Baader zoom ep focusing issue.

[Starslayer]

Hi. I make no apology for asking this as I have certainly tried and am now stumped.   My recent daytime solar viewing and attempts at some photos has been mentioned elsewhere. I have done this with stock diagonal and 40mm plossl.  I have again today tried to pop in the baader hyperion zoom ep set to 24 and despite rotating focus to either end of its capability I cannot get the image to focus.  I understand why and that my view will be smaller than with the 40mm but surely I am doing something wrong to not be able to focus the image of the sun. I have it located ok.  Celestron 6” sct. 
Help?  🙃

Edited June 9, 2021 by Starslayer
Typos

[Starslayer]

Very unusual not to get some suggestions from such a helpful bunch but hey ho, I think I have resolved the issue. 
I am not sure what I was expecting but this is a beginner’s eye relief problem.  Out in the sun again today. Zoomed in and out on some distant trees. Focussed fine using the baader throughout the range of zoom.  Filter on and turned it on the sun. Again, no focus and just a very small orange ball.  By chance I swapped to not wearing my glasses and extending the eye cup and hey presto, LARGE image of the sun which I then quickly focussed again throughout the range of strengths.  Such a simple thing! I still cannot get the image with the cup screwed down and my glasses on but I can live with that and practice more. At least I now know what to expect through the eyepiece. If it was not for the ability to focus on the trees I would have suspected the ep to be faulty.  Saved myself some embarrassment. 

[Pixies]

Things are a little quiet just now. Glad you found the issue wasn't a faulty EP.

What do you wear glasses for - short-sighted, astigmatism?

[Louis D]

The fact that you can focus on trees closer than infinity, which is where stars focus, indicates you're short of adequate in-focus when wearing eyeglasses which I presume are set for distance correction.  I'm guessing you're myopic (near-sighted) which allows you to focus the stars closer than infinity without eyeglasses.  I might have that backwards.  I'm nearsighted and have to confess I've never checked which way I have to move the focuser to achieve focus without glasses.

It seems bizarre that a 6" SCT lacks enough focus accommodation for infinity focus with a BHZ.  What diagonal are you using?  Have you tried reaching focus with glasses but without the diagonal (straight through viewing)?  This would buy you 60mm of in-focus with a 1.25" diagonal removed from the optical path.

[Starslayer]

26 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Things are a little quiet just now. Glad you found the issue wasn't a faulty EP.

What do you wear glasses for - short-sighted, astigmatism?

Glasses are varifocal so moderate correction for distance and reading.  I also have a scar on the retina of the right eye but use the left any way for viewing. 

[Starslayer]

8 minutes ago, Louis D said:

The fact that you can focus on trees closer than infinity, which is where stars focus, indicates you're short of adequate in-focus when wearing eyeglasses which I presume are set for distance correction.  I'm guessing you're myopic (near-sighted) which allows you to focus the stars closer than infinity without eyeglasses.  I might have that backwards.  I'm nearsighted and have to confess I've never checked which way I have to move the focuser to achieve focus without glasses.

It seems bizarre that a 6" SCT lacks enough focus accommodation for infinity focus with a BHZ.  What diagonal are you using?  Have you tried reaching focus with glasses but without the diagonal (straight through viewing)?  This would buy you 60mm of in-focus with a 1.25" diagonal removed from the optical path.

Thank you for all that but I think I am sorted now. It really is all about the eye relief distances. I actually prefer to view without glasses and adjust the eye piece accordingly. 

[Pixies]

1 minute ago, Starslayer said:

Glasses are varifocal so moderate correction for distance and reading.  I also have a scar on the retina of the right eye but use the left any way for viewing. 

If it's just short-sightedness that affects your observing, why not do so without the specs? You can compensate for your prescription using the focuser.

I just have my specs attached to me via a lanyard.

[Starslayer]

27 minutes ago, Pixies said:

If it's just short-sightedness that affects your observing, why not do so without the specs? You can compensate for your prescription using the focuser.

I just have my specs attached to me via a lanyard.

Yes, lanyard needs ordering. 

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, Starslayer said:

Yes, lanyard needs ordering. 

Make sure it has a way to keep them from swinging forward while not on your face and hitting the scope or mount if you lean over to view.