Baxstar
member
Reged: 09/15/12
Loc: The Netherland
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Need advice for a finderscope
#5665262 - 02/06/13 01:26 PM
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Dear people at CN,
I'm currently using the standard Celestron 6x30 finder on my CGEM925, but I want to upgrade. It's very annoying when I'm doing the alignment and a star right above (in Holland we call it zenith, in US also?) you to look through the finder.
I'm only sixteen years old, so I don't need the best of the best but still a nice one to use 
It doesn't matter if you sent links from American resellers!
Clear skies,
Casper
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Thomas Karpf
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/09/09
Loc: Newington, CT
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Baxstar]
#5665266 - 02/06/13 01:28 PM
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You can often find a nice 50mm finder in the classified here or on the other site with astronomical items for sale for ~$50 or so.
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csrlice12
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/22/12
Loc: Denver, CO
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Thomas Karpf]
#5665274 - 02/06/13 01:31 PM
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Orions 9X50 RACI finder is a fantastic finderscope (you can get a straight thru version if you prefer) and is reasonably priced and on sale now...
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cliffy54
sage
Reged: 03/14/10
Loc: ma
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Baxstar]
#5665351 - 02/06/13 02:08 PM
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How about a green laser pointer? Is that a problem with Netherland laws?
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MikeBOKC
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/10/10
Loc: Oklahoma City, OK
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: csrlice12]
#5665474 - 02/06/13 03:07 PM
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I use the Orion RACI finder on my Celestron scope and it works fine. Bed sure to order the Orion SCT-style finder shoe since the finder will not fit in the stock Celestron shoe.
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csrlice12
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/22/12
Loc: Denver, CO
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: MikeBOKC]
#5665500 - 02/06/13 03:22 PM
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I use the Orion RACI finder on my Celestron scope and it works fine. Bed sure to order the Orion SCT-style finder shoe since the finder will not fit in the stock Celestron shoe.
I took the 9X50 Orion RACI off my 10XTi and put it onto my 102XLT and it fit fine. Bought another and put it on my dob, same footprint....
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Baxstar
member
Reged: 09/15/12
Loc: The Netherland
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: csrlice12]
#5665612 - 02/06/13 04:31 PM
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Greenlaser is allowed, but at starparties they don't appreciate it that much. So I prefer a finder with a 90degree diagonal. Straigth thru is something I don't like, it hurts my back very much.
Casper
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Markovich
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/22/07
Loc: Central Ohio
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Baxstar]
#5665885 - 02/06/13 07:23 PM
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Stellarvue 50mm finder-solid and optically better than most other findersV
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cliff mygatt
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/27/09
Loc: Kitsap County, WA
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Markovich]
#5666720 - 02/07/13 09:45 AM
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The Antares 7x50 right angle finder with illiminated reticle is a great choice and I have 2. Try scope stuff here. Good Luck!
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TexasRed
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/17/11
Loc: East Texas
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: cliff mygatt]
#5667433 - 02/07/13 04:28 PM
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+1 for the Orion 9x50 RACI. I shine my green laser pointer into the eyepiece for rough aiming of the scope first.
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teskridg
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/15/08
Loc: PA
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: TexasRed]
#5669730 - 02/08/13 08:37 PM
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I like the Telrad. Tim
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wolfman_4_ever
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/15/11
Loc: El Segundo, Ca, So. Cal
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: teskridg]
#5669999 - 02/09/13 12:24 AM
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yes, we call it zenith too..
90degree telrad is nice..
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smallscopefanLeo
sage
Reged: 01/23/11
Loc: L.A., CA (& Home Plate, Mars!)
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: wolfman_4_ever]
#5670039 - 02/09/13 01:33 AM
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Hello Casper,
Have you checked these out yet?
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/index.php/language/de/cat/c12_Finder-Scop...
Clear skies!
