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Help needed with first scope

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  • 13-11-2010 9:05pm
    #1
    glenbrook
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭


    Hi Folks,

    I am thinking of buying a second hand Dobsonian DTG 8.75 inch Newtonian as a first scope. Trouble is the seller says it has a "view finder" not a 6x30 finder scope, which I thought was standard for this kind of telescope.

    My question is that is a scope like this really usable with just a "viewfinder"?
    The vendor says he has a green laser pointer. Is that a good substitute?

    Thanks for any advice you can give.


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    #2
    slade_x
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 1,425 Mod ✭✭✭✭slade_x


    glenbrook wrote: »
    Hi Folks,

    I am thinking of buying a second hand Dobsonian DTG 8.75 inch Newtonian as a first scope. Trouble is the seller says it has a "view finder" not a 6x30 finder scope, which I thought was standard for this kind of telescope.

    My question is that is a scope like this really usable with just a "viewfinder"?
    The vendor says he has a green laser pointer. Is that a good substitute?

    Thanks for any advice you can give.

    A viewfinder and finderscope are one in the same, a finderscope may be magnified and could even be regarded as a smaller telescope mounted on a much larger telescopes optical tube assembly to facilitate viewfinding and secondary observations

    consumer lasers are novelties that dont seem to work as great as viewfinders as you dont get the same line of sight for the most part. i have a few lasers but only to serve as a pointer, i have once tried to use one as a viewfinder for a telescope but for me wasnt very accurate. i had to make do with a cardboard wraparound to hold the lasers while i mounted it into the finderscope/viewfinder mount


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    #3
    glenbrook
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭glenbrook


    Thanks for your help.
    Turns out it has a tiny view finder maybe jerry rigged from some other scope or rifle. I think I need to get 6x30 or 9x50 to help find DSO.
    The telescope is old, a little battered, very unbalanced possibly because it once had a finder scope attached. However, once I had dusted off the cobwebs and added a counter balance I got fantastic views of Jupiter, equatorial bands and moons. I had expected it to be totally out of collimation.

    The laser is fun, but looks positively dangerous.


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