Andrew Larmour

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. I've at least got a starting point to try and resolve my issues. I understand the compromise that this type of reflector represents and perhaps that is why I got it for $40. The impression I got when I bought it was that the scope hadn't been used for a long time (the layer of dust on the box would support this!) and it was just taking up space - he didn't know much about it. Regardless, it is what it is and I'll make the best of it...

Thx @Cornelius Varley & @GazOC, I didn't know there was such a thing as a Jones Bird Reflector - I was wondering how Saxon managed to get 1400mm with such a short tube. Any ideas on why I'm unable to focus? Obviously I need to properly collumate the optics (without the laser) to get the best out of it, but would that explain my inability to focus?

Thanks Olly, I'm aware of the issue with not being able to focus some cameras because the plane of the photo-receptor cannot get close enough to the secondary mirror. That's not the problem in this case. Using the scope visually, I cannot focus the telescope. Also, when my SLR is on the telescope, I'm have plenty of movement with the focuser both in and out from the point where I got the shots. Regards, Andrew

Hi all, Absolute newby here - my first foray into astronomy. I bought a Saxon 1400mm 6" refractor secondhand complete with a EQ mount for a bargain price and I'm keen to get it working properly for both planetary and deep space observations. I invested in a few extras such as a laser collimator and a 3x barlow. I think I have a handle on how it all works including the EQ mount. I took the scope out for a test over Easter - which just happened to coincide with a ISS transit of the full moon. Rippa, I thought, that would be great to capture on my first night of observations. The problem I have is the complete inability to focus the scope to anything like sharp enough. I have some photos I took with the scope attached: The scene with the normal camera lens for my daylight practice session A shot of a distant house with the telescope (using a Nikon D7000 on a t-mount adaptor) The same house with the barlow attached A shot of the moon- no barlow - as sharp as I could get it - certainly no way to see the silhouette of the ISS with the scope this out of focus When I was collumating the scope, I noticed a that the reflection on the primary mirror was not a single spot but rather a line ... which means that the laser on the collimator target is a line rather than a dot I confirmed that this is not a problem with the shape of the laser beam coming from the collimator by showing the shape on my hand at a distance of 14m I'm not sure if the distortion of the laser is the fault of the secondary mirror or the lens(es) in the bottom of the eyepiece mount. I'm also not sure if this distortion is what is causing the inability to focus the scope, but I suspect that both issues are symptoms of the same problem. I'd appreciate any ideas on what to do next to resolve the focus issue.