Can't get focus on Image??????

[PARTY MARTY]

Last night after installing my dob levelling legs on my Skywatcher 12". I've finally achieved perfect level ground where last night I've managed to achieve good tracking on the scope. It was that good that I could even use my Astrovid Stella ex cam on it. But after a few moments of set-up and I have M27 in my sights just one slight problem though!!! I could not get the DAMN IMAGE!! into focus!!!! The 2" Crayston focuser could not move futher in the tube for me achieve a perfect image. I need some help and I would be so dissappointed if I can not get my Astrovid to work on this great scope and not achieve to take great live images of the D.S.O.s What am I doing wrong here??? or is it that my scope is only designed for visual instead of CCD imaging. I know that the Stella cam works perfectly for my Meade ETX 125. All I've done to fit the Astrovid cam is I've fitted a 1.25" adaptor and put it into prime focus with no eyepiece installed with the Skywatcher 2" focuser and that's it!!!! I did actually tried this method on my mate's Synscan 130P GOTO telescope and achieved the same results as my scope. So Wot's going on here???? Please anyone can help with this dilemma I'm having here????

[brantuk]

With Maks and SCT's focus is easier because there's a wide range of movement available for the mirror when turning the focuser. With Newts it's a common problem that there's not enough "in-focus". Some folk solve this with a low profile focuser - others more desperate saw the tube down lol. I understand (but haven't tried) using a barlow may help, as a third option.

Hope that helps

[Ant]

Yeah it is a common problem - a Dob is usually a visual beast so the focuser will be oriented towards eyepeices not a camera.

In the past I have moved the primary mirror up the tube and also used a low profile focuser (on different scopes.

The replacement low profile focuser is a much easier route than the mirror moving!

Cheers

Ant

[astromerlin]

Dont know if yours is the same but my SW 1 1/4" to 2" adapter unscrews into two pieces. The part that holds the EP or webcam can be screwed onto the back of the 2" bit and when replaced will give an extra 20 or so mm in-focus. The only caveate being that you have to remove the EP screw to do it and so there is nothing holding the webcam in. I got round this by drilling and tapping a second hole to fit a grubscrew.

Hope this helps.

[PARTY MARTY]

Thanks Guy's!!!!

I've got the 1.25" and 2" adaptor and tried that method and it didn't work. I've had look into the Skywatcher 2" low profile focuser and I've decided to buy it from Rother valley optics. It's a decent crayston fitted with 10:1 fine tuning.

I'll go for that route anyway, so let's hope it works and if not it's not such a lose cos the focuser is so much better than the standard one fitted to the Skywatcher Skyliner models.