Telrad, should I?

[Ro3bert]

I have been thinking of getting a Telrad and understand there is a dew shield that doubles as an angle adapter. Does anyone have experience with that arrangement or seen a working one?

[brantuk]

No reason why you shouldn't - it all depends what you're comfy with really. The one on my dob works very well I wouldn't be without it. I have seen the dew shield models as well and I understand from users that it works very well keeping the dew off - so I have considered getting one myself. But I see you have a raci so not sure if a Telrad as well would be unnecessary overkill. Down to personal choice I think.

[Paul73]

If you have a Raci. Then you need a Telrad or similar.

For me, getting the target star in the Raci was always a bit hit & miss. The Telrad turns that into a 100% success rate in seconds. I have actually binned the Raci and just use the Telrad on my Dob.

Paul

[Ro3bert]

What I'm concerned with is how and if their dew shield works as a right angle finder. I don't want to go to the expense of purchasing the two unless I can be assured they do work as a right angle finder.

[Paul73]

Sorry. Misread the original post.

You do need to keep the Telrad glass covered when not actually in use. It is a dew magnet.

I use a piece of paper held on with an elastic band which works fine. So, I assume that anything covering the glass would do a similarly good job. If it does dew up, a quick wipe clears it enough to use, but once dewed the performance decays even with wiping.

Paul

[Ro3bert]

Sorry. Misread the original post.

You do need to keep the Telrad glass covered when not actually in use. It is a dew magnet.

I use a piece of paper held on with an elastic band which works fine. So, I assume that anything covering the glass would do a similarly good job. If it does dew up, a quick wipe clears it enough to use, but once dewed the performance decays even with wiping.

Paul

Understood Paul but I need to use it as a right angle viewer. I ordered one (Telrad and dew shield) just hope it does what I want if not I'll have to send it back.

[ollypenrice]

The Telrad isn't a right angle finder. The whole point about it is that you look straight through it at the night sky, as if it weren't there at all, but that it puts three red rings on the sky with minimal parallax, meaning the position of your eye doesn't matter.

Don't send it back, it's the best thing since... bread. (I don't like sliced bread.)

Olly

[spaceboy]

Yes as far as I'm aware it will make it a RA telrad so take a look on astroboot for http://www.telescopesandbinoculars.co.uk/acatalog/AC308-Flexible-Dew-Shield-for-Telrad---418.html which come up from time to time or give this a go http://www.swashastro.co.uk/telrad_mod.html or even cheaper and easier http://www.homebuiltastronomy.com/downbino/HomeBuiltAstronomy-TelradDewShield.html

Moonshane had one of the RA telrad dew shields and if I recall correctly was not at all impressed which makes sense as it defeats the object of having it to star hopping when you can't see the whole sky to do so.

[brantuk]

I should've mentioned I have a raci on my dob as well as a Telrad. But - no the dew shield doesn't turn the Telrad into a right angled finder. Sorry I misread the original point of the question too.

(Crossed with spaceboy - checked all the links and can't see where it turns it into a right angle?)

[Paul73]

Understood Paul but I need to use it as a right angle viewer. I ordered one (Telrad and dew shield) just hope it does what I want if not I'll have to send it back.

Interesting. I guess that with an extra mirror, you could make it a right angled affair. But, that does sound a bit a bit complicated. Do you suffer from a bad back / limited movement? If not you only need a second or two looking through the Terad to center the scope on the target.

Paul

[spaceboy]

It is coming back to me now. It does allow you to use the mirror as a RA finder but you can also look straight through the telrad as normal. The problem Shane found is that it would get in the way when trying to look straight through.

Hopefully moonshane may spot the thread and offer a better insight or you could drop him a PM??

[Ro3bert]

The Telrad isn't a right angle finder. The whole point about it is that you look straight through it at the night sky, as if it weren't there at all, but that it puts three red rings on the sky with minimal parallax, meaning the position of your eye doesn't matter.

Don't send it back, it's the best thing since... bread. (I don't like sliced bread.)

Olly

I understand what you are saying and I agree but I'll have to sacrifice some convenience for ease of use. 

Yes as far as I'm aware it will make it a RA telrad so take a look on astroboot for http://www.telescopesandbinoculars.co.uk/acatalog/AC308-Flexible-Dew-Shield-for-Telrad---418.html which come up from time to time or give this a go http://www.swashastro.co.uk/telrad_mod.html or even cheaper and easier http://www.homebuiltastronomy.com/downbino/HomeBuiltAstronomy-TelradDewShield.html

Moonshane had one of the RA telrad dew shields and if I recall correctly was not at all impressed which makes sense as it defeats the object of having it to star hopping when you can't see the whole sky to do so.

I am doing everything I can to elevate some to most of my physical problems with bending over and squating or kneeling so I'm hoping getting the telrad with the dew shield they say will also be able to be used as  an RA viewer.

I know my physical limitations and am trying to do what is necessary to alleviate them to the greatest degree possible. It's no fun to go out and find that after aligning (or at least attempting to) to find your get up and go has got up and went. (As I've said before I'm 82 and bit out of shape).

[Astro Imp]

I have the Telrad with dew shield and mirror attachment. You can flip the mirror out of the way and use as normal or with the mirror in place as a right angle finder but for this you need to be close to the target star and then fine tune using the mirror. 

The dew shield comes both with and without the mirror.

BTW I also have a RACI and usually use just the Telrad and RACI.

HTH.

[spaceboy]

I understand what you are saying and I agree but I'll have to sacrifice some convenience for ease of use. 

I am doing everything I can to elevate some to most of my physical problems with bending over and squating or kneeling so I'm hoping getting the telrad with the dew shield they say will also be able to be used as  an RA viewer.

