RT65CB-SWL

It is the TeleVue Ranger. I have the green 'powder coat' finish, as shown below. The specs are... f/l:480mm - obj: 70mm - f:6.85

Hi @Yubnub and welcome to SGL. I borrowed one from a member of my local club/society and tried it in my ‘re-modded’ ETX105 and Celestron C6/SCT a few years ago. It wasn’t too bad. As I have a 7-21mm zoom [images below] that I purchased from a European astro-reseller that used to ship to/from GB/UK and/or Sweden* a few years earlier. * at the time of writing and due to BREXIT, they now sell and ship from Sweden to EU customers only.

I never wear my glasses/spectacles with my binoculars or ‘scopes and/or camera [DSLR & digital-compact] viewfinder, unless I am reading the camera menus/settings screens.

It would make sense, as a retractable dew shield is included with a Questar 3.5

Hi @kasabian21 and welcome to SGL. The SkyWatcher Skymax is very popular with SGL’ers. Though no ‘scope does all, an SCT or Maksutov will give you wonderful views of the Moon, planets and some DSO’s. Remember to add a dew shield as these are not included… (don’t ask why)! Below is an image of my ETX105 c/w with dew shield attached on a small alt-az mount and photo/video tripod. To get the best views, you need to allow them to acclimatise to the ambient temperature. I give me ‘re-modded’ ETX105 and Celestron C6/SCT a minimum of thirty minutes… (longer if I have driven to a star party that evening). Though I am currently using manual alt-az mounts at the time of writing, my next astro-upgrade/purchase maybe the AZ-GTi mount as it seems to tick all the boxes.

The Baader neodymium is my ‘Swiss-Army knife’ filter. I also use the Explore Scientific UHC and Olll.

Depending what you are going to mount upon it, I use either of these two bad boys... ...my AYO-AOK and Tele-Optic Giro. On the AYO, I can remove the saddle/plate [shown on left] and attach a counterweight and bar. The the right one is a permanent fixture. On the Giro, I can remove either arm and saddle/plate and attach a counterweight and bar. My Giro loaded, 'scopes cooling... and waiting for nightfall.

Very nice! A lot of detail in the second one.

As said by fellow SGL’ers you can use a Mak/SCT without a dew shield without any issues. But it is useful to have and I agree that they should come as part of the package deal. Even if you do or do not attend a star party it will also inquisitive fingers from touching the meniscus cell/corrector plate with greasy/sticky fingers too! Above image of my ‘re-modded’ ETX105 c/w dew shield on mounted on a ‘DwarfStar’ mount and a photo/video tripod.

I used this 'local' engineer... http://www.peacockprecision.co.uk/contact.htm to modify the rear end/backplate of my ETX105 a few years ago. I don't know whether he is still in business/retired/other. Alternatively, have you tried Beacon Hill Telescopes... http://beaconhilltelescopes.org.uk/contact.html - He made the eyepiece projection adapter and RAS to 1.25" adapter for the brass e/p, (image below), for me during 1999. a few months before the solar eclipse.

Any thoughts of adding a longer dovetail bar under the existing one? Preferably one with the slot for the mounting screws [assuming the existing dovetail has some threaded holes in it] then you could 'slide' the rig up and down accordingly. I do this with my 're-modded' ETX105 when it is rear-end heavy. Apologies... I don't have an image of it to show at the present time.

+1 for the collimation cap. I use one on these two... ...ETX105 and C6/SCT.

Hi @cpsTN and welcome to SGL. It depends on what targets you are observing and local sky conditions. At the time of writing, the planets are all extremely low in the evening sky here in GB/UK 🇬🇧 and you are looking through a denser/thicker and polluted atmosphere and this causes a dramatic effect on seeing and what you are viewing through the e/p.

Hi @clafann1 and welcome to SGL. Is the barrel 0.965" or 1.25"? - if it is 0.965" you can purchase an adapter to use 'modern' 1.25" e/p's from well known online auction sites and online warehouses. Just for comparison, I have attached an image of a 0.965" eyepiece and 1.25" adapter below... left: 0.965" right: 1.25" Link for a collimation cap... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/other-collimation-tools/rigel-aline-collimation-cap.html as suggested by @Elp above.

Nice!

Hi @Alex_ and welcome to SGL. I am also from the Royal County There are a few astro clubs/societies across the county and neighbouring counties too within easy driving distance.

Awesome capture… and colours too! I cannot remember the last time I saw Mercury visually with my type 1 eyeballs.

Have you tried here?… http://sctelescopes.com/

The filters I use are... Baader Planetarium Neodymium - my 'Swiss-army knife' filter. a BST variable polarising filter set - [images below] - when using a star diagonal, I screw one into the nosepiece and the other one into the nosepiece of the eyepiece or supplied eyepiece holder or accessory. Then rotate until I get the desired brightness/contrast, when viewing the Moon and/or discerning the phases Venus. #47 - violet - recommended for discerning the phases of Venus too. Explore Scientific UHC. Explore Scientific Olll. a set of colour filters - for visual observing of the planets only. Baader solar continuum - used with a single polarising filter and solar wedge. Baader Planetarium contrast booster. Explore Scientific CLS. IR - infrared on a webcam.

Hi @Graviton1 and welcome to SGL. Have a look here... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html if you have not already seen it!

Another thing to bear in mind, if you decide to keep it and that is eyepieces. I think they are/were 0.965" which was the 'standard' when they were released. Now days the 'standard' is 1.25" To give you a size comparison, I attach below an image of my 0.965" / 6mm Ortho and 1.25" - 0.965" adapter... You can still obtain 0.965" eyepieces from some well known online internet auction sites and warehouses.

Hi @Mrself58 and welcome to SGL. F=700* this is the OTA/tube overall length of the total light path travelled. As the tube is short, the light path is 'folded' to compensate for the long length. divided by... D=76mm [diameter of the objective] equals... Focal Ratio: 7.9** Therefore: 700 / 76 = 7.9 * In other words, light enters at the front... first 350mm and the photons hit the primary mirror... they then bounce off the secondary mirror which is also at 350mm giving you the total of 700mm. ** the focal ratio is: 7.894736842105263 rounded up to the nearest decimal place. Hope this makes sense... maths and mathematics was never my strongest subject at school, and I choose a hobby that involves it!

Keep a watch for the TeleVue Radian, (the predecessor of the DeLite). Although I only have the 6mm, it does give planets the ‘Wow!’ factor. The reason I chose the Radian when they were released, was the ‘Instajust’ feature and was within my budget at the time of purchase. If you do source a second hand Radian, it should include… or ask if it includes the ‘pupil guide’ which is shown above. TV Pupil Guide Instructions.pdf

A 6” SCT would look nice!