Saturninus

I guess I'll just keep the extension tubes in. It's just kind of a pain because when the extension is in, there is one EP that won't come to focus. It would be really nice if the tube had been short enough to allow me to use a binoviewer, but alas it seems Iike the worst case scenarios. It's too short to allow EPs to come to focus without and extension tube, but not short enough to allow a binoviewer without a glasspath corrector. I guess it really is optimized for imaging. I'd probably want to upgrade the focuser at some point anyway. Thanks for the guidance all

According to the scale on the focuser, there is 45mm of travel. Is that short by normal standards?

Its an Explore Scientific 102mm carbon fiber triplet. It came with 2x 120mm extension tubes, so I think it was designed this way. Why they would design it this way I have no idea! Then again, i am new to refractors<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

Forgive me - I was raised in SCT land where backfocus is something that is taken for granted... So I got my first refractor - a 102mm f6. I love the views, but I didn't realize how much fiddling around I have to do to get different EPs to come to focus. I put in a short focal length EP - I have to put in an extension tube to bring it to focus. I switch to a long focal length plossl - I have to take out the extension tube. I use this same EP with a 1.25 prism diagonal to control scatter, I have to put the extension tube back in. The scope actually came with two extensions tubes... Is this something I just have to expect to deal with when using most refractors, or are some refractors more prone to this than others? I don't see this kind of thing usually discussed in product descriptions, but if one scope said "can reach focus for most eyepieces without having to use extension tubes", I would consider that a huge plus...