Illuminating SW 9x50 finderscope reticle

[Gina]

The SW finderscope is very good but has one serious lacking feature IMO - when aligning objects at night you can't see the reticle. I seem to remember reading of someone adding a red LED to illuminate the reticle. Any info please? Where is the best place to drill a hole for the LED?

Thank you

[Bizibilder]

You can take the finder apart quite easily - it all unscrews. If you set an LED in the main tube it will illuminate the reticule easily enough. The problem may be to keep the LED dim enough!

I find that with my own (I'm at quite a dark site) I can see the reticule easily enough and usually use it to "eclipse" my chosen object. If anything I would want the crosshairs thinner!

[Earl]

I have to report I took the easy option and bought the Antares right angle jobby.

Works well, but the eyepiece is sooooooooo pants. fine for a finder though really.

[Gina]

You can take the finder apart quite easily - it all unscrews. If you set an LED in the main tube it will illuminate the reticule easily enough. The problem may be to keep the LED dim enough!

I find that with my own (I'm at quite a dark site) I can see the reticule easily enough and usually use it to "eclipse" my chosen object. If anything I would want the crosshairs thinner!

Thanks for your reply I thought the LED would have to go in the eyepiece part, which is quite small but if it can go in the main tube it'll be much easier to do. I would think having a suitably high value resistor in series with the LED would make it dim enough. I'll have to experiment.

[Gina]

I have to report I took the easy option and bought the Antares right angle jobby.

Works well, but the eyepiece is sooooooooo pants. fine for a finder though really.

A right angle finder would certainly be a great benefit - I almost have to lie down on my back to look into mine when the object to view is high in the sky! I'm going to put a webcam on it (as was done with the polar scope).

[Gina]

I've brought the finder scope indoors and taken it apart. Yes, it does all unscrew. I'm thinking that rather than drill a hole through the nice sparkly black painted main tube I might drill the eyepiece end plate which is just matt black, and aluminium I think (it's non-magnetic and too heavy to be plastic).

[keithmrris]

Hi, I just shine a keyfob LED down the finder.

Keith

[Gina]

I guess I could stick a LED into the objective end of the finder

Actually, if I use a webcam on it, there's a reticule in SharpCap I can use - job done

[steelfixer]

Gina when I set my old one up as a guide scope I found that I had to set the webcam (spc900) about 10mm inside the tube to get it to focus.

[brantuk]

You can get a variable polar scope illuminator from Rother Valley that just clips on the end of the polar scope hole. Phone them and ask for the one with the finder scope illuminator add-on that clips on the end of the finder scope dew shield. You can use one or the other and they're both variable brightness. Small box fixes to the scope with a velcro pad.

Astronomy Shed LED Polarscope Illuminator | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

[Gina]

Gina when I set my old one up as a guide scope I found that I had to set the webcam (spc900) about 10mm inside the tube to get it to focus.

Ah yes, using the webcam at prime focus. I was thinking of using an afocal setup, keeping the webcam's lens (for use as a finder). If or when I try the finder scope as a guide scope then I will adapt another SPC900NC and fit it inside. Thank you for the info

[Gina]

You can get a variable polar scope illuminator from Rother Valley that just clips on the end of the polar scope hole. Phone them and ask for the one with the finder scope illuminator add-on that clips on the end of the finder scope dew shield. You can use one or the other and they're both variable brightness. Small box fixes to the scope with a velcro pad.

Astronomy Shed LED Polarscope Illuminator | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

Thank you for the suggestion