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Is it worth getting a finderscope?

JimmyJazz

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JimmyJazz

JimmyJazz

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Hi everyone,

I've had telescope (skywatcher 130p) for about a year now, and I have been really enjoying spotting some of the easier to find stuff up there (Moon, the planets, some double stars, pleiades etc.) and I have recently got a copy of 'Turn Left at Orion' and so I've branched out into looking for some DSOs and I have seen the andromeda galaxy and M81 and M82. My problem is that I'm finding it quite difficult to star-hop, as I have a red dot finder which is really great for lining up the telescope on planets or brighter stars, but some of the stars that are used for the fine navigation in TLAO are difficult to see visually and my longest eyepiece (25mm) seems to give me too much magnification to get around easily. My location (suburbs of Glasgow) isn't great for light pollution, so that could definitely be factor.

So my question is; is it worth getting some kind of finderscope, and would that make star hopping any easier? Or is this actually just a case of my inexperience, and I need to spend more time looking up (which is not so easy with the Scottish climate!)?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

All the best,

Phil.

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rwilkey

rwilkey

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Hi Phil, red dot finders (RDF's) are always hard to use in my opinion.  I prefer to use the RACI (Right angled, erect image) 9x50 finder, shows a clear bit of sky magnified and the right way up.  If you were to consider this one you would also probably need to buy and fit the 'Synta shoe' to your OTA, anyway, here is the link: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/skywatcher-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html  And here is the link to the 'finder shoe': http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/finder-mounting-shoe.html

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michael.h.f.wilkinson

michael.h.f.wilkinson

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RACI finders rock! I built one myself, a 14x70 which might be a bit big for your scope, but it helps a lot in finding stuff. People sometimes wonder how I manage to pick out new objects so quickly in my observing sessions, but it is largely due to the fact that I can star-hop using quite fiant stars to the right position with the big finder, and lo and behold, the object I am looking for is smack in the middle of the FOV in the main scope. A 9x50 RACI should be great for your scope

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nicoscy

nicoscy

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Keep the RDF and mount a RACI finder scope as well. The RDF will get you in the general vicinity and the Finderscope will let you home in on your target.

Although, if you do learn to starhop, there is no need for a RACI. I use a telrad in my 12" dob and I rarely use a RACI.

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Tinker1947

Tinker1947

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I haven't used a RACI, but have used a Telrad, it along with Stellarium and the Telrad Map make finding DSO very easy, it does need a hour or 2's practice keeping both eyes open while you slew the scope, check you have room to fit one......

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I agree

A rdf to get you in the right spot or onto the nearest naked eye star and then the RACI to either find the DSO in the case of brighter ones or the right star field for dimmer.

used with a good star map and you'll see whatever your skies and scope will allow.

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JimmyJazz

JimmyJazz

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Thanks again for everyone's advice! I did look into the telrad as it being cheaper than the other options looked good to me, but I think I may just bite the bullet and go for the 9x50 above (when I can scrape the pennies together).

As its a skywatcher, i assume it will fit into the shoe already installed for the rdf I already have? or do i have to buy a new mounting for the finder as well?

P.

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xs2man

xs2man

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I'll just jump on this thread as my question is somewhat relevant.  If I should start a new thread, then just let me know.

Hi Phil, red dot finders (RDF's) are always hard to use in my opinion.  I prefer to use the RACI (Right angled, erect image) 9x50 finder, shows a clear bit of sky magnified and the right way up.  If you were to consider this one you would also probably need to buy and fit the 'Synta shoe' to your OTA, anyway, here is the link: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/skywatcher-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html  And here is the link to the 'finder shoe': http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/finder-mounting-shoe.html

I have a Celestron Astromaster 114EQ Reflector Telescope, and have just ordered the SkyWatcher 6x30 Right-Angled, Erect-Image Finderscope.  Would the same "shoe" work on my telescope or would I need a different one?

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rwilkey

rwilkey

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I'll just jump on this thread as my question is somewhat relevant.  If I should start a new thread, then just let me know.

I have a Celestron Astromaster 114EQ Reflector Telescope, and have just ordered the SkyWatcher 6x30 Right-Angled, Erect-Image Finderscope.  Would the same "shoe" work on my telescope or would I need a different one?

