another telescope question?

Question

Thankyou for earlier answers to the upside down question..also i would like to know why my main telescope does not see what my view finder sees. does anyone know of any books labled 'an idiots guide to telescopes'!

Answer 1

On most telescopes, the view finder scope must be correctly aligned to place the view of the main telescope square in the cross hairs of the view finder scope. You should have some adjusting screws on the mounts of the view finder scope to use for this purpose.

Early one evening take the whole thing outside and sight it in on the brightest star visable in the early evening. You may need to wait a while to see this star. Then, when the telescope has that star centered in its view, lock everything down solid and go to the view finder scope and begin adjusting it so that the same star is directly in the exact center of the cross hairs of the view finder scope. You will need to adjust things three or four times to get it all just right. Once done, however, lock down the view finder scope screws also. Now, assuming nothing has changed adjustment, when you sight with the view finder scope, the main telescope will be looking in the right place unless someone kicks the assembly or gives it a real hard knock. Needless to say, once you have gone to all this trouble, do not let something bang against the assembly.

Also, depending upon your equipment, you might need to use an image errector lens to get exactly the same view in one scope as in the other. Some telescopes present a view that is 180 degrees upside down.

Regards,
Zah.

Answer 2

You need to adjust the view finder to be aligned properly.

This is how you do it.

1. Using a low powered eyepiece, point your telescope at a large, distant, stationary object....the moon isn't stationary but it will do also.

2. Make sure you can see the object when you look into the eyepiece.

3. Use the adjusting screws on the viewfinder to adjust the viewfinder until you see the object you see in the eyepiece. This will take some fiddling. If it's a three screw adjusting mechanism try only turning two until you have to turn the third one to get viewfinder to move where you want it.

4. Finder a smaller object and repeat.

The goal is to eventually get the telescope and view finder pointed at the same exact thing in the same exact place.

Answer 3

If you look at your viewfinder, you should see three small screws holding it in place. Those are for aiming the finder. They usually get goofed up during shipping. Find something far away on the ground that doesn't move. Aim the main scope at it and then adjust the aiming scope so you have the same view. You'll be all set then ...