Newbie here - need some help!

[yorsh]

I recently got a 130m Skywatcher telescope and I love it! I've seen the Moon's craters, Jupiter's stripes, and Saturn's rings! And now I want to try and observe something a bit bigger.

I'm trying to see the Whirlpool Galaxy. I know exactly where it is - in the Big Dipper, I just need to draw an imaginary line down from the star Alkaid, and draw a line left from Alioth, and it's roughly about there. The thing is, no matter how hard I try, I just can't find it! Does anyone have any tips?

Another thing - I think there's something wrong with my red dot finderscope. Just today, I aligned up the telescope perfectly with the star Mizar and then switched on the finderscope and found it was waaay of where it was supposed to be. After adjusting it a lot, I got it a little closer, but it's still really off. I can't turn the knobs any more, so I can't align up the red dot to the target. Does anyone have any tips for this too?

Thanks!

[brantuk]

Hi Yorsh and welcome to SGL

The whirlpool isn't very bright and if you have the least light pollution it will be difficult to locate for the first time - even if you know where it is. Even then you need the right conditions to be able to see it. In summer the nights barely go dark at all so that's against you for a start. Then you need a very dark site to observe from, and your eyes need to be fully dark adapted (which takes around 20mins). Best to try on a moonless night, if it's still difficult try using averted vision, and a wide angle eyepiece.

When lining up red dots and cross hairs in finders - start with a low power eyepiece like a 20mm-25mm. Get the scope dead center in the eyepiece then on the finder reticule. Then swap in a higher power maybe 12mm-16mm. You'll see the error - adjust finder as required. Then try around 6mm-8mm and repeat. Once it's centered in the high power eyepiece it should be good to go for most visual objects. Alternatively use a zoom eyepiece.

Hope that helps

[John]

M51, known as the Whilpool Galaxy is not going to be bright in 130mm of aperture at the best of times and under the Summer skies with the Moon about, as brantuk says, it will be very difficult to see at all.

On a dark night you should see two small, faint, patches of fuzzy light side by side through your scope. I can barely see the spiral structure with my 12" dob from home even on a dark night but its a nice galaxy to observe nonetheless.

You can shim the foot of the finder with a little tape to offset it in it's mount a little which might help ge tit aligned better with the main scope view.

[laudropb]

Try aligning your scope and Finder in day light. Focus your scope with your lowest mag eyepiece on a distant object like a tree, chimney etc, then try aligning your red dot finder to this object. Then follow the excellent advice given by Brantuk and work through your eyepieces refining the process. Unfortunately many people do not get on with these finders and you may have to consider a different type.

[Lowjiber]

I really can't add much to adjusting/shimming that red-dot finder, as it is one of the major drawbacks of that particular scope. However, I have two comments that I hope will be helpful.

A RACI is by far a much better choice for star-hopping than those red-dot finders (even properly aligned). A second choice might be either a Telrad or a Rigel Quickfinder, both of which are lighter than a RACI and will attach to the tube easily with the double-backed tape provided.

Secondly, you definately picked a tough target for your first attempt at seeing "something bigger". The Whirlpool galaxy can be difficult to locate, even for an experienced DSO observer with a larger aperture, if there is any hint of light-pollution present.

Respectfully submitted.

[J_N_Y]

Hi Yorsh,

I have had the same issue with my 130 and the red dot.

I found the knobs wouldn't move the target enough to the left. Depending how far in the mounting shoe you have put it, the pressure from the locking screw can twist the entire sight. Make sure the sight foot is as far forward in the shoe as possible, and then re-try. failing that, some plastic/card shims will help out.

Also, setting the sight in the daytime on a distant object is much, much easier than of a night.

[Big Chris]

Hi Yorsh,

 

I too have had the same issue with my 130/900 and the red dot finder. Seems to be a common issue! I just aligned as near as possible in daylight, and remember to adjust for the amount out when I'm lining up. Didn't like the RDF at first, but I've kind of got used to it now.

 

I too couldn't find the Whirlpool, but Andromeda was OK for the time of year...

 

Chris

[Dave Lloyd]

Hello Yorsh, welcome.

[yorsh]

Thanka everyone!

I managed to realign my red dot finder as best I could though it's still off by a few milimetres, like others have said, it just wont go left enough. I just keep that in mind when locating things and purposely offset the red dot a few minimetres off of the target. It's awkward but it sort of works. I'll keep an out out for any other type of finder scope that may be better.

I would try to see the Andromeda galaxy but unfortunately, the only place I have to stargaze is my back yard (front yard is plagued with terrible light pollution from street lamps). My entire town has pretty bad light pollution, though my back yard is pretty good because there are tall trees that block a lot of it out. Unfortunately, these trees get in the way of Andromeda!

I'll see if I can take my telescope somewhere a bit more isolated from all the light pollution but that probably won't be happening for a while.

[Dave In Vermont]

As others have said, use a far-off terrestrial object to align the finder. The reason being that objects in space appear to move as the Earth rotates. If you use a 100X eyepiece, let's say, then the movement of the stars will be 100X faster moving in your eyepiece.

Things on the ground stay put. I use a church steeple across town.

'ta,

Dave