Finder Scope assistance

[Slida]

Hi all

After years of being fascinated with space from a young age, my partner surprised me with a SkyWatcher Heritage 5" Dobsonian for Christmas. I'm loving looking around every night and will forever remember the first time I got a glimpse of both Jupiter and Saturn.

The only problem I am finding is that the red dot sight that comes with the scope is too low, very hard to see through and very hard to align with what I am looking at. I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to how to align a red dot sight like mine?

I was thinking of purchasing this red dot scope (below hyperlink) becuase it would sit a little higher and may be easier to see through (instead of fumbling amongst the stars)?

http://www.ozscopes.com.au/baader-planetarium-sky-surfer-iii-red-dot-finderscope.html

Loving this forum and very much looking forward to learning about astronomy.

[Blue Skies]

Well, if you're going to spend that much I'd say go a little bit further and get a Telrad. Well tried and tested! Gives you a bulls-eye pattern rather than the red dot and you can adjust the brightness of the pattern easily.

As with most finders, you should try to align them first during daylight hours, when you can recognise what you're seeing. Find a distant power pole or distinct tree top to do the alignment on, then it should be easier to tweak at night.

[Larryp]

Why don't you get a right angle finder scope? Much easier on the neck!:)

[Suzy]

Hi Steven and a big welcome :welcome:

Just my 2c worth here....
I have one of those RDF's on my smaller scope. I don't like it. It's like looking thru a tunnel. :( Not easy- I have to contort myself to see the red dot. And that one has a particularly long tube like my one.

I have this (http://www.sirius-optics.com.au/reddot.htm) (it's no.2 the William Optics, tho mine is the Celestron that I bought from them, looks exactly the same), on my scope and I love it to pieces- very easy- it's like looking thru a window. Worth every penny! And the big bonus is that it doesn't suffer dew problems like the Telrad does. Only once has the dew been that bad that it's affected it, but I could still see out of it albeit a wee struggle. Jacqui's suggestion for the Telrad is a good one, but it kept dewing up on me in no time and rendering itself completely useless. I bought a dew shield for it but I kept forgetting to put the cover down. This can be remedied of course if you have dew heater straps, but then that's more money.:P:lol: Or just use a hair dryer on it.;)
The Telrad is a helpful aid for finding things as it has the circles measured out in degrees to help find things. Tho, truth be told, I could never master this, but I think I'm the only one, so I would revert to using my hand to measure the sky. The dew shield comes with a mirror to make it easier to see where you're pointing in the sky when the scope is aimed close to zenith (it's about an extra $35). It needed it I thought, as it was a bit tricky at that height. My RDF on the other hand, doesn't- it's easy to look out of no matter what angle. So as you can see, they both have their pluses.

Many of us have both a red dot finder (or a Telrad) plus a finder on our scopes. The RDF gets the scope pointed quickly in the sky and with zero magnification it makes it very easy to find things. I struggle with the magnification of the finder to plonk the scope on a star. Instead, I use the finder to star hop my way across to the object once I've gotten within the ball park with the RDF. Both together are a fantastic investment. And, you can carry them across to another scope if you upgrade.

[PCH]

Ditto what Suzie said - I have both too and in just a few goes, you can jump from one to the other to the scope in 3 or 4 seconds. Very easy and well worth the investment :)

[Regulus]

To add to this: red dot finders aren't magnifying light so finding deep space objects can be hard.
They are good for brighter subjects but if u are to have only one finder go for an optical tube that will pick up duller objects. The standard and cheap 8x50 finder scope. U can get these with a right-angle eye-piece as mentioned below too.

Trevor

[HCR32]

Well your on the right track with the brand. Baader has a 10x60 Vario Finder that can attach a T2 baader right angle prism that will give you a more comfortable view, only catch is their not cheap. Have a look though my give you some idea of what you maybe looking for.

[Slida]

Wow thanks guys, very helpful. I think that I may keep the red dot finder (just use it as a guide) and purchase a Orion Right Angle (to save the neck :)) Correct-Image 9 X 50 Finder Scope.

And thanks for the link Suzy, Sirius Optics is quite literally around the corner from me so might try and drop by this weekend.

Hopefully the new finder scope will make things easier. Thanks again guys will let you know how it all goes for me.

[Doogs38]

Hi Slida. Like you, I'm a relative newcomer to this hobby. To reinforce the comments of others, I've found my Telrad to be an indispensable tool ... it has a great wide view that allows me to star hop my way to the next target and point my telescope in roughly the right area of space. Then I use the finder scope for more 'precise' pointing. Your red dot finder will likely be used in the same fashion as I use my Telrad - it's a 'blunt instrument' but mighty handy to have :-) Alex

[Suzy]

Hi Steven,
So how did you go?

And Hi Alex, :welcome: to our forum.

Btw on the subject of Telrads...
In case some of you don't already know this, the "Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas" book of maps accommodates the Telrad field of view- there's a Telrad template on the inside of the front cover which you trace out onto a sheet of overhead transparency (bought from newsagents). :thumbsup::)
The book is spiral bound so is easy to observe with, i.e. you don't have fight to keep the book open. The maps goes down to magnitude 7.6 and is ideal for finderscope hopping as the maps show the same pattern as in your finder.:D I love astro books :D I wish there was an Oprah book club for Astro books :D Time to stop waffling now :D