Does my scope need collimating?

Hi,

Can someone look at this pic of saturn and tell me if its typical of
what should be seen through a 6" reflector. Its stacked from about 300
frames using registax. http://fm1.abasoft.co.uk/images/saturn.gif

I noticed if I zoom in on the top left edge of the rings, there's a
certain amount of blurryness.

I don't mind giving collimation a go, but if it's about as good as its
going to get them I'd rather not risk screwing it up even more.

thanks

Hi Kevin,

I don't mind giving collimation a go, but if it's about as good as its
going to get them I'd rather not risk screwing it up even more.

If you haven't collimated it, I can just about guarantee it needs it. Newts
don't stay in collimation when they are shipped to you. Not collimating is
probably responsible for more bad views than any other cause. You can see
what miscollimation does at
http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/collim.html

http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/sco...icle_787_1.asp will walk you
through collimating a newt. It's easy and will really improve your view.

Don't be afraid of it. Even if you screw it up, you'll be able to fix it.

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

Kevin

If that is the view you are seeing visually - then
you probably need to collimate.

As chuck says collimation is easy once you have
done it a time or two. You wouldn't buy a guitar
and expect not to tune it would you? It is the
same with scopes. Collimation tunes them, it's
easy and really makes a difference.

Adam
"CLT" not@thisaddress wrote in message
...
Hi Kevin,

I don't mind giving collimation a go, but if
it's about as good as its
going to get them I'd rather not risk screwing
it up even more.

If you haven't collimated it, I can just about
guarantee it needs it. Newts
don't stay in collimation when they are shipped
to you. Not collimating is
probably responsible for more bad views than any
other cause. You can see
what miscollimation does at

http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/collim.html


http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/scopes/article_78
7_1.asp will walk you
through collimating a newt. It's easy and will
really improve your view.

Don't be afraid of it. Even if you screw it up,
you'll be able to fix it.

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

Well I've tried my best to collimate, but I don't think I've been too
successful. Everything looks lined up correctly, but the image hasnt
improved much. I used a dust cap with a small hole drilled in the
middle, then looked down and adjusted everything until it all looked
correct (according to the website).

I think I may invest in one of those cheshire eyepieces, and have
another go.





"Adam" orion105@Eschew obfuscation.gmx.co.uk wrote in message .. .
Kevin

If that is the view you are seeing visually - then
you probably need to collimate.

As chuck says collimation is easy once you have
done it a time or two. You wouldn't buy a guitar
and expect not to tune it would you? It is the
same with scopes. Collimation tunes them, it's
easy and really makes a difference.

Adam
"CLT" not@thisaddress wrote in message
...
Hi Kevin,

I don't mind giving collimation a go, but if
it's about as good as its
going to get them I'd rather not risk screwing
it up even more.

If you haven't collimated it, I can just about
guarantee it needs it. Newts
don't stay in collimation when they are shipped
to you. Not collimating is
probably responsible for more bad views than any
other cause. You can see
what miscollimation does at

http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/collim.html


http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/scopes/article_78
7_1.asp will walk you
through collimating a newt. It's easy and will
really improve your view.

Don't be afraid of it. Even if you screw it up,
you'll be able to fix it.

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

(Kevin) wrote in
om:

Well I've tried my best to collimate, but I don't think I've been too
successful. Everything looks lined up correctly, but the image hasnt
improved much. I used a dust cap with a small hole drilled in the
middle, then looked down and adjusted everything until it all looked
correct (according to the website).

I think I may invest in one of those cheshire eyepieces, and have
another go.


I'm not sure it's as easy as all that.

I'm very gradually getting my SCT right, but it's quite a learning curve,
mainly staying on the target star at pretty high mag, then tweaking
collimation, then getting back central on the target, then unfreezing the
fingers...

I expect it's easy for the old hands, but I find tuning a guitar easy, it
only took 10 easy lessons.... and 990 bloody hard ones!

