Hello folks there in now a part 2 to this video.. I know quite a few of you have been a little confused of where the star is placed ect. So please have a look at this video and I'm sure it will clear up any further questions you may have. Take care all, clear skies :) th-cam.com/video/Xzus4oA8Ses/w-d-xo.html
Ahhh! Thank you soooo much! I appreciate that this was both super easy for beginners as well as not requiring any new pieces of equipment! Trying to be an astronomer on a budget!
Just got a Celestron 130eq. So without a collimating cap I look through the finder and line everything up. Perfect circles. Then when I put the cap on, the secondary mirror seems totally off and oblong. Am I doing something wrong?
Hello Rob, the cap is placed in the focuser just like you would with a eyepiece , in fact you use the cap just like a eyepiece, but instead of looking at objects in the sky, you can see the inside of the cap and the 2 mirrors of the telescope...Hope this has cleared things up for you :)
Hello Ahmed. Do you mean you are not seeing anything at all? If so, the only thing I can think of is, try making the hole a little larger in the cap, see if that helps. Also make sure you are doing it in the day time in good lighting, and obviously make sure you have removed the main dust cover.
@@smalloptics753 its a collimation cap that came with the telescope and what I see is light only. I am trying to through a window, would the window being open , or doing it outside be better ?
@@AhmedHussain-oc3cx I would try outside, just make sure your telescope is pointing away from the sun... I hard to for me to know exactly what problems you are having without actually looking through your telescope and assessing the situation with my own two eye's, but I will help has much as I can friend.
I'm getting my first ever telescope - an 8 inch dobsonian - very soon. Your videos have been so helpful and explain things so clearly. I don't even have my telescope yet and I feel like it's so simple when you break it down step by step. You clearly have a deep passion for this hobby.
Hello Kev, great to hear your enjoying my channel... Enjoy your new telescope my friend which I'm sure you will as it is often said that a 8" dob is the perfect telescope for both seasoned and beginners in this amazing hobby. Have fun, clear skies 😀
Hello Pax. Yes that is a very good point, I have actually done a video on the dangers of not leveling your telescope when using tools, it's so easy for them to slip from your grip and cause un-reversible damage.
Hello folks, just wanted to let you know there is a facebook group set up by one of my subscribers feel free to come and join in the friendly chat with any questions you might have or just general astro chit-chat. The group is still quite young so we don't have many members at the moment, but hopefully it will grow. If you are new to astronomy and do have questions, remember....There is no such thing as a stupid question :) Take care all, clear skies. SmallOptics Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/223807419299994/?ref=share
New to telescopes, got a skywatcher heritage 130p and your channel is brilliant thank you, only been out 4 times propper at night up to yet seen the moon very clean, Jupiter and 2 of its moons, saturn, and meany stars and comets realy enjoying it cant wait for cold clear nights
I just got my telescope. I am doing something wrong. When I try to look I see my eye reflecting back. The instructions manual was crap. Had been putting it together looking at videos. My telescope looks similar to this one but a different brand. I need help
Al tell thee Jason, I don't know about adjusting the mirrors on a car, maybe it's a bit more like adjusting the mirrors on a car whilst travelling at 50 miles an hour, adjusting it with one hand whilst holding a cheese burger in the other. Apart from that, top advise
I've never collimated mine... been in the car multiple times, crystal clear images.. took it apart and cleaned the mirrors, reassembled and it never collimated... same...
Hi John no matter how much i do collimating on my telescope one of the mirror clips is not visible, the dot is in dead centre just like in this video but one clip will not show and I see blury double vision in the sky
Hi. So if i can't see primary brackets then move secondary away or closer right? With cap on or off ...and then adjust primary after secondary is set...is that right?
Excellent videos Jason. As a first time owner of an 8inch Dob, I first tried out collimating with a laser collimator without much success. Despite following step-by-step with various TH-cam videos. Then I tried out the hole in a cap method and I dare say that it was pretty easy and effective. Thanks.
I'm a new amateur astronomer from Egypt and I really want to thank you for your guidance! I wasn't able to properly collimate my telescope using the laser collimator for the reasons you mentioned in another video. I do have a question however, even though my primary mirror is centered in the secondary, it doesn't completely fit in the view of the secondary mirror. It's almost as if my secondary is too small or something. In your video, you are able to see the full primary mirror with the three brackets, but for me if I center the primary mirror I don't see ANY of them, even though I can tell from the spider that it is centered. Does this mean I could possibly be losing value as I'm not utilizing a part of the primary mirror, since it isn't being fully shown in the secondary? I hope that doesn't mean I'm not doing collimation correctly in the first place. My telescope aperture is 160mm, with 800 focal length. If you could shed light on this I would highly appreciate it! not sure if this video is too old for you to see the comment tho lol. All in all, thanks a ton!
