Trouble lining up telescope to object.

[Slashdog2003]

Hi everyone..despite a cloudy night Jupiter was on view ,so for the first time I got my new telescope( skywatcher 130 eq2) out for a look.time wasn't on my side so I couldn't align to Polaris but assumed as long as I wasn't intending to fully track it that wouldn't be a problem.i managed to find it momentarily and was thrilled..! I then lost it when I knocked the tripod..DOH! the problem I got was despite my best efforts to line my scope to findJupiter again I just couldn't get it in view...! Was proper frustrating..any tips for me please..I used my finderscope ...I have a 10mm a 25mm and Barlow lens.

[ronin]

The EQ2 doesn't have a polar scope as best I know so I guess the alignment was by eye and whatever bits are on the mount. Not sure if you had/have one but I guess that for simplicity setting the Latitude and aiming it North with a compass should have been OK for simple visual. Wrexham is 53 N.

As to not getting Jupiter back it sounds more like the finder and the main scope have gone out of alignment, meaning you will need to recheck and possibly realign the two items again. It is something that I suspect needs to be done every few months even if the equipment has not had a knock.

I assume that the finder and the scope were initially aligned at some time in the past?

Reading there is no mention of this and I suppose you could have attached finder and by luck it was reasonably aligned to the scope and so it was simply left as it was.

[Davey-T]

Try a red dot finder of some sort and align your finder with your main scope in daylight if possible, amazing how tricky it is to find things.

Dave

[damnut]

Hi There,

The easiest way to align the finder is to do it during daylight. Use your lowest power eyepiece (25mm in this case). Focus on something that is at least a few hundred metres away (tv aerial, tree) lock the mount then adjust the screws on the finder so that all is aligned to the centre of the finder. Afraid it is time and error ..

[RT65CB-SWL]

Try a red dot finder of some sort and align your finder with your main scope in daylight if possible, amazing how tricky it is to find things.

Dave

...especially in the dark! 

[Davey-T]

...especially in the dark! 

I have trouble finding the Sun 

Dave

[Tinker1947]

If a Telrad will fit on your tube, that's the way to go........

[goose35]

As for alignment do it more accuratly then once done mark or note the leg position and alt az positions then future quick setups should be close

[ronl]

I use a Rigal Quikfinder to find my targets, it makes it so easy, once you align it

with your scope, and very easy to fit, and very light, you don't need the battery pack,

the coin battery lasts for a very long time, as long as you remember to switch it off,

here's a link to one http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/rigel-quikfinder-compact-reflex-sight.html

[Slashdog2003]

Thanks to everyone for your help....I took the advice and found my finderscope was out so adjusted it in daylighting...many thanks.