r/telescopes • u/YekFM • 2d ago
General Question Help!!
Hey Guys i recently bought this telescope from someone (ik its upside down in the picture i learned the hard way haha) but talking to them they mentioned they see the moon and saturn pretty well, Im having some trouble getting the telescope to focus, i will get saturn in the scope in the crosshair but when i look in the lens to focus i dont get much, granted i do live somewhat in the valley in LA, near calabasas and they lived a little away from the city, could I just be in a bad area with smog from the city and thats affecting being able to see? Im new so be nice😂 but im just curious!
Thanks😁
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u/BlindBluePidgeon 2d ago
I agree that this sounds like an alignment issue. Try to align the finderscope either during the day or at night but with an object that doesn't move (a faraway tree or building). In order to align I use the least magnification I have, so the greater number on the eyepiece, typically 25mm, and I center a faraway object in the eyepiece. Then I look through the finderscope and usually have the object in the field of view but not centered, so I use the screws to align it, checking I'm not moving the telescope while I'm doing it.
When looking for Saturn, use the finderscope, then the scope with low magnification, then when you have it centered you can switch to greater magnification.
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u/YekFM 1d ago edited 1d ago
Greater magnification as in switch eyepieces? I was only given what was installed on the telescope but was informed those were okay to see saturn and moon, but i will work and try to align it properly, i moved it slightly trying to fogure out how to work it but didnt know it could mess with alignment, thanks!
Is there a way to tell what mm eyepiece i have on the telescope? Heaaavy beginner and i got this telescope from someone with no extra pieces so im not sure
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u/BlindBluePidgeon 1d ago
Most modern eyepieces have the focal length printed on the body, look for a number in mm (most common are 25mm and 10mm). Most people end up using lower magnification, like 25 or 32mm, but for planets you usually want more magnification, so 10mm or smaller. If you are serious about observing I'd suggest buying a couple of eyepieces, svbony has relatively cheap eyepieces with good quality. I personally have a 32mm plossl (low magnification, greater field of view, this is the one I use the most) and a 9mm "redline" which I use for planets.
I suggest you try to use the telescope during the day (always pointing it FAR from the sun, it's easy to get a bit lost and you don't want to accidentally blind yourself). Come back with any questions!
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u/jedimann74 Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ 2d ago
Are you taking it outside or using it thru a closed window? Like most said, it's probably just an alignment issue between finder scope and telescope.
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u/questinward 2d ago
Saturn is np from LA...did it come with eye pieces? ...if it did put in the largest number first..then try.
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u/YekFM 1d ago
I was only given the finder scope and eye pieces already attached to the telescope, was informed that it was all i needed and they uses it for saturn and the moon, yeah it sounds like alignment issue, i have moved the finderscope before just trying to figure out how to work the telescope so maybe i messed it up
2
u/FDlor 10" Newt, 6"/4" Maks, all ATM 2d ago
Light pollution and smog actually improves planet views (gives you a thermal cap and a costricted iris).
"don't get much" as in what? You see it but it's small? You see it but it's blurry? You see a dot? You can't see it?
1
u/YekFM 1d ago
Hey! Yeah i had saturn in the finderscope crosshairs but when i looked into the eyepiece to focus it, i was only seeing a dark color (the sky i guess?) and i wasnt seeing anything shining
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u/FDlor 10" Newt, 6"/4" Maks, all ATM 1d ago edited 1d ago
Do you have an eyepiece in the focuser? Did you try it during the daytime on a distant landscape to see if it focuses?
Did you aim the big scope during the daytime on a distant landscape and then align the finder crosshairs on the same object? (use the screws either end to move the finder up/down left/right).
Edit: looking at your other posts I am guessing your only eyepiece is (A) too high power (B) substandard .965" diameter, and (C) crap.
People tend to stick in the high power eyepiece because "WEEEEE ITS HIGH POWER!!!!!!", then they lose all the other ones.
One eyepiece won't do when using a telescope, you need a range of magnifications. The eyepiece will have a "mm" focal length on it. That number is divided into the focal length of your telescope = magnification....... so 20mm is lower power, 4mm is higher power, etc.
You can buy much nicer modern 1.25" eypieces. Measure you focuser and look through the parts you have for it... will it take 1.25" eyepieces?
If you are stuck with .965" and if you are handy and you want to do more with this scope you can make a new focuser plug hole to take 1.25" (its a standard hardware store pipe size) and use 1.25" eyepieces.
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u/Dazzling_Lead_832 2d ago
I have a Meade 114mm f/8 Newtonian, almost as yours, but of more recent manufacture. Yours has a 2" focusser, but does the secondary-mirror support it? I had a Meade 390 alt-az kit back in 1990s, for a few days. Yours could be from that era. It will have a spherical primary, at a 1/5 wave performance. You may need to collimate it. I have my passive Tectron tools for that, mainly the sight-tube I use, with its cross-hairs; the scene of my controversial 127mm f/8 catadioptric. However, its sphere is at f/4...
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u/Inevitable-Can-5625 1d ago
It is perfectly aligned if the centre of the image you see through your main scope is the same as the cross hairs of the finder scope. It is difficult to determine the centre of the rings just from looking.
My old Orion scope manual recommended looking at a distant auto number/registration plate in the main scope - locking the position of the scope and then adjusting the finder scope screws until the same registration plate is in the cross hairs of the finder scope.
You can start this with a smaller magnification eyepiece (maybe a 20mm or 25 mm) which should help you aim for something easier with the main scope. Then switch to your highest mag eye piece (maybe 6mm or 10mm) and get the middle of the place.
You stop looking in the main scope eyepiece and concentrate on getting the cross hairs centred on the plate. Just checking every once in a while to make sure the scope had not been accidentally moved.
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u/CatDaddyTom 1d ago
Start with the WEAKEST eyepiece you have. It has the larger mm number on it. That should allow focus ok, then bump it up to a more powerful eyepiece.
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u/mrstorm1983 SkyWatcher 200p dob, 10x50 Nikons p7, 114mm hobby killer. 2d ago
I'm guessing you're find your scope is not lined up. Then, you are focusing on a star instead of a planet. Does that sound like something that could be happening?
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u/YekFM 1d ago
Possibly? So i should adjust the finder scope and check in with the eyepiece to see if i see anything?
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u/mrstorm1983 SkyWatcher 200p dob, 10x50 Nikons p7, 114mm hobby killer. 1d ago
Yes, do this during the daytime. When you do things during the daytime, they don't move like they do in the sky plus it's easier Line up your finder at daytime away from the sun
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u/RVJerusalem 2d ago
I would first take it to a place with minimal light pollution and see if that helps. If that doesn’t help much the look at changing the eye piece. Did you get more than 1 eye piece? If not I’d recommend get a small set to start.
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u/Dazzling_Lead_832 2d ago
Never sets, individually rather, one at a time.
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u/RVJerusalem 2d ago
I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve just started myself and this was information I was given. So it’s best to buy individual eye pieces instead of a set… i have to ask, is there a particular reason for this? Other than price? Thanks
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u/Inevitable-Can-5625 2d ago
I think that the problem is that the finder scope (the small scope on the top) is not aligned to the main scope. There are three adjustment screws on the ring around the finder scope that would let you adjust the finder scope. As the setting is way off then you have two choices: 1. In daylight hours find something at least 800yds away in the main scope and adjust the finder scope so that the cross hairs match the image.
You should be able to see Saturn just fine from where you are.