First time = Total failure

[WolfsPride]

FINALLY got to set up my telescope Early this morning in 13 degree weather at 3am this morning. Leveled it out, pointed it true north, plugged it in, calibrated it and Valla, NOTHING!! I couldn't see a darn thing through it at all. Yes I did have the cover off lol. Beautiful clear sky and everything.

I have the Twinstar 6" iOptron GPS "goto". Did all the steps that the manual called for as far as programming goes with the hand controller and everything. I spent over an hour out there and only came back inside after I couldn't feel my extremities anymore.

Not sure where I went wrong yet but as soon as my bones warm up some i'll be giving this another go.

This may appear as another stupid question but the back cover that covers the mirror, does that stay on the scope or is the mirror suppose to be exposed? I googled this everywhere but to no avail and the manual is just lousy

[Mikea]

Hi Wolfspride! Did you mean that you couldn't focus on anything or that you couldn't locate anything? If it's focus, have a go in the daylight at a distant object. Make absolutely certain you are looking well away from the Sun and see how the focusser operates. I'm not familiar with that scope, but I don't think the back mirror cover is relevant here.

[dweller25]

Like Mikea said plus use the eyepiece with the biggest number first - should be around 25mm.

[WolfsPride]

I did use the 25mm. Problem is that I only seen total blackness even while aimed at the moon

[mdstuart]

These goto mounts are a bit of a challenge first time out. Do you have any other local astronomers nearby who could help?

I am sure there is someone on here with the mount who could talk you through the process live one evening..

I woudl suggest you try it in the day (not at the Sun!) but at a local church spire etc to get used to the scope and then try the pole star.

Get the pole star in the finder and the low power eyepiece. Probably 25mm and then go up to a higher power say 10mm. You should see the pole star as a bright point of light. If you look to the side of the Pole star there should be a much fainter star. The Pole star is a double star!

If this all works your optics are fine and the focus is fine..

Then you are left with the goto issue..I am a manual person so I will leave this aspect to those who know more than me!

Good luck, do report back.

Mark

[mdstuart]

Black at the moon! Something is very wrong?

As you say take off the front cover...You need to aim the open end of the tube at the object you are trying to see.

Try in the day time as I say at a far object...or TV ariel etc..

Mark

Mark

[Parus major]

Are you sure you were actually aimed at the moon? If the wee finderscope isn't aligned with the scope then you won't see what you aim at in the eyepiece.

[rocketandroll]

If the front of the mirror has a cover on it (ie:a dust cover) then yes, that needs to be removed. You basically need to look at the path the light takes through the scope and make sure there's nothing in the way.

If it's a focusing issue... If you point it roughly at a bright star, then slowly move the focuser in and out you should get it... if it was a vagulely clear night you certainly shouldn't have been able to find a bit of sky with no stars in it :-)

Sounds like a more basic issue to me... Keep at it!!

As has been suggested, try it at a ground based target in daylight to be sure all is working. Something in the opposite direction to the sun ideally :-)

Ben

[Revs]

Try focusing on a bright, non-moving object that is far away, like a distant street light. This will also give you chance to align your finder, too.

Good luck for next time

[WolfsPride]

WOW! Just WOW !!! Call me an idiot !!! seriously.

I took the advise from here and set my scope up on a daylight fixture. Glad I did too. Now I know why I was seeing total blackness. Yes before anyone asks, i did have then front cover off lol. Little did i know that there is another mirror just inside the cover that needs to be turned towards the Lens until i started playing around with it a bit.

Geeze i could start a new thread about moronic things i have done and would probably the only poster in there

[The Sailor]

Geeze i could start a new thread about moronic things i have done and would probably the only poster in there

No mate, join the club, I will admit to same as will some others, we all live and learn .

Jim

[RogerTheDodger]

Heh, life is a learning experience, then you die. In between, you get the chance to do some really neat stuff if you just take the time to do so

[leenewtoastro]

is it a new scope. thats terrible surely that basic stuff should be done before dispatch?

[Doc]

WOW! Just WOW !!! Call me an idiot !!! seriously.

I took the advise from here and set my scope up on a daylight fixture. Glad I did too. Now I know why I was seeing total blackness. Yes before anyone asks, i did have then front cover off lol. Little did i know that there is another mirror just inside the cover that needs to be turned towards the Lens until i started playing around with it a bit.

Geeze i could start a new thread about moronic things i have done and would probably the only poster in there

You mean the secondary mirror? You turned the secondary towards the focuser?

[The Sailor]

The way he writes it Doc, looks like it, something wrong somewhere!!

Jim

[steppenwolf]

I'm horrified to hear that the secondary mirror (the small oval angled mirror behind the focus tube) was so far out of alignment that it wasn't reflecting light out through the focus tube!

With is in mind, you really, really need to read up on the thorny subject of 'collimation' because this will become very important when you start looking at the night sky as the positioning of the secondary mirror in relation to the focus tube and the primary mirror (the large mirror at the bottom of the tube) is quite critical to get the best out of your telescope.

At least you have made a worthwhile start!!

PS, don't touch either mirror surface with your fingers when making any adjustments.

[WolfsPride]

I felt dumbfounded but no big deal. It was an easy fix. Went to Barnes and Noble this morning and bought a good book on Astronomy. " The Backyard Astronomers Guide" Covers all the basics and is very informative so far for a Novice like myself

Powered the scope back up after doing the settings and no Motor function at all. Only the controller seems to work. Just my luck

[Doc]

You have moved the secondary so this means your scope will be out of collimation.

your secondary should be tight and doesn't move. To be so far out, this is a concern.

[Kai]

Can you slew the scope with the handset at all ??

You have to bear in mind that when the scope is "tracking" the stars the movement is very small (enough to make it seem that it isnt moving)

[The Sailor]

Question I would ask is who did you buy it from? Not a witch hunt but you seem to be having a few problems with the gear, best you contact them first thing Monday.

Jim

[Slangers]

It really doesn't sound too good. I would suggest that you contact your supplier. If your secondary mirror was in that state, and if your mounts isn't working, I'd say you have serious problems.

[WolfsPride]

I'm getting that too. Mistake #1, I bought it off a supplier off ebay. I get the message " Cannot communicate with DEC Motor Controller" So basically the mount will not do absolutley anything.

I should have went with a Dobsonian

[mdstuart]

You could also do with some hands on help from a local astronomer.

It sounds like you are getting there though..

As has been said do not touch the mirrors...

Look up astro babies collimation advice to help line everything up...

Not sure onn the Dec motors, what make and model is it?

Mark

[mdstuart]

Sorry now have seen your earlier post...i optron...That is a well known make so maybe worth a call to them next week...

iOptron Corporation6F Gill Street

Woburn MA - 01801Phone : 866-399-4587Mobile : 781-569-0200Fax : 781-935-2860

Mark

[The Sailor]

I bought it off a supplier off ebay.

opppsss