amateur bought scope at estate sale saturday, couple of questions

[peipi74]

thank you in advance for any suggestions or links... showed up last minute at close of estate sale...bought telescope for $75, not sure if it is a 120 dollar scope or 1,000 hopefully the latter regardless, glad to have ...celestron 4 1/2" newtonian  f1 ...has what seems to be a filter...black on the end, in my stupidity have removed screws in haste and loosened the lens, from the end. now will try to take screws off side of end cap in order to reattach the lens...could this be a solar filter, not sure what to do in order to see if it works, can provide pics, tag said as is, hopefully that just means it was lacking an electronic tracking gizmo.  also one final questions  i work with microscopes and in reading over the last day, once i get it back together, will it need to be "aligned"?

[ronin]

Any better specification name etc on the scope?

If the filter is in the eyepiece and is a solar filter throw it away, but hit it wih a hammer first.

All that light and heat directed at it means it will likely crack and that means you will likely be looking at the sun through the scope so your eye gets it. They should never be used.

As it is a reflector it will likely need collimating, but try it first. It may not be perfect but will be better then nothing.

[peipi74]

thanks for responding, label on tube ...celestron 4 1/2" (114mm) Newtonian telescope 910mm f L...not sure where to look for a model #, if you can guide me, i also have a couple of pics.

what i think is a filter is on the end of the tube furthest from the eyepiece, not interesting so much in solar viewing anyway, wanting to look at the night sky, i thought i would see a glass lens at the end of the tube, not black matte that's why i thought i would attempt to remove end cap of large tube, not up on the lingo either, sorry

[John]

Good evening and welcome to the forum

Is it this scope ?

http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/telescopes/powerseeker-114eq-telescope

[peipi74]

no sir, the only thing i've found so far is the info stated previously on a small 3" to 4" rectangular label aside from made in china on the black tube.  if there are any other things to look for or perhaps an area where they may have place a model #.  i'm not sure how to upload pics to this site can provide email if ok in order to share.  thank you stephanie

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome to SGL. The black plastic disc at the bottom of the tube is designed to stop stray light entering the telescope from below and shining onto the primary mirror.

[peipi74]

thank you for responding, once i hopefully get it re-attached should i try to locate something anyway?  it will be cloudy until tues night, saturday

before i tried to remove it the cap i thought i would be able to find venus as it was setting, maybe i was expecting too much since i am a true beginner and it doesn't have an electronic "finder", should i try for the moon first to determine if the scope is functional?

[mdstuart]

Yes or even on a distant church spire etc.

Sounds like a 4.5 inch reflector. That's a reasonable starter scope..

Once working should show you the moons of Jupiter and bands of cloud...

If you point it at Venus it should show you the shape which is like a very small version on the moon.

I am sure you will get more feedback from the guys on here.

Mark

[peipi74]

understood, i certainly hope so, maybe in time to see the transits and eclipses for myself

thanks again for everyone being welcoming and helpful.

[ronin]

Easy ones: Moon (pretty obvious), Jupiter (the bright thing in the East-South East in the early evening), Orion nebula,. Hyades Cluster (pointed to by Orions belt) with Aldebaran (red star), Pleiades cluster (sort of next one along from the Hyades) :grin:

Scope should get them easily and you can see the whoile lot easily by eye so an idea of where to point the scope.