swtbliss8

Here's an update:

Sad to say that I had to say goodbye to this telescope and return it.  There was just no solution to this problem.  I didn't want to hang on to the telescope if it was really defective.  .I also did not get any response back from LA Astro Society.  Sadness....

Any joy with the astro society yet swtbliss? I'm itching to hear if someone's looked it over for you and solved the problem.

It's a real brain teaser this one lol.

Ha ha.  It really is a brain teaser.  It's getting the best of me...really frustrating.  No joy with the Astro Society.  They haven't replied back to me yet.  Hope they are not ignoring my message

Tell me you are removing both end caps from your eyepiece.

I only mention this as, just the other night, I got all set up, went to focus on a bright star and.... Blurrrrrr. I had left the bottom clear cap on the Ethos. Obviously I realised pretty quickly what the problem was, but it's fairly easy to do, particularly if you are a beginner.

Hello Joves.  Thanks for your advice.  You had the same problem?!?  What do you mean you had left the bottom clear cap on the Ethos?  Any pictures you can post so I can understand better? 

Any updates yet? I'm itching to find out what the problem was.

Hello.  I haven't received any replies from LA Astro Society.  I don't know what to do.....

cheers

just trying to rule things out as everything looks right. running out of things to suggest. I think you need to meet with someone knowledgable locally. I am certain this will sort things out for you.

Grrr...I'm not sure why it's still giving me problems! Sorry, but I really don't know anyone who knows about this stuff. Hmm....

can you confirm that you are not 1) observing from indoors or 2) observing through glass?

Yes, I can confirm I'm not observing from indoors/observing through glass

Could you take a picture of the tube from the front (showing the mirror), the focuser without an eyepiece in and an afocal view through the eyepiece (looking at a tree or something)?

You got it. Here are the pictures as requested. However, I'm getting a hard time to get a picture of an a focal view through the eyepiece. With that said, here are the two pictures. Hope it helps!

Here is picture 1 ( picture of the tube from the front):

here is the 2nd picture of the focused without an eyepiece...

Hi all,

Hope all of you had a great Christmas!

Here's an update:

I received my new eyepieces as a replacement of the old ones. However, I am still getting blurry images.... even with the new eyepieces. I suspect it has something to do with the 'scope.

I also messaged the LA Astro Society, but haven't received a reply yet. I think they're on holiday break.

I'm really getting frustrated. I really don't want to return this 'scope. Help! Please?

Thanks in advance!

Is there any news yet? Did you manage to get in touch with LA Astro Soc?

Hello.  Thanks for your concern.  No I didn't get in contact  with LA Astro Soc yet.  I'm still waiting for the replacement of my eyepiece to come in the mail.  I'm going to see if the new eyepiece will help solve the problem first.  Also, right now, Christmas is coming up in a couple of days so I think no one would be working.

Happy Holidays everyone! 

It would be most unusual if more than one eyepiece was having the same problem at the same time. If all your eyepieces won't come to focus then it has to be a problem with the scope. Yet the pics indicate the scope looks ok at the focuser end - and the view in the draw tube doesn't sound out of place at all.

There's no indication of damage or blockage to primary or secondary mirrors - though it's possible factory set up may have left the primary badly pinched and/or the optic train grossly out of collimation.

When you get the new eyepiece - if it doesn't come to focus it has to be the scope. It would be really useful if you could contact these guys and tell them you need some help cos you can't get your scope to work. They will identify the problem very quickly:

The mailing address for the Los Angeles Astronomical Society is:

Los Angeles Astronomical Society

c/o Griffith Observatory

2800 East Observatory Road

Los Angeles, CA 90027

The telephone number for leaving messages is:

(213) 673-7355

Thanks for the info!  Do you happen to have their e-mail address if it is listed?

No problem Mark and it's not a rush.  Take your time since I'm waiting for the new eyepiece to be shipped to me.

Now you mentioned the factory could've put a spherical in it and not para?  What does that mean?  Any illustration/picture to show that?

Yes please.  It may help.  Thanks Mark!

Right now it's been raining like cats and dogs here in L.A. so I can't go out to do testing.  I believe it's going to rain the whole day and night today.  Boooo 

Is it poor with all the eyepieces you have?

I have given up.  I'm going to wait to test until after I receive the new eyepiece. 

UPDATE:

A guy from Celestron Support is going to send me another eyepiece free of charge.  How nice of him is that?  Hopefully when I get the new eyepiece, it will work this time around.  If not, it's probably the telescope? 

Anyway, Ill update you all when I receive the new eyepiece and if whether or not it works.

Thanks everyone!  I really do appreciate your help.  Happy Holidays! 

It should be 650mm, the same as the Skywatcher 130P

I just double checked.  You are correct. 

now here's a thought, get one of the eyepieces and unscrew the bottom silver part, turn it round and screw it back on the other way round...... does this now make the eyepiece focussable ?

Hello again astronymonkey,

Now I don't think that would work because there is a black flap that wraps around inside out on top of the eyepiece as you can see where you can refer to the pictures I posted a few posts earlier.  Hope I've made this clear. 

Worth a try :-) so does the image get any better at all when you wind in or out

Nope it doesnt.  Still the same

Do you have face time or Skype?

Sorry I don't have either of them

So frustrating ... I want to pop round and help :-) but I'm in Essex... The UK one

Ha ha.  Wow thanks for all the help you guys are giving me.  So nice of you.  Wish I'd live in the UK.   It is indeed frustrating.  Don't know why it's still giving me blurry images!!  Grr.....

It looks OK. Is the 10mm eyepiece the only one supplied with the telescope ?

Hi Peter,

Nope.  It came with the 20mm erecting eyepiece.  Also it came along with an eyepiece kit.  The eyepiece kit came with:

• 15 mm Kellner eyepiece
• 9 mm Kellner eyepiece
• #80A blue planetary filter
• #25 red planetary filter
• Moon filter
• Microfiber cloth
• Foam-lined plastic carrying case

Image of it with EP folded down.

Looks pretty similar....

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02159/ATelescope_2159965i.jpg

swtbliss, can you take a pic of the scope with the focuser extended all the way, and from the side please. So we can see if its extending all the way.

Cheers

Mark

Hi Mark,

Here is the picture.  Hope this helps?

Ok,

Here is an update from Celestron Support.  I got  response from them.  It sounds like they think it's a faulty eyepiece.  They offered to send another eyepiece to me as an exchange.  o_O 

But just out of curiousity.  Based on my pictures, does everything look right?

Oh dear - can you move to England at all? lol

Joking aside - there has to be an astro society in LA where you can get some help. I'm sure we have SGL members in LA who would be more than willing to assist..

HA HA HA.  I wish I could move to England! 

Here are some close-up pictures of the eyepiece I'm using and the eyepiece in the focuser.  Hope this helps.

Here is the close-up picture of the eyepiece.  That pink reflection is my pants.  Just ignore it that part...

A close-up picture of the eyepiece in the focuser...

,...And another one  just in a different view....

Roughly what area of the country do you live in swtbliss? (just a town name or county). Someone nearby will offer to check over your scope for you.

I could definitely use some help.  I live in the Los Angeles county, U.S.A.