Looking for help. I'm a newbie

[Dwarf]

Hi everyone,

I just bought my first telescope - Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope. And I am not sure why I see something in the middle of the eyepiece. When I looked at the Moon, i also got the blurry view in the eyepiece.

Can somebody please help me? Thank you in advance.

[D4N]

Hi, your telescope is out of focus, you need to adjust the focuser which will move the eyepiece toward or away from the scope.

I would recommend trying this out in the day and focusing on the furthest away thing you can find (be careful not to point anywhere near the sun though).

[Dave In Vermont]

Thus far, it sounds like you need to practice focusing your telescope. And, at the same time you do this, you can also set-up your finder-scope to align it to the main telescope. And you are advised to do this during daylight to make it easier.

Your scope is supposed to come with 2 eyepieces: 20mm and 4mm. You will want to practice using the 20mm for low-power. So put the 20mm into the drawtube of the focuser. Be sure to remove the caps on the finder-scope, and on the top-end of the scope's tube. Turn the focus-knobs to extend the drawtube out to it's full length - so the eyepiece is farthest from the scope. Now look around to find a distant obect of a mile or so away: Chrch-steeple, spire of a building, whatever you can find that won't move around. Assuming the finder-scope is ready to look through, move the telescope around on it's mount until you get the far-away object into the field-of-view of the small finder-scope. Then focus the finder to give you a sharp view. Now for the main-scope:

While looking in the 20mm eyepiece, slowly turn the focus-knobs to find the the target-object in as clear and sharp view as possible. You will likely find the view not quite agreeing with the finder-scope's view. You'll change that  by adjusting the finder-scope by turning the small bolts that are holding the finder-scope into it rings. Take your time, slow & easy does it. Using the knobs on your focuser, get the distant-object as sharp as possible in your eyepiece. Now fine-tune the finder-scope so it matches the view in the main-scope. Don'tworry if it's upside-down. That's normal. A straight-through finder-scope, which is what you have, will show things inverted upside-down. And so will your main telescope (which is a Newtonian-Reflector).

Once you're satisfied with the view and the two scopes agree with each other, try the same thing with the 4mm eyepiece. It will likely be a bit harder to get a sharp view. The 20mm gives you a magnification of 50X and 4mm gives you 250X! The slightest 'bump!' of the scope will make the view jump around like crazy! So aside from fine tuning the view again between the two scopes - as it will a bit off at the higher magnification - practice focusing the main scope in such a way as to cause the least amount of 'dancing' in the view.

Now you're ready to try the Moon again come nighttime.

Slow & Easy Works!

Dave

ps - Here's a manual for you to view:

http://www.celestron.com/media/795679/PowerSeeker_127eq_21049.pdf

I'll be back later to see how it goes.

[ronin]

Seeing the secondary and spiders optically means that the eyepiece is too far out. When it is the secondary starts to come into focus - usually a blur but you can make the basic shape out by eye.

I guess that the thing came with the focuser wound fully out and when you dropped an eyepiece in then something was half visible. If so then you need to just turn the focuser knobs to move the focuser tube in. That should then start to bring things like the moon into better focus. Playtime.

There is another option but I cannot see mention of it on your scope. Sometimes the scopes are capable of 1.25" eyepieces ans 2" eyepieces. To get either in the focuser is big enough for 2" and there are 2 adaptors in the focuser. The top one is the 1.25" adaptor and fopr shipping it sits inside the 2" adaptor. There should only be one adaptor in at any time. So you need to remove the 1.25" adaptor, remove the 2" adaptor, put JUST the 1.25" adaptor back in. Safely store the 2" adaptor.

Looking at the manual and whatever else this does not seem to apply to yours as I can see no mention of 2" eyepieces. So although mentioned do not go ripping bits out, as I do not think it applies.

