Hi 👋 newbie here

[Moonlightbaker]

Hi , for the past year my son ( now 4 ) has been getting more and more interested in all things space . And thus peaked my interest . I’ve always payed a little attention to what’s going on there but no more than  “the moon looks big tonight“ or “ “well I know that one’s Ursa major”. But then my wife started to notice the books coming home are probably more for me rather than bed time reading for him 😅. I’ve been to my local astronomy club for one meeting . I do plan to go back but I did get that feeling you get when walking into a very local pub and the locals give you the (are you lost friend ? look 🤣). I’m a fairly outwards going guy so I’ll go back persisted with it. So my wife surprised me this weekend ( my birthday 35) with a dob she bought form FLO. It’s a skywatcher 250p and a baader Hyperion-8 68 degree 24mm eyepiece . And obviously I have the stock ones from Sky-Watcher . Plus a moon filter  by baader . I got all set up with a Cheshire collimater ( not sure I’ve done it right .. you’ll see why if you read on ) left the scope outside for a hour to obviously view the moon ( easy first target )  and saw nothing but a big bright blur . After messing about with it for a further 3 hours and getting nowhere I came inside. By that point the finder scope lens was covered in dew and I felt deflated . Sunday day time I tried to focus on a mast on a water tower  at the end of my road ( clear and crisp on the finder . But still a hazy blur in the scope it’s self . I’ve tried taking the extension kit off . Ive tried leaving it on . I’ve tried all 3 lenses stock 24 stock 10 and  baader 24mm same blur each time . 
So now the question is , can anyone help 😅

[Cosmic Geoff]

This kind of problem would probably be solved in a minute if we had hands-on with your telescope. But since we haven't, it might save a lot of time if you could post some photos of the view from the front of the scope and down the focuser (with eyepiece removed).  This will help us judge if the setup looks about right.  Also post photos of your extension pieces and how they fit on the scope (and check the packaging to see if you have missed any).

In a number of cases 'total newbie can't focus' problems have been resolved by sorting out the extension tubes.

Finally, the Moon, in my experience, is not such a great target for focusing a totally out of focus telescope, as all you see is a bright blur.  The water tower should be a better target.  Sorry if the question is asking the blindingly obvious, but did you use the focus knob and see several centimetres of mechanical movement?

[Moonlightbaker]

Well thank you kindly for your quick response Geoff . Here’s some pictures. The scopes stored in an outbuilding. It’s dry but no heating.  Last picture I tried to go through the Cheshire but it was tricky . It looks like the cross hairs are off today.but the centre dots are lined up .oh please ask the obvious 🤣 im sure im doing something blindly obvious wrong . But yes i turned the focus knobs and saw movement. This just made things worse oh and the mirror looks dirty in the photo it’s not . I had it aimed to a window in the outhouse 👍🏼

Edited February 26 by Moonlightbaker

[Moonlightbaker]

Got the cross hairs lined up . Still the same issue 

[M40]

Hello Moonlightbaker and welcome to the site.

Looking at the flo webpage for this telescope they show the extension piece fixed to the focuser. Have you tried it with the extension and the lowest power eyepiece (the eyepiece with the highest number giving the lowest magnification) that was supplied with the telescope inserted and crank the focuser from end to end? I read your initial post, just wanted to ask.

Edited February 26 by M40

[wookie1965]

This piece needs to be attached you won't get a view without it. 

You can use either a 2" eyepiece or use a 2-1.25mm adapter like the one that is on. 

[Moonlightbaker]

Well thanks ! I had a bit of success! Left on the bottom extension and put the the 24mm baader , pretty sure I  could see Jupiter and 4 little dots all in a line ( the moons ?) no detail on Jupiter though just a white thought I possibly caught a glimpse of a dark band on it but maybe just my mind playing tricks on me . I must say it blew my mind . Having never looked through a scope before it was breath taking. I did try adding the top extension to get a 1.25 10mm eyepiece on but I couldn’t focus that at all . So stuck with my 24mm baader.

so I guess my next question is how do you guys know what extensions to use if any ? 

