Skywatcher 80 OTA - Cant See Anything ?

[johnb]

Hi

Well I setup my Skywatcher Startravel 80 OTA (going to be used for guiding) side mounted against my Skywatcher Explorer 250 OTA

I know it seems odd but I can’t see anything through it, I have removed the endcap and using either the 10mm or 25mm EP provided I can see nothing at all, I know it that I wont see the same things as the 250 as its offset but I for instance has the 250 looking at the Beehive which has plenty of stars but still through the 80 OTA nothing and I focused from fully in to fully out

Sure its something obvious

Regards

John B

[russ]

Can i ask if you are using the diagonal or are you trying to use it straight through? Only the ST80 won't come to focus without a diagonal and the stars maybe there but are so far out of fcous they are huge dim disks. Thats just a guess mind.

You could pick up a set of guidescope rings so the ST80 can be pointed at the same thing as the 250PX.

[johnb]

Ahhhhhhh Sh*** I did not use the Diagonal - cant belive that

Thansk so much, really appreciated

John B

[russ]

John, Just glad i could be of help

[jgs001]

John, with my Konus clone of the ST80 I needed an extention tube even with the diagonal to get focus without having to lift the ep a bit out of the diagonal. Now I'm using it for guiding, I have to use 60mm of tubes to get focus.

[Merlin66]

I use a 50mm extension instead of the diagonal when using the guide camera...

[johnb]

Hmm interesting, I’m going to be using the ST80 for guiding, in fact the LVI Guider arrived today, am I not going to have to get an extension tube as well ?

Regards

John B

[russ]

I never needed an extender for visuals with my Skywatcher or Celestron ST80s, just the diagonal. But pretty sure you will need one for the camera when used straight through. The extenders are pretty cheap anyway if you do need to get one.

[Merlin66]

Yes, is the basic answer!

A 50mm extension should do the job.

Ken

[russ]

Here's a 55mm extension tube on Rother Valley:

Antares 1.25 diameter extention tube | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

I bought a cheap barlow on Ebay for £7 delivered and removed the lens to give a 48mm extension tube.

[ollypenrice]

Or a disused nasty old Barlow? Just screw out the lens. That's what I use. It is good to keep all these gubbins locked up really tight and also to tighten the focus lock screw to avoid flexure.

Olly