reflex finders

I have a 6" dobsonian scope with a 6 X 30 standard finder scope.

I can do fine with this finder on single bright stars and planets but seem to
get lost when looking for dim objects.

Should I stick with this finder until I can use it or consider going to a 0
power reflex finder of some sort?

Firp

I can do fine with this finder on single bright stars and planets but seem to
get lost when looking for dim objects.

A nice 8x50 finder would probably do better. 0 power finders won't aid you in
finding dim objects.

Capt RB
NY

I can do fine with this finder on single bright stars and planets but seem to
get lost when looking for dim objects.

A nice 8x50 finder would probably do better. 0 power finders won't aid you in
finding dim objects.

Capt RB
NY

(Bobsprit) wrote in message ...
I can do fine with this finder on single bright stars and planets but seem to
get lost when looking for dim objects.

A nice 8x50 finder would probably do better. 0 power finders won't aid you in
finding dim objects.

Capt RB
NY

A reflex finder (*not* a "0 power") finder can easily help the
observer find dim objects, especially if such a finder is similar to
the multi-ring Telrad or Rigel Quickfinder. I know of many highly
experienced deep-sky observers who use nothing but a Telrad on scopes
as large as 30 inches and they find many objects which are not even
visible in their finderscopes. For example, I can put my Telrad
"bulls-eye" halfway between Denebola (Beta Leonis) and Epsilon
Virginis and be smack-dab in the middle of the Markarian galaxy chain
almost on top of M84 in the Virgo galaxy cluster. I could cite many
other examples of how to use the Telrad's multi-ring reticle to find
objects which are not visible in even my 8x50 finder, so the
contention that reflex finders won't aid a person in finding dim
objects is not correct.

David Knisely

(Bobsprit) wrote in message ...
I can do fine with this finder on single bright stars and planets but seem to
get lost when looking for dim objects.

A nice 8x50 finder would probably do better. 0 power finders won't aid you in
finding dim objects.

Capt RB
NY

A reflex finder (*not* a "0 power") finder can easily help the
observer find dim objects, especially if such a finder is similar to
the multi-ring Telrad or Rigel Quickfinder. I know of many highly
experienced deep-sky observers who use nothing but a Telrad on scopes
as large as 30 inches and they find many objects which are not even
visible in their finderscopes. For example, I can put my Telrad
"bulls-eye" halfway between Denebola (Beta Leonis) and Epsilon
Virginis and be smack-dab in the middle of the Markarian galaxy chain
almost on top of M84 in the Virgo galaxy cluster. I could cite many
other examples of how to use the Telrad's multi-ring reticle to find
objects which are not visible in even my 8x50 finder, so the
contention that reflex finders won't aid a person in finding dim
objects is not correct.

David Knisely

I could cite many
other examples of how to use the Telrad's multi-ring reticle to find
objects which are not visible in even my 8x50 finder, so the

Can you explain how much light the Telrad collects to do this? I've used them,
but I never had the impression that the Telrad collected more light than a 50mm
objective.

Capt RB

I could cite many
other examples of how to use the Telrad's multi-ring reticle to find
objects which are not visible in even my 8x50 finder, so the

Can you explain how much light the Telrad collects to do this? I've used them,
but I never had the impression that the Telrad collected more light than a 50mm
objective.

Capt RB

In article ,
(David Knisely) writes:

I could cite many
other examples of how to use the Telrad's multi-ring reticle to find
objects which are not visible in even my 8x50 finder, so the
contention that reflex finders won't aid a person in finding dim
objects is not correct.

David Knisely

This is of considerable interest to me as I am considering doing away with the
usual finder.

I have learned to use the 6x30 finder eith both eyes open and can keep track of
where I am looking better than at first. However the fact that the finder
inverts the image and enlarges it as well is confusing to a beginer. I assume
that this will become less of a problem with time but the notion of a reflex
finder does appeal to me.

Thank you all for your help.

Firp

In article ,
(David Knisely) writes:

I could cite many
other examples of how to use the Telrad's multi-ring reticle to find
objects which are not visible in even my 8x50 finder, so the
contention that reflex finders won't aid a person in finding dim
objects is not correct.

David Knisely

This is of considerable interest to me as I am considering doing away with the
usual finder.

I have learned to use the 6x30 finder eith both eyes open and can keep track of
where I am looking better than at first. However the fact that the finder
inverts the image and enlarges it as well is confusing to a beginer. I assume
that this will become less of a problem with time but the notion of a reflex
finder does appeal to me.

Thank you all for your help.

Firp

(Bobsprit) wrote in message ...
I could cite many
other examples of how to use the Telrad's multi-ring reticle to find
objects which are not visible in even my 8x50 finder, so the

Can you explain how much light the Telrad collects to do this? I've used them,
but I never had the impression that the Telrad collected more light than a 50mm
objective.

Capt RB

The Telrad does *not* collect light. It is a "heads-up" style reticle
projecting finder which projects three dim concentric rings (of
fully-adjustable brightness from bright to dim or even off) on a plate
of glass which you look through to see the sky. The rings are half a
degree, two degrees, and four degrees across. It is the placement of
this pattern on the sky relative to visible stars which helps in
finding things in the main telescope. For one example, put one edge
of the 2 degree ring on Zeta Tauri with the center of the reticle
shifted in the direction of the star Alnath (Beta Aurigae), and the
scope will be pointed towards the Crab Nebula M1. For another
example, put the star Nu Aquarii halfway between the 2 and 4 degree
rings at a point where the center of the reticle is almost due-west of
Nu, and the scope should be pointed towards the "Saturn Nebula" NGC
7009. Most star atlases have Telrad overlays with them which can be
positioned over any object you choose. Once positioned, the stars
around and between the rings of the reticle overlay will be the ones
which will give the visual clues as to where the scope should be
pointed. All the observer has to do is duplicate with the real
reticle on the sky with what is shown on the atlas as far as the
position of the stars and reticle is concerned, and the field where
the object is located should appear in a low-power eyepiece. I use
the software MEGASTAR, and it also has the Telrad reticle built-in, so
I can instantly see what patterns I should make. I can also use the
reticle in extended "star-hopps", to judge precise distances and
directions of travel to go from the stars to the field of the object I
want to find. The observer can also use the "bulls-eye" formation
just to point the telescope at objects which are visible as well as
those which are too faint to see with the unaided eye, using nearby
stars as reference. Examples of this "bulls-eye" method include
putting the center of the reticle a third of the way between Eta and
Zeta Herculis, and the telescope should be pointed at the globular
cluster M13, or putting the center of the reticle just over halfway
between Gamma and Beta Lyrae to locate the Ring Nebula (the outer
edges of the 2-degree circle almost touch both stars). The 3-ring
bulls-eye seems to be more effective at positioning the telescope for
these "point and shoot" finding exercises than the simple "red dot"
finders are. Again, there is nothing wrong with having a good optical
finder (I use both a Telrad *and* an 8x50 finderscope), but the Telrad
is also very useful in getting the telescope pointed at objects which
are invisible both with the unaided eye and in a finderscope. Clear
skies to you.

David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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