Cant align my finderscope?!!

[Connect2space]

So I have tried exactly what I have seen on the internet but its impossible to centre the cross-hair in the finder scope on what im looking at through the telescope please help!!

(by the way I have a skywatcher skyliner 200p)

[JonFaulkes]

The biggest problem I had was finding an object at least 500m away during daylight hours. In the end I had to use the moon, or more exactly, the intersection of the visible moon, the shadow and the 'top'. Once I had my target, I only needed a few gentle turns on the two aligning screws and it was sorted. Tested it later in the evening on Jupiter at it was spot on.

[Marc1980]

I always do my finder adjustment during the day. I use things like chimney pots from across the other side of the valley.

Sent from my galaxy s3 using tapatalk 2

[John]

You do have the rubber "O" ring on the tube of the finder, holding the tube firmly in the front part of the finder mount, don't you ?.

Without this, the finder won't hold any of the adjustments made with the 2 adjustment screws.

[NGC 1502]

Do you mean that you are running out of adjustment on the finder ?

If so, and depending on which way you haven't enough adjustment, you could slacken the shoe that's attached to the scope, tweak it's position on the tube and retighten.

Or, try some packing under one end of where the finder fits the shoe.

Regards, Ed.

[ollypenrice]

Do you mean that you are running out of adjustment on the finder ?

If so, and depending on which way you haven't enough adjustment, you could slacken the shoe that's attached to the scope, tweak it's position on the tube and retighten.

Or, try some packing under one end of where the finder fits the shoe.

Regards, Ed.

Ed's right. Even some silver paper (aluminium foil) will probably be enough to pack one side of the shoe.

Olly

[Tinker1947]

Get a Telrad and be done with it, mean while use Jupiter center in a High Power EP (low MM) then set your finder up.......but a Telrad will be better...

[glowjet]

Is it possible you could you expand a little more on the specific problems you are having ? as I thing some of the forum members are trying to visualise what sort of trouble you are in. thanks

John.

[r3i]

Do you mean that you are running out of adjustment on the finder ?

If so, and depending on which way you haven't enough adjustment, you could slacken the shoe that's attached to the scope, tweak it's position on the tube and retighten.

Or, try some packing under one end of where the finder fits the shoe.

Regards, Ed.

Good tip - I had to do the same on my 8" RC.

[Connect2space]

Basically when I tighten one of the screws it starts getting near to what I'm looking at through the telescope and then I cant tighten it any more even though what I'm looking at is not centred!!

[Josh Wilson]

I always use Polaris to center my finder because it moves so little and you don't have to keep moving and aligning the finder.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Ed's right. Even some silver paper (aluminium foil) will probably be enough to pack one side of the shoe.

Olly

I beg to differ: duck tape is the proper engineering solution.

You can repair anything with duck tape (worked a treat on the horrible little 5x24 finder of the kids' minidob).

[Mav359]

+1 for the Telrad, when you first use it you'll hate yourself for not doing it sooner..

Start from scratch, losen the screws to the point where they as far back as they go without letting go of the finder, if the finder has 3 screws try tightening two at a time & remember as you tighten a screw you can always losen the oppisite screw.

[r3i]

I beg to differ: duck tape is the proper engineering solution.

Think I built up layers using black electrical insulating tape. My gear is covered in the stuff, holding this and that in place.

[Connect2space]

So I am thinking about getting a telrad, can some elaborate on what its like, is it easy to put together?

[glowjet]

If you are running out of thread on one of the screws, so further adjustment is not possible, I would recommend you reposition the finder in the centre of the holder then slacken the finder shoe on the scope then reposition, together with using packing if necessary, by methods already recommended, then adjust as best you can, till the finders field of view comes on line with that of the scope, then re-tighten the finders shoe. small movements on the finder adjustment screws should only now be necessary for you to complete the alignment

John.

[Astro Imp]

So I am thinking about getting a telrad, can some elaborate on what its like, is it easy to put together?