Hi xs2man, not sure about that, however, what make is it?  Also found a Sky Watcher one here: http://www.telescopeplanet.co.uk/skywatcher-6x30-finder  They look the same but it might be best to make a specific enquiry to the appropriate retailer that you bought it from?

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coulthamst

coulthamst

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I live in Leeds, in an area of serious light pollution. Red Dot finders and other non-magnifying finders are very limiting when there are so few naked eye stars - in fact I find them completely useless for star hopping. Get a RACI finder with a 50mm objective as advised above, and you will find specific fainter objects so much easier to locate.

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Charic

Charic

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There must be a stack of redundant 9x50 standard finders  lying  around, with so many folk having upgraded their scopes! Its just another option, and  they should be cheap to buy.

keeping BOTH eyes open  works very well on a straight through finder scope, negating the need for a RACI.  I don't think you can  buy  just the corrector to convert a standard finder, you have to buy the whole scope?

I can understand  corrected images for daytime terrestrial use, but is it necessary for night time? Your image from a Newtonian is  still not corrected, so your still dealing with two different views between finder and scope.  As stated, keeping both eyes open with a standard finder scope is the best  way to find your target.

I  also have a Telrad, but that's for my darker sites, and I do need prescription glasses to see the image clearly, although  I don't wear glasses for the telescope alone or its finder scope.

Another option is to use a wider eyepiece, low magnification, longer focal length to act as a finder, but you say your 25mm is too much magnification? Your magnification should only  increase as your eyepiece focal lengths shorten.

Using a wide field eyepiece encompasses more sky and should give you a pleasant image and good  contrast. Not only that, once you have found your target, a quick eyepiece change and your still on target?

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nicoscy

nicoscy

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Well, not being a contortionist, I can't use a straight finder, hence the need for a RACI. It takes 2 minutes to get used to it.

BUT, I do have a nugget for you Charic! Kokusai Kohki has a 10x50 and 10x60 in correct image straight configuration. A bit expensive but optically very good! Just drop Ben an email and he will sort you out.

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xs2man

xs2man

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Hi xs2man, not sure about that, however, what make is it?  Also found a Sky Watcher one here: http://www.telescopeplanet.co.uk/skywatcher-6x30-finder  They look the same but it might be best to make a specific enquiry to the appropriate retailer that you bought it from?

This is the one I got : http://www.365astronomy.com/SkyWatcher-6x30-Right-Angled-Erect-Image-Finderscope.html

Will ask them then.

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JimmyJazz

JimmyJazz

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Another option is to use a wider eyepiece, low magnification, longer focal length to act as a finder, but you say your 25mm is too much magnification? Your magnification should only  increase as your eyepiece focal lengths shorten.

Using a wide field eyepiece encompasses more sky and should give you a pleasant image and good  contrast. Not only that, once you have found your target, a quick eyepiece change and your still on target?

Hi, that's pretty much what I had been doing up to now with my 25mm which allows me to see plenty of stars, but giving me 26x magnification (not sure of the FOV) which, along with the back-to-front-and-upside-downyness of scanning across the sky with the newtonion and the counter-intuitiveness of the EQ mount (for a relative newcomer like me) made it really easy for me to get lost pretty quickly when I ventured away from the stars I could latch onto with the RDF. To be honest when i found M81 and M82, it was more by luck than judgement, as I pointed the RDF into a (visually) blank bit of sky which looked like the right sort of area from the directions in TLAO, and caught a glimpse of M81 almost at the edge of view using the 25mm.

From the comments on here it looks like a RACI finderscope will probably be my best bet to quickly be able to find more stuff out there.

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Charic

Charic

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The RACI should help you, and you seem to have exhausted all the normal modes for operating and searching. 

Its a fact that not everyone is comfortable with standard methods, but I will  always try to encourage folk to endeavour a little longer, before spending unnecessary on equipment that to be honest, they might not need!  Practice makes perfect, but maybe there is a time limit?

Hopefully  a corrected image will be of help. Just remember though, its just the finder-scope your correcting. Your still going to have to move the telescope the 'wrong-way' when looking through the eyepiece?

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