Just purchased my first telescope and advise to newbie

[DeP]

Hi Everyone!

I hope all is well! This is my first forum website, first post and first telescope I purchased celestron scope 50.

I'm sorry for silly questions but here goes:

I have 2 eye piece lenses, 10 and 20mm at what objects can I take a look at this?

I also have a finderscope that comes with it attached, when i look at it it gives me like horizontal/vertical line like a cross. What's that for and what can i use the finderscope for exactly?

it also comes with this 3x barlow lens, when I just attach it its loose but thats normal I guess, but put eyepiece at end, does that mean i can see 3x magnification even more?

It comes with the skyportal app, I suppose this will tell me what time is good to look at outside?

Like I said, I'm sorry but if you have any thoughts, or links to answers within this forum much appreciated.

Stay safe thanks!

D

 

[Waddensky]

Hi and welcome, congratulations on your first telescope! I'm pretty sure you'll have lots of fun with it. It would be helpful if you posted a link to the telescope you've got, so we can see the specs and give you more in-depth advice.

For now: the 10 mm magnifies more than the 20 mm (twice as much). A higher magnification is mostly useful for observing planets, details on the Moon, double stars or small deep-sky objects like planetary nebulae. Lower magnification gives a wider field of view, so this is usually better for larger objects like other nebulae, open clusters or some galaxies. But it's best just to try them both out and find out what works best for you.

The finder scope gives you even less magnification, so you can use it to point your scope. Usually you aim a manual scope by matching the view through the finder with a star chart or app. Then, once you've found the correct location, you look through the eyepiece so you can observe the object you're interested in.

Yes, the barlow magnifies the view even more, in this case 3x. You insert the barlow in the eyepiece holder, and the eyepiece in the barlow. Your 10 mm eyepiece then effectively becomes a 3.3 mm eyepiece. The actual magnification you get depends on the focal length of the scope (we can find out if you provide a link 😉). If it's 600 mm for example, a 10 mm eyepiece magnifies 600 / 10 = 60x, with the barlow 600 / 3.3 = 180x.

Edited May 22, 2020 by Waddensky

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome to SGL. The Celestron Travel Scope 50 has a focal length of 360mm so the 10mm eyepiece will give you a magnification of 360/10 = 36x and the 20mm eyepiece 360/20 = 18x. The barlow lens increases these values by a factor of three,. The 10mm eyepiece together with the barlow =108x magnification and the 20mm 54x. The lower magnifications are useful for wider fields of view (star clusters etc) and the higher values for viewing the moon and planets.

The crosshairs in the finderscope are used to centre the target in the main telescope. The finderscope will first need to be aligned with the main telescope in the daytime by centring a distant target such as an aerial or tall building in the main telescope and then adjusting the finderscope's  adjusting screws to align the crosshairs with the target.

 

[Cosmic Geoff]

The 10 mm eyepiece gives a higher magnification than the 20mm.

The finder scope is intended to help you get objects into the field of view of the main scope. You may have to align the finder (on a distant object, in daylight) so that both scopes point in the same direction and the same object shows in the middle of the field of view of each.

The Barlow will increase the magnification of each eyepiece by x3.  How useful this is, you will have to find out for yourself. 🙂

This is a very small and low-cost scope, so don't expect it to do too much.  The Moon should look impressive through it, though.

[DeP]

Oh wow awesome SGL team members! Thank you all for your comments. I can't wait to see. Yes I'm not expecting to see what hubble telescope is :)...just something we as family can gaze at night and start venturing looking at objects.

This is what I have by the way:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00369Q4ZC/ref=twister_B087DMWYTS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Celestron 21038 Travel Scope 50 Telescope

I'm not sure if I can paste link here though if not please let me know.  Ok  I see, I'll adjust during the day using finderscope, Once that object is in middle of the crosshairs, then I can use that as a guide to see through the eyepiece.  Does the finderscope give me like latitude/longitude, basically if I use the skyportal app and it tells me tonight there object at this location, how can I find it in the finderscope?

I was wondering any cool apps you use? I've got the skyportal app for free as I purchased this product.

Happy stargazing! Thank you all, stay safe.

D

 

[DaveL59]

what you'll need to do is pick a distant object that is distinct and then use the telescope to get it focused and centred. Then you need to look through the finder and adjust it to get the same object centred in the crosshairs. The target does need to be a good distance away not just a couple hundred meters. Once done you use the finder to locate the star/planet you want to look at and the scope should also be on or very close to it.

In terms of tonight, the moon won't be visible, its in the south-west at the moment, but Venus and mercury will show once the sun is down over to the west, you may be lucky to get to see those as a start

For an idea of what planets will be up on a particular day take a look here:
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/night/

 

[DeP]

Oh one question, is it ok I can look through glass window or better opened fully?

Thanks.

[DeP]

Thanks!!

[DaveL59]

better to open the window as the glass will distort the view and cause reflections and ghost images. 

I take it you're in a flat?
Tho with Venus and Mercury low in the sky an upstairs window may work better than trying to see over fences, just be careful not to catch the sun in the scope.

Edited May 22, 2020 by DaveL59

[Louis D]

4 hours ago, DeP said:

Does the finderscope give me like latitude/longitude, basically if I use the skyportal app and it tells me tonight there object at this location, how can I find it in the finderscope?

I was wondering any cool apps you use? I've got the skyportal app for free as I purchased this product

The terms are right ascension and declination or altitude and azimuth, depending on what coordinate reference you are using.

I know there are some apps out there that attempt to use the sensors in your smartphone to help you find targets.  I have never used any of them, but it is my understanding you lay the phone along the main telescope tube and line it up to be parallel to it.  Because phone sensors are not precise enough to do exact locating, they can only give you a rough idea of where you are pointing at best.  However, if you don't know the skies at all, it's better than nothing I suppose.