I just got a reflector telescope, but I can only see close objects. What`s the problem?
whitney asked:
When I try to look through the telescope, it can only focus on close objects (as in a foot away). Objects that are further away are always blurry. I`ve tried different magnifications and adjusting the focus. Does anyone know how to correct this?
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When I try to look through the telescope, it can only focus on close objects (as in a foot away). Objects that are further away are always blurry. I`ve tried different magnifications and adjusting the focus. Does anyone know how to correct this?
September 25th, 2009 at 3:33 am
the earth movement and vibration. A millimeter deviation here is a millions of miles in space. So when your scope is bumped you scan a couple of billion miles of space in a fraction of a second. Winston
September 27th, 2009 at 4:36 am
the eye-piece must be moved further back, or else try one with a different focal length richard
September 28th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Find a local astronomy club and ask members for help. Without more information about “reflector telescope”, “different magnifications”, “adjusting focus”, there is not much that can be guessed. starryskyn
September 30th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Whitney -
It sounds to me like the focuser is not assembled properly, or the eyepieces that you have are not matched to the focuser - or perhaps you are using a Barlow improperly where it shouldn’t be used. Where did you buy this scope (hopefully, you bought it new). I think you should contact the dealer / seller and see if he can help you. If not, please provide more details at this site, like:
1. What brand of scope is it?
2. What diameter eyepiece / focuser are you using?
3. Do you have a Barlow (if so, leave it out)?
4. Can you provide any pictures of what you are dealing with?
We can probably help you here, but only if we have enough info. If you have a reputable dealer, he should be able to get it working in a few minutes, or replace it. Larry454
October 1st, 2009 at 12:12 am
Hard to say from the limited information given. Something is in the wrong place, possibly the eyepiece. Could be that the eyepiece is supposed to be mounted on a spacer tube, that is missing. Or the telescope has had a bump and one of the mirrors is out of place. James P
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:41 am
Taking the scope to a local club is a great idea. Someone there will be able to figure out what’s wrong in a matter of minutes.
It could just be you’re trying too much magnification. “mass market” telescopes often come with one and in some cases two barlow lenses. Generally speaking, these will rarely be useful for observing because the mounts those scopes come with usually aren’t sturdy. Also, you need a night with very stable air (good “seeing conditions”) to use high power.
If that’s not it, odds are the problem is too much distance between the eyepiece and the primary mirror. The question is Why?
Perhaps you’re using an extension you don’t need.
It’s also possible someone may have replaced the original focuser with one that’s too tall, or the collimation screws for the primary mirror could be backed out too far. It’s also possible somebody took it apart and put it together wrong.
In any case, someone who is experienced with the type of scope you have will probably be able to identify the problem quickly. If it’s simple they may be able to help you fix it on the spot. If it’s more involved, they can at least tell you what needs to be done so you can do it at home later. Mark H