I doubt at present that the scope will give any good results with anything other then the 20mm eyepiece. The reviews I have found all say the barlow and the 4mm eyepiece are "blurry". So you may have to consider the purchase of something like an inexpensive plossl sort of now. As the focal length is apparently 1000mm I suggest a 10mm or 12mm plossl, do not go shorter. Check the Astronomics site for the Astro-Tech Value plossl's, around $24 if I recall. Not sure of the design of your scope, and at this time I suggest eyepieces only owing to one possibility. Later buy a 30mm plossl for wider viewing.

 

[Alan64]

The telescope is not a traditional Newtonian, but a Jones-Bird catadioptric...

Knowledge is power...

https://www.google.com/#q=jones-bird+reflector+design

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi dwarf, welcome.

[Ruud]

Hi Dwarf, as our experts say: put the eyepiece in the focuser, aim the telescope to a distant target and turn the focuser all the way form one end to the other. You'll find focus and see a sharp image.

Practice during the day on a distant landmark and also use that to also align your finder with the telescope.

Welcome to the stargazers lounge!

[Dwarf]

On 12/15/2016 at 23:51, D4N said:

Hi, your telescope is out of focus, you need to adjust the focuser which will move the eyepiece toward or away from the scope.

I would recommend trying this out in the day and focusing on the furthest away thing you can find (be careful not to point anywhere near the sun though).

Hi D4N,

Thanks for replying. I'm sorry for late reply. I just finished the finals last week and had work during weekend.
And I adjusted the focuser but it did not work. When i tried to move the eyepiece toward the scope, the image become more blurry and dimmer and i could still see the secondary and spiders.
 

Thank you,

Dwarf

[Dwarf]

On 12/15/2016 at 23:54, Dave In Vermont said:

Thus far, it sounds like you need to practice focusing your telescope. And, at the same time you do this, you can also set-up your finder-scope to align it to the main telescope. And you are advised to do this during daylight to make it easier.

Your scope is supposed to come with 2 eyepieces: 20mm and 4mm. You will want to practice using the 20mm for low-power. So put the 20mm into the drawtube of the focuser. Be sure to remove the caps on the finder-scope, and on the top-end of the scope's tube. Turn the focus-knobs to extend the drawtube out to it's full length - so the eyepiece is farthest from the scope. Now look around to find a distant obect of a mile or so away: Chrch-steeple, spire of a building, whatever you can find that won't move around. Assuming the finder-scope is ready to look through, move the telescope around on it's mount until you get the far-away object into the field-of-view of the small finder-scope. Then focus the finder to give you a sharp view. Now for the main-scope:

While looking in the 20mm eyepiece, slowly turn the focus-knobs to find the the target-object in as clear and sharp view as possible. You will likely find the view not quite agreeing with the finder-scope's view. You'll change that  by adjusting the finder-scope by turning the small bolts that are holding the finder-scope into it rings. Take your time, slow & easy does it. Using the knobs on your focuser, get the distant-object as sharp as possible in your eyepiece. Now fine-tune the finder-scope so it matches the view in the main-scope. Don'tworry if it's upside-down. That's normal. A straight-through finder-scope, which is what you have, will show things inverted upside-down. And so will your main telescope (which is a Newtonian-Reflector).

Once you're satisfied with the view and the two scopes agree with each other, try the same thing with the 4mm eyepiece. It will likely be a bit harder to get a sharp view. The 20mm gives you a magnification of 50X and 4mm gives you 250X! The slightest 'bump!' of the scope will make the view jump around like crazy! So aside from fine tuning the view again between the two scopes - as it will a bit off at the higher magnification - practice focusing the main scope in such a way as to cause the least amount of 'dancing' in the view.

Now you're ready to try the Moon again come nighttime.

Slow & Easy Works!

Dave

ps - Here's a manual for you to view:

http://www.celestron.com/media/795679/PowerSeeker_127eq_21049.pdf

I'll be back later to see how it goes.

