Telrad or Finder scope

[sbooder]

Hi All,

what is the consensus for use with an equatorial mount, telrad or finder scope?

[yeti monster]

I'd vote Telrad. Mine has vastly improved my finding abilities. My Meade finder has cross hairs, but these are useless at night as they aren't illuminated.

[JohnC]

As above

[TopHouse]

Both for me, I use my telrad mostly but i also double check in finder scope when i'm on an unsure hop to make sure I'm at the right spot.

[John]

Both for me, I use my telrad mostly but i also double check in finder scope when i'm on an unsure hop to make sure I'm at the right spot.

I have both types on my 10" newtonian as well and use them as Tophouse describes although the Telrad gets the most use.

[starlady]

I use both a rigel quikfinder and an Orion finderscope on my 250mm dob. The quikfinder puts me on the nearest bright star, then fine tune with the finder. I agree with the comment about the meade finder, I replaced it with the quikfinder after my first outing with my ETX.

[boboco]

I use both a rigel quikfinder and an Orion finderscope on my 250mm dob. The quikfinder puts me on the nearest bright star, then fine tune with the finder. I agree with the comment about the meade finder, I replaced it with the quikfinder after my first outing with my ETX.

Pretty much ditto - both seem to be the best for me also - but I use a right-angled finder with an amici prism so that the image is correct.

[russ]

Ditto for both. I have a Rigel MRF and Orion right angle optical finder. Great combo.

[ollypenrice]

Depends on your focal length. If it is short and you have a wide angle EP a Telrad any day. It is all you need. If you have a long focal length you benefit from having both. If you have an EP field of view of about 1.5 to 2 degrees the Telrad should get you there easily. Our Dob has an EP field of 1 degree and a finder is good after the Telrad has honed in roughly. Of course some bits of the sky are harder than others so that's a rule of thumb.

Olly

[onmehedson]

If you got room on your tube then definitly use both. I used to struggle with only the finder but now the telrad gets me in the right area and the finder is used to fine tune...

Also the telrad is excellent as your one and only finder as you are able to transpose the telrad target on certain star atlas and on stellarium..

[Bizibilder]

I'm in the "both" camp too! Reasons as above.

[AlexM]

Both! 1x, 9x, 37.5x (with the 2 inch 32mm), followed by whatever is relevant. Although it became difficult explaining to my 4 year old why I had 3 devices(inc the OTA) for looking at the same thing. Perhaps he had a point...

[Starjumper]

Telrad for me....

John

[sbooder]

Thanks all,

Both it is then. Do any of you mount the Telrad at the back of the tube or is a clutter up front with the finder?

[John]

Thanks all,

Both it is then. Do any of you mount the Telrad at the back of the tube or is a clutter up front with the finder?

You can mount it anywhere along the tube but bear in mind that you need to be able to get your eye behind it to see the reticules against the sky - the top end of the tube tends to lead to less contortions !.

[sbooder]

I was thinking of mounting it on the tube rings, they are very close together on the Orions.

[johninderby]

I use a 9x50 RA finder and a Telrad on my 14" dob and a 9x50 RA and QuikFinder on my 8" dob.

One important point to consider with non-magnifying finders such as the Telrad or QuikFinder is that if you suffer from light pollution the target may be to dim to see without magnification. That's where the 9x50 or similar finder comes into it's own. Find the area of the target you're looking for with the Telrad etc. using what is bright enough to see, and then use the 9x50 to zero in on your target.

John

[Llamanaut]

telrad all the way for me

[Bizibilder]

You can buy (or make quite cheaply!!) "raiser blocks" for the Telrad to be mounted onto - designed to make the contortions easier!!!