New to the sky

[ShaunBurdManMcgowan]

Hello sky gazers! Could some body pls help. Need help sorting out setting up my Celestron explorascope 114AZ! Would appreciate any help, thank you! B

[DavidJM]

Hi there, what's your set up issue, assuming this is the celestron 114mm reflector?

 

[kippford]

Is the image a clue?

[rockystar]

19 hours ago, kippford said:

Is the image a clue?

have you been smoking before you observe? 

I do think you need to give us a bit more info to get you the help you need

[ShaunBurdManMcgowan]

Basically I got it for Xmas, I’ve set it up as the manual tells me too!  

Now id like too know, how can I look at moon or stars, best time, days too go gazing, best lens too use, at what time! I only have a 20mm and 4mm lens!  All help is welcome, thanks for the comments! ??

[Nyctimene]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

Start in twilight  with aligning your scope and the finder. Put the 20 mm eyepiece ("lens") into the focuser and point the scope at a distant  (1-2 km) conspicuous object, e.g. an aerial,  church tower, or tree. Try to focus the object, and to bring it in the middle of the field of view. Next, switch on the Red Dot Finder (=RDF), and, using the two adjustment screws (for horizontal /vertical movements)  bring the red dot to exactly the object displayed in your scope. When done, you can start searching for bright (naked eye) celestial objects; first of all the Moon; the Pleiades, the Double cluster between Perseus and Cassiopeia; and (in Orion) the Orion nebula. In the dawn, you can observe the planet Venus, showing it's nice, moonlike crescent form at the moment.

I'd stick with the 20 mmf eyepiece, that will give you a magnification of 50x (1000mm divided by 20 mm = 50x); the 4 mmf will give a blurry image (your scope will allow magnifications of up to about 120x, due to it's construction - a "Bird-Jones" type, presumably). An additional eyepiece of 10 or 8 mmf would be adequate. The 3x Barlow will, as I guess, not be an adequate substitute for this.

Get a planisphere for planning your observations; a decent star atlas (e.g. the Pocket Sky Atlas), and the book "Turn left at Orion".

Enjoy your first looks through the scope; keep on asking; and don't forget to switch off the RDF after use. Hth.

Stephan

[kippford]

4 hours ago, Nyctimene said:

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

Start in twilight  with aligning your scope and the finder. Put the 20 mm eyepiece ("lens") into the focuser and point the scope at a distant  (1-2 km) conspicuous object, e.g. an aerial,  church tower, or tree. Try to focus the object, and to bring it in the middle of the field of view. Next, switch on the Red Dot Finder (=RDF), and, using the two adjustment screws (for horizontal /vertical movements)  bring the red dot to exactly the object displayed in your scope. When done, you can start searching for bright (naked eye) celestial objects; first of all the Moon; the Pleiades, the Double cluster between Perseus and Cassiopeia; and (in Orion) the Orion nebula. In the dawn, you can observe the planet Venus, showing it's nice, moonlike crescent form at the moment.

I'd stick with the 20 mmf eyepiece, that will give you a magnification of 50x (1000mm divided by 20 mm = 50x); the 4 mmf will give a blurry image (your scope will allow magnifications of up to about 120x, due to it's construction - a "Bird-Jones" type, presumably). An additional eyepiece of 10 or 8 mmf would be adequate. The 3x Barlow will, as I guess, not be an adequate substitute for this.

Get a planisphere for planning your observations; a decent star atlas (e.g. the Pocket Sky Atlas), and the book "Turn left at Orion".

Enjoy your first looks through the scope; keep on asking; and don't forget to switch off the RDF after use. Hth.

Stephan

I would add, that the screws on the red dot finder are possibly knobs. I took a screwdriver to mine and it just fell off.

[Nyctimene]

40 minutes ago, kippford said:

I would add, that the screws on the red dot finder are possibly knobs. I took a screwdriver to mine and it just fell off. 

Thanks for the correction - of course you are right (and my knowledge of the English language has still to be improved...)

Stephan

[Demonperformer]

Hi, Shaun, and welcome to SGL.

Once you get set up, that little scope will give you some lovely sights.

Enjoy the journey.

[JOC]

Take a look at page 1. on this thread as well: