HELP! Newbie.

[Dai1984]

Hi all,

 

Newbie here,  Been gifted a banged up Tasco 114mm x 900mm.  Only eye piece i have is the 12.5mm

 

Battling in the day to get focus at distance.  (Too cloudy for moon so far and no chance at stars the way it is)

 

I've corrected the collimation, everything now centred.  The only thing at so far I've managed to get in focus is a rose 20m from the house in a bush.  I'm aware that's far too close but it is in perfect clarity so at least it's not totallybust I feel.

Anything I'm trying further out just appears not be made out at all can adjust focus no problem (Rose head in and out of focus no problem).

 

No Barlow attached.  (P.S I've ordered some new eye pieces including a 20mm)

 

Anything to help would be so helpful.

 

Many thanks

Dai

[MartinHiggins]

Hi Dai I see your just up the road from me. That's no good for you though as I can't answer your question!

I'm sure others here will though.

Cheers

[Dai1984]

34 minutes ago, MartinHiggins said:

Hi Dai I see your just up the road from me. That's no good for you though as I can't answer your question!

I'm sure others here will though.

Cheers

Ah great, I'm hoping with the new eye pieces I can self sort it 🤞

[Pixies]

Is the rose in focus? You shouldn't be able to focus on something that close, normally.

Do you have any kind of extension fitted to the focuser? Could you send a pic of your setup, please?

[Ricochet]

36 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Is the rose in focus? You shouldn't be able to focus on something that close, normally.

Do you have any kind of extension fitted to the focuser? Could you send a pic of your setup, please?

This is a good question. Focusing on something further away requires the focuser to be wound further in, which suggests that currently there is something holding the eyepiece too far out from the focuser.

[Dai1984]

Hi Both,  thanks for your replies.  Yes I can get the rose perfectly in focus.  

[Cornelius Varley]

@Dai1984 The diagonal is the problem. This increases the distance between the eyepiece and secondary mirror and makes it impossible to focus at far distances. Remove it and attach the eyepiece to the focuser and the problem will disappear. 

[Dai1984]

15 minutes ago, Cornelius Varley said:

@Dai1984 The diagonal is the problem. This increases the distance between the eyepiece and secondary mirror and makes it impossible to focus at far distances. Remove it and attach the eyepiece to the focuser and the problem will disappear. 

Ha! Fantastic.  Much better, my 20mm arrived which is helping too.  Still struggling to get anything much further away but it is very foggy.   

 

Just to confirm everything should be upside down yeah? 😆

 

Feel slightly more confident I'll catch the next moon now at least.

[Tiny Clanger]

18 minutes ago, Dai1984 said:

Ha! Fantastic.  Much better, my 20mm arrived which is helping too.  Still struggling to get anything much further away but it is very foggy.   

 

Just to confirm everything should be upside down yeah? 😆

 

Feel slightly more confident I'll catch the next moon now at least.

Upside down, no fault there, it's as it should be . 😀

Good luck with a clear sky to use it soon.

Heather