[M40]

Great news, you are on your way 👍 

There are all sorts of technical calculations for working out focal lengths which would be well worth looking into at some point, but a simple method that I frequently use is quite literally loosen the eyepiece in its holder and slowly move the eyepiece away from the the focuser to see where you gain focus. I did just that earlier and realised I needed an extention about 30mm long. So begins your collection of adapters 🤣 all the best

[Cosmic Geoff]

2 hours ago, Moonlightbaker said:

so I guess my next question is how do you guys know what extensions to use if any ? 

I suspect you should use either the 2" extender for 2" eyepieces OR the 1.25" adapter for 1.25" eyepieces, NOT both. 

[bosun21]

You will never reach focus placing any eyepiece into the focuser without an extension piece being used. You can only use one extension piece at a time. Use the 2" extension for 2" eyepieces and the 1.25" extension for 1.25" eyepieces never both extensions at the same time. Your Baader Hyperion eyepiece is a hybrid which can actually be used in both 2" and 1.25". What to do is fit the narrower 1.25" extension into the focuser and place the 25mm eyepiece that came with the telescope into the extension. Point the telescope at a distant object during daytime and slowly rack the focuser in and out with the focus knob. You will most surely reach focus this way. To use the Hyperion eyepiece just remove the supplied eyepiece and replace with the Hyperion. It will only slide in so far up until it reaches the wider 2" part, this is where it should be positioned in for 1.25" use. Just practice getting used to focusing using things this way. Regarding collimation I hope you haven't messed around with it too much if at all. You can't just point a camera or eye down the focuser and achieve any accuracy as you have to be perfectly centered above the focuser for which we use a collimation cap or Cheshire. I want you to forget about collimation until you get a rudimentary grasp of the basics of your telescope. If the above is not clear enough I can post you a few photos in the morning as I have the same telescope albeit the computerised version.

Edited February 27 by bosun21

[Moonlightbaker]

1 hour ago, bosun21 said:

You will never reach focus placing any eyepiece into the focuser without an extension piece being used. You can only use one extension piece at a time. Use the 2" extension for 2" eyepieces and the 1.25" extension for 1.25" eyepieces never both extensions at the same time. Your Baader Hyperion eyepiece is a hybrid which can actually be used in both 2" and 1.25". What to do is fit the narrower 1.25" extension into the focuser and place the 25mm eyepiece that came with the telescope into the extension. Point the telescope at a distant object during daytime and slowly rack the focuser in and out with the focus knob. You will most surely reach focus this way. To use the Hyperion eyepiece just remove the supplied eyepiece and replace with the Hyperion. It will only slide in so far up until it reaches the wider 2" part, this is where it should be positioned in for 1.25" use. Just practice getting used to focusing using things this way. Regarding collimation I hope you haven't messed around with it too much if at all. You can't just point a camera or eye down the focuser and achieve any accuracy as you have to be perfectly centered above the focuser for which we use a collimation cap or Cheshire. I want you to forget about collimation until you get a rudimentary grasp of the basics of your telescope. If the above is not clear enough I can post you a few photos in the morning as I have the same telescope albeit the computerised version.

Thanks very much this makes complete sense now. Also explains to me why the baader is both. ( so you can stick to the size that suits your set up best.) so basicly untill I get more eyepieces I can just have the 1.25 extension in and forget about the 2”. I did use Cheshire so hopefully I’m about true. But good advice. Fiddle less look more 🤣 👍🏼

 

I hope to take the scope to my next Astro club meeting as they are having a getting to know your scope session next month.

[Naughty Neal]

I would say with ep's try  and  stick with one format either 1.25" or 2" .

[Moonlightbaker]

1 hour ago, Naughty Neal said:

I would say with ep's try  and  stick with one format either 1.25" or 2" .

That’s the plan . I was thinking of going to 2” but I’ll do some research, find out pros and cons