RH versus LH reflector on GEM

[bambuko]

And before you start asking: what's he on about now?

I am talking about ergonomics of using Newtonian reflector with finderscope to the right of the focuser as opposed to the telescope where finderscope is to the left of the focuser.

Last night I had both of my scopes out, using both of them from a seated position, pointing east, south and south west and my TAL-1 was delight to use seating on the RH side of it (ie west side) with no balance weights to get in my way.

On the other hand the Skywatcher I had to use seating on the LH side of the telescope (ie east side), with balance weight getting in my way.

Of course if I was pointing the scopes in a opposite direction (west, north and north east) it would be the reverse - the Skywatcher would be more comfortable to use.

So what would be a preferred layout?

Do you guys fit two shoes for either side of the focuser to use finderscope on one side or the other depending on direction of observing?

Or am I complicating things too much?

ps no, I do not have a beer gut getting a way of telescope mount!

[brantuk]

It's more usual to see finder scopes and Telrads near the focuser but you can place it wherever is most comfortable for you. Personally I wouldn't want to have to walk round the other side of the scope to do my finding - then walk back to the focuser to view through the eyepiece.

The counterbalance bar with weights on shouldn't get in your way. It should always be under the scope. So on an equatorially mounted scope one would normally move the ota to the side that gives best access to the focuser, finder, and eyepiece. But in some orientations the finder gets into awkward positions (eg under the ota). In this case you can loosen the scope rings and turn the whole ota up until the focuser is accessible.

Some folks achieve this by adding a third tube ring attached to the tube only and butted up to the top ring. Now when you loosen the scope rings it won't slide out and the ota turns easily.

To be more precise I'd have to see a pic of your setup. Was this two scopes on one mount or two separate mounts/tripods. If a single mount then were they on a dual bar? Or was one piggybacked on the other?

[bambuko]

You absolutely right - without pictures my questions are just a lot of confusing words...

I will take the photos asap and come back (so don't go away please )

[bambuko]

The weather is not cooperating so had to take posed pics inside...

First one shows the way things are arranged on TAL-1

Finderscope is to the left of focuser and focuser thumbwheels are on the right side.

This results in a very comfortable position when the telescope is pointing towards east, south, south west:

With Skywatchers things are reversed:

Finderscope is to the right of focuser and focuser controls are on the left side.

When observing in the same (east, south, south west) direction, I have a choice of trying to do it over the top of finderscope, or seating on the other side and trying to avoid balancing weights:

I know I can twist the tube to make the best of what I got, but then every time I want to use finderscope I have to twist it again...

Or have I got it all wrong?

[bambuko]

Sounds like I have scared all of you with my Halloween mask

[bambuko]

No takers?

OK, let me re-phrase the question:

Why is it that majority of reflector scopes on offer seem to be arranged like Skywatcher (left of the picture) nd not like TAL (right of the picture.

I have found (when observing seated) the latter arrangement (ie like TAL) far more comfortable to use.

[AlexB67]

If a scope was made in the UK no doubt they'd put it on the opposite side to everywhere else just to be different, but otherwise I have no idea

Interesting question but I am not sure  there is any rationale to it, the same as having a left handed screw thread or right handed, both in theory should work equally well. I suppose  depending on which hand you use to nudge a Dob perhaps, or use a control with an EQ where the more coordinated hand reaches more easily could just make a small difference, seeing we are not all ambidextrous and perhaps somewhat more clumsy with our less used hand. 

[brantuk]

Ahh.... I see what you mean now - curious arrangement indeed!

The Tal appears to be configured as a left hander - maybe made to measure for the original owner. If you prefer that arrangement then it could be improved by changing the finder for a right angled finder so you can look into it from the same side as the focuser. Then you wouldn't have to move from your seat to look through it.

I'm more accustomed to the SW arrangement for newtonians - so I've never seen that before. You're going to be stuck with one configuration you don't like whichever way you look at it. Apart from totally moving a focuser and blanking off the gap in order to match both configurations - I can't really see another way around this one......

[bambuko]

You could rotate the focuser by 180 deg in it's original hole and put the finderscope on the other side, so it is perfectly doable.

I am just puzzled by a rationale ehind doing things one or the other.

TAL wasn't made to measure   they all are like this - go figure ( as the Yanks would say...)

[brantuk]

"You could rotate the focuser by 180 deg in it's original hole and put the finder scope on the other side"

It's so obvious I didn't think of that lol.

[bambuko]

Don't worry we all have our senior moments

I think for now (unless somebody will come with an Eureka explanation) I will leave things as they are, until I am absolutely convinced which way is beter for me.