I resolved it! I did some calculations on how big the secondary should be with the guidance of a website article, and found that mine was 5-6 mm smaller than it should be. I now have the bigger secondary and I can see the mirror clips =)
Very well illustrated video, Jason. I really good guide for beginners! Indeed, never buy a uncollimatable laser collimator, you might as well put your money straight down a drain. With Newtonians I usually give the secondary a very quick check and just star test on Polaris as it doesn't move so its easy to keep in the centre of a high power eyepiece. I've just literally received an 8" Ritchey Chretien through the post and I think I'll need to break out the Chesire for that one.
Hey Chris, Thanks buddy. Wow you got an RC....Nice. Hope there is going to be a video? We could always swap, I've got a 130 with a broken secondary with deluxe PHILLIPS collimation screws if your interested. lol.
I use a hotech laser collimator to get it close, then I double check with a cheshire/sight tube or star test to double check, usually spot on or very close. I have a truss so even the secondary needs tweeking everytime
New subscriber and bought my first telescope earlier this year. Thanks for what you do, you're videos and insights have been extremely helpful and have made this journey much more enjoyable thus far!
Hello Ranga, your welcome my friend. The star sticker is on the centre of the primary mirror, if you take a look at this video you will see where it is placed th-cam.com/video/RzBh9yZyVG0/w-d-xo.html also if your don't know how to place a centre spot/sticker take a look at this video th-cam.com/video/4gpMuQrgyJo/w-d-xo.html Hope this helps. Take care, clear skies
This is a very helpful video, I too use a collimator cap. I'm three years into Astronomy and this is the clearest guide to collimation I've seen so far. Thanks!
Hello Robert, your welcome. ha ha ha well observed, I was wondering when somebody was going to point that out, yes your right, guitar is another passion of mine. :)
Hey Mate; good job. I teach communications at the university level and have done a great deal of video communications. I must say you have done a wonderful job without all the fancy (and expensive) graphics we have now-a-days. So Congrats, and keep them coming. (I am a rank amateur and appreciate all the info)
Very informative video, thanks!! My million dollar question: when looking into the eyepiece, do you stand at a 90 deg angle to the tube? If i do, the image i see is tilted about 30-degrees or so. Is that normal? 🤔 Edit: my amazon scope does not have those bands around the tube like yours has, so i can't adjust it that way.
It has been decades since I got my first Newt. I was a wee lad, and found that I could collimate acceptably well with the Mark 1, eyeball. Would a full collimation suite have been better? Almost certainly, but for visual observation, I certainly got tolerable results. I had no problem seeing the distinct dots of Jupiter's Galilean moons, and even distinguished the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings. My new (to me) telescope is considerably larger than the one I had as a kid (tough still comfortably in the "beginner range"), and disappointingly it came mounted on a horrible fork mount, much too light for a scope of its size. Not to worry, though, I will be constructing a much more stable mount, just as I did with my first 'scope. This time, I will go with a Dobsonian. I recall the satisfaction I felt improving my first scope, and look forward to achieving the same satisfaction yet again!
I think I need to watch most of your videos before I start operating my first telescope. It's the Celestron 8in Newt on AVX mount. Im a complete beginner and Im still kinda anxious on setting uo my telescope :>
Hello KikyoMiko..Please do my friend, nearly all of my videos are for the beginner I'm sure you will find something to help you along on this amazing hobby... Congrats on buying probably the perfect size telescope, 8" is the only size you will ever need. There is not a lot of Astro objects you can't see with a 8" scope... You are doing the right thing doing a little research before using it but don't be anxious just get out there and enjoy it..Have fun, clear skies ☺️🌙🔭
I just received a Celestron 5" reflector today. I had heard that collimation might be necessary. I'm a bit concerned with the sticker on the primary mirror? I will take a look at the second video so, if this question is answered there, nevermind. Is it not a problem to stick something to the primary mirror?
Smashed it , but as a rookie I don’t even know what I am supposed to check with my national geographic reflector , before I start tweaking the star shaped screws , how do I know if the reflector is tuned ? Do I must collimate a 2nd hand reflector
I am attempting to collimate my scope and have hit a big problem. I can`t undo the locking screw on the secondary mirror. I have tried blocking the tube behind the secondary mirror with kitchen roll. Then spraying the screw with WD40 without success. Any advice much appreciated.
You say: the circles should be concentric, but I can see clearly that the circle of the secondary is not concentric with the other circles. This is probably has to do with offsetting the secondary, but if that is the case then I don't understand your explanation of the collimation process.
