Finderscope advice

[Mark H]

Hi guys,

I've just taken my Skyliner 150P out for the first time tonight having spent the last week since I got it waiting for all the clouds to go!

I have managed to see Mars & Jupiter, however I tried to look for the andromeda galaxy, I can find it with my 10X50 bins star hopping from Alpheratz to Mirach to the galaxy which appears as a fuzzy white blob, but through the 6X30 finderscoper, with the smaller FOV and higher magnification I can't seem to even find Alpheratz.

Does anyone have any advice to make the finding process any easier?

Cheers

Mark

[yeti monster]

An RDF might be better, I used my bins to spot it, then "guestimated" with my RDF, took a few attempts, but I was so glad to nail it.

[room16]

I find an quick and easy rough way is to go and crouch behind your scope and roughly align it towards the star your aiming, with both eyes open you could be able to get it in the rough area and then just finder scope it from there

[Chris H]

Telrad or Rigel x1 finders are very good.

[Astro_Baby]

Red dot fonder may be simpler - I had the same trouble with my 8x50 finder.

[Mark H]

Thanks for the advice, I'll give the finderscope a few more goes, if I can't get the hang of it then Red Dot Finder it is!!

[room16]

Make sure you line it up during the day on a distant object mate. I've found this helps a great deal.

Normally if i want to check it i will point my telescope with a low power eyepiece in and center a street lamp which is over 800 yards away, then i will adjust the finderscope to get it inline. Then switching to a higher power eyepiece, center the same object and check the finderscope and adjust as required to get it as center in the hairs as possible.

I've found that i've knocked my finder out of wack a few times, clumbsy me, but easy enough to get sorted and by crouching behind my scope and looking from the bottom up, i can roughly aim it if im having problems.

[haitch]

Worth a fiver for an extra finder shoe from FLO (if you get one without a shoe) so you can have your rdf & finder scope attached at the same time. Horses for courses and all that.

[dark knight]

I find using both eyes open when looking through the finder until the object comes into the finder's field of view, then close my weaker eye to centre it in the cross hairs, a quick check and tweak through the telescope eye piece and bobs ur uncle. Takes quite a bit of practice though before it becomes second nature.

A RDF is probably the way to go for ease of use..

[pvaz]

I had exactly the same problem. Toke some advice here and bought a Telrad and mount it side by side with the 9x50 RA.

I probably said this 1000 times already, but, to make it 1001:D: "It was the best extra I bought and the only one I can't live without!"

[room16]

Why spend out more money when it's easily doable with what you have? it takes time. But you will pick it up and won't have spent out cash, just a bit more time learning your scope and skys.

[haitch]

Why spend out more money when it's easily doable with what you have? it takes time. But you will pick it up and won't have spent out cash, just a bit more time learning your scope and skys.

I don't feel the preference for an RDF is about knowledge of the sky or your scope. I just prefer to be able to look at a part of the sky (that I have become acquainted with or "learnt") and then point my scope easily and quickly towards where I am looking without wondering whether the lone bright star I am looking at is the same one as in the fov of my finder. Doable yes. Enjoyable yes too... but if it can be more so.

[pvaz]

Why spend out more money when it's easily doable with what you have? it takes time. But you will pick it up and won't have spent out cash, just a bit more time learning your scope and skys.

I also don't agree at all. The red dot finder adds a lot of new options, the Telrad even more:

1) The initial alignment of the scope using a mag finder is always time consuming. With a RDF it's immediate. You just locate an object with your eyes and point.

2) Since it doesn't magnify you get to see the sky as you usually do and you can star hop easelly with both eyes open.

3) The 3 circles at fixed distances allow you to measure the distance from a star. Combined with a good star atlas, it allows you to pin point a spot in the sky.

4) The gain in speed finding things allows you to do more observing time. Given all the rare clear nights available this is a very important thing.

Besides I got my telrad of ebay for less then 50$ inc. postage so that was about 35€ (less in pounds). For an astronomy accessory it's pretty cheap and you won't ever feel a need to replace it cause there's nothing another RDF can add in terms of functionality/quality. For 35€ you can buy a cheap EP and there will be dozens of better ones you'll want to upgrade to later, same with most filters, etc. The telrad is a final purchase, usable no matter how much time you have in the hobby.