JOC

Aligning the finder with the scope means turning the adjustment screws that will either be on the finder mount or be part of the finder itself so that if you, for example in the daytime not looking at the sun, were to set the telescope centered on a spire or tree a mile or two away that you then physically change the alignment of the finder so that that also sees the same object in the center of the finder view. This means that if you then use the finder to find a different object, maybe a distant aerial then center the object in finder and then look through the telescope view that the same object will be at the centre of the telescope view because they are both aligned to see the same object. Unless the finder is aligned with the telescope view you will find it very difficult to find a specific star or planet with the telescope as you will find it with the finder, but it then wouldn't be in the centre view of the telescope and it can be quite difficult to find things even when you are close to them - it's far easier if they are aligned. You will need to do it whenever you remove the finder from the scope - so at the start of each session def. check and if necessary adjust the finder alignment.

If you go down the Baader route you need a Baader M43 extension ring which screws to the EP, this then fits into another thin ring that I unscrew from my EP holder and that combo then screws onto the T ring ring fitting that takes my canon. At least that's what works for me - although I expect you can get a T ring that goes directly into a Baader M43 ring.

Things like Skywatcher Barlows also unscrew into pieces that allow camera's to be fitted using a T adapter ring. In fact I've been constantly amazed at how many times seeming solid object unscrew to provide useful bits for this sort of thing

Baader Mopheus and Baader Hyperion EP's provide this sort of thread. HTH

Really glad you seem to have it sussed, well done Geoff_L. Many of us have had our own battles with our Goto's. Most of us solve them when SGL point out common errors made with software use or in my case I know it was a weight issue. Having a motor incorrectly put together isn't something I think most of us would suspect as it shouldn't really happen with good QC during construction. It's excellent that you have actually been able to re-assemble everything correctly as even that looks a tricky thing to do from the photos - I don't think I would have wanted to dismantle something to that degree. Well done both Geoff_L and yourself for persisting.

I suspect a typo in the post. 😉 the 'but' is important, I read the current coating looks are OK, but he is worried it may have reached it's use-by date. I will be the first to admit I know nothing about telescope mirrors, but I shall be amazed if this is the case. After all what can happen to a coating on a mirror? It's not like my spectacles - they get a hard life I rub them with whatever I have to hand several times a day, I wear them doing all sorts of 'particulate' jobs around the farm and they end up predictably scratched and fogged where the coatings wear. OTH telescopes (esp. well kept ones) are usually kept dry, often covered in stable temperatures and with no physical wear or abrasion to their mirror surfaces - would the coating really just break-down and deteriorate?

I hadn't thought of that, certainly worth trying - thank you.

FWIW I too my 8" Dob out about 12 days ago and I thought I got a lovely view of Jupiter. Mind you I didn't have another telescope on the go to compare it with.

RDF's are good as they don't do any magnification so you still only look at a single star. I got a Y shaped mounting bracket and fitted both a cheap Celestron RDF and a RACI optical finder - with this combo I never looked back.

FWIW I also found a water butt base (which are not much to buy) lifted my 200P Flextube to a nice height to use, but I reckon there are water butt bases and water butt bases, as I found mine produced sufficient flex in it's plastic construction to be noticeable when using the scope - I always felt as though it could have done with filling with concrete, but then it would need to be in a fairly permanent position as I doubt you'd easily move it.

Did you find out why the scope, that otherwise looks mostly complete to my uneducated eye, didn't have a mirror fitted - was it someone's abandoned project?

Well I did consider lauching something, but in a busy shopping precinct you have to be careful what you do. I understand the STEM organiser is going to organise rocket propelled 'mice' though. Which I think involves making simple 'fingerbobs' and blowing them off the ends of empty plastic drinks bottles.

See that shows what I know - I had no idea about this eclipse! Sounds like I'd better request some power and see if I can get a computer wound up, I was going to ask for power for the tracker on the scope anyway - the event is the Basildon street science festival on the 13th July. We had a great time last year - I blew up balloons with vinegar and bicarb!

