finderscope's dead

[prabal276]

Hello, the whole SGL community.

I woke up yesterday morning to view the Andromeda galaxy through my 60 mm refractor scope.Too exited!!

i managed to locate the constellation Cassiopeia and the tried to locate it in my finder scope nothing could be seen!

no, the  lens cover was taken off and there were no obstructions. then i tried it with a very bright light quite a distance away.

u know what? it was just a orange blob. My finder scope isnt focus able and the ring that used to rotate has stopped and jammed!

my whole time investment went into a recycler. Please help me. 

If i need a new finder scope please tell me!

Thanks in advance

-Prabal s.

 

[sbooder]

I am not sure on the type of finder scope you have but it could be one of three things. 

The first is not so good, you may have cross threaded your focusing ring? 

The other is not bad, if you have the type that has a focusing ring that also has a top element that then screws down to meet the ring, it could be that you need to unscrew the top element first and then try the focusing ring?

And third, it may just be seized up a little and needs a light spray of WD40 to get it started?

[NGC 1502]

Hi Prabal.    This is the sort of job best tackled in daylight, when you can see the various parts of the finder easily.

Sounds like you have an optical finder (like a tiny telescope) and it's out of focus.  Try to free the ring that adjusts focus, you may get a better grip with a cloth held around the ring, or perhaps one of those rubber strap devices for opening tight lids on jars.  Please go easy, you don't want to break anything.

Once the ring is free, try turning it to achieve focus on a distant object. Once the view is sharp, you can use the adjustment screws to aim the finder so what you see is the same as the view in the main telescope.  Best to start with your lowest power eyepiece, the one with the highest number on it, like 20 or 25mm.

Hope you can fix it, and have a good observing session next time.

Regards, Ed.

[prabal276]

thank  you

all my friends

the advice helped me a lot but now I want to change my finderscope and get a newer one. you might be knowing the kind of finderscope  mounting a celestron 60 az has. I notice that the good quality finderscopes have a different kind of mount and none of them have a mount like mine please tell me some good finderscopes that fit on my telescope.

[NGC 1502]

Hi again Prabal.   There's lots of choices in finderscopes, but I'd go for something like this http://astronomia.co.uk/index.php/accessories/finderscopes/baader-30mm-skysurfer-iii-red-dot-finder.html it comes with various mounting options.  With perhaps a bit of adaption, will fit almost any telescope.

That type of finder is called a 'red dot' and is different to an optical finder, it is very popular because it's simple to use.

Best to do some research before purchase, and see what others say, but that's what I'd get.

Regards, Ed.

[prabal276]

thanks for your sugesstion,

Ed

[prabal276]

hey i found i red dot finder in India at a very cheap price:

http://spacearcade.in/red-dot-finder.html

and lucky me that it has my telescope type of mounting

 

Prabal

[NGC 1502]

Excellent Prabal.    Personally I get on well with that type of finder, hope you do too 

My dear mum was born in your country, in 1919, in a village near Calcutta, so I have a soft spot for India.

Regards, Ed.