Help with aiming telescope.

[adamwebb28]

Hi All

I got my Celestron 130EQ on Saturday night and have tried it out the last few nights. It's amazing just how much you can see that isn't visible by looking!

I've been trying to aim for Jupitor though seeing as its pretty much the brightest light up there (well I think its Jupitor?). This seemed like a good way of getting to grips with moving and aiming the telescope but for some reason I've found it almost impossible to find. I have got it a couple of times but I then couldn't keep it in site long enough to see it properly. I've tried aiming by looking down the telescope and still nothing!

I was thinking of getting a less powerful eye piece to help but surely it shouldn't be that hard to find?

Oh and as most reviews have said, the star finder thing is useless!

So any tips to aiming my scope?

[Parus major]

Is the problem that you line up the finder and look and it's not there? Three things, first is the finder lined with what you see in the eyepiece of the scope? This is best done in the daylight. Second, polar alignment. Not doing this to a degree can have the object slip off the bottom or the top. Third, as you say if the above are out having too much magnification will cause you problems.

[adamwebb28]

I've tried aligning the finder thing but that's been no help. So I've tried just trying to aim the telescope by looking along the OTA and still nothing.

When it comes to Polar alignment I can't see polaris from where I am. So tried the method of pointing the scope north with a compass and setting the latitude of the mount to the same as where I am (51degrees) is that correct?

[Parus major]

That should be in the ball park. You'd have to make sure that the mount is level, generally it doesn't matter with EQ's since you're aligning but if you're unable then doing it would help.

[Tinker1947]

Get yourself a Telrad or Red Dot Finder, with these you look at the finder and the use the other eye to see where your aiming, couple of goes and it all falls into place.

Telrad finder

[valleyman]

Try keeping both eyes open whe using the finder.

[proflight2000]

Another way is to use the largest eyepiece you have i.e 25mm to 40mm etc, you will see more of the sky as such, one you have it in the center of the large eyepiece then you can go in further with more powerful eyepieces and refocus. But the ideal is to line up a viewfinder with the telescope so you look and aim with wider vision.

[themos]

We all have trouble with finding things! I suggest waiting until the Moon is up. It's quite hard to miss. When it's up, take some time to make sure that your finder is aligned with the scope. A properly aligned finder should help you find a bright object, 100% of the time.

[JamesF]

It's amazing just how much you can see that isn't visible by looking!

I think FLO should take this on as their new marketing slogan

James

[Spackbackle]

Hi All

I have got it a couple of times but I then couldn't keep it in site long enough to see it properly.

Seem's like your doing everything correct wth regards to polar allingment. (as best you can anyway) As said above start with the widest eyepeice you have 25mm??

When you have had jupiter in sight what has made it move out of view? Is it becuase the control knobs are loose and you can't hold it steady and so jupiter has just swung by?

Or is it that that jupiter just moves out of view while your looking at it?

[adamwebb28]

I think I possible don't have the telescope balanced properly, so it moves slightly after I've got it lined up. Also, think I keep getting the slow movement cables the wrong way round so move it the wrong way and can't find the planet again! Hopefully it's clear tonight so I can have another go.

My telescope came with a 20mm and a 10mm eyepiece. Is it worth getting a 30 mm one as well? I take it I can use any make? Like this one:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher SP Plossl eyepieces

Thanks

PS @JamesF Yeah I probably didn't word that right ha!

[cabby]

I've got the same scope as you and using the finder on it is just a waste of time.

A few others on here with the same scope have bought a Telrad which I have, or a Rigel and it will make viewing so much easier.

Both are more or less the same in principle, and also start with your biggest ep.

[adamwebb28]

Thanks, can you reccommend anywhere in the UK to buy a Telrad? Where are people getting theirs from??

[Tinker1947]

These places, check the prices and postage...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TS-Optics-TELRAD-Magnification-Telescope/dp/B006WICIRC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327421009&sr=8-1

Telrad Reflex Finder | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

[the milster]

Best thing I done was buying the Telrad for this scope, you won't be dissapointed

[assasincz]

I suspect that getting a decent aperture 8x50 optical finderscope (go for right-angled one, makes things easier) might help you with your issues. Although Telrads and red-dots are good for rough allignment, you will be surprised how accurately you will be able to find things in the night sky after acquiring the "glassy" one

[adamwebb28]

Many thanks everyone! Will look into them.

[dag123]

Hi,

I also have this scope and can offer my experiences.

Yes the red-dot-finder is not great. I don't bother to switch the red light on. What I did do was to aim the scope at a full-ish moon and then align the finder so it was centred. Then still using the moon, swing the scope away and then practice lining it back up. Then switch to something a bit less bright, could be Jupiter or the Plieades and do the same. After a while you get to know how the finder works and I certainly don't feel that I need to upgrade it.

Get a 32mm EP. I use the one from the Celestron kit and it is my most used scope. With this EP you should be able to get your target in the field of view even with the red-dot-finder.

Finally, please plan what you want to look at and get an idea of how to star hop. You might find it easier to start at some easy to find bright star and then slowly move from this to the next until you get to the area of sky you want to be. I've failed to spot a number of DSOs by this technique. However I am 100% sure I am looking at the right place as the pattern of stars I am looking at matches what is shown in Stellarium. Just too much light pollution.

Hope this helps

dag123