Telescope Setup / Observing Questions?

[JamieH]

Hi Guys. I'm back with more questions. I've had some great help & support so far but I'm actually dreading my first nights observation & I am waiting for a Clear night around Leeds/ Rawdon area where I live. My telescope is this Sky Watcher Sky Watcher 70mm computerised SynScan AZ GOTO telescope astronomy starter kit

I still have lots questions this time regarding process of setting up my telescope on the BIG night

1. Red dot Finderscope. Setup in daylight. Does target need to be miles away?

2. Does it need to be a very clear the sky?

3. I don't know what magnification the Red Dot Finder scope is?

My back garden is very uneven ground, it is flagged where cars park. Front garden is grass.

4. I have not used a AZ Alt-AZ GOTO Dovetail mount before with my light 70mm refractor telescope. Will it be stable, not rocking & if not what can I do to make it stable?

Alignment question 1

5. For 2 star Alignment - Which Stars will be brightest for me to point telescope to in leeds/Rawdon area for friday or sat? - If it isn't still cloudy like it has been for a few nights now

Alignment question 2

6. If or when I can find first Star & have pointed scope to it, how will I know when alignment is successful?

7. For an Alignment successful do I have to move Red Dot Finder up/down left/right till the red dot is pointing on what I see in EP?

8. Which powered EP do I use for finding first Star, with Barlow or without?

9. I have been messing with Planisphere tonight & know how to setup month/date & time & know how to use it but I don't know how to read where Stars will be in the actual Sky. For instance a few nights ago (Mon) I found Jupiter to the left of the Moon in the South. But in the South West there was a really Bright Star at same height as Moon. When I looked a Stellarium I thought it might of been Altair South West for some reason. I might be wrong. But today I found out that Sirius is the Brightest Star in Winter in South West & it was about in the middle of the sky I'd say more lower down & not higher up. I know if star is lower down it is further away, if it is higher up it is closer to home I think. What was the Star?

I haven't started reading any of the 4 Philip's books just yet, but I have done a few telescope setup's in house, read telescope setup guide & manual.

I may not be able to work my scope yet until S n S send out the proper Plug for my mains adaptor?

I have a spirit level

I have a 2x Barlow Lens

I have a 10mm EP

I have a 25mm Super Wide EP

I have a Compass.

I have a Philip's Planisphere

I have a little 3in1 device which is a red torch, stopwatch, mini compass on the handle. A blue coloured thing. I don't how I use stopwatch with telescope.

From Jamie

Thanks everyone

[Moonshane]

hi Jamie

congrats on the new scope. questions / answers below:

1. Red dot Finderscope. Setup in daylight. Does target need to be miles away? - the further the better really. get it roughly done and then fine tune on Polaris.

2. Does it need to be a very clear the sky? I presume you mean for observing? If you do then usually the clearer (more transparent) the better but you can observe planets moon and double stars in misty skies and sometimes these are the best conditions for such targets as the 'seeing' is often better. when the sky is more transparent (clearer) the seeing can be poor but this is good sky for fainter onjects with less magnification.

3. I don't know what magnification the Red Dot Finder scope is? usually x0 or x1 effectively - i.e. it does not magnify.

My back garden is very uneven ground, it is flagged where cars park. Front garden is grass. I'd observe on the most private bit where there are fewer lights.

4. I have not used a AZ Alt-AZ GOTO Dovetail mount before with my light 70mm refractor telescope. Will it be stable, not rocking & if not what can I do to make it stable? Really not sure. try it and see. get used to setting up when it's light.

Alignment question 1

5. For 2 star Alignment - Which Stars will be brightest for me to point telescope to in leeds/Rawdon area for friday or sat? - If it isn't still cloudy like it has been for a few nights now this will really depend on which way you are facing and can see. I don't use alignment myself - one of the many advantages of manual dobs. as a result I'll struggle to answer alignment questions.

