Bought scope but can't get anything to work

[Andy55]

I bought a meade 10 inch scope with the ldx75 stand I have been unable to figure out autostar...besides that I have not been able to get anything to focus at all not even the moon have tried every lense I have but nothing just a blur 

[Cornelius Varley]

5 minutes ago, Andy55 said:

I bought a meade 10 inch scope with the ldx75 stand I have been unable to figure out autostar...besides that I have not been able to get anything to focus at all not even the moon have tried every lense I have but nothing just a blur 

Hello and welcome to SGL. It would be helpful if you told us which telescope you have, Meade make a number of 10" telescopes.

[Andy55]

Meade ldx75...schmidt newtonian 10 inch

Edited September 21, 2019 by Andy55

[Davey-T]

Hi Andy and welcome to SGL, the Meade manual is pretty poor so best to seek advice here, any chance you can post a picture of what you've got in the focuser, worth a thousand words.

Dave

Edited September 19, 2019 by Davey-T

[Andy55]

Hi Dave 

I will send a pic as soon as I figure it out lol telling me file is to big 

[Andy55]

[johninderby]

Used to have one although fitted with a new Crayford and it focused with no problems.🤔

It was a very, very heavy beast though. About 17kg for the OTA.

Edited September 19, 2019 by johninderby

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @Andy55 and welcome to SGL. 

Couple of things spring to mind...

1. being a Schmitt/Newtoinan it may have dew forming on the corrector plate. - do you have dew-shield?
2. do you notice any change of the shape of what you are seeing? - you may need to keep turning the focus knob anti-clockwise or clockwise [in/out] before the object comes into focus. 
3. what type of focusser is it? - i.e. rack & pinion or Crayford? - looking at your image, I am thinking the black thumbscrew under the the focusser may be an adjuster to adjust the friction of the drawtube - can you turn it? 
4. what eyepieces do you have?
5. it maybe out of collimation, so will need to be collimated.

 

[Andy55]

I will admit I became over excited and purchased this scope with very little to no experience but I am baffled as to why nothing comes into view moon is just a bright blur and any other planet just looks like a black spot previous owner showed me amazing pics with this scope

[Andy55]

5 minutes ago, Philip R said:

Hi @Andy55 and welcome to SGL. 

Couple of things spring to mind...

1. being a Schmitt/Newtoinan it may have dew forming on the corrector plate. - do you have dew-shield?
2. do you notice any change of the shape of what you are seeing? - you may need to keep turning the focus knob anti-clockwise or clockwise [in/out] before the object comes into focus. 
3. what type of focusser is it? - i.e. rack & pinion or Crayford? - looking at your image, I am thinking the black thumbscrew under the the focusser may be an adjuster to adjust the friction of the drawtube - can you turn it? 
4. what eyepieces do you have?
5. it maybe out of collimation, so will need to be collimated.

 

1.I have a dew heater no shield

2.no shape change I've seen 

3.rack and pinion (will add photo)

4. I have a 9mm and celestron kit very low quality kit but was told it will work 

5.collimation seems ok but I might have done it wrong 

[Andy55]

9 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Used to have one although fitted with a new Crayford and it focused with no problems.🤔

 

Never heard of that scope will have to look very nice

[johninderby]

It’s the same OTA but mine was refinished in silver.

[Davey-T]

To try and narrow down the problem wind the focuser in and out with nothing in it to check it's actually moving then wind it right in, have you got a longer focal length eyepiece ? something like a 26mm, drop in in the fully in focuser aimed at the edge off the Moon and then slowly withdraw it with your hand and see if the image appears to get less or more blurry, if it gets less blurry as you withdraw it but falls out before reaching focus there may be some sort of extension with it.

Using a camera would put the focus point in a different place to an eyepiece, some folk modify these scopes for imaging by moving the mirror up the tube which may move it too far out for an eyepiece.

Dave

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi again @Andy55

Upon a closer look at the second image, I think you have a type of single-speed Crayford focusser. 

As previously mentioned, I think the black thumbscrew adjusts the tension of the drawtube. If you cannot see the drawtube move up/down, then you will need to turn the thumbscrew a few turns until it does. Once you see it move, then tighten to a position where you think it is comfortable and will not slip.

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Philip R

[Andy55]

1 hour ago, Philip R said:

Hi again @Andy55

Upon a closer look at the second image, I think you have a type of single-speed Crayford focusser. 

As previously mentioned, I think the black thumbscrew adjusts the tension of the drawtube. If you cannot see the drawtube move up/down, then you will need to turn the thumbscrew a few turns until it does. Once you see it move, then tighten to a position where you think it is comfortable and will not slip.

 

So I'm pretty sure it functions properly the tube moves up and down freely and if I turn the screw it will lock it into position...previous owner did only use this scope for astrophotography I cant thank you enough for this advise unfortunately I'm at work this evening and will not be able to test these suggestions until tommorow...hopefully I'm understanding the function of the focuser it is only on component that moves correct?

[Andy55]

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

To try and narrow down the problem wind the focuser in and out with nothing in it to check it's actually moving then wind it right in, have you got a longer focal length eyepiece ? something like a 26mm, drop in in the fully in focuser aimed at the edge off the Moon and then slowly withdraw it with your hand and see if the image appears to get less or more blurry, if it gets less blurry as you withdraw it but falls out before reaching focus there may be some sort of extension with it.

Using a camera would put the focus point in a different place to an eyepiece, some folk modify these scopes for imaging by moving the mirror up the tube which may move it too far out for an eyepiece.

Dave

Dave thank you for the ideas I will test these out and see...I've had this for over 5 months now and have been unable to get it to work...all these ideas are amazing and hopefully I will be able to learn help others at some point!

[Andy55]

Fyi this is the kit I have for lences prob not the best but it was suggested when I bought it but have learned since that Its not very good

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Andy55

[John]

10 minutes ago, Andy55 said:

...previous owner did only use this scope for astrophotography...

Then you may need to use an extension tube to get eyepieces to focus with the scope. Astro cameras often have to be closer to the tube wall (and therefore the main mirror) than eyepieces do.

 

[Andy55]

Hi John 

Great thank you for the suggestion are you able to order these from Amazon? 

[Gfamily]

3 minutes ago, John said:

Then you may need to use an extension tube to get eyepieces to focus with the scope. Astro cameras often have to be closer to the tube wall (and therefore the main mirror) than eyepieces do.

 

Images of the Meade Schmidt Newt scopes (from online reviews) suggest they come with an extension tube, but the OP's photo doesn't show one. 

To the OP - can you get back to the previous owner and see if they have the extension tube put away somewhere?

 

[Andy55]

Yes I can he also gave me box of extra stuff origanal focuser but its is pretty damaged I am at work tonight but when I get home in the morning it will be the first think I'm looking for 

[david_taurus83]

If you loosen these 2 screws can you not lift up the inner sleeve that the eyepiece sits in?

[Andy55]

I will see when I get home in about 3hrs from work but I have never noticed anything moving when they were losse

[johninderby]

Found an old pic of my OTA with an eyepiece fiteed. Note the length of the extension I had to use on the focuser.

[Andy55]

Just now, johninderby said:

Found an old pic of my OTA with an eyepiece fiteed. Note the length of the extension I had to use on the focuser.

Oh ya big difference I'm really hoping this is the issue...