First time with PST

[AstroTiger]

Hi there

Ok here i was with my PST at a friends place.

Rigged up the laptop to record some images.

Was a little p'd, firstly on testing, my new 7.5 mil eyepiece would NOT fill the FOV with the Sun.

The toucam was better, BUT, i could not realy focus in with the thing.

As a total enthusiastic novice in this field, what am i doing wrong?

Cheers

Al

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Webcams usually struggle to acheive focus with the PST. On the older versions there is an extension tube below the EP holder which you can remove. It is a hollow tube and does nothing. On the newer ones the extension has a red filter or somesuch and so is obviously doing something, so you can't take that away.

If you don't want to attempt to modify your PST, or its a newer version, you need to use a Barlow lens screwed into the webcam nosepiece. Just use the Barlow lens with the tube removed and you should be able to get it to focus. It's not very easy as the edges of the sun are darker than the centre, so you don't get an edge to focus on like you do with the moon. Once you get to grips with it though its really good fun.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[AstroTiger]

that makes sense

thanks Capt

would it work if the plastic attachment that screws into the toucam is not fully inserted?

Say only put a cm or so in?

Would this work, or does it need to be farther away?

[GazOC]

If it needs a Barlow to focus then it needs to be nearer....

[Greg]

You hav'nt got enough in focus...so a as KK and Gaz says a barlow is you option..

HTH

Greg

[GazOC]

...or a hacksaw.

[tom.yates]

ouch

[The Warthog]

Just to Clarify, I'm pretty sure KK meant a Barlow with the lens removed. This turns it into a hollow tube with nothing to do but move your toucam away from the telescope.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

The oposite I'm afraid WH. Just the lens bit of the Barlow without the extension tube. The lens screws onto the webcam nosepiece to give a mild increase in magnification and just enough to allow focus to be acheived.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[The Warthog]

The oposite I'm afraid WH. Just the lens bit of the Barlow without the extension tube. The lens screws onto the webcam nosepiece to give a mild increase in magnification and just enough to allow focus to be acheived.

Kaptain Klevtsov

Ah! Duly noted!