Jump to content

Narrowband

Help Needed With My New Scope


Recommended Posts

Hi all!

I got my first telescope yesterday for christmas. It's this one.

Buy National Geographic 76mm Newtonian Telescope. at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for ..

I was looking at the moon last night through the finderscrope but when i had a look through the 20mm eyepiece the moon had a really poor quality and it was just a white fuzzy mess. Is it a problem with the telescope or something i'm doing wrong?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You probably are moving the focuser to fast past the point of focus. It's probably worth trying to focus on a daytime object like a distant tree or lamp post etc, but do not point the telescope at the sun. One you get the feel of the focuser try again at night and remember to move the focuser slowly.

Regards

Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know much about this telescope, but I'm guessing its focal length is about 800mm, so with a 20mm EP you're at about x40, which isn't too high so you should see a good image. Some generic things you could look out for:

Exact focus - makes a big difference, harder at high mag

Collimation - usually needs a alignment tool

Dew - mist on the optics can make the image mushy

Seeing - atmospheric turbulence makes high mag images wobbly

Thin Cloud - may not be obvious but affects the image

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dew was horrendus last night, my scopes were dripping wet on the outside and the primary lens on my refractor was misted up. The only safe way to get rid is to use a good ole 12v hair dryer and let the blast of warm air clear the mist form the mirrors. Do not touch either of the mirrors as it can permanently smear them or ruin any coatings they may have.

Your eyepeices may well have been misted up too. This is likely to happen first before your mirrors mist up. Just breathing on an eyepeice can cause it to mist right up in conditions like last night. Again, a blast with a hair dryer or custom made hand fan will get rid of the mist. Before I had access to AC power for a hair dryer, I used a peice of card and folded it consetina style to use as a fan. Ok it took quite a few frantic waives of the hand to get rid of the mist, but it worked lol. Eyepieces can be cleaned with special liquid or cleaning kits. A lot of people recommend baadar optic wonder fluid for eyepeice cleaning. Best to keep cleaning to a minimum as eyepeices have coatings too.

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

last night i left the scope outside for about 45 mins before using it to try and get the scope to the temperature outside and therefore the mist would clear naturally. However when i used it 45 minutes later the quality was still very poor.

Another thing is that the flaming scope won't stop moving, when i do get it on something i want to have a look at the scope will move all over the show, i have locked it into place as tight as it will go but it still wobbles around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These supermarket scopes do suffer in the mount department, the mounts they come with are mostly inadequate to keep the scope stable.

Is there a place under the mount to put some weight on it. Maybe load some weight onto the eyepiece tray if it has one. This way the dampening down times are improved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a spare EQ mount that holds a 6"Reflector, I see that you are mid kent, I'm north kent Dartford area, could always pop down or you could pop up for a helping hand.

Failing that come alone to a Orpington AS observing night and then you will get 15 people all helping you out.

si

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.