Alignment question 2

6. If or when I can find first Star & have pointed scope to it, how will I know when alignment is successful? see above

7. For an Alignment successful do I have to move Red Dot Finder up/down left/right till the red dot is pointing on what I see in EP? see above

8. Which powered EP do I use for finding first Star, with Barlow or without? use your lowest power (e.g. 25mm rather than 10mm) as this gives the widest field

9. I have been messing with Planisphere tonight & know how to setup month/date & time & know how to use it but I don't know how to read where Stars will be in the actual Sky. For instance a few nights ago (Mon) I found Jupiter to the left of the Moon in the South. But in the South West there was a really Bright Star at same height as Moon. When I looked a Stellarium I thought it might of been Altair South West for some reason. I might be wrong. But today I found out that Sirius is the Brightest Star in Winter in South West & it was about in the middle of the sky I'd say more lower down & not higher up. I know if star is lower down it is further away, if it is higher up it is closer to home I think. What was the Star? this is not quite right. as the Earth turns and orbits the sun (two actions) different parts of the sky become visible to an observer. over the course of one night a star can rise in the East pass overhead and set in the west like the sun does (hang on, the sun IS a star!). some just skirt the horizon etc and everything inbetween. there are seasons and each year the same constellations return at approx. the same time. constellations can be lower on the horizon to eg the south as they are simply best viewed from a different place on Earth not necessarily further away. really not sure what your star is. it could be Altair from your description, it's a bit early for Sirius yet and it never really gets as high as the moon was the other night.

I haven't started reading any of the 4 Philip's books just yet, but I have done a few telescope setup's in house, read telescope setup guide & manual. have a good read while it's cloudy!

I may not be able to work my scope yet until S n S send out the proper Plug for my mains adaptor? I'd agree with this, I don't think your scope would work manually but check the manual, maybe it can be over-ridden?

I have a spirit level - good

I have a 2x Barlow Lens - good but don't expect too much from this as the 'free' ones are often not brilliant quality.

I have a 10mm EP - as above re barlow

I have a 25mm Super Wide EP - these are usually good.

I have a Compass. handy but use Polaris too.

I have a Philip's Planisphere - good

I have a little 3in1 device which is a red torch, stopwatch, mini compass on the handle. A blue coloured thing. I don't how I use stopwatch with telescope. - see how long it takes to set up

[JamieH]

Moonshane thanks for that.

Is it best not to do rough Rough red dot setup on a cloudy day, or would it preferably be best on a clear day to do this?

Is red dot only to be done once or everytime I use telescope?

I was listening to what you said. I know you said do a rough Red Dot estimate in daytime, then fine tune with Polaris.

If I could know or find a Southern Star, could I do the Polar alignment on a Southern Star?

You said Sirius isn't usually that high up or higher than the Moon yet as this time of year. Can it still be seen right now if the night was clear in my area e.g. Rawdon, Leeds?

I was told by someone, not sure who that the 10mm is the EP I would use for planets. Is this correct? 25mm for Stars?

Also when I do the Polar Alignment with either North Star Polaris or South if I can with (South)Do I still use the 25mm EP to do it?

And can you recommend any decent quality proper EP's for my scope in particular?

I was led to believe the Barlow was good quality being a metal one, the EP's are metal aswell. But I guesse it's in the glass in the lens.

I was told my Scope has a Crayford focuser & that these are good & that my scope is very good. What would you say I could buy or do to make it better?

Also when I look through my EP, is everything upside down or the right way up?

i have a 90 degree dignal mirror, did this just explain above question, or does turn the image upside down or right way up or does it just magnify the EP one of those ways?

[brantuk]

When aligning the red dot with the ota (main tube) axis - you will likely find you can't focus on near objects. As Moonshane suggests - get it roughly aligned with the tube then refine it on polaris (or any bright star you know and can see).

Use a low power ep to start with (e.g. 25mm) - adjust the dot to the center of the view in the ep, then change to a higher power (eg 15mm or 10mm) and readjust the dot to the center of the view.

Then you don't have to adjust the finder any more, and once it's pointing at a target - you should see it nicely in the middle of the view through the ep

[JamieH]

Oh ok thanks brantuk.

Just to get things clear in my mind,

I use 25mm EP to Polar Align to Star (North or South)

I adjust red dot to centre of view

I want to look at Planet.

I take out 25mm & replace with 10mm EP

I readjust red dot to centre of view

I want to look at Star

I take out 10mm & replace with 25mm EP

I readjust red dot to centre of view

Is this correct Brant. Or once the red dot is centred first time with polar align Star did you mean I don't need to readjust the red dot everytime I put a new EP in & change to look at different Star or Planet. This confuse me just a tad.

Cheers, thanks again for your help tonight Brant. I have taken your prior advice into consideration - the cigarette power adaptor was one of them. I'm sure it was you who recommended it to me still,

When will my correct power plug arrive S n S??? Come on. I could do with a Powertank aswell. Are those Maplin Powertank's better than Skywatcher 12v 17A ones, but the Skywatcher ones are £100. That costs the Earth!

"I predict Dark Skies"

And Cloudy Nights, Again. It's just terrible over here...

