Spent 2 years aiming my telescope with the finderscope before I learned it wasn't aligned to the main tube

Had Jupiter drift out of frame three times in one session before a guy on the astronomy forum finally told me to check the finderscope screws, and now I can't believe I wasted all those nights fighting with my setup. Has anyone else gone that long without checking their alignment?

2 comments

2 Comments

christopher7131d ago

My neighbor had the same problem for over a year before he figured it out. He was using a laser collimator too, which is supposed to be foolproof, but the finderscope bracket was loose and nobody told him to check it. I actually read something on Cloudy Nights about how most new telescope owners struggle with finderscope alignment because the instruction manual skips that step or buries it in fine print. Once you get those three little screws dialed in, it's like a whole different hobby.

irisg571d ago

Three little screws holding the whole hobby hostage, that's rich. You'd think telescope makers would put a big neon sign on the box saying "CHECK THESE FIRST" but nope, gotta learn the hard way. My first night I spent two hours trying to find Jupiter through the main scope while the finder was pointing at a random tree branch. Felt like I was playing a prank on myself. At least you can laugh about it once you figure it out, right? Still, nothing beats that feeling when you finally get it all lined up and actually see something you were aiming for. Your neighbor must have felt like a genius and an idiot at the same time.