New telescope - advice welcome

[Emjayf]

Hello all, I have been a big fan of space and space stuff since I was a child. Now, well into my 40s, my lovely wife bought me a beginner's telescope as an unexpected Christmas present. It is an Uscamel Refractor Telescope 70/400 AZ.  Seems pretty nice as a starter but I do have some questions which the scant instructions do not answer! First, when I looked a the moon earlier there was a slight double image to it. I looked at some stars just now and it was the same. Is that normal? I was looking through something called a "K25mm" eyepiece.

I also tried adding these long tubes called "1.5 x Erecting Eyepiece" and "Barlow Lens 3x" which, when I attach, don't seem to show anything.

 

I also have a funny shaped attachment for something to hold my mobile phone on but the instruction booklet for this appears to have not had all the pages printed!!

Anyhow any guidance would be great! I can't think I need more light as that would defeat the object of stargazing!

 

Thanks all

Emjay

 

[bosun21]

 

If this is the telescope you are talking about you should be aware that it is basically a kids telescope. Saying that even with a kellner eyepiece you should be seeing a single image of the moon. Check that the main lens in the front of your telescope is sitting square and secure (no movement). Also give the eyepieces a gentle shake to make sure that there’s no loose lens. Sometimes the QC isn’t up to standard.

[banjaxed]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

Are you outside when viewing ? If you are viewing through a window this will cause a double image

[mikeDnight]

Hi Emjay,

Perhaps you could try removing the prism diagonal and looking straight through the telescope. In the past I've seen a number of diagonals produce double images. It's also worth mentioning, that if your scope is the same as the one in the picture posted above, the diagonal will produce a fine bright spike on stars, which is due to it being an erecting diagonal. Mostly, astronomers use 90° mirror or prism diagonals which give a mirror image, but with no image artefacts. As mentioned above, its best to observe outside and not through a window.