Red dot finder

[Saxony]

Hi again, as I have said yesterday was the first time I have got to use my scope. One problem I found was the red dot finder. When I look through it I can't see anything, it's like it is way to bright or something, I can't see anyway of making it dimmer.

I lined it up during the day without two much of a problem but come last night when I tried to use it, I just couldn't see anything, am I doing something wrong. The manual actually says to line it up at night by choosing a star etc. I don't see how I can if I can't actually see any stars through it, all I can see is bright red light, what am I doing wrong, any ideas? :?

Sax

[MikeP]

Which RDF do you have? I have a couple and they allow the brightness to be adjusted.

Mike

[John]

You should be able to turn the intensity of the red dot down (as MikeP says) - there is usually a wheel to do this (sorry I don't know what type of RDF you have). At night you will only need the minimum setting - anything else is too bright.

The brighter settings are only useful in daylight.

John

[Saxony]

Umm, it came allready attached to my scope which is an Astomaster 90. I've looked in the manual it just calls it a Star Pointer?

[John]

Umm, it came allready attached to my scope which is an Astomaster 90. I've looked in the manual it just calls it a Star Pointer?

I don't know that model but it must have some brightness adjustment I would have thought - it's not much use for astronomy if it does not TBH. If you bought it noew perhaps take this up with the vendor ?.

John

[jgs001]

How are you using it ? Are you closing one eye and looking through the RDF ? If so, then you should keep both eyes open. One looks "around" the RDF to the sky, the other through it. The red dot will appear on the sky (brain trickery) and when the red dot coincides with a star you are pointed at it (assuming it's aligned succesfully with the scope). I've used my RDF at maximum brightness and it works fine, just gets a little harder to use.

[Doc]

Is this the one.

If so I think the brightness works with the on/off switch. Maybe it turns to adjust brightness

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:111peRB3X9wJ:www.astronomics.com/main/Celestron_Star_Pointer_illuminated_red_dot_finder51630.asp/catalog_name/Astronomics/category_name/2DNUFM33CE2S9KTPBVGJN12PF1/product_id/3950+celestron+star+pointer&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk

[Saxony]

Thanks for the help and advice. I can't find anything on it to adjust the brightness. I'll try again tonight, if I still don't have any luck with it I'll phone the supplier and see what they say.

Sax

[John]

Thanks for the help and advice. I can't find anything on it to adjust the brightness. I'll try again tonight, if I still don't have any luck with it I'll phone the supplier and see what they say.

Sax

I've just had a look at the manual for that scope and, unfortunately, there does not appear to be a way to dim the red dot on that finder - it's simply got an on and off switch.

I think you will need to practise the "both eyes open" approach that jgs001 suggests - that should get your scope pointing in the general area you want to look in at least.

John

[Saxony]

Yeah, thats what I thought, yesterday I think I was using just one eye, when the weather is decent I'll try the two eye thing.

Thanks