Itseems to me (I haven't got a Newt), that you've attended to the first
part, aligning your primary, eyepiece etc.

Even if you've done this essential first stage, you need to align your
primary along the tube's axis and tis needs tiny adjustments of the
mirror

The problem is that if your primary is not accurately set up, it produces
an image that is not dead center in the tube when the tube is accurately
pointing at a star.

You can compensate for this by moving the tube off axis till the star IS
in cthe centre of your field of view, and as a beginner, you (and me)
think "OK".

But as the primary is off axis, you now get a degraded picture which is
very noticeable when trying to look at a planet at high magnification.

I couldn't even find a focus on Saturn, but now it's quite sharp, but not
quite right, I need to collimate on a fainter star at higher mag (and I'm
taking up Yoga to prepare!)

The reference CLT gave you

http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/collim.html - I have found
excellent, and explains how if you're grossly out you need to start on a
bright star at low mag, and work up to a faint star at high mag,



Another reference which seems useful is

http://w1.411.telia.com/~u41105032/kolli/kolli.html

which goes into it in some detail


HTH, also that I've not made too many errors of fact

mike r

I'm at about the same point as you. I have one of the cheap eBay 6"
Newtonians - my visual image is about the same quality as the one on
your webpage. I tried the dust cap method without much improvement, so I
ordered a Cheshire from Jim's Astro for about 25 quid - excellent price,
good quality, fast turnaround.

I haven't retried the collimation yet, but a quick look through the
Cheshire makes me think that it will be about 1000% more accurate, so my
advice is go for the Cheshire !

I also put a centre spot on the mirror - essential if you don't have
one. The easiest way to do this (from one of the colimation websites) is
make a circle of paper the same size as the mirror, fold it into 4, and
cut the tip off the wedge, then use that as a mask, I put a dot of
tippex on it.

Good luck ...

Andrew

In article ,
says...
Well I've tried my best to collimate, but I don't think I've been too
successful. Everything looks lined up correctly, but the image hasnt
improved much. I used a dust cap with a small hole drilled in the
middle, then looked down and adjusted everything until it all looked
correct (according to the website).

I think I may invest in one of those cheshire eyepieces, and have
another go.





"Adam" orion105@Eschew obfuscation.gmx.co.uk wrote in message .. .
Kevin

If that is the view you are seeing visually - then
you probably need to collimate.

As chuck says collimation is easy once you have
done it a time or two. You wouldn't buy a guitar
and expect not to tune it would you? It is the
same with scopes. Collimation tunes them, it's
easy and really makes a difference.

Adam
"CLT" not@thisaddress wrote in message
...
Hi Kevin,

I don't mind giving collimation a go, but if
it's about as good as its
going to get them I'd rather not risk screwing
it up even more.

If you haven't collimated it, I can just about
guarantee it needs it. Newts
don't stay in collimation when they are shipped
to you. Not collimating is
probably responsible for more bad views than any
other cause. You can see
what miscollimation does at

http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/collim.html


http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/scopes/article_78
7_1.asp will walk you
through collimating a newt. It's easy and will
really improve your view.

=20
Which one did you get? I was pretty pleased with =A3140. I figured if
the mirror was junk just get a new one, and fit it into the tube. Mine
seems great vfm all things considered. I was wondering how much of a
improvement a better eyepiece would give? The ones I have can't be up
to much, not for the price I paid.

I got the eBay 6" Newtonian reflector from UK Direct - 133 quid. Do you=20
have the same ? I also bought an unbranded 6mm eyepiece from=20
Astrobits.com to see if it would help. I think it is slightly better,=20
but to be honest I am still not blown away with the clarity of the=20
images I get, and the barlow that came with the scope is junk. I started=20
a thread about eyepiece quality last night but no-one seems to have=20
picked it up yet. I'd just like an idea if 30 quid is way too cheap for=20
a decent eyepiece and I should be looking nearer to 100 quid. Maybe the=20
viewing conditions just sucked the night I was out there - its hard to=20
tell when this is all so new :-)=20

The collimation has helped noticeably, so maybe there is still hope. I=20
figured for 133 quid it was worth the risk and I could at least see if I=20
would enjoy using it ... I am so far, but may need a better scope soon=20
if this one doesn't pan out.

