Help please!

[Scaryjayne]

Hi. I am very new to a) astronomy and SGL! I have just been bought a skymax 127 supra scan goto. Only problem is I'm having problems setting it up! I don't mean the alignment, I mean actually putting the thing together! I have mounted the scope on the tripod, mounted the guide scope, but am having problems setting up he lenses and eyepiece. I have put the diagonal mirror in first and then attached the 25mm eyepiece but have left off the Barlow lense. So all covers removed, Mars located in the guide scope, but can't see anything through the eyepiece! I have turned what I presume to be the focusing dial all the way up and down and still nothing. What am I doing wrong? All advice welcome. I know this is a very basic thing, but there were no instructions about how to mount mirrors, lenses and eyepieces, and the only times I have viewed the night skies the telescope had been set up already.

[John]

Have you aligned the finder scope precisely with the main scope ?. This is best done in daylight using a distant object like a tree top or church spire. You need to make sure that when an object is bang on the cross hairs of the finder, it's right in the centre of the 25mm eyepiece field of view.

To start with I'd forget the barlow lens and just get used to using the 25mm and 10mm eyepieces.

[JamesM]

Hi Jayne, can I just clarify which bit of kit you have. Is it this one or is it this one.

As you can see in general they are set up in the same way with the finder scope (guide scope) and with a 'diagonal' (right angled bit) attached to the bottom end of the scope. Now have you aligned the finder scope to the main scope? I suspect the reason you can't see anything is that the finder is 'out' and what you are doing in reality is pointing the scope at an area of black sky as using any sort of magnification will make it easy for you to put it anywhere buy at a bright star. Simply attaching it to the scope won't be enough, you need to make sure that it is pointing precise to the same part of the sky as the main tube. Normally this done during the day by pointing the main scope at a distant target (church spire, pylon etc) and then adjusting the finder scope so that the cross hairs match the same target. This is done during the day because it is easier to gauge how far out you are in aligning both together through the view that each offers to you. Doing this at night by pointing both scope and finder at a black sky makes it a harder task. If you want to do this procedure at night, trying using a very bright star and 'aim' the scope at it by sighting down along the length of the tube. It helps to use the the 25mm eyepiece when attempting to locate your chosen star. It is only after doing that can you begin fiddle with the finder so as to also get it on the same target.

The type of scope you have is a Maksutov-cassegrain type scope which has a long focal length. What this means is that although the scope appears to have a short tube, in reality the optics and the view you see will be very much like a scope that is many times its length. The advantage with a 'longer' tube, is that you will experience greater magnification with this scope but at a price - the view will be narrower, a bit like looking through a very long toilet roll. This design makes it a scope of choice when looking at the moon or planets but not a favourite if you want to take a look at a large open cluster, say like the pleiades or seven sisters as they are often called. Hope that helps.

James

P.s John types quicker than me and so beat me to it!

[Scaryjayne]

Hi James and John.

Thank you both for your advice. I have used it and have managed to actually see something through my telescope!! I have aligned my finder scope now (using the top of a floodlight at the Reebok Stadium), so hopefully now I can actually enjoy some star gazing once it gets dark, and complete the set up/alignment.

James to answer your question, I have the second one, the Skywatcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GOTO

Thanks again for your help, and I'm sure it wont be the last time.

Sarah-Jayne

[Tinker1947]

Download Stellarium, it will show you what you can see from your location, and its free.....

http://www.stellarium.org/