Reflector - Eyepiece in difficult position

[stevemreid]

Hi all,

Quick newbie question here which may sound daft - Sometimes when I move the scope around the eyepiece and finder scope become hard to reach. Is it considered good practice to loosen off the bracket holding the tube and rotate the scope to an easier position or is it normal with these types of scope to get into yoga postions to see through the eyepiece?!

I've been loosening the bolts and rotating but wondered if this may damage the scope eventually so thought I should check!

Thanks in advance

Steve

[Doc]

As far as I know you may do this, you can even buy ready made rotating rings to make it easier.

[Bizibilder]

Yup - rotate the tube. You will find that there are some good "compromise positions" that you will use more than others. The trick with loosening the rings is not to let the tube slip out of balance. One way is a piece of tape with a mark or marks on it (useful if you are inclined to add eg cameras etc to unbalance the tube) or some sort of fixed ring to stop the whole thing sliding. I believe that "embroidery rings" are the favoured option for the girls, the boys use jubilee clips!!!!!!!!!.

Hope this helps.

[Astro_Baby]

Yup its normal enough. Its also why most 2nd hand reflectors end up for sale with 'the usual marks and scratches on the tube' - they all get them over time from rotating them around in the tube rings.

[Steve C]

OK so.............. I'm a bloke & use embroidery rings!

[Breakintheclouds]

Somebody (sorry, I can't remember their name) recently recommended putting your scope into the tubes so that the eyepiece points in the same direction as the counterweight bar. This is a great tip. Since I've started doing this, my eyepiece never ends up in a particularly difficult position and I no longer feel the need to rotate the tube in its rings. Try it!

[lea8709]

Hello everyone, Just got a refecting scope TA800x80 for xmas and I have'nt a clue how to work it, its my first telescope and it did'nt come with any instructions apart from how to put it together, which I have just about managed to do, please can anyone help me????

[Astro_Baby]

Can you point us to a web link where this scope is - give us some idea what kind of telecope it is and what sort of mount it sits on ?