I know my physical limitations and am trying to do what is necessary to alleviate them to the greatest degree possible. It's no fun to go out and find that after aligning (or at least attempting to) to find your get up and go has got up and went. (As I've said before I'm 82 and bit out of shape).

There are telrad risers that lift the sighting window some way off the OTA if that would help? What ever the case there is no avoiding having to look straight through the finder at some point as you need one eye on the sky while the other follows the hop path. I personality found raci finders hard work and went back to straight through but then thankfully I down suffer a bad back. I hope you are able to sort something. Maybe you could try the risers and flip mirror ??

[Ro3bert]

Interesting. I guess that with an extra mirror, you could make it a right angled affair. But, that does sound a bit a bit complicated. Do you suffer from a bad back / limited movement? If not you only need a second or two looking through the Terad to center the scope on the target.

Paul

Unfortunately I do have a back that acts up on my occasionally so standing for extended periods or bending over too often (say for aligning the scope) really gets in the way of viewing. Stooping or kneeling to look through the red dot finder or a Telrad plays hob with my thighs in short order.

What I really need to do is use all the help I can get so I can mostly sit at my laptop and control the telescope from there. (Have to take scope out somewhere as there is no viewing from my yard [lots of trees, little sky).

[Ro3bert]

It is coming back to me now. It does allow you to use the mirror as a RA finder but you can also look straight through the telrad as normal. The problem Shane found is that it would get in the way when trying to look straight through.

Hopefully moonshane may spot the thread and offer a better insight or you could drop him a PM??

Again the less time spent bending over or squatting behind the scope the longer time there is for me to view.

[John]

You can get a combined right angle mirror / dew shield for the Telrad:

http://www.365astronomy.com/Telrad-Dew-Shield-Plus-Dew-Shield-for-Telrad-with-Mirror-for-Right-Angled-Viewing.html

I used one a few years back. It works but it's not the most elegant modification.

[Ro3bert]

There are telrad risers that lift the sighting window some way off the OTA if that would help? What ever the case there is no avoiding having to look straight through the finder at some point as you need one eye on the sky while the other follows the hop path. I personality found raci finders hard work and went back to straight through but then thankfully I down suffer a bad back. I hope you are able to sort something. Maybe you could try the risers and flip mirror ??

The problem is the squatting or kneeling behind the scope. Three or four times of those exercises and I can hardly stand up. I need to be able to sit as much as possible.

[bomberbaz]

Robert which scope are you using please? In your SIG it states you have a goto so if that is the case it should really be doing the job for u or have I missed something?

[Tinker1947]

I have a Telrad on both scopes, there properly the best invention for a telescope ever made, used with Stellarium i can (as can anybody else with practice) star hop to unseen DSO's and get them in the middle of EP, 

One of my Telrads with its  dew shield attached with Velcro Tabs

[Ro3bert]

Robert which scope are you using please? In your SIG it states you have a goto so if that is the case it should really be doing the job for u or have I missed something?

I have tried to align per instructions; the problem is I have to squat or kneel to see through the RDF and that is the problem. After squatting two or three times to line up the scope to a star I am almost not be able to stand up, that is the end of my viewing; pack up and go home.

Not happy but it is what it is.

[cotterless45]

I have three Telrads and absolutely recommend them. If you can observe through an ep, then there is no reason why you can't use a a Telrad as a zero ep.

AstroBoot sell a lovely Atelrad dewshield for about a fiver. It's dead easy to align. I've used the sticky back straight onto the ota . If you can't, then cut out a bit of ply between the tube rings and attach the base to that.

Don't fret about batteries, two of my AA's have been in for a couple of years.

Really an essential extra to any scope. In addition the downloadable Telrad charts will kick off a great start,

Nick.

[bomberbaz]

So it is a goto scope Robert. Ok now we have established that you will have sky align technology with your scope and I am sure you are aware of the alinging procedure but just in case here you are:

http://www.celestron.com/university/astronomy/skyalign-(us-patent-no-7,382,448)

As you have a RACI finder you really don't need to get down behind the scope at all although it will be more difficult aligning the bright stars as per the guide but once it is done you should be good to go. 

However it sounds as though this might also be a problem so I have an idea that may well solve this though it will cost you extra ( you could send the telrad back) but its what works that counts.

A laser finder pointer would mean you can see where the scope is pointing whilst sat in comfort and not contorted. I am not sure of your location but an example of this is a uk based dealer http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/rother-valley-optics-5mw-green-laser-pointer-with-bracket.html

You should check the law on permissible powers but the above is ok in the UK. Using one of these would solve your problem, get you aligned adn then away you go. Nothing else would be needed although the RACI finder could replace the laser once alignment is achieved just to check you have the object centred and goto does not always land it bang on. 

I hope this helps

Steve

[Ro3bert]

I have three Telrads and absolutely recommend them. If you can observe through an ep, then there is no reason why you can't use a a Telrad as a zero ep.

AstroBoot sell a lovely Atelrad dewshield for about a fiver. It's dead easy to align. I've used the sticky back straight onto the ota . If you can't, then cut out a bit of ply between the tube rings and attach the base to that.

Don't fret about batteries, two of my AA's have been in for a couple of years.

Really an essential extra to any scope. In addition the downloadable Telrad charts will kick off a great start,

Nick.

I'm getting a telrad with a dew shield that doubles as a right angel finder. I know that will restrict my view of the sky but that's what I have to live with. Once the scope is pointed generally at a star I will be able to home in on it close enough for the RACI to do the final adjustment.

[pyrasanth]

I like my Telrad- great invention!- don't send it back- you will get to love it!