Hi all.

[rhonskie]

Hi Everyone,

before anything else i just want to introduce myself. My name is rhon and newbie here in this forum as well as in my new telescope.

ok then my question is, i just bought a Celestron 50az yesterday and i was wondering how to use it however, i got confused using those lens of how to match it. since i have 3 eyepieces + 2 barlow. ( 20mm,25mm and SR4mm ) ( 3x of barlow, 1.5x Barlow ) so i was wondering how to get a good images from the moon,mars,jupiter and saturn but it is also making me confuse of this lenses because its really hard for me to locate the planets but in my locator i got them like a sniper shot. but when i tried to look up in my lense of my eyepiece whatever eyepiece in there i don't find them it takes me some time to locate the planets. and i also have the curve lens where you can put the barlow and eyepiece together while standing.

and i also have a problem from my tripod since when i am moving right and left up and down and when i release it its a bit shaky,though.

Please help me about my problems to get a good image from the moon,mars,jupiter and saturn. give me also the combination i can use for the lenses.

answering and co-operation will be highly appreciated.

thanks guys!

[Atlas]

Hi, welcome to the forum. First things first.

Your eye pieces: the bigger the number, the lower the magnification. so your 25mm has the lowest magnification but has the wide field of view (FOV). The 4mm is the strongest one.

the Barlow lenses multiply the scale of the target by what ever eye piece your using. example: a 20mm eyepiece will be equal to a 10mm if you pair the 25mm with a 2x barlow lense.

Imaging will be hard with that scope since it's a 50mm Aperture and very light weight. It's best in your case you hold a digital camera to your eye piece...this is called (Afocal imaging). Adjusting the brightness and exposure setting on your camera will dim or brighten the desired target.

When you get comfortable you can try a small webcam and shoot that way, not sure if the result will be very good due to the small scope AP.

I would also read up on the magnification limits on your telescope.

Again, welcome to the site...we are here to answer as many questions as you can think of.

Also: it's best to use the 25mm to line up your target, then switch to the stronger one once it's centered.

[DOBBY]

Hi Rhon.. & welcome to the forum

sounds like you need to align your finder 'scope with your eyepiece..best done in daylight or by using the moon & with your 25mm eyepiece in

[rhonskie]

hey there atlas,

thanks for the reply, now i understand but since my locator and my eyepiece doesn't match...every time i check in my locator finder and when i peek in my eyepiece its not there...and i have to find using my eyepiece and it'll take an hour before i find the planet...

hey Dobby,

thanks also for the reply, how do i align my finder scope to eyepiece to make it match?

[Atlas]

There should be set screws in the finder, best to align it during the day to a signpost or streetlamp during the day...much easier than fumbling in the dark.

I use a street sign about 2 miles down the road to align mine across the far side of the airfield when I knock it out of center.

[rhonskie]

hmmmm.....hmmmm yeah there is a set screws in my finder but the thing is when i take a look at my finder to the bldg or sign boards its upside down and when i peek in my eyepiece the image from my finder is different to my eyepiece...for example: i used finder to check the signboard but when i go to eyepiece signboard is not there...but then when i check in my finder its there... arrrgggghhh!!! hahaha sorry for being stupid bros..

[DOBBY]

Get the moon which is round ..so no upside down to worry about..in the eyepiece...then using the screws on the finder...move it till you see the moon in it

[rhonskie]

hmmmmm i will try it in day time since its easy to align the finder.oh hey by the way how can i put camera or video in my celestron 50az? and what kind of camera or video?

[Charon]

Welcome to the forum Rhon.

[rhonskie]

thanks Nereid3.

do you have any suggestion how i can align my finder to be match in my eyepiece? and also what kind of camera i should put?

[newman]

Even better than the moon would be a fixed point on Earth. Like a distant tree. The reason being, it's not moving relative to your position, and it'll be smaller. First, find the tree (or whatever) so it's in the center of your eyepiece. Then adjust the finder so the tree is in the center of it as well, using the finder's set screws.

As for an upside down image, it's normal for this type of optics so don't worry about it. It doesn't really matter for astronomical observations.

[rhonskie]

hmmmm ok then....thanks Newman. so i will based in my eyepiece to find a tree then if i find the tree from the eyepiece i will adjust my finder.is that it?

[rhonskie]

HEY!!!!! i already set to align my finder so it's all set up!!! i tried to check the sun using my finder and when i peek in my eyepiece it's there and also i tried to check some small things from outside using my finder and its there!!! now they both match up! yehey!!! now i just need to know if there's any filter for my 50az?

[HASSAC]

Welcome to the forum Rhon

[Atlas]

i tried to check the sun using my finder and when i peek in my eyepiece...

Never do that man, it only takes a fraction of a second to cause permenant damage to your retnas. Use a solar filter for anything involving the sun.

Also just having it pointed at the sun without caps and filters will damage/melt the lenses and internal components of your scope.

[newman]

If you managed to avoid permanent eye damage when looking straight at the sun through the scope, count yourself lucky, and never, ever try doing that again. At least not without a good, proven solar filter. Never point any optics straight at the sun without a solar filter installed - this goes for all telescope types, binoculars, and yes even finder scopes.

Remember, telescopes are designed to collect far more light than the unaided eye can, mostly to observe really faint targets. Have you ever tried to look at the night sky with just your eyes, and then through binos, finder scope or a proper telescope, only to find you now see significantly more stars? That's because the optics you're using are designed to collect far more light than your eyes possibly can, and then deliver that light to your eyes through an eyepiece. This is all benign enough when observing distant, faint deep sky objects. But the Sun is a very powerful light source, and having it amplified and delivered to your eye through the telescope can cause permanent blindness in a fraction of a second. Our eyes just weren't meant to handle such intense light sources amplified by artificial means. It's really not healthy to stare directly at the sun with just the naked eye, let alone through optics!

[rhonskie]

oh sorry for that..but i use sunglasses to see the sun. anyways can you please tell me what filters shall i buy for my celestron 50az? please?

[Atlas]

A good variable polarizing filter is nice. (It is adjustable ffrom 0-41% light blocking) Good for looking at the moon and jupiter.

If you want to image, a few color filters work nice as well.

[rhonskie]

can you give me those filter names and size or whatever so that i can buy it here for my 50az

[Atlas]

There are just called, red, green, and blue filters. (yup, that easy)

Before you get them though...see if they are the .956 size. If not, you'll need to go with the 1.25" like in your other thread. The filters will screw into the bottom of your eye piece.

[rhonskie]

i will check that out.....but where i can see the .956 size? is it in my telescope?

[newman]

Sunglasses are not enough to protect you.

Measure the diameter of your focuser. Today there are two main standards - 2" and 1.25". An older, now widely disused standard is 0.965". If the inside diameter of your focuser is less than 1.25" than it's most likely the old 0.965" standard. The bad news about that is that a vast majority of today's equipment (diagonals, filters, eyepieces, barlows..) are not manufactured in that standard, so you will have problems finding stuff that fits. Frankly, I would consider selling the scope for the same price you bought it for, and putting the money towards a modern entry level scope, such as the SkyWatcher Heritage or something like that, which will allow you to use modern 1.25" accessories.

[pel]

Rhonskie ,

I can't believe you tried looking at the sun. My boy is 3 and he knows not to do that.

I think you need to read a book on Astronomy, I've got DK's Beginners guide to astronomy which is very good for the basics.

Perry.

[rhonskie]

hahahah same....actually i didn't look at the sun at 12 in the afternoon...it was 6:30 when the sun is set... but i know the light is still strong thats why i use sunglasses..hahaha but it won't happen again ....