How to Align a Microscope
- 1). Make sure the light switch on the microscope is off and plug it in. You do not want to burn out a light bulb by plugging it in when the switch is on. Twist the viewing objectives so that the low power or 10x one is in position.
- 2). Use the adjusting handles to move the lens all the way up away from the specimen stage where the slides go. Turn the microscope light on. Place a slide on the specimen stage, and adjust the lens until it focuses on the slide.
- 3). Set the condenser to its brightest setting. Turn the ring around the iris under the specimen stage to close it so you see a small circle of light through the eyepiece under the slide. Raise or lower the condenser until the edges of the light come into focus. If your microscope has condenser adjustment screws, use them to move the circle to the center of the slide. If your microscope shows two circles through the eye piece, adjust them with the screws so one is directly on top of the other.
- 4). Open the iris so the whole slide lights up evenly.
Source...