Help with understanding Telescope

[Benchelt]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here & have just bought an old telescope from a charity shop.

They told me it works but, I'm struggling.

There is an eye piece but it's not connected to the main body. It will detach - does this somehow connect to main body?

Please see image below.

Many thanks,

Ben

[Davey-T]

Think there's a bit missing, has it got a mirror ?

Dave

[Benchelt]

Hi Dave,

Yes, there is a mirror inside the big tube.

[philj]

The finder scope is pointing the wrong way.

The eyepiece goues in the focuser on the side, (the bit with knobs on).

You appear to be missing the legs for the pillar tube. If you havent got these you wont be able to use it. If you have the legs go on the tube of the mount and the scope fits in the rings on the mount.

just googoe for Tal reflector telescope for images to get an idea how it goes together

[Benchelt]

Cheers,

Does the eyepiece fit like this?

Also, the legs did not come with it so, is it totally useless?

[Davey-T]

No that's the finder scope it fits in the rings as per your first photo but round the other way.

Just need to knock up some sort of base and buy a second hand eyepiece 26mm or similar

Dave

[John]

You have put the finder scope into the eye piece tube there.

The finder scope is actually held in those rings that are beside the eyepiece tube - the big lens of the finder points in the same direction as the open end of the telescope tube and there should be 3 screws in each of the rings to hold the finder in position. Those screws bear agains those plastic black rings that are around the finder scope body.

Here are 2 links which might help:

A TAL 1 user guide (yours is the TAL 1 model made in Russia by TAL):

http://www.astro.org.uk/observing/tal/index.html

And the original TAL instruction manual (cut and past the whole of this link into your browser):

www.npzoptics.com/files/TAL1,1M,2,150P,150P8.pdf

[Benchelt]

Thanks Dave

Would the eyepeice below work?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/myb/Summary?MyEbay&gbh=1

[John]

Here is another useful link on this scope from a member of this forum:

http://www.astro-baby.com/TAL%20Telescope%20Rebuild/TAL%20Telescope%20Restoration.htm

[bambuko]

Thanks Dave

Would the eyepeice below work?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/myb/Summary?MyEbay&gbh=1

The link don't seem to work for me, but before you rush to buy eyepieces, check the diameter of the focuser opening...

Your TAL looks like an older version, which is more likely to have soviet standard dia of 32mm (instead of the more usual 1.25" )

[Davey-T]

Have you checked that the charity shop haven't got the legs somewhere ?

Dave

[philj]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=tablet-android-samsung&hl=en-GB&oe=utf-8&safe=images&q=tal1+telescope&source=android-browser-suggest&qsubts=1444328039748#imgrc=xR5eWjeiBRCo9M%3A

This gives you an idea of how it should go together.

The thing youve stuck in the focuser is the finder scope. I assumed you had an eyepiece seeing as you mentioned it in your OP.

Just remember the open end of the scope is the top, you point that end at the object you want to look at

[steviebee]

The link to the eyepiece does not work for me either. It goes straight to my ebay watch list!

[AndyH]

Here are a list of older and modern Tal User Manuals, in pdf format ...........

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/75881-tal-scopes-service-manuals/?hl=%20tal%20%20service%20%20manuals#entry1260228

[AndyH]

As mentioned above, check where you bought the scope from, for the 3 feet that attach to the pedestal.

Did you get any of the following accessories?

The following pic shows the optical accessories you got with the Tal-1 of that era(late 80's, early to mid 90's)

(pic from http://www.tal-ecke.de/html/zubehor.htmlA site packed with superb info )

6x filters. They click over the top of the eyepieces. Later Tal made filters screwed into the bottom of the  eyepices as is industry std.

A 25mm plossl, 15mm Kellner,  a 3x Barlow Lens & a x-hair insert for the 25mm eyepiece. These have a 32mm diameter barrel size. As a sidenote, whenever you see a Tal-1 focuser with a chrome interior drawtube, then that means it's a 32mm fitting.

 The above, whilst of excellent optical quality, have some drawbacks. Namely 32mm outside diameter and of a low profile design/construction. This means using std modern eyepieces is problematic, but fixable.

If you have the (factory supplied) two eyepieces & barlow, the scope will work brilliantly.

Andy.