Not impossible, but unlikely - I still count myself a relative novice when it comes to telescopes and doing stuff, to the point at which I am still amazed when the experienced participants on SGL will still give me the 'time of day' with some of the iffy stuff I must post.

I like that, I'll have to remember that one. Gulp! I've just found out that a proper 'astrophysicist' is coming as a volunteer as well. If I take along the telescope they will soon know that I am out of my comfort zone!

That's an interesting point, if the tracking type was set wrongly could that affect the initial set-up?

Hi @Stu so just the effect of 'All of the [light] points in the scene do that at the same time, so an entire image, in focus," [appears on the focus screen] arriving at the back of the screen is sufficient to make image in focus. I guess the size of the hole and therefore the overall angle the light can enter then becomes important. The smaller the hole the smaller the angle the light can arrive at the back of the box and so the angular distances are all pretty similar and image is in focus?

That's a bit of a stonker. Hope you get the wheels dirty soon 😉

I found the projection box with the large grocery box online, I guess the larger size makes the image a bit bigger, but in terms of making something practical for most people I did like this one: Making a pinhole device is not something I've ever done, but this cereal box design seems so simple. I assume these things work? I see the implications of providing advice, but it would be good to send children away with something they could do at home and this design seems quite achievable. I could do like a Blue Peter thing do some demo models showing how it is constructed and do a printable to send the kids away with. 500 cereal boxes and I could send every kid home with one, but this might not be possible, but they might make one themselves - I could add all the usual stuff about getting adults to help with sharp things and in their use. One thing I've often wondered with pinhole things is how is focus achieved? All these things have a projection plate, whether a large grocery box or cereal box device, but as I see things all the focal lengths are a bit different (though given the huge distance from the sun, I guess, relatively, not by much). Sorry for the novice question, but I'm interested in how they all reach focus?

Anything to brighten the stand will be useful, thankyou! I am actually responding to to a STEM Ambassador request and will be part of their own stand so that should be covered, but yes it's a good idea to check that the computer has got a log for the event beforehand for me, though often my group will add them for us.

@Helen & @Mark at Beaufort what great resources thank you both. @Helen I'll drop you a PM with an email address in if I may, it won't hurt to have to have the originals in case I want to print the images onto separate pages. I knew SGL wouldn't let me down. I don't know if I can make one of those funnels as I am not certain if my refractor has any plastic within it or how I'd be certain that a EP didn't either. It seems somewhat more fraught with 'melting' type danger to let the light into a telescope light path without sufficient protection at the light inlet end. It is a very specific shape of funnel too - I'd have to find one similar in dimensions, but it is a neat idea and I can see the potential.

Ah, OK - I didn't have a full understanding, but with this ^^^ explanation I will be able to explain what people are looking at - I don't think people will really know the difference (unless they are themselves experts - and there will always be at least one!) I think they will probably just be in awe of the fact that they can look at the sun when they normally can't. I actually have both of these available perhaps I have missed the obvious trick that I could add a filter, I guess, to the EP side of things? This is going to need some research - I am not a solar expert (well I'm not even an expert astronomer - I'm just someone that owns a telescope). Knowing my lucky it will be cloudy anyway - so I might just be limited to explaining how a telescope works - perhaps I ought to take the little refractor as well as a contrast if it looks like being cloudy.

That's a shame, but thanks for checking for me I guessed someone would know how to find out. I know sometimes I have had a good look during the afternoon.

I'll take a reel of duct tape - good idea Good idea to check the view too and maybe a queue here sign would be a good idea Thankyou!

@AdeKing That's very good news and advice - thank you. If I can use the telescope it means I won't have to invent anything else to do. I can make lots of posters about precautions and put stickers all over the place and tell folks about safety precautions so they don't back home and try it, but I bet (if we get a sunny day) that lots of people might be interested in looking at their local star - thank you for the term 'white light solar' too 🙂