Beginner question

[randyshaver]

Hello,

I received the 114EQ-ASTR telescope as a Christmas present. I followed the manual in setting it up and set about looking at the night sky. My question is: Should I see the spider vanes when looking through the eyepiece? If not, what is wrong?

Thanks,
Randy

[Mark Sibole]

During day time observing you will see the m or reflections of the bright light.
During nght time viewing of stars planets and deep space objects you wont or shouldnt notice them at all.

Welcome to the wonderful world of astronomy

Regards

Mark

[randyshaver]

Well, I see the vanes during the day & night. What could be the cause? I'll upload a pic of the scope all set up.


edit: here's the pics

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4387/througheyepiece.jpg
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5572/114eqastr.jpg
Randy

[MistrBadgr]

Hi Randy and welcome!

I have a couple of questions:

There should be a fixed lens in your focuser for the ASTR version.  When you look down into the focuser with no eyepiece in place, do you see this lens?

Which eyepiece are you using when you see the spider, the 25mm or the 9mm?

Thanks,

Bill Steen

[randyshaver]

Bill,

I was editing my post to include the picture when you replied.

That pic is what I see when I look through the focuser without the eyepiece. Also, I need to correct my previous statement as I just double-checked what I see when looking through the lenses with daylight, I see do not see the spiders during day viewing. I only see the spiders at night and with both lenses.

Does this point to a specific issue?

thank you,
Randy

[MistrBadgr]

Randy,

Something sounds a bit odd.  Normally, you might see a black dot in the center of the field during daylight and using the 25mm eyepiece.  I did not see it in mine until I took out the image enhancer or whatever you want to call the fixed barlow/spherical correction lens that is permanently installed in the focuser.  I had the mirror refigured to be parabolic.  I had a big center spot during the daytime.  But, not at night.  I figured it was because my pupil was bigger at night and could see better around the obstruction.

I do not think you should be seeing spider legs at all, unless the telescope is out of focus and you are looking at a star.  Shadows of the whole spider and secondary mirror show up on the defocused star image.  You can use that to get a very good colimation on the telescope.  Just make sure the black dot is centered in the middle of the field.  If the black dot is not centered in the circle made by the star, experiment with small changes in the primary mirror screws until you get the dot centered.

When the telescope is focused to a point where all of the stars are white dots, then you should not be seeing the spider or secondary mirror image at all through an eyepiece.

I think you need to call Meade Customer Support and find out what they think.  The optical tubed may need to be exchanged for another if they do not have an answer.

I can think of only one wild possibility if the fixed lens is in place in the focuser tube.  It is a bit too far fetched to mention without a little physical research on another scope of that type.  This is the first time I have heard of this particular problem.  It will be interesting to find out what the deal is.

I do not have a solution off the top of my head.  All I can give you at present is my sympathy.

Call the Meade people on their 1-800 number.  A real person has been answering within about three or four rings the last few times I have called.

Hope this helps somehow.

Bill Steen

[randyshaver]

I'll give them a try and report back.

thank you.

Randy

[randyshaver]

Well, I talked with customer service this morning and described the problem of seeing the vanes at night and was told to collimate the scope. Then I told the representative about not seeing the vanes during the day and was told...'that shouldn't happen.' So, now I'm wondering if it needs more than to be collimated....

Randy

[MistrBadgr]

This issue is bazaar!

If I had your scope in front of me, I might see something right off, or nothing at all.

The only wild thing I can think of that would be relatively easy to happen in the manufacturing process, is the lens in the focuser getting installed backwards.  I have no clue if the result would be what you are seeing.

Questions: 

When you look at stars at night, can you actually focus on them to the point that you see dots for the stars?  Can you focus on things at a distance, 100 yards or so in the daytime.

If so at night, if you back off of focus, do you see an expanding round spot?  You will see a black spot (secondary mirror) in the middle and your spider legs in the white round spot. 

If you cannot focus stars to a spot and run out of focuser travel, one issue could be the main mirror is ground to the wrong focal length.  My 2114 had a mirror that was perfectly symetrical, but was ground to a 425mm focal length instead of 450.  I would run out of focuser travel.

Let's keep this going and maybe something will turn up.

Bill Steen

[randyshaver]

Thanks for the reply,

I ended up returning the unit. As for your questions, I could not zoom in on a star if it was centered in the focuser, if I did the star would be mostly blocked out by the spider assembly. When I did zoom in though the stars did have dots. I was able to focus on things 100 yards out in the day.

I'm actually looking at buying the Orion XT6 or XT8, which ever I can get cheaper shipping on so I can keep the price under $300.

Thanks again for the assistance on the issue.

Randy

[BABFB]

Can I add a question to this trhead? "Does anyone know, or has heard of any type of light filter for PC monitors to darken a room while using a telescope?"
I do not have a laptop, so with my scopes outside obviously, from time to time I have to run inside. I have 3 monitors. One w/ Meade Night Vision option selected.
The other two are blinding. Any remedy to this situation someone might know of? Now when I go outside my eyes will have to adjust again. Thanks.

[MistrBadgr]

Hi Burt,

I do not know if it would work very well, but you might try with a roll of red celophane from Hobby Lobby, or some other such place.  I used about 10 little circles off of a roll I bought there for maybe three dollars to turn a regular mag light into an astronomy flashlight.  A single layer looks pink with light going through it.  It will probably take several layers taped over the screen.

If you are running in and out, you might buy an eyepatch.  Old time mariners used those on one eye when going back and forth to keep their dark vision in one eye and use the other for daylight.

Best Regards,

Bill Steen

[BABFB]

Knew I could count on you Bill. Actually, I do wear one of my welding caps and keep the bill pulled over my right eye. And it wrks Really well.
I was certainly surprised the first time I tried it. I was just curious as if the astronomy community developed a Red filter for pc monitors
kind of like the privacy screens you can hang on a pc monitor. Only the person directly in front of it can see the screen. Thanks Bill.

[MistrBadgr]

Burt,

After letting things roll around in my head a little, sometimes other thoughts eventually come to the surface.

I think I have seen advertising of screens that could go over a monitor screen.  It is been a few years and I have no idea where I saw it.

The other idea is to cut out a couple pieces of cardboard to make a frame, then sandwich the red cellophane between the two pieces.  Tape it up solid.  Then a couple pieces of tape to hold the frame in front of the screen and you are good to go.  Just change out that couple of pieces of tape from session to session.

Bill