TractionMan Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 When I got my new telescope I decided to get a Telrad as well (after reading lots of good reviews about it) and it really is a sweet piece of equipment. Easy to align, easy to use and so on. However I didn't get along with the 6x30 finderscope that came with the OTA. It just made me dizzy looking through it so I thought a RACI would be better. Actually I ended up removing the finder mounting shoe to get a better placement for the Telrad (only mounted with zip ties at the moment). But, now a question popped into my noobish little head and of course I just have to ask. Does anyone use the Telrad, or Rigel for that matter, as your only finder? Or am I better off with a finderscope as well, RACI in that case I think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 It's personal choice, but I hate finders.When I did visual, it was Telrad and nothing else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I do only visual astronomy and find a Telrad / RDF all I need for about 90% of my viewing. There are times / objects where an optical finder is very useful so I add an 8x50 RACI finder to my scope then. Most of the time it's non-optical for me though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinker1947 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 If the Telrad work for you as it does 99% of people that use it, ditch the finder scope as its unwanted weight and just gets in the way..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TractionMan Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 Thanks for the replies. You all confirm what I had hoped you'd do. That a finderscope may be redundant most of the time if a Telrad is mounted on the telescope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorne Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Another "Telrad only" vote for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earth titan Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Telrad only, coupled with a big (40mm) eyepiece to allow you to find fuzzies.Ditch the finder (he says having a finder on all his scopes)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul schofield Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I use both Rigel Quikfinder and R.A.C.I 10x50 finder on my Dob. I suppose if I noticed weight problems I could get by happily with just the Rigel. I like the 10x50 for more accuracy when zeroing in on harder to find objects. I think if the Telrad is heavier then I would use it on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astro mick Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I would suggest you use both,but get a good 9x50 Right Angle Finder.I lot depends on what your interested in.If you are chasing say Dounble Stars of 8th and higher magnitude,i dont think the Telrad,would get you there.Yes it would get close,but then refer to the star charts for your faint Double,and look for a pattern of stars that contains your double.You can then look for that pattern through the Finder scope.allowing of course for reverse orientation.Even some of the Brighter Galaxies can be glimpsed in a good finder.You can of course get Telrad Degree overlays for your star charts,and that will help even further.The more you practise the more familiar it will become.So i say both.Mick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarp15 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I like to combine using binoculars alongside my telescope, there are times when I use them to assist in locating and positioning an object, and then referring back to my combination of telrad and low power wide field eyepiece, which is all I use most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hals Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I use Telrad, finder, binoculars and a low power eyepiece, depending on the sky conditions and what I'm looking for.It gets second nature to identify just where you need to be with a Telrad though.A finder is invaluable as far as I am concerned when looking for new objects, especially faint stuff that requires you to star-hop.You could argue with a go-to scope you don't even need a finder...until your powersource is gone !Each has its merits, why confine yourself to just one ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oobydooby Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 The Telrad looks interesting to me so I checked online to see what it was about. It looks like something I could use but as I am a beginner could someone be kind enough to advise me if it would be suitable for use on my Celestron nexstar 6se? Or would there be no point in getting it as my scope is not exactly a monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belcher Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Although not a telrad, I too only use a RDF. My 9x50 finder is still in situ, but converted to a guide scope with a qhy5 on it. Can't say I miss having an optical finder tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si W Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 RDF any day, I have a Sky Surfer 5, brilliant bit of kit, I swear by it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Probablynot Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 My Heritage 130P came with a pretty neat little rdf. I love how it centres in so fast on the object I want to look at.My 200P DS came with a big, heavy 9x50 scope finder. It Would be great if only I could see the cross hairs when it's dark.I want a Telrad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TractionMan Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 Interesting to read your opinions here. Since I'm used to the RDF that came with the Heritage (works really well) and discovered that the Telrad was even easier to set up and use when I got the new scope, I got curious about the actual need for a finderscope. I think for now I'll just use the Telrad as my only finder (still a noob and got plenty to learn). Thanks alot for your input and help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike73 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I think if I were under light polluted skies then I'd use a RACI finder aswell as Telrad but as it stands I'm a Telrad only man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonshane Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 My Heritage 130P came with a pretty neat little rdf. I love how it centres in so fast on the object I want to look at.My 200P DS came with a big, heavy 9x50 scope finder. It Would be great if only I could see the cross hairs when it's dark.I want a Telrad...I wish I couldn't see my cross hairs when it is dark.......I am lost without my Telrad and lost without my 9x50mm RACI finder - I like both and use them constantly to good effect. would not be without either unless it's 'impossible' to balance the scope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TractionMan Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 I like to combine using binoculars alongside my telescope, there are times when I use them to assist in locating and positioning an object, and then referring back to my combination of telrad and low power wide field eyepiece, which is all I use most of the time.Oh right, I always bring my binos to use alongside the telescope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Flibble Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Telrad only for me along with telrad star maps and an eyepiece that gives me a 1.6 degree TFoV. There may come a point when I'll need a RACI finder to locate fainter objects but I haven't reached that point yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umadog Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Telrad only for me too. I suppose if I had a *really* nice finder I might use it. But I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffE Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 The Telrad looks interesting to me so I checked online to see what it was about. It looks like something I could use but as I am a beginner could someone be kind enough to advise me if it would be suitable for use on my Celestron nexstar 6se? Or would there be no point in getting it as my scope is not exactly a monster.Since your Celestron NexStar 6se has computerized goto and a Star Pointer red dot finder (RDF), I'm not sure that a Telrad would be worthwhile, except that some prefer the Telrad to RDFs. Perhaps you could try a Telrad at a star party.Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Moff Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Telrad only for me too.I do prefer the baader sky surfer V to the telrad though. It's just so well made and precise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollypenrice Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Depends entirely on how wide a FOV you have in your main scope. If you have a 3 degree maximum field then you only need a Telrad. By the time you get to the big Dobs where the lowest you can go is about 80x then having both becomes a big bonus. On some objects I go from Telrad to EP in the 20 inch but others are best found with the finder employed after the Telrad.Olly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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