Regards,

Andrew Cockburn

I got the eBay 6" Newtonian reflector from UK Direct - 133 quid. Do you
have the same ? I also bought an unbranded 6mm eyepiece from
Astrobits.com to see if it would help. I think it is slightly better,
but to be honest I am still not blown away with the clarity of the
images I get, and the barlow that came with the scope is junk. I started
a thread about eyepiece quality last night but no-one seems to have
picked it up yet. I'd just like an idea if 30 quid is way too cheap for
a decent eyepiece and I should be looking nearer to 100 quid. Maybe the
viewing conditions just sucked the night I was out there - its hard to
tell when this is all so new :-)

I got a seben it seems pretty ok on the whole, cant complain too much
considering the price. In any case, I havent looked through it yet
properly collimated so it must just rock

The collimation has helped noticeably, so maybe there is still hope. I
figured for 133 quid it was worth the risk and I could at least see if I
would enjoy using it ... I am so far, but may need a better scope soon
if this one doesn't pan out.

I collimated it as well as I could, damn its tricky isn't it? But it's
been cloudy all weekend so I have yet to see the fruits of my labour.



Regards,

Andrew Cockburn

Guys,

I have just returned from work after three months away.
And found this topic.

You all seem to have missed one very important thing when the topic
of planets arises.... the SEEING.

I own a 10" Newt, and the image is never the same twice, unless
theres snow or frost. warm thrmals etc spoil the view in seconds at
times.
That aside, I have just bought a Laser Collimator, and its so simple
to align in this way its unreal.
I won it on ebay so it only cost me £30. Whereas they usually cost
over £100.
I am by no means an expert on this.

A very good test of missalignment is to look at the craters on the
moon. If the crater edges seem "soft" or unable to focus, then yes the
scope needs aligning.
If any of you live near Hartlepool, then your more than welcome to
bring the scope and use the laser, it takes seconds IN THE HOUSE. Just
drop me an e mail.

Cheers and clear skies.

Eddie H

In article ,
says...
I got the eBay 6" Newtonian reflector from UK Direct - 133 quid. Do you
have the same ? I also bought an unbranded 6mm eyepiece from
Astrobits.com to see if it would help. I think it is slightly better,
but to be honest I am still not blown away with the clarity of the
images I get, and the barlow that came with the scope is junk. I started
a thread about eyepiece quality last night but no-one seems to have
picked it up yet. I'd just like an idea if 30 quid is way too cheap for
a decent eyepiece and I should be looking nearer to 100 quid. Maybe the
viewing conditions just sucked the night I was out there - its hard to
tell when this is all so new :-)

I got a seben it seems pretty ok on the whole, cant complain too much
considering the price. In any case, I havent looked through it yet
properly collimated so it must just rock

The collimation has helped noticeably, so maybe there is still hope. I
figured for 133 quid it was worth the risk and I could at least see if I
would enjoy using it ... I am so far, but may need a better scope soon
if this one doesn't pan out.

I collimated it as well as I could, damn its tricky isn't it? But it's
been cloudy all weekend so I have yet to see the fruits of my labour.

Good luck with that, yes it is a bit fiddly. I had a crisis over the
weekend, got annoyed with the mount, the optics, everything, and managed
to negotiate permission to order an LX90 :-) Your scope sounds basically
better than mine - still glad I bought the eBay scope though, I got to
collimate it and try some stuff out before I decided to spend real
money. When I get the LX90 think I'll do some comparisons and post them
for others who are considering these scopes.

Hope the sky clears and you get to check your colimation soon !



Regards,

Andrew Cockburn