Jamie

[Nexus 6]

Hi Jamie,

Just to confirm what Brantuk said, when you have centered your red dot finder on Polaris check it with the 25mm eyepiece in your scope, see how central Polaris looks and adjust it to fit in the middle of the view, check to see if the red dot is still on Polaris and adjust if you need to. Replace the 25mm eyepiece with 10mm one, repeat the same process as you did for the 25mm. Once you have done that you won’t have to repeat it again, although you may find it needs a check every now and then.

I would go for the Maplins power tank, much better value for money just make sure you keep the battery charged up.

Alan

[JamieH]

Hey Alan. So I guesse ever Star needs a check every now & then for they are moving. But why do I need to use the 25mm then do red dot, if I am going to put a 10mm one in? It doesn't make sense to me. But it probably does to you.

[JamieH]

If I was to set up the telescope in my front garden on grass & get it all balanced & aligned on polaris. How long would I have to see polaris from perfect north as there a houses on each side of the street I live up. It will surely eventually get restricted from my view. How long would I have?

You see if I was to do all the above & then Polaris dissappeared from view. The side of our house faces South & their are houses that face our house. So from our front garden, I'm not sure how much of the Moon & Jupiter will be seeable as it travels round the back of our house?

I'm look at time scales. Also my last question above, is their a real need to red dot a star using 25mm then replace with 10mm & red dot again?

[russ]

hehe the beauty of Polaris is that it doesn't ever move (only a tiny little bit) To the unaided eye, the same spot night in, night out.

[You can't be Sirius]

Polaris, is the star that the earth's axis points toward in the Northern sky, hence it does not appear to move. Think of the earth spinning with a long needle running through it, Polaris would always be at the top of that needle. I believe it does move over thousands of years, but not in our life-time.

[JamieH]

Okay I understand what you mean.

What time is best to go out & let my refractor adjust to the temperatures.

Can my telescope in azimuth or on it's axis turn all the way from North to South with it's motors.

There is a directional division in in my telescope manual. Their is a Span range in Azimuth.

The Northern Directional division say my scope can Span in Azimuth 315degrees ~ 45degrees. What does this Mean?

[JamieH]

My Bad

hehe the beauty of Polaris is that it doesn't ever move (only a tiny little bit) To the unaided eye, the same spot night in, night out.

[JamieH]

lol. What stupid

[JamieH]

Okay I understand what you mean.

What time is best to go out & let my refractor adjust to the temperatures.

Can my telescope in azimuth or on it's axis turn all the way from North to South with it's motors.

There is a directional division in in my telescope manual. Their is a Span range in Azimuth.

The Northern Directional division say my scope can Span in Azimuth 315degrees ~ 45degrees. What does this Mean?

[brantuk]

Thanks Nexus6 - that's exactly what I meant - do it all on polaris starting with the 25mm then refine with the 10mm whilst still pointing at polaris - this will give sufficient accuracy for observing.

[JamieH]

I bet your fed up with me now. I'm a real pain in the neck I guesse...

Ok I understand you all clearly. Start with 25mm EP do red dot, then change to 10mm & refine with red dot. After that I can change between 25mm or 10mm depending on whether it's Star or Planet & check the redo dot is in centre of view each time with whatever EP I am using. Because the EP 25mm for wide field of view is ideal for stars & 10mm for planets but not as wide a field of view?

This is all I need to really know to understand thae whole red dot setup & EP changing about etc. etc.. bit I hope.

Can my telescope move from a north star all the way round to say the moon or Jupiter in South?

My last post above yours says that Each division covers 90 degrees. This means my telescope won't move that far round.

Does this mean I will have to re align & setup my scope & mount in the correct directions.

Thanks for your help today & everything.

[brantuk]

You can use whichever ep is suitable once it's all aligned/refined on polaris Jamie. You shouldn't need to readjust the rdf (except very occassional minor tweaks when you feel it's needed).

What you will do to find an object is point the scope whilst looking through the rdf. Get the dot on your object - then look in the ep and it should be there in the middle of your view.

The scope should be able to turn in azimuth a full 360 degrees and you should have no problem slewing in any direction to find an object - once aligned you shouldn't need to change it for the entire session unless you physically move the scope elswhere

[JamieH]

Ok thanks Brant for really explaining all of that for me now I am very clear & thanks to everyone else aswell. That makes me VERY happy now.

I have a new question for a new thread now I can move on. I am taking down notes of everything everyone says. And it is being excellentlly helpful. I'm over the Moon! ...

[brantuk]

You're welcome Jamie - hope you enjoy it and tell us about your first views - good luck