Finding stuff, upgrading red dot finder

[mark3d]

Hi all, keen to get back into astronomy this year so I am looking at barriers to getting the scope out, the main one has to be using the red dot finder. I just cant relax and enjoy when i am constantly bending into positions that a russian gymnast would find challenging.

Would love an Argo Navis, but I am thinking about $900 cheaper and considering a GSO Right Angle Finderscope.

I am fairly good at star hopping with the zero magnification red dot finder, and then a low power eyepiece, the combination gets me to the targets. I am concerned a finderscope, being 7x50 (limited field of vision and more visible objects), might make it harder to find targets? (The finder will of course have its advantages in finding less obvious targets.)

Should I get the RA finder, and just get better and star hopping at the higher magnification?

(I like the idea of a Telrad, but I realised that would require bending over in the same positions as the red dot finder, so not really an option)

:thumbsup:

[mental4astro]

Hi Mark,

You can add the right angle finder coupled with the RDF! Many folk do this. The finder is way, way wider field of view than the widest field possible with your scope, and will allow a really good finer aiming at faint objects which have faint stars surrounding.

I do something similar with using a 3" reflector as my fine magnified finder. I mount it onto my 17.5" dob.

You might also like to look at what I did to help finding stuff with your charts and finder combination:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=53378

Mental.

[mark3d]

thanks Mental, it looks like you have the best of both worlds. I like the idea of the pseudo-Telrad setup too!