Cannot seem to focus my finder scope

[meddyliol]

This has probably been asked before but cannot find it if it has. What do I focus on? Is it a distant church spire or something similar? I have the Skywatcher 9x50 finder scope. Try as I might it will not focus.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Brian

[brantuk]

If it's this finder: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/skywatcher-9x50-finderscope.html then you can unlock the knurled ring just behind the dew shield at the front and adjust the focus to suit your eye. I do this with the finder detached from the scope - much easier.

Once it's focused correctly for your eye then lock the ring up and it'll never need redoing. Yes use a distant point object in daylight - something like the tip of a distant church spire or pylon tip. A few mins fiddling and it'll be ready to go back on the scope so you can align it with an eyepiece in the main scope. Get the image in the center of the scope and on the cross hairs of the finder and you're ready to go. Hth

[meddyliol]

It's the same model but with the right angle. I tried what you suggested but still cannot get it to focus. I wonder what the minimum focus distance is?

Brian

[Thalestris24]

It's the same model but with the right angle. I tried what you suggested but still cannot get it to focus. I wonder what the minimum focus distance is?

Brian

Hi Brian

The knurled ring is just a locking ring. You have to loosen it then adjust focus by screwing the objective housing in or out and then locking it again with the knurled ring. You shouldn't need to move the objective very far - be careful that you don't actually undo it as there's a risk of dropping it. So this is probably best done in daylight with maybe a final tweak on some stars.

Hope that helps

Louise

[meddyliol]

I did all of that (except dropping the end bit).

[Thalestris24]

I did all of that (except dropping the end bit).

Ok

You probably want to point at something some distance away (maybe a mile, or , better, towards the horizon) to get it close to final focus.

Louise

[meddyliol]

OK, thanks, will have another go tomorrow. Will take the finder scope out with the dogs. (They would probably do a better job than me  )

[Thalestris24]

OK, thanks, will have another go tomorrow. Will take the finder scope out with the dogs. (They would probably do a better job than me  )

Distant streetlights are useful

[brantuk]

Yep - I have the same - all right angle finders - and the procedure is the same. You may need to try winding the objective inwards or outwards to focus. I use a pylon tip about 1.25 miles away - I can see the rivets on the structure when it's in focus.

[meddyliol]

Funnily enough, I have just returned after successfully focusing it on a pylon about the same distance away, cannot see any rivets though 

Thanks to all for your help and advice.

Brian