Help!!!

[Joogy]

Hi all,

I bought a SynScan Skywatcher telescope about a year ago and have struggled ever since using it!! When I bought it, I was under the impression everything was straight forward and simple. Well as you can see I have managed to assemble the telescope but am struggling to use it. A few days ago, I went out into the garden and managed to manually find the moon but it was so close and I couldn't really see the detail. That was using the lens you look down into and see through the large scope at the front. When I observe through the lens at the side which points straight out, the image is inverted!! The manual is not exactly great either. I could really do with a step by step idiot guide if possible please. If anyone is prepared to help, I can give them my email and phone number if required. At the moment, I'm thinking I've bought something I can't use so what is the point in keeping it. That would be a shame as I really want to get into this hobby and my boys are keen to see something too!

Many thanks.

Joogy

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome to SGL.

31 minutes ago, Joogy said:

When I observe through the lens at the side which points straight out, the image is inverted!!

This normal. The finderscope is a small refractor and these give an inverted image.

32 minutes ago, Joogy said:

A few days ago, I went out into the garden and managed to manually find the moon but it was so close and I couldn't really see the detail.

The eyepiece may be giving you too much magnification. The two eyepieces normally supplied with this telescope (Skywatcher Skymax 127) are 10mm and 25mm. The 10mm eyepiece will give you a magnification of 150x (1500/10) and the 25mm eyepiece 60x (1500/25). 60x magnification shouldn't be too much but 150x might be too much magnification depending upon the atmospheric conditions.

[Joogy]

Thanks Peter. I've just had a look and I was using the longer lens which says Super 2.5 wide angle long eye relief. The other one is a smaller one which is Super 10 long eye relief. 

Also do you know anywhere where I can learn how to align lens on the telescope (ie; the inverted one and the one I look down into)?

Plus anywhere where I can learn the steps to use the synscan?

 

Thanks for your help.

[DaveL59]

this may help

 

 

[John]

I think the Super 2.5 is a Super 25 really so 25mm - that is your low power eyepiece and the one to use as you get used to the scope.

Don't worry - the scope is a good one and very popular on here. These things are scientific instruments though so some time is needed to get used to how they function, what they can do and also what they cannot do.

 

[Joogy]

Thank you both John and Dave, your help is greatly appreciated. I'll sort out alignment first and view manually before moving on.

[Neil H]

Hi if you have a smart phone download synscan app this gives you all the info you need for the hand set

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.RapidoDroid.synscaninit2

[Joogy]

That's fantastic Peter, thank you so much.

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @Joogy and welcome to SGL. 

Just to add to your confusion... When viewing through a catadioptric 'scope; (i.e. Mak or SCT); without a star diagonal, the image; (eyepiece is inserted directly in to the visual back or 'straight through'); will appear upside down. When you add the star diagonal in the visual back, then the eyepiece; the image will be 'right way up' and left/right - east/west are reversed. This is perfectly normal.

Edited May 30, 2020 by Philip R

[Joogy]

Thank you