cellestron 114eq

[chris shaw]

Hi there everyone being new to stargazing I have just bought a celestron astromaster 114eq Newtonian scope and just wondered if the scope needs collimation set up   when I find a target all I can see is the spider in the middle of target .just wondering  if this is normal or not.

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome to SGL. A brand new telescope shouldn't require collimation out of the box. If are seeing the shadow of the spider vanes it usually means that you haven't got the telescope focused properly.

[sloz1664]

Hi Chris and a warm welcome to the Lounge

Yep, I agree it points to to a focussing issue.

Steve

[PeterCPC]

Hello Chris and welcome - good advice above.

Peter

[Ally8446]

The only issue I'm aware of with that scope is that it has a corrector lens inside the focus tube. It's called a 'bird-jones' design. It makes it slightly more difficult to collimate. If you do a search on SGL for '114eq collimation' you should find all the information you require. Hope this helps. 

Ally

[Charic]

Try the scope during the day. Check first that the focuser tube actually extends when you turn the wheels? If there is no movement ( possibly not visible/noticeable at night time!!) then look for any locknut or Allen bolt tensioner, and adjust accordingly ( without looking for a manual, I'm just guessing the 114 has these?)

If ok pop in the larger numbered eyepiece, should be somewhere around 20mm - 25mm, look around and see if everything is working ok.

If so, lock the telescope onto a target miles away in the distance, and look through the finder scope, then adjust the finder to see /show the same target that the eyepiece is viewing, this effectively aligns the finder scope to the telescope. 

Note for this type of scope, collimation is factory pre-set, and unless violently dropped, should not require any further adjustment. However, if it does, just follow the basic set up, explained in the user guide.  

Jumping to the next eyepiece which maybe a 4mm (was on my 127EQ!) you may start to see the image quality fall away, due to the higher magnification. You could use the supplied Barlow lens with the supplied 20mm eyepiece, effectively giving you a 10mm eyepiece, but don't expect the 4mm to be of any real benefit. The erecting eyepiece ( if supplied) allows you to view terrestrial targets, with the correct orientation, but for looking at the Stars/Moon, leave the erecting lens out.

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi Chris, welcome. 

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire :-) 

[JamesM]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Clear skies

[ronl]

Hello Chris and welcome to SGL.

Clear Sky's.