RECOMMENDATION

[Daniel3]

Hi can anybody recommend a good finder scope, thanks 

[Stu]

Is this for the 130 Daniel?

Have a look at a Telrad which is an excellent unity gain finder and 'projects' red circles against the sky of 0.5, 2 and 4 degrees.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/telrad-finder-astronomy.html

I was also consider a 9x50 RACI finder, right angle, correct image - basically the image is the right way round and it has a 90 degree angle on the viewing End so you don't have to get into an awkward position to look through it.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/skywatcher-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

There is also a cheaper 6x30 version I believe.

These two types work very well together, the Telrad gets you into the right place and the the optical finder allows you to see the object and centre it fully.

[Cosmic Geoff]

The question is not which finder scope is 'good' - it's a question of which style of finder scope you can get on with.  Folk have their preferences.

The cheap 'red dot' is quite adequate, particularly for smaller telescopes, and good for aiming the scope at blank bits of sky (sub naked eye object).  For aiming at an object in some conditions, or aiming or star-hopping by fainter objects, an optical finder will work better. The best size depends on the size of the main scope.  With higher powered finders you may start to find the need of a finder or aiming sight for the finder. (sometimes seen in observatories) 

Cross-hairs don't work in total darkness unless illuminated, a feature you don't get in the cheaper optical finders.

The right-angled finders seem a good idea - personally I balked at a cost equivalent to that of my complete 'first telescope' from Lidl.

So it's your choice. If the telescope has a quick-change shoe you can have both red-dot and optical finders and swap them out at will.

 

[tuckstar]

I use a telrad with my 10" dob as the provided 10x50 straight through was a nightmare to use. I upgraded to an altair 10x60 illuminated raci, best thing I ever did. So much easier to follow star charts. At least now I know when an object is there and just not visible rather than trying to work out if I'm in the right place or not.

[alanjgreen]

On 1/22/2018 at 10:34, Cosmic Geoff said:

The question is not which finder scope is 'good' - it's a question of which style of finder scope you can get on with.  Folk have their preferences.

The cheap 'red dot' is quite adequate, particularly for smaller telescopes, and good for aiming the scope at blank bits of sky (sub naked eye object).  For aiming at an object in some conditions, or aiming or star-hopping by fainter objects, an optical finder will work better. The best size depends on the size of the main scope.  With higher powered finders you may start to find the need of a finder or aiming sight for the finder. (sometimes seen in observatories) 

Cross-hairs don't work in total darkness unless illuminated, a feature you don't get in the cheaper optical finders.

The right-angled finders seem a good idea - personally I balked at a cost equivalent to that of my complete 'first telescope' from Lidl.

So it's your choice. If the telescope has a quick-change shoe you can have both red-dot and optical finders and swap them out at will.

 

@Cosmic Geoff is correct.

If your scope is a GOTO then I would say, get a quality red dot finder. All you need is a finder to get the brightest stars & get them centered quick. The red dot finder is best at this.

If your scope is manual then you are into star hopping and need to see "more" than a red dot can provide. In this scenario you need at least a RACI finder (right angle correct image), the "right angle" will save your neck and the "correct image" will mean that when you slew the scope, then the stars move the "same way" in the finder. Beyond this basic RACI. Then you are into TELRAD territory, a finder that projects circles to help you star hop.

Horses for courses!

Alan

[Rocket_the_Raccoon]

I would to add my two cents here...it also depends on how light polluted is your observing site (for me, it is mostly a backyard in the city).

I use a short-tube refractor with a red-dot finder. The scope can achieve a 3.1 degrees of TFOV with my 25mm eyepiece (22mm field-stop). When Castor and Pollux is barely visible with the naked eyes, finding M35 (a relatively easy 
DSO) will become a tough task. 3.1 degrees is pretty wide for a main scope but it is very narrow for a finderscope. For this reason, I am in the process of building a 50mm finderscope with bits and pieces from my box.

Above is just my example of the need of an optical finder in certain situations even you have a wide-field main scope.