dabsond

Unless eyepieces are labeled as "Parfocal" they will focus at different lenghts. Normally only series eyepieces (IE meade 4000's) will be parfocal with eyepieces of the same series. Two different brands even if labeled as parfocal will require focusing.

I had the same problem when I installed a new focuser on my 130 newt. Is your primary center marked? If not, that's first thing to do. Have you changed the configuration of the scope, moved distances of focuser or installed new spider? If you can't see the clips, make sure focuser is at complete inward travel. This will increase the the amount of mirror you see. Start by using just your eye through the focuser tube. If you can get a good view of the primary from there then move on to a collimation cap and check again. The idea is line it up just using your eye or cap then move on to a laser or

I have a meade shorty X2 barlow that works good in my 150 newt and ETX 70. I could not get it to focus using my 120/F8 refractor. An Orion (US) long barlow focuses just fine.

I just got inside from checking it again. I think pinched is the right term. I readjusted the collimation screws to half position. Then working with a cheshire tube I slowly brought it pretty close. A quick star test proved it is very close to perfect. Clouds rolled in at that point, not before I got a peak at Saturn though.

I recently installed a new dual speed Antares focuser and 2" diagonal on my 120mm/F8 Synta Refractor. I think I am having problems diagnosing collimation problems. The focuser/diagonal combination gives great wide angle/low magnification views. When I use a 6.4mm or a 5mm eyepiece to check collimation I get a pretty strange pattern. After replacing the focuser I was expecting some minor tweaking to be needed. I am not sure what to make of this. I wish I would have checked it without the diagonal but I forgot to when I was checking. Please take a look at the sketch I have made and let me know w

I tend to be a telescope junkie. I just can't pass up a good deal. My son and I enjoy Refractor vrs. Reflector observing sessions. One of these days I will settle down and stop trading equipment. Not yet, it is to much fun wheeling and dealing.

Hello to all. My name is Dan Dabson. I found this site as a link and what a link it is. A wealth of information. My equipment includes: 150mm/F8 Newt 120mm/F8.3 Skywatcher Refractor 102mm/F9 Helios Refractor Meade ETX 70

This might be like one of the US Orion alignment scopes. You can try adjusting DEC until the diagram of the constellation is relatively in the same position as the sky. I often just use a planetarium program to figure a good clock position and then rotate the DEC axis until it is fairly close. Hope this helped.