Hi Dave In Vermont,

Thank you for replying. I'm sorry for late reply.
I think that I already did the same instruction but it did not work. I will try to take a picture of the focuser moving towards the scope. As I said to D4N, the image becomes more blurry and the light gets dimmer when I adjusted the focuser moving towards the scope.

Thank you,

Dwarf

[Dwarf]

On 12/16/2016 at 01:35, ronin said:

Seeing the secondary and spiders optically means that the eyepiece is too far out. When it is the secondary starts to come into focus - usually a blur but you can make the basic shape out by eye.

I guess that the thing came with the focuser wound fully out and when you dropped an eyepiece in then something was half visible. If so then you need to just turn the focuser knobs to move the focuser tube in. That should then start to bring things like the moon into better focus. Playtime.

There is another option but I cannot see mention of it on your scope. Sometimes the scopes are capable of 1.25" eyepieces ans 2" eyepieces. To get either in the focuser is big enough for 2" and there are 2 adaptors in the focuser. The top one is the 1.25" adaptor and fopr shipping it sits inside the 2" adaptor. There should only be one adaptor in at any time. So you need to remove the 1.25" adaptor, remove the 2" adaptor, put JUST the 1.25" adaptor back in. Safely store the 2" adaptor.

Looking at the manual and whatever else this does not seem to apply to yours as I can see no mention of 2" eyepieces. So although mentioned do not go ripping bits out, as I do not think it applies.

I doubt at present that the scope will give any good results with anything other then the 20mm eyepiece. The reviews I have found all say the barlow and the 4mm eyepiece are "blurry". So you may have to consider the purchase of something like an inexpensive plossl sort of now. As the focal length is apparently 1000mm I suggest a 10mm or 12mm plossl, do not go shorter. Check the Astronomics site for the Astro-Tech Value plossl's, around $24 if I recall. Not sure of the design of your scope, and at this time I suggest eyepieces only owing to one possibility. Later buy a 30mm plossl for wider viewing.

 

Hi Ronin,

Thank you for replying. I'm sorry for late reyply.
It only came with the 1.25" eyepieces and the Barlow Lens. When I adjusted the focuser knob to move the focuser tube in or towards the scope, it was still the same.

Thank you,

Dwarf

[John]

Try moving the focuser the other way. Assuming that you have an eyepiece in the scope and that you are pointing it at a bright object such as a star, the image you posted in your first post should get smaller and smaller until it is a point of light. Then the scope is properly focussed.

[Dwarf]

On 12/16/2016 at 13:14, Alan64 said:

The telescope is not a traditional Newtonian, but a Jones-Bird catadioptric...

Knowledge is power...

https://www.google.com/#q=jones-bird+reflector+design

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Alan64,

Thank you for reply. I'm sorry for late reply.
And I don't know about that. I just took a look at your link. And people said that it should be avoided. So do you think the telescope I'm using is a Jones-Bird type? If it is, may you recommend for me the telescope that has a good price?

Thank you,

Dwarf

[Dwarf]

On 12/16/2016 at 14:42, Dave Lloyd said:

Hi dwarf, welcome.

Hi Dave Loyd,

Thank you for welcoming me

[Dwarf]

On 12/16/2016 at 15:49, Ruud said:

Hi Dwarf, as our experts say: put the eyepiece in the focuser, aim the telescope to a distant target and turn the focuser all the way form one end to the other. You'll find focus and see a sharp image.

Practice during the day on a distant landmark and also use that to also align your finder with the telescope.

Welcome to the stargazers lounge!

Hi Ruud,

Thank you for replying, I'm sorry for late reply.
I tried to do the same instructions as you and other people gave but it is still the same

Thank you,

Dwarf

[Dwarf]

6 minutes ago, John said:

Try moving the focuser the other way. Assuming that you have an eyepiece in the scope and that you are pointing it at a bright object such as a star, the image you posted in your first post should get smaller and smaller until it is a point of light. Then the scope is properly focussed.

Hi John,

Thank you for replying. I remember that I adjusted the focuser knob moving the focuser away from the scope and the star got smaller and became a point of light and then it became bigger, blurry, and faint.

