Red Dot Finder and Star Hopping

[Murf26]

Hi there I’m new on here and I am a beginner from the UK. I have a Skywatcher 130/900 with EQ2 mount I will master the setting circles however an easier way would be to Star Hop using the red dot finder. I find it quite difficult to centre the dot as it moves around a lot have you got any tips? And what would be good upgrade? Thanks 

[Carbon Brush]

Hello and welcome to SGL.

First of all, are you using the supplied red dot finder (RDF)?
Sometimes these are a little better than useless. Too bright, or a tinted screen that obscures stars.
Even if you have a good one, the dot should not move, unless something is not fastened down. Have you checked if this is the issue?

You could upgrade to eaither Rigel Quickfinder or a Telrad.
The scope retailers all have these. There are threads on SGL where their merits and dislikes are discussed.

 

[Nik271]

Do you have darker skies? Star hopping with a rdf works only when you can see enough stars. I would say you may need to at least see magnitude 4 stars to have sufficiently many to orient yourself.

Many people use rdf in combination with a RACI optical finder. The rdf is used first to point roughly in the correct area of sky and then the actual star hopping is done with the optical finder.

Edited October 9, 2022 by Nik271

[cajen2]

20 minutes ago, Nik271 said:

Do you have darker skies? Star hopping with a rdf works only when you can see enough stars. I would say you may need to at least see magnitude 4 stars to have sufficiently many to orient yourself.

Many people use rdf in combination with a RACI optical finder. The rdf is used first to point roughly in the correct area of sky and then the actual star hopping is done with the optical finder.

That's what I do, Nik. In fact I never switch on my RDF now: I just use it as a rough sight, then catch the target in my RACI.

[Murf26]

Hi there thanks for the replies yes I am using the RDF supplied with the scope.

im guessing this needs to be upgraded certainly my neck would thank me having a right angle finder. 

[Murf26]

10 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

That's what I do, Nik. In fact I never switch on my RDF now: I just use it as a rough sight, then catch the target in my RACI.

 

[PeterStudz]

I have two telescopes. A Skywatcher 200p Dob and a Skywatcher 1145p on an EQ mount. For the much larger Dob an RDF plus RACI works great for me. However, the RACI is surprisingly heavy (most are). If I put a RACI on my 1145p it would not only be clumsy but all put impossible to achieve balance. Even if you did it would introduce extra “wobbles” on sometime like an EQ2. I actually now have mine on an EQ5 tripod and even with that I would not go for a RACI.

So, for the 1145p I use a light and simple RDF just to get in the right part of the sky (I’m in Bortle 7) then use a low power eyepiece to do the star hopping. Now, this eyepiece doesn’t need to be great with pin-sharp stars, just good enough to act as a finder. Mind, the 1145p gives more interesting wide-field views than my DOB. 

Edited October 10, 2022 by PeterStudz
Spelling

[cajen2]

I don't know how much this weighs - @FLO don't say, but it has to be lighter than the 8x50 or 9x50 options:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/sky-watcher-6x30-right-angled-finderscope.html

 

[Elp]

Rigel Quikfinder is my recommendation too, you can kind of use it with both eyes open and the circles give you an angular distance you can use to judge distances better when star hopping.

[Spile]

I use a Telrad for the initial sight and then star hop with the RACI to get the final location https://astro.catshill.com/finding-dim-objects/

[Murf26]

On 09/10/2022 at 21:09, Nik271 said:

Do you have darker skies? Star hopping with a rdf works only when you can see enough stars. I would say you may need to at least see magnitude 4 stars to have sufficiently many to orient yourself.

Many people use rdf in combination with a RACI optical finder. The rdf is used first to point roughly in the correct area of sky and then the actual star hopping is done with the optical finder.

Hi I live in Rutland so a Bortle 4 area relatively dark area

[Nik271]

You will see plenty of stars then in your location. So you could stick with a RDF (could upgrade to a better one like the Baader skysurfer 3) and use the  lowest power EP on the scope once in the general area. 

I find that nothing beats a RACI 9x50 finder though - you can see down to mag 9 stars with it, it is almost a mini telescope on its own. 

[ollypenrice]

The Telrad offers a circle which defines the scale of its 4 degrees against the stars. I find this a hundred times more helpful than a mere dot which gives no scale whatever. It is also well made, long lasting and uses proper batteries instead of those useless watch things which go flat if you forget to turn them off one night - as you will.

Olly

[Guest]

In the last year or so i have tried telrad, rigel, various different red dot finders and even the straight through finders.  I still have not seen anything that is as easy and as comfortable to use as a 90 degree RACI paired with a laser.  

[cajen2]

I use an RDF and a 8x50 RACI finder. These days, I don't even bother to switch the RDF on - I just use it as a sighting tube. If I can see it through the tube, I can see it in the RACI.

[bemak187]

Another vote for the RACI.  Don't use a red dot any more.  Did have one of the Baader Sky surfers which are good but the comfort of the RACI always wins out for me.

[cajen2]

On 10/10/2022 at 09:10, PeterStudz said:

I have two telescopes. A Skywatcher 200p Dob and a Skywatcher 1145p on an EQ mount. For the much larger Dob an RDF plus RACI works great for me. However, the RACI is surprisingly heavy (most are). If I put a RACI on my 1145p it would not only be clumsy but all put impossible to achieve balance. Even if you did it would introduce extra “wobbles” on sometime like an EQ2. I actually now have mine on an EQ5 tripod and even with that I would not go for a RACI.

So, for the 1145p I use a light and simple RDF just to get in the right part of the sky (I’m in Bortle 7) then use a low power eyepiece to do the star hopping. Now, this eyepiece doesn’t need to be great with pin-sharp stars, just good enough to act as a finder. Mind, the 1145p gives more interesting wide-field views than my DOB. 

The Skywatcher 6x30 RACI is smaller and presumably lighter than the typical 8 or 9x mag ones.

[PeterStudz]

On 03/11/2022 at 14:23, cajen2 said:

The Skywatcher 6x30 RACI is smaller and presumably lighter than the typical 8 or 9x mag ones.

I’m sure it is. Although depends on what you want to do. Eg by the time I have a StarGuider eyepiece, sometimes a Barlow plus a smartphone and a phone  holder things are rather top heavy and any weight saved makes a difference on a small telescope. 

Edited November 5, 2022 by PeterStudz

[wookie1965]

I'm lousy at star hopping I used to have a RACI on my 200p I sold and it was useful but I had it on a EQ5 GOTO. 

I do not like the red dot on this 10" dob I am going to get a riser for a Telrad I have and position that so I can see through it without doing any contortions. 

[Ed the Fox]

I have the very same scope that used to be on the same mount and yes the RDF us a bit onthe useless side. I now have the scope on a Skywatcher GTI mount and only use the RDF for scope alinement.