Help!!

[hughes70]

Hi all, I am the new owner of an Explorer 130E Telescope which is also my first ever scope, i've never used a telescope before but my 8 year old daughter and I have always wanted to look at the stars and planets. Its all set up now but i have a few issues;

1. When i look at objects during the day the focus is clear, at night the object is quite blury and has a cross throgh it, is this normal?

2. I am after looking for the planets especially Saturn but haven't got the foggiest where to look etc, again some advice would be welcome.

3. Any advice on lenses i could purchase which would help.

Best Regards

Neil

[Stephen]

1. Sounds like your focus is way out, you're seeing the reflection off the mirrors. Refocus

2. Stellarium - great program for finding objects in the sky. (Jupiter in the SW right after sunset, Saturn in the SE/S about 6am, Venus in the S around the same time to start you off.)

3. Wouldn't want to advise as I'm no expert, but the concensus seems to be start with what you got and see what you want to do from there. Which EPs did you get with it? What's your budget for new ones?

[hughes70]

Thanks for advice, i wouldn't know how to re-focus!! Is it easy to do?

[Stephen]

Thanks for advice, i wouldn't know how to re-focus!! Is it easy to do?

I don't mean refocus as in some complicated procedure. On the eyepiece bit, there should be two knobs you can turn to change the focus of the telescope?

[hughes70]

That works fine, is it normal to see a cross through the middle of Star?

[Stephen]

That works fine, is it normal to see a cross through the middle of Star?

No not normal - that's what I see when my focus is far far off what it needs to be for that star.

Adjust those knobs until the star becomes a pin point of light rather than a blob with a cross through it.

(The cross is black against the white blob?)

Of course I could be completely wrong

[hughes70]

Thanks you for advice

[D:Ream]

I'm a new to this but have found Stellarium invaluable so far. The book "Turn Left at Orion" is fantastic too. Good luck finding Saturn!