Leo
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Baxstar
member
Reged: 09/15/12
Loc: The Netherland
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: smallscopefanLeo]
#5670418 - 02/09/13 10:03 AM
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Yes i did, but I'm not sure what is the best choice for me. So thats why I'm asking you
Casper
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Baxstar]
#5670442 - 02/09/13 10:17 AM
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Yes i did, but I'm not sure what is the best choice for me. So thats why I'm asking you
Casper
Casper:
Do you think you need a magnifying finder?
If you are just using the finder for alignment, a red dot finder maybe a better choice. There is no doubt that a right angle finder is more comfortable than a magnifying straight through finder but if the GOTO doesn't put the alignment star in the field of view of the Right angle finder you are stuck.
A straight through finder can be used with both eyes open much the same way one uses a red dot finder, one eye sees the cross hairs and the other eye sees the star field. Once the star is in the field of view, you close the other eye and center the star with the magnifying finder.
The awkward position of the straight through finder is the problem.. Do you have an adjustable observing chair so you could lower the seat down an view more comfortably when the guide star is near the zenith (you had that one correct)?
Jon
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Cames
sage
Reged: 08/04/08
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Baxstar]
#5670449 - 02/09/13 10:24 AM
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Casper,
Having a finder that produces a correctly oriented image such as one would see in a binocular but that is presented to the observer at a right angle (RACI), is the best accessory that I have ever installed on my telescopes. One with a five-degree (or a little more) field of view is just about right. You are on the right track in my opinion. Here is another site for comparison shopping: AgenaAstro
Even with a 'go-to' mount that doesn't require continual navigation via finderscope, I find it indispensable for seeking out and exploring those nearby objects not listed in the hand-controller's database. I find the confinement of ‘go-to' is like taking a train tour of the night sky – I’m only able to visit the places where the train stops. By comparison, the finderscope can be very liberating when it is comfortable to use; and, hence, my appreciation of the opportunity for right-angle viewing.
I have not found illumination of crosshairs to be essential. It is very rare that I have been in a dark-enough location where I was unable to see my plain crosshairs but YMMV.
One characteristic that surprised me about using my RACI finders is that they do not point well. When seated at my dobsonian telescope (wide aperture, low to the ground), I cannot tell where the finder and telescope are pointing in the dark. That fact makes it difficult for me to get the telescope pointed to a specific object that I can see plainly with my unaided eyes. I overcame my pointing problem by installing a very inexpensive red-dot finder on top of the RACI finder. Problem solved! The ‘pointing’ problem manifests itself to a much lesser degree with my refractor which seems to have its own natural pointing ability.
Were you to find this pointing issue to be a factor in your case, you may find yourself wishing for some type of auxiliary pointing device. And, of course, it wouldn’t help with your initial alignment as much as you expect. On the positive side, it’s not likely to be a show-stopper in the alignment of a refractor on your CGEM. Clear skies to you,
-------
C
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coopman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/23/06
Loc: South Louisiana
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: Cames]
#5670474 - 02/09/13 10:38 AM
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I use the Orion 9x50 RACI in combination with a green laser pointer (which I use first for the rough aim). Some of my refractors, when used with a low power wide field eyepiece, are finders themselves and aiming by sighting down the tube is sufficient.
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teskridg
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/15/08
Loc: PA
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Re: Need advice for a finderscope
[Re: coopman]
#5727027 - 03/11/13 10:32 PM
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I agree that a magnifying finder is ideal for true star-hopping, although a geometric form of manual object finding is possible and works well for me. By this I mean that locating objects based on their geometric relationship with brighter stars is both feasible and very rewarding using a Telrad. The additional advantage to the Telrad for manual location of objects is that the view of the sky through the Telrad is neither reversed nor inverted; also, great little Telrad finder charts are available and the Telrad reticle is used in the Sky and Telescope Sky Atas 2000. I have a hard time going from star to star using other finders, whereas many of you have great success with this traditional technique. Tim
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