Finder scope

[recceranger]

Just a daft question, when using my ED80 on HEQ5 and trying to find faint fuzzy's I can't for the life of me see the use in a finder scope.

It doesn't have the capability to see these DSO's and if the GOTO isn't quite on target it's a real drama!

Does anyone else have this problem?

[mister_wavey]

the finder's role is to let you target something visible near your faint fuzzy, to allow you to star hop the rest of the way via the eyepieces.

[Kropster]

I use the finder to get me near where the fuzzy should be.....judging by the nearby stars that I can see in the finder.

The finder gives me a guide as to where the scope is pointing......which can be useful if my star alignment was rubbish!

[Tinker1947]

I use a Telrad, combined with the free download maps, it included in Stellarium, finding unseen DSO's is quick and easy, just needs a bit of practice.....

[SteveB72]

I find the Rigel Quickfinder (similar to the Telrad) easier to use than a finder scope, combined with Stelarium, Iike Tinker1947 above.

You can also increase the acuracy of your goto alignment by ensuring the tripod is as level as possible, choosing stars not too low or too high and well spaced, along with centering with the direction of star movement (eg. Usually up and to the right in the East), final centering using the ep out of focus (the larger out of focus star is easier to centre) and a high power ep or barlow. I find Polaris and a convenient opposite star gives the best alignments due to tge minimum movement of Polaris.

Sorry if I am stating the obvious.

Steve

[jabeoo1]

Are you using a straight through OR a right angled finder scope ?

[recceranger]

It's a straight through mate

[skfboiler]

If you have light pollution like I do, you are not going to see many DSO's in your finder.  If you do have light pollution then a Telrad or other non-magnifying finder won't do you any good.  The key is aligning the finder to the OTA. Once aligned, you can now star hop to the area of the DSO you want to look at with the finder.  Then look through a low power eyepiece and the object should be there.   With your GoTo, if you have successfully went through the mount and controller alignment procedures, then the DSO should be within the FOV.

[Qualia]

In terms of purely visual work, I have a small TV 76mm F6 and haven't got a finder at all. With a wide-angle eyepiece, you should be able to get some decent field of view. The limiting factor in seeking out fainter DSOs will be the quality of skies and aperture, but so long as your skies are reasonably dark, you should be able to find most, if not all, Messier's objects. 

[Tinker1947]

Whwn i first mounted my 11" SCT (first light)  i installed the supplied Finder Scope, now the FL of the scope is 2800mm this makes for a narrow'ish FOV, the Finder scope when looked through makes most stars the same brightness even Vega didn't really stand out while look with a Mk1 eye ball its bright blue and very noticeable, so 45 minutes later i gave up couldn't find it in the eye piece a Pextax 30mm XW and while i thought i had it in the Finder scope as it had never been aligned i had no way to be sure, So i removed the Terad from my Newt  and placed it on the side of the SCT held in place with a luggage strap as i did have a spare base unit, this when viewed through should Vega as its see by eye, although not aligned it was level and pointing in the right direction, slewed to Vega looked through the EP and found nothing, slewed the scope to the edge of the EP in all 4 direction and on the edge the FOV some thing bright slewed  this into view and it was Vega this had taken around 2 minutes, readjusted the Telrad and from then on anything in the centre was also in the middle of the EP, so if you want to find DSO that are to dim here's how, fire up Stellarium, turn on the Telrad rings, M51 as any example, place the bottom star of Ursa Major ALKIAD just inside the lift outer ring, M51 is in the same position on the opposite side, and NGC 5256 is in the centre circle it a mag 14 bit on the dim side,  all it requires is a short slew to bring it in the centre of your EP's FOV, my new Dob Finder Scope has never been out of its box.....

[YKSE]

I agree with Qualia about finder in 80ED.

I have 80ED as my grab&go scope for short sessions. I have both Telrad and 8x50 RACI finder, but I use NONE of them on 80ED, with 40mm 2" AERO in focuser, the field of view is 4.4 degrees, very close to 5-6 degree of the RACI finder, much easier to find objects direct in the scope. Even if you only use 1.25" eyepieces, a 30-32mm plossl gives you 2.5 degrees, still wide enough for orienting around, if you kind of pointing the scope to the objects.

[bill_reed]

I changed my finger scope for a red dot finder. never looked back since. bigger field of view and puts you right on the target.

would suggest you look for a red dot finder or the more expensive telrad type finder. 

[Moonshane]

Personally I prefer the raci finder and red dot finder combo unless using short focal length scopes. Even then I find it easier with both.

A good pair/technique will get the object in a low power eyepiece every time. Whether you then see it depends on sky, aperture and experience/technique.