Viewing help

[Nimmers]

Hi, it's Nimmers here looking for some help on viewing. Not been doing this for long but loving it. I have a very big telescope (sky watcher Dob 12" D 350 F1500). I have done my homework on learning the constellations and what's in them and with the naked eye can easily find them. Here's the problem, when I look through my viewing scope I find it hard to make out what star is what and struggle to navigate my way around the night sky due to seeing a lot more stars. I know this probably sounds stupid but any help or tips on viewing would be great.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi Nimmers and welcome. I know what you mean. You think you can zoom in on a single star to find your way around and there are a LOT more stars in the field of view and its easy to get lost and confused. Many people here swear by a telrad finder:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/telrad-finder-astronomy.html

Apparently it makes zooming in on the correct pointer star very very easy.

[rowan46]

There are charts which can be downloaded marked with terad circles to ease navigation. It's useful to remember that the brightest stars you see in your scope are the ones you can see with the naked eye and finally look up wixey and dob setting circles

[LukeSkywatcher]

There are charts which can be downloaded marked with terad circles to ease navigation. It's useful to remember that the brightest stars you see in your scope are the ones you can see with the naked eye and finally look up wixey and dob setting circles

Good points there.

You may also be interested in buying a copy of a book called "Turn Left At Orion". It shows you how to navigate around the night sky with your scope, to many many objects just using the naked eye stars (the bright ones) that you can see as a starting point.

[cantharis]

If you can find a Telrad. I have had one on order from FLO since Sep 12 - which I have just cancelled, they are still out of stock. Found another supplier who has just received a shipment.

In addition to a finderscope I also use a laser pointer mounted on my scope - easy to point your scope accurately at your selected object, in a comfortable position.

[LukeSkywatcher]

If you can find a Telrad. I have had one on order from FLO since Sep 12 - which I have just cancelled, they are still out of stock. Found another supplier who has just received a shipment.

In addition to a finderscope I also use a laser pointer mounted on my scope - easy to point your scope accurately at your selected object, in a comfortable position.

I didnt know they were out of stock. An alternative is a Rigelquick finder: I'm not sure which of the two is more accurate or easier to use.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/rigel-quikfinder-compact-reflex-sight.html

[Qualia]

I appreciate your concern, Nimmers and I hope the following ideas may help a little:

Maps: Try to purchase Star Atlas by Sky and Telescope. It's not that expensive, and I think in the long run it'll probably end up being your cheapest and most used accessory.

Finderscope: A right angled correct image one will really help you find what you are looking for. If you get a 9x 50 this should deliver to you stars right down to about magnitude 8, even if you're in a LP area, meaning you’ll be able to see every star plotted on the Sky Atlas and when you move amongst those stars, your left is left and your up is up.

Telrad. These are the business in dark areas. Position the bullseye against the stars and apart from map reading and star-hopping, you’re more or less done. If you're out a little you can work out where you are by the three ringed cirlces giving you varying degrees of the sky you're looking at. You can make a plastic Telrad overlay for the Star Atlas or you can just print out one of the free Telrad maps on the net. The only negative point about the Telrad is that it can’t deliver more stars than your eyes alone can see, so they're probably best used in conjunction with the findercope.

EP: A low magnification EP should offer sufficient sky to manage along with your star map and it will hopefully pick out or hint at what you're hunting.

Sketches: make sure you're aware of what you're looking for and what it kind of looks like. Sketches should give you a very good idea.

Good luck and clear skies

[Qualia]

Might find them in stock here

[Nimmers]

Cheers guys, fair play to you lot, you know your stuff. My first scope was a cheap scope but had the red laser pointer which was great. Can you get different viewing scopes that will fit my scope.

[cantharis]

Can you get different viewing scopes that will fit my scope.

Yes, many finders fit the Vixen/Skywatcher type base that is fitted to a lot of scopes.

[wookie1965]

I had same problem as you i bought Turn Left at Orion and used that great book now bought a Telrad and ive never looked back so easy finding DSOs, doubles, Nebula`s anything you want i still use the book to plan my viewing clear skies permitting.

[CSM]

I would go along with the 9 x 50 finderscope to give you a wide view of the sky. And the more accurately you align it so that what is centered in the finderscope is also centered in your scope, the easier it will be to find anything. And for that alignment probably best to use Polaris as it hardly moves. Anything else with that big a scope and you will find it moves too quickly.

[Demo johnny]

To add to the confusion you are inverted and left is right etc. May be get a diagonal, telrad advice is sound will be getting one for my new 12" dob hopefully ordering next week. Turn left at orion is a great help.

[Russe]

As nobody mentioned it - try using the "oculars" plugin for stellarium. Finding things and planning your night out has never been easier!!

[cantharis]

To add to the confusion you are inverted and left is right etc.

Depends entirely on your set up - if you are viewing directly up a refractor (or into a Newt) you will see a completely inverted image - it is all upside down.

But many of us use a ´star´ diagonal on our refractors - contains a mirror and bends the light path through 90 degrees - the image is now upright but laterally inverted - like AMBULANCE writing.

However you can buy a diagonal - 45deg or 90 deg - that contains a PRISM. Now everything is correct image. You see what your star charts or moon maps show you.

[camoscato]

Another vote for the Telrad. I had the same problem as you describe - I could see the constellation with the naked eye, but looking through the viewing scope or eyepiece there were so many more stars it was hard to tell which was which. Aiming with the Telrad solved the problem, as I now know the star in the center of the viewing scope or eyepiece is the same one that's in the center of the Telrad.

[Astro Imp]

Be aware that you can configure Stellarium to give the view you see through your scope/finder.

[Sarah]

I would recommend a Telrad or Rigel QuikFinder. I usually get lost with a finderscope. We use the Rigel on our dob, but find it's small footprint and the fact it is so lightweight is also very useful when using on other scopes, particularly on small refractors.

[cantharis]

Another vote for the Telrad.

IF IF IF you can find one. I had an email from FLO this week where I was informed they are like hen´s teeth.

What recession ?????

[Velvet]

would def say telrad finder, save my life and stopped me from giving up. Wish i had bought one from the start, ca't recommend them enough.

Velvet

[camoscato]

Another vote for the Telrad.

IF IF IF you can find one. I had an email from FLO this week where I was informed they are like hen´s teeth.

What recession ?????

I got mine from Telescope House a few months ago. They're a little more expensive than from FLO, but it's well worth it to me for the help finding stuff.

[Nimmers]

Hi can I just say thanks for everyone's comments. Your help has been overwhelming. My telrad came today with my turn left at Orion. So when I find that lost planet I will be naming it after you guys lol. Thanks again Nimmers.

[brantuk]

All sound advice above. A couple of other suggestions would be to try a few mods. For a princely sum of around £30'ish you can fit an azimuth setting circle and a Wixey magnetic angle guage to aid pointing. You can read the coordinates for your object off Stellarium, CdC, or star charts - and with a 12" aperture and a wide angle eyepiece you should get them somewhere in the fov every time.

Also - I find a zoom eyepiece helps by starting wide in the search area and gradually zooming in to the object. Sounds daft cos you'll see a few more stars at first - but you might recognise patterns and asterisms a little easier when reading from charts to isolate the precise location of your object. I'd also second the idea for a Telrad. HTH