New scope question

[stevil]

Hi

I have recently purchased a new telescope and, not owning one before, I was wondering if its normal for new equipment to arrive with scrapes on the goto LCD screen, the celestron badge and where the cap covers the top of the tube. In addition the supplied 25mm is covered in finger prints and viewing the sun, which was quite a special first for me, was slightly let down with some debris on this new eyepiece.

Is this normal or is it likely I have been sold a second hand one?

To be fair its pretty much just cosmetic so doesn't matter too much but should I clean the eyepiece or just upgrade it as soon as practical?

Thanks

Steve

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 2

[M4lcs67]

Hey Steve. Did the packages show signs of being opened before or were they still factory sealed? Sometimes there may be a little bit of cardboard box debris in and around the contents. Was everything packaged up and as before, was is all untouched??

If I read your post correctly I am cringing at the thought that you were looking at the sun. Did you have the correct solar filter attached and did you remove the finderscope beforehand????

If not then you need to know that you should never, never ever look at the sun through a telescope. Permanent blindness will result.

I like to think that I am a pretty experienced user of telescopes, but even I don't consider myself competent or qualified enough to view the sun.

[knobby]

I think that if Steve had been viewing the Sun without the relevant filter, he'd have had one hell of a time typing his post out...

Steve, if you're not happy with the condition than its best to deal with it now while you still can.

if the coating start s peeling off in six months time then it will be too late.

Give the seller a call, be nice but firm

... You did use a proper solar filter didn't you?

[stevil]

Hi

Thanks for your replies.

Worry not, I did indeed have a solar film at the end if the scope and took off the red dot finder. Actually finding the sun was quite hard! But I guess thats down to my inexperience.

I appreciate your concern as I am indeed a newbie to this astronomy malarky but I researched what I needed to view the sun. Still what you point out is very true so thanks for looking out for me.

To be honest I can live with the scrapes but how would I clean the eyepiece? Should I or just get a decent 25mm to replace it?

Cheers

Steve

Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2

[stevil]

*Or should * I should have said. Im typing like Yoda!

Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2

[knobby]

More money... Baader wonder fluid is what most people recommend...

Or as Yoda would say

'Money more of... It will cost you'

[Oddsocks]

Hi Steve,

Are the "scrapes" real scrapes in the surface of the screen and badges or marks in the protective foil used by the manufacturers for transport protection?

Most electronic's screens come with a thin transport foil applied these days and the retailer usually leaves this in place when shipping onwards.

I've noticed a lot of logo's and badges also have the same foil applied and you have to peel it off yourself, or leave it in place, no one can see them in the dark anyway!

The eyepieces supplied with most telescopes as part of a package tend to be rather basic but even so are good enough to get started.

I will leave suggestions of "best" alternative eyepieces to other forum members where you will find as many differing opinions as stars in the galaxy!

I have rather poor eyesight (old age) and generally only image with CCD cameras these days but I had a good collection of Televue eypieces at one time, only a few Panoptics and Radians left now for occasional use.

For solar live viewing with a Lunt Solarscope I use a Baader Hyperion type III zoom eyepiece, of course all zoom eyepieces are a big compromise in convenience over optical quality but given my poor eyesight I find this one eyepiece is used more than any other.

As far as as your question regarding "second hand being supplied as new" this seems all too prevalent these days.

Since the demise of the high street retailer where the customer could go and see the product and speak to the retailer prior to buying, a lot of equipment is bought on-line and then returned a week or two later as being "unsuitable".

Many on-line retailers won't resell the returned item as new but sadly all too many do, and get away with it because we purchasers can't be bothered to return the sub-standard goods.

If it were me I would be photographing the damage and contacting the retailer for either a replacement or a partial refund if I considered the substandard product liveable with....

William.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Are the "scrapes" real scrapes in the surface of the screen and badges or marks in the protective foil used by the manufacturers for transport protection?

That was/is my first thought also. The EP doesnt come with such protection, so there could be finger marks on it..............but if its new...........there really should be no finger marks.

[stevil]

Sorry Luke, never saw this!

I believe the scrapes in the screen and badges are real as there was no protection.

There was a scrape mark on the scope itself under the cap.

Doesn't matter now, its pretty much cosmetic and I've got new eyepieces.

Cheers

Steve

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2