aimed at Saturn and that's exactly what I got to see: an oblong bright blob as opposed to the needle pin bright star next to it.
the 10mm Meade Ploessl not making a big difference to the 40mm Celestron eye piece in the 8" newt (f/5).
does that mean, I need more light coming to the eye piece?
as in: collimation required?
If your lenses and mirrors are clean it sounds like the newt needs to be collimated. A laser collimator is the simplest way to collimate (although not the most accurate) but it will get your mirrors acting in unison. I use one in my newt occasionally. It fits into a 1.25" eyepiece and send a pin stripe laser beam from the eyepiece to both mirrors and then reflects back to a bulls eye on the collimator (you can see where the laser hits the bulls eye on the collimator). You then make the necessary adjustments with the mirror screws while watching the laser dot on the bulls eye until the laser dot hits the middle of the bulls eye. Your scope is then collimated (accurately enough to get sharp pictures). You can also collimate your mirrors using a film cannister (which fits into the eyepiece). This has been discussed in another thread, type in film cannister or collimation or such in the search box at the top of the screen and you'll find it.
I have a film canister with a hole. ... am a bit scared I might make matters worse with my two left thumbs and those screws everywhere....
I use the hole in the end cap and / or the laser method to collimate my newtonian. The first time was pretty hit and miss and took a while before I got it right. For me, a well collimated scope makes all the difference. With practice it will only take a minute to collimate your scope.
Read up on how to do it and give it a go. When you get used to looking through a well aligned setup you will develop a low tolerance to poor collimation.
thanks for the encouraging words!
yes, practice, practice practice practice
picture attached:
just to share the curiosity of the vanes .
the previous owner modded them following an example of a selfmade scope he bought off a telescope maker.
I have a film canister with a hole. ... am a bit scared I might make matters worse with my two left thumbs and those screws everywhere....
I don't think it can get much worse than Saturn as a blob, certainly not in a position you want to be in. If you want to keep using newts you have to learn how to collimate sometime, why not when you need to? Your out of focus now, the only thing your going to do by having a go is still be out of focus If Rob's idea doesn't work of course...
Something ain't right here. Even a miscollimated 10" will clearly show rings and a separation between the planet and rings. Especially since you saw a pinpoint star (probably Titan actually) in the same field.
Correct focus for planets is the same place as for stars - I have no idea what the previous poster actually meant when he suggested otherwise.
Learn to collimate by all means, but if you take the eyepiece out of the scope and can see the primary mirror (big one) more or less entirely in the secondary ( little one) then your problem is likely to be the eyepiece.
Try a bit more power - if you have a fast 10" you will probably want a 5mm eyepiece for planets.
Cheers
Andrew.
nah, Matt, I'd rather not spend money on something I will only use once in a while and for something I can do without buying stuff.
Luckily, I have the time to practice everything.
I am also being really (overly) cautious because 2 days after I had bought the scope+mount, the RA bolt broke.
(A guy here on IIS sent me a spare one! Thank god!!! No, thank Allan!
Now, I am scared those rusty looking screws (or anything else) might meet the same fate if I touch them.
The previous owner just threw the 2 eye pieces into the package when he heard I don't have any. I didn't pay anything for them.
Now, I am not aiming for planetary observation, really.
But eventually, will use the scope itself as a long lens for my camera.
I want to make sure that the scope is performing at its best.
I don't want to buy a 5mm piece, now.
Is my 10mm Meade ploessl is enough to see the rings on Saturn through an 8" newtonian?
If that is the case, then I will have to make sure that the rings will be visible with the gear I already own.
What is the focal ratio (or focal length) of your 8"? For a typical f6 8" a 10mm eyepiece will be more than enough to show you the rings. It is possible to see Cassini's division through a cheap 4" newt.
It's hard to believe that an 8" could be so badly miscollimated and still produce a focussed image.
Maybe it's a case of expectation management; are there any clubs in your area or public observatories?
The previous owner just threw the 2 eye pieces into the package when he heard I don't have any. I didn't pay anything for them.
Now, I am not aiming for planetary observation, really.
But eventually, will use the scope itself as a long lens for my camera.
I want to make sure that the scope is performing at its best.
I don't want to buy a 5mm piece, now.
Is my 10mm Meade ploessl is enough to see the rings on Saturn through an 8" newtonian?
If that is the case, then I will have to make sure that the rings will be visible with the gear I already own.
Absolutely, I have an 8" Newtonian and can see Saturn and it's rings with my 25mm wide field (no powermate, no barlow). You will see Saturn fine with a 10mm plossl.
I don't for a minute want to dismiss anything anyone's said or offend but this really sounds like a focus issue more than anything. I've never collimated newt I've owned and can always see Saturn. I can't imagine a scope could ever be that far out but still show pinpoint stars.....????
If you are getting stars in focus then surely it's well enough collimated to show saturn with a refocus....?
.
for your help, everyone.
