easily. All files ar ein Adobe Acrobat format (.PDF files). You can get the reader from Adobe.

Object summary table.

Map	Region	Objects
Map1	Auriga	M1, M36, M38, M45
Map2	Orion	M1, M35, M41, M42, M43, M44, M45, M46
Map3	Pegasus	M47, M48, M50, M67, M78, M79, M93
Map4	Leo	M65, M66, M95, M96, M105
Map5	Ursa Major	M40, M51, M63, M81, M82, M94, M101, M102, M108, M109
Map6	Bootes	M3, M5, M53, M63, M64, M94
Map7 Map7A	Virgo	M3, M49, M53, M58, M59, M60, M61, M64, M65, M66, M84, M86, M87, M88, M90, M91, M98, M99, M100
Map8	Cygnus	M27, M29, M38, M56, M57, M71
Map9	Hercules	M13, M57, M92
Map10	Sagittarius	M6, M7, M8, M9, M11, M14, M16, M17, M18, M20, M21, M22, M23, M24, M25, M26, M28, M54, M55, M69, M70
Map11	Capricorn	M2, M15, M30, M72, M73, M75
Map12	Ophiuchus	M9, M10, M12, M14, M80, M107
Map13	Scorpius	M4, M6, M7, M9, M19, M62, M80, M107
Map14	Corvus	M61, M68, M83, M104
Map15	Aries	M77

The Telrad was developed by Steve Kufeld of Pine Mountain, CA. Steve has saved countless telescopes from ending up in yard sales from frustrated beginners. Steve passed away earlier this year, but leaves a great legacy to those who enjoy the stars.

These maps were originally produced using SkyMap 3.0 (www.skymap.com) by Chris Marriott. They were converted to the files you see here from BMP files by the webmaster. They are made so that you can print them and use them in the field. Chris has an evaluation copy available at his website. I encourage you to download it and try it out. Your maps will look much better from the program, and you will learn more by making your own set.