Two Finders Is Better Than One

Discuss any astro equipment that does not have its own forum, such as focusers, finders, chairs, etc.
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Refractordude
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Two Finders Is Better Than One

#1

Post by Refractordude »


I use the red dot finder to get me in the general area, then target/central it with the right angle 8x50 correct image finder. The 8x50 finder has a 5.4 field of view. Very happy with this combo.



https://agenaastro.com/gso-8x50mm-right ... inder.html

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Michael131313 Mexico
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#2

Post by Michael131313 »


I have used the same combo and, yes, it works well. Now I cheat. I use the RACI finder to center Polaris, then set my homemade setting circle to 0 on my Twilight 1 mount, look on Stellarium for the az and alt, set the circle, adjust the inclinometer and I'm there. (I guess I could have made that last sentence two or more.)
ES AR 102 102mm, f/6.5, ES 254mm f/5 DOB, Obie 10x50, GSO SV 30mm, ES 68° 20mm, ES 82° 14mm, 11mm, 8.8 mm, 6.8mm, 4.7mm. Twilight 1 mount.
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#3

Post by bladekeeper »


An excellent combination.

I enjoy this too, though I use a telrad on the dob and a Rigel Quickfinder on the fracs. Same principle though. It works wonderfully!
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Refractordude
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#4

Post by Refractordude »


Michael131313 wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 2:18 am I have used the same combo and, yes, it works well. Now I cheat. I use the RACI finder to center Polaris, then set my homemade setting circle to 0 on my Twilight 1 mount, look on Stellarium for the az and alt, set the circle, adjust the inclinometer and I'm there. (I guess I could have made that last sentence two or more.)
Snipped the info for my astronomy hobby USB disk file. Thanks
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#5

Post by ARock »


+1 for the two finder combo for star hopping.

There are cheaper options to the Orion Y bracket for the budget minded

viewtopic.php?t=1120
AR
Scopes: Zhumell Z8, Meade Adventure 80mm, Bushnell 1300x100 Goto Mak.
Mount: ES EXOS Nano EQ Mount, DIY Arduino+Stepper drives.
AP: 50mm guidescope, AR0130 based guidecam, Canon T3i, UHC filter.
EPs: ES82 18,11,6.7mm, Zhumell 30,9mm FJ Ortho 9mm, assorted plossls, Meade 2x S-F Barlow, DGM NPB filter.
Binos: Celestron Skymaster 15x70 (Albott tripod/monopod), Nikon Naturalist 7x35.
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pakarinen United States of America
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#6

Post by pakarinen »


Michael131313 wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 2:18 am I have used the same combo and, yes, it works well. Now I cheat. I use the RACI finder to center Polaris, then set my homemade setting circle to 0 on my Twilight 1 mount, look on Stellarium for the az and alt, set the circle, adjust the inclinometer and I'm there.

Pretty much what I did before I added encoders to my TW1. It's still my back-up system.
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I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do.
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AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#7

Post by Bigzmey »


Amen! :)
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Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
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Michael131313 Mexico
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#8

Post by Michael131313 »


Pretty much what I did before I added encoders to my TW1. It's still my back-up system.
Thanks Parkerinen. I don't know what encoders are or how you would add them. Could you briefly explain? Thanks a lot.
ES AR 102 102mm, f/6.5, ES 254mm f/5 DOB, Obie 10x50, GSO SV 30mm, ES 68° 20mm, ES 82° 14mm, 11mm, 8.8 mm, 6.8mm, 4.7mm. Twilight 1 mount.
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#9

Post by pakarinen »


Sure, encoders are small analog (usually magnetic, I think) sensors that you install on your mount's Alt and Az or RA and Dec axes that generate an electrical signal when you turn the axis. That signal is fed into digital setting circles of some kind so you get an electronic readout of where your scope is pointed.

I use a WiFi link connected to my decoders that talks to Sky Safari on my iPhone but you can buy units that don't require an interface to planetarium software / tablets / phones.

Some more info below. I use the Nexus II. FWIW.

https://www.astrodevices.com/AllAboutDSCs/index.html
https://www.astrodevices.com/Products/N ... index.html
https://www.astrodevices.com/Products/N ... index.html
=============================================================================
I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do.
=============================================================================
AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#10

Post by Michael131313 »


Thanks very much pakarinen.
ES AR 102 102mm, f/6.5, ES 254mm f/5 DOB, Obie 10x50, GSO SV 30mm, ES 68° 20mm, ES 82° 14mm, 11mm, 8.8 mm, 6.8mm, 4.7mm. Twilight 1 mount.
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#11

Post by Aratus »


A very sensible solution. The 'red dot' is fine for getting into a general area, but cannot see objects invisible to the eye. You may be way off. The spotter can fine tune the telelscope to the object, but matching what is seen through it and the sky generally means you don't really know exactly where you are pointing at. You can easily miss what you are looking for. Together you have the best of both worlds.
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I also use two finders:

#12

Post by Smitty »


I also use the two finder method with my telescopes.
100_1413.JPG

80061654_10219649941497567_5438472776300101632_n.jpg
TELESCOPES:
SkyWatcher 10"/250mm Collapsible Dobsonian:
Celestron 8SE:
Meade NG-60SM 60mm refractor:

GEAR/ACCESSORIES:
Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars:
ZWO ASI120MC-S Camera:

(Formerly known as "Cherokee" on AF)
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#13

Post by kt4hx »


I am yet another proponent of the dual finder scenario. I have been a manual star hopper for decades and utilize a Rigel Quikfinder and 8x50 RACI on all my dobs, 10 inch up to 17.5 inch . I use the QF for aiming at a naked eye visible star near the object field and then the RACI for object field location. In some cases the object itself is visible in the RACI, particularly at the dark site. This combination has done the job for me for a good number of years. :)
Alan

Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
EPs: AT 82° 28mm UWA || TV Ethos 100° 21mm and 13mm || Vixen LVW 65° 22mm ||
ES 82° 18mm || Pentax XW 70° 10mm, 7mm and 5mm || barlows
Filters (2 inch): DGM NPB || Orion Ultra Block, O-III and Sky Glow || Baader HaB
Primary Field Atlases: Uranometria All-Sky Edition and Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas
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"Astronomers, we look into the past to see our future." (me)
"Seeing is in some respect an art, which must be learnt." (William Herschel)
"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean." (Sir Isaac Newton)
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Re: Two Finders Is Better Than One

#14

Post by Gator1PK »


I use a green light laser pointer to get me very close. I have a switch to quickly turn on and off. I make sure there are no airplanes in the general direction of where I’m going to point. (I got tired of getting on my knees or contouring my back trying to look through a POS faulty red dot finder). Then I use the Celestron RACI finderscope to get me in the eyepiece. Works every time.
10400D79-7FB1-4D4E-81A6-F020C0AF43F7.jpeg
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