Bushmaster mars-1400

[luvmybourbon]

Hi all, this is my first post so i thought i had better say hello:D.

My hubby brought me my first telescope just after that Mcnaughts comet and i love it but i appear to be having a few problems and was hoping for some assistance. (im so new to this i make an amature look pro!!)

I know i have a lot to learn and i will get there just want to get my scope right :thumbsup:.

The scope is a mars 1400 came with a bushmaster 9.5mm and a 20mm eyepiece and a 1.5X erecting eyepiece and a 2X piece. I was just wondering if anyone has had any knowledge of this scope, and if so some tips would be extremely useful.
thanks.
regards chrissy
p.s if my first post sucks it's cause im nervous:scared:

[duncan]

Hi Chrissy,
Firstly welcome aboard. Forget about nerves cause everyone here is really friendly. I don't know anything about that particular scope but i'm sure some of the more experienced guys and gals will help you out. Just be patient and ask heaps of questions no matter how silly they may seem.
I'll see what i can find out about the scope.
Cheers,
Duncan:thumbsup:

[duncan]

Hi Chrissy,
Just had a look at an add for it, Doesn't look to bad. More research, i'll get back to you.


MARS-1400 MIRROR REFLECTOR TELESCOPE http://www.bushmaster.com.au/productimages/mars1400.jpg 467 Power high resolution, shot tube, havy duty aluminum tripod, deluxe equatorial lmount.
MIRROR DIAMETER: 150mm
FOCAL LENGTH: 1400mm
MAIN TUBE POWER: 233X
MAX POWER: 467X
ACCESSORIES INCLUDED:
A) 6mm eyepiece,
B) 20mm eyepiece,
C) Lunar filter
D) 2x barlow lens, (optional)
E) 1.5x erecting lens. (optional) Recommended uses:Professional astronomical viewing and terrestrial viewingProduct code:MARS-1400

[duncan]

Hi Chrissy,
For visual stuff it will be fine. As you get more replies try to find someone close to you who can help with collimation. If you want to get into Astrophotography then you will need to at least upgrade the mount.
Get used to your new scope first and ask heaps of questions.
Plenty of astro-nuts down your way. Find a club down there to join and you'll never look back.:thumbsup:
Cheers,
Duncan

[erick]

Hi Chrissy and :welcome:


Shouldn't be too hard to get some exciting viewing out of that telescope. What are your problems exactly?

There are plenty of us in Melbourne who could have a look, show you how to set it up and point out some delights in the sky to observe. Just ask.

ps. It wouldn't have been much use on Comet McNaught - your eyes or some low power binoculars were all you needed.

pps. Guys, that tube is more like 700mm long, so it's going to have one of these 2x lenses built in, isn't it? Where do they put these - insider the focusser?

Cheers
Eric :)

[luvmybourbon]

hi and thanks for the replies......im having trouble getting the spotter scope lined up properly as i cant seem to focus on anything no matter how far away it is. Even trying to focus at night it is hard to get clear.

Im guessing by what i have read so far that it could either be the collimation or even perhaps the eyepieces.(cheap ad nasty?).

I was going to nag hubby for a better telescope but i have been reading the forum heaps and im thinking it is probably more me than the equipment lmao.

[erick]

OK, we should be able to get the finderscope ("spotter") to work better - but even on more expensive scopes, they can be poor performers.

Best if you continue until you can get the best out of existing equipment, then you are in much better position to understand what the best upgrade path will be for you.

Send me a PM (private message) if you'd like me to have a look at your scope. Aligning the finderscope is best done during daylight on a very distant object like a mountain top or TV transmission tower.

Eric :)

[edwardsdj]

Welcome to IIS :)

I agree with Eric: continue until you can get the best out of your existing equipment.

Start with the 20mm eyepiece (don't use the 2x barlow). This will provide the lowest power and the brightest views. Collimation and focus will be more challenging with the 9.5mm.

Are you able to focus on a distant mountain in the daylight using just the 20mm eyepiece? If so, you should be able to align the finder. Then try to focus on the Moon (again, just with the 20mm).

Hope this helps and keep asking questions. The more specific, the better.

Have fun,
Doug

[edwardsdj]

On the short tube I used to own, the barlow/corrector was mounted in the bottom of the focus tube.

[erick]

As I recall, these "correctors" can make it difficult to collimate using tools?

I guess if you knock it out, the focus point moves beyond the range of the focusser?

[koputai]

I have a short tube Newt with one of these correctors built in, and it's a bugger to collimate, I still haven't sorted it.
Are these spherical correctors available as an accessory, that drops in to the focusser like a Barlow?

Cheers,
Jason.

[edwardsdj]

Mine was only a 114 mm. I used to collimate using a film canister with a hole drilled through the lid. I don't see why you couldn't use a Cheshire/sight tube. Presumably a laser wouldn't work. I didn't have one of these until recently.



I was able remove mine and find focus. The spherical abberations were intollerable though :(

[Night Owl]

Although I'm real new to this I learned alot the hard way yesterday, and if it wasn't for the information on the internet I'd be tearing my hair out still.

First off, are you taking the scope from a nice warm room outside and looking up straight away? If it has no fan you might have to let it cool to outside ambient temperature for at least an hour to get a good stable image.
But it does sound as if the collimation is out.
When was the collimation last checked?
If it has never been checked I'd say that is the culprit.
Easy test is get the scope and point it at the brightest star you can see, and when the image is out of focus the star image should be as round as possible with a round black hole right smack bang in the center, if the black hole at the center is off center, then your fine optics need collimating.
There are plenty of cheapish collimating tools around, and some you can make youself!

P.S. Look up, and live!

[Lui819]

Hi i wonder if anyone has the instructions for this telescope?