Here you go :- http://www.rotherval...nder_d2071.html

Really easy to fit just put it where you want on OTA. Most of us who use a Telrad attach the base temporarily with either cable ties or masking tape until we find the best position and then use the sticky pad provided for a permanent fix.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I use both my Finderscope and Telrad together, i wouldn't want to be without one of them.

[Mav359]

I use both my Finderscope and Telrad together, i wouldn't want to be without one of them.

After buying my Telrad my 6x30 finderscope that came with the scope was so redundant i gave it to my 2 year old nephew who now thinks he's a pirate

[Tinker1947]

Download Stellarium is a nice free piece of software, it has the Telrad circles built in, to get them on the screen it needs a couple of mouse clicks, first F11 to go to Window Mode, then Alt - O will bring up a box, click the Telrad Option, then F11 back to full screen, its that simple you get the Telrad Circles as you would see them looking through the Module, there are also Telrad maps free, just Google "Telrad Maps" .....

[brantuk]

I've seen one or two folks have this problem when they first get a 200P and the problem has allways been either incorrect attachment to the shoe on the scope or bad "O" ring positioning or failure to see how the cross hairs move when turning the adjusters,

Ensure the foot of the holder is square in the shoe and fully forward before tightening off with the locking screw. Examine the "O" eing and make sure it's correctly positioned in the groove at the front of the finder and uniformly snug in the holder bracket. Of the three adjusters at the back - one of them is a sprung bolt and doesn't require adjustment.

Once these are all checked you only have two screws to adjust to line up the cross hairs. Turn one of them and note the direction of movement - then do the same with the other. Once you get used to the movement you'll find you can move the cross hairs in a complete circle.

Now - using a distant object as far away as possible (church spire or pylon tip) use the 25mm eyepiece to center it in the main scope view. You should then be able to adjust the finder to get the cross hairs as central as possible too on the object. Now switch to the 10mm and you will physically see the error. Repeat the adjustment to center the 10mm and you'll have the required accuracy.

Test it on Jupiter at night and you may find a small tweak is required to re-center the finder to match the view in the main scope. Allways works for me and hope it helps you.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The advantage of a finder over a telrad is mainly that the telrad only lets you use naked eye stars, whereas a finder shows many fainter ones. I have made an ocular setting in Stellarium which shows the finder-scope view around objects, which can be very helpful.

[jason.p]

My 9X50 finder has a circle rather than cross hairs so it's always a bit of guesswork getting it centred at the best of times. It also has two sets of three adjusting screws which makes it a bit of a fiddle. To align I use a mobile phone mast about a mile away and use the reticle in my 25mm. I spent ages yesterday centring it and went out to look at Venus this morning and it still took me a while scanning around till I found it (with the 25mm). It wasn't far away but far enough.

I too will be going for a Telrad as soon as possible.

Jason

[Brian Nordstrom]

I beg to differ: duck tape is the proper engineering solution.

You can repair anything with duck tape (worked a treat on the horrible little 5x24 finder of the kids' minidob).

Ahh Duct tate , got the Apollo 13 astronauts home safely ,

But your explanation as to your problem is a little vague ? so you are running out of thread on one screw as you say ? ,, how mny adjustment screws do you have ? .. some finders have 2 as John says , some have 3 and some have 6 !! .Any chance of a photo? that would help a lot . It will allow a better answer to your problem .

Thanks .

Brian.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Ahh Duct tate , got the Apollo 13 astronauts home safely ,

But your explanation as to your problem is a little vague ? so you are running out of thread on one screw as you say ? ,, how mny adjustment screws do you have ? .. some finders have 2 as John says , some have 3 and some have 6 !! .Any chance of a photo? that would help a lot . It will allow a better answer to your problem .

Thanks .

Brian.

Just to be pedantic: it should be duck tape, not duct tape: the word comes from "cotton duck" from "katoen doek" which means cotton cloth or fabric (referring to the textile which give the tape its strength).