[Cornelius Varley]

1 hour ago, Dwarf said:

is Hi John,

Thank you for replying. I remember that I adjusted the focuser knob moving the focuser away from the scope and the star got smaller and became a point of light and then it became bigger, blurry, and faint.

When the star becomes a point of light that is when the telescope is in focus.

[John]

As Peter says, when you see the star as a point of light, thats it, the scope is in focus. In case you wondered, no scope, at least no amateur scope, can show stars as more than a point of light.

[spaceboy]

My opinion is that the spherical corrector / barlow is missing. If that's the case it will never come to focus as the focal length of the scope will be effectively shortened by the corrector being absent. Next time you get chance to try the scope stick in a barlow and see if you can reach focus then.

[Dave In Vermont]

spaceboy - The Celestron website is currently down. But I managed to pull this data from a store that carries this, B & H Photo in New York City. It shows an image of short tube (F/4? Maybe 5?) and says it's got a 1000mm F.L. - and I see around that the price on these is dropping like a rock. Hmmmm..... Here's a link, all:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/370185-REG/Celestron_21049_PowerSeeker_127_EQ_5_0_127mm.html

And you've made a good point/guess. Without the mini-corrector in the thing, it's a D.O.A. scope.

Dwarf: May I ask where you bought this telescope? Price dropping & lack of focusing may well indicate that returning it may be the option of choice.

Still sorting this -

Dave

[Louis D]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 11:19, spaceboy said:

My opinion is that the spherical corrector / barlow is missing. If that's the case it will never come to focus as the focal length of the scope will be effectively shortened by the corrector being absent. Next time you get chance to try the scope stick in a barlow and see if you can reach focus then.

With the eyepiece out of the focuser tube, look down it and see if there are any optics in there.  If not, the SC/barlow is missing and the scope should be returned as missing essential parts.  Post some pics of the tube and down the focuser so we can confirm that this is a J-B design.  Put a piece of paper with text on it behind the focuser inside the tube.  If the text is unchanged when viewed through the focuser tube, there are no corrective optics in there.  Does the packaging claim it's a 1000m f8 telescope, yet the main tube is only about half that length?  If so, it's a J-B design.

[Moonshed]

Hi Dwarf and welcome to the best astronomy forum on the Net.

You said in one of your replies "I remember that I adjusted the focuser knob moving the focuser away from the scope and the star got smaller and became a point of light and then it became bigger, blurry, and faint."

That is good news because that is exactly what is supposed to happen! As has already been said here, you adjust the focus until the star becomes the smallest possible size, it should be just a very tiny spot. So you initially will over-run while focussing going from large to small then start to go large again. You just stop and reverse the focus and make it smaller again, stop when you have found the smallest possible size. That's it, you have achieved correct focus.

I have seen some bad reports about this particular scope but don't let that put you off. You have a first scope that is perfectly good enough for visual observing and it will give you endless pleasure as you discover the wonders of the night sky with it. At a later date you may wish to upgrade to a better scope, but we all had to start somewhere and yours is way, way better than my first scope. Relax and enjoy your scope, you will soon get used to using it and if you have any more problems or questions then you know where to come. Good luck and clear skies!

Keith

[Alan64]

There are other characteristics to stars other than tiny points of light.

Different sizes are seen.  Deneb, to my eye, appeared as a very bright point in the sky, however when I had turned the telescope towards it it exhibited a considerable increase in size, appearing as a wee blazing sun, with extremely short rays all around; dynamic it was, and sharp.  Upon the sight, I immediately felt as though I were in a spaceship, hurtling towards my home planet orbiting the star itself.

There are the colours; the greater the aperture, the greater the number and intensity of those seen.  I have read of there being far more red stars discerned than any other colour with a larger aperture.  Those of green and purple also exist; most exotic.

Then there are the double-stars, and close, scattered and tight globular clusters to be seen, and enjoyed.