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Please Need Help about 114mm Reflecting telescope



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 25th 06, 05:58 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
duke
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Posts: 1
Default Please Need Help about 114mm Reflecting telescope

I am new using Telescope. I just bought a 114mm Aperture Reflecting
telescope from ebay.
I couldn't make it work. After removing the eyepiece from the tube if i
look down, i can only see reflection of my eye. Can anybody tell me is
it normal, else how to solve it.
Thanks in advance.

dUKE

  #2  
Old July 25th 06, 02:45 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
George[_1_]
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Posts: 884
Default Please Need Help about 114mm Reflecting telescope


"duke" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am new using Telescope. I just bought a 114mm Aperture Reflecting
telescope from ebay.
I couldn't make it work. After removing the eyepiece from the tube if i
look down, i can only see reflection of my eye. Can anybody tell me is
it normal, else how to solve it.
Thanks in advance.

dUKE


Umm, did you remove the cover off the end of your OTA?

George


  #3  
Old July 25th 06, 05:04 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Starlord
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Default Please Need Help about 114mm Reflecting telescope

Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord

should have read the above first.


--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond

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http://home.inreach.com/starlord
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"duke" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am new using Telescope. I just bought a 114mm Aperture Reflecting
telescope from ebay.
I couldn't make it work. After removing the eyepiece from the tube if i
look down, i can only see reflection of my eye. Can anybody tell me is
it normal, else how to solve it.
Thanks in advance.

dUKE



  #4  
Old July 25th 06, 05:49 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
John Banister[_1_]
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Posts: 41
Default Please Need Help about 114mm Reflecting telescope

Duke, I notice that you didn't get much help with your question. You do
not give any details of the scope, so I am assuming that it is Newtonian
reflector. That's the kind with the eyepiece at the "front" end on the side
of the tube. I went through the same process last year when I got out my
late father-in-law's 1930's vintage homebuilt Newtonian. Maybe you could
give us the make and model number of the scope.

Anyway, here's what I did and recommend you do: Take the scope out in the
day and find a prominent object (such as a distant water tower) as far away
as practical. Use as big an object as you can. Take the cover off the end of
the scope and put the eyepiece in it's holder (focuser) on the side. If you
have more than one eyepiece, use the one that gives the least magnification.
That would be the one with the "most" millimeters. G

Be sure not to look at the sun or let the scope point at the sun during this
process!

If the scope has an sighting scope use that to find the object. Otherwise
just sight down the main tube and work with it until you find the object in
the eyepiece. Remember that you will need to focus the eyepiece to see
anything, even in the day. Once you have the object in the eyepiece go back
to your finder scope and use the adjustments to center the object in that.
Note that the object will be upside down in your main scope (and probably in
your finder scope) but the right-left movements will be normal. That takes
a bit of getting used to and looking in the day will help you get the hang
of it. Once you have figured out how the scope works in the day, you should
be ready for a bright object at night. The moon is a good place to start
but it is not readily visible for a few days.

Jupiter is the brightest "star" in the sky and can be easily viewed in the
twilight and darkness. Go out around 9:00 to 9:30 p.m. (I'm assuming you're
in the U.S.) and look south southwest. It should be around 35 degrees above
the horizon. Center it in your finder scope and it should be in your main
scope. My guess is that you will see the planet and it's 4 moons in the main
scope.

Hope this helps.

-John

Finally
"duke" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am new using Telescope. I just bought a 114mm Aperture Reflecting
telescope from ebay.



  #5  
Old July 25th 06, 08:14 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Ernie Dunbar
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Posts: 51
Default Please Need Help about 114mm Reflecting telescope


duke wrote:
I am new using Telescope. I just bought a 114mm Aperture Reflecting
telescope from ebay.
I couldn't make it work. After removing the eyepiece from the tube if i
look down, i can only see reflection of my eye. Can anybody tell me is
it normal, else how to solve it.


Others give some good advice here, but I can see that part of your
question is not answered:

"After removing the eyepiece from the tube if i
look down, i can only see reflection of my eye."

Yes, this is normal. In fact, collimating the mirror
(http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/sco...icle_787_1.asp) requires
that you don't use the eyepiece.

More than likely, when you're trying to use the telescope, you're just
missing your target. Using the lowest magnification eyepiece on an
obvious terrestrial target will go a long ways to helping you line up
your finderscope properly, as they are usually not perfect right out of
the box. Also, using it during the day allows you to familiarize
yourself with how it works.

Once you've got a handle on that, give the Moon a try, and then
Jupiter.

  #6  
Old July 26th 06, 01:17 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Florian[_1_]
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Posts: 97
Default Please Need Help about 114mm Reflecting telescope

I am new using Telescope. I just bought a 114mm Aperture Reflecting
telescope from ebay.



Hi Duke,

114 mm (4.5 inches) is pretty small for a reflecting telescope. Can you post the eBay auction number? I'm just curious what the scope looks like. And yes, it's normal to see your eye when you remove the eyepiece.

-Florian

 




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