I just bought my wife a 5" newtonian and the image just wasn't clear. Stars could not be focused to a point. I used this method to collimate it. I made the collimation cap myself from the stock plastic cap. The secondary was mounted too deep and not in alignment with the eyepiece so I had to move it as far up as it would go just to get the full reflection of the primary. Then I adjusted the secondary so the circle on the primary was centered and then adjusted the primary until the collimation cap reflection was centered on the primary circle. Everything was lined up so that should be it, right? Well we tested it on Saturn and Jupiter and WOW! All 4 Galilean moons were pinpoint sharp. 4 cloud bands were visible (2 came and went with the seeing). Saturn had 2 moons visible and the shadow of the rings was sharp. The image was so clear and detailed it's hard to believe it's the same scope. I have to mention that this was with my Teleview eyepieces, not the junk ones that came with the scope.
Ive been trying and trying and I just messed up even more. Now everything is blurry, and theres no astronomu clubs where I live. I dunno, maybe my secondary is too far left or right, or its angle is all messed up... I have a collimation cap, a crappy cheshire ans even dared to take out and put a little dot in the center ( its not perfectly center but close enough for getting at least SOME positive results ) The nights are getting darker, and Im so sad :(
Jason, I need some help, I have built an telescope. and I cannot get it in focus. I have a 6 inch mirror with 150mm focal length. I have roughly columnated it but nothing is in focus. Is there a good way to tell if my focal length off? My eye in the focal tube is out of focus is this right? If I pull my head back from the focuser my eye comes into focus. Does that mean my focal length is too short? I put a dot on ,my main mirror and that is nicely centered. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
With a cap I can line up a smartphone camera with the axis of the pinhole, take a photo and load it into a free app called screen ruler (iOS). It's got a protractor tool which I can move/zoom to see how centered the secondary is in relation to the focuser (and see if the secondary isn't round) as well as line up the primary with the reflection of the washer on the back of the cap.
I have just tightened all the locking screws after hrs of trying to preform a collimation Of a Celestron 114az that my wife bought me for my birthday. I watched a few videos but found this one the most useful. The scope worked out of the bow but it was obvious there was miss alignment as there was an arc missing from the primary mirror. Others are saying to upgrade from standard eyepiece/lenses as they are trash? Recommendations/advise? Thanks
Hello March Hare, pleased to hear you my video helped you. Upgrading your stock eyepieces is always a good idea and will improve your overall views. The thing is, eyepieces that are provided with telescopes are just to get you going, think of them a bit like batteries that are supplied with electrical products, they are not that good and later on you would replace them with better ones. Most telescopes come with two eyepieces a high and low power usally round about a 10mm high and a 25mm low. It's the high power eyepiece that needs replacing, the low power ones are usally ok as they are not that demanding on the telescope. A good first upgrade is a plossl (that is the design of the eyepiece) I would recommend a 12-15mm Plossl, they are a good all-rounder and will work well with a barlow. You can get a plossl for around £25-30. If you need further help on collimating your telescope feel free to email me and I will help as much as I can. Take care, clear skies :) smalloptics@gmail.com
Was trying to collimate my dob telescope and just messed it up big. Honest the telescope both mirrors are all over the place and completely loss . Am using the collimate eyepiece u have in ur hand. I just don’t know where to start
The milking stool analogy doesn't take positioning along the Z axis into account. You can only correct the angle by turning two screws, but you can't correct the position. If it is out of position, you end up trying to adjust/compensate to a wrong angle in a futile attempt to get it right.
After watching both your videos about collimation without a laser I agree that not relying on a laser makes sense. What doesn't make sense to me is why you have not made a video using a cheshire like the one you showed in the picture. Seems to me that a cheshire instruction would be very helpful to many people.
My telescope's primary mirror is not parabolic so it needs another domed lens at the bottom of the focuser tube to sort of achieve single focal point at the eye-piece, but not really. Using a collimating laser is therefore useless because at the end on the target spot it's not a single dot anymore but elongated type beam.. Collimation cap I'm sure will be far superior in calibration of this bottom of bargain bin telescope, great vid, thanks.
iiiiinteresting.... would it be safe to assume that if i can't collimate during the day using the cap (get to location too late), i can just use the second method with similar results?
12:43 my telescope that centre mirror thing is off centre like huge and i can see scope part inside moving when use focus like you have on top maybe but mine move allmost centre so what i need aling. whole thing that hold mirror or back mirror? yes its cheap 100 buck telescope i found trash lol mayby its there for reason xD all right i removed bottom mirror and try without screw so it can move that mirror piece siluette to centre so need alight it with those skrews 3 is holding and 3 is tilting it
I just came to the realization that my laser collimator is crap. Used it, looked in, and everything was way off. I’m doing it like you from now on. Thanks for the video
Great video but I have a question where or on what did you put the star on, I mean was it on the wall or the telescope, and if on the telescope then on which part ?
Hello there friend, Thank you. The star is on the mirror. I use a star sticker as a centre spot instead of a circle that is usually on a mirror. It doesn't matter whether it's a spot, circle, triangle or a star as long as it is placed precisely in the centre of the mirror you can collimate using this method. Hope this has cleared things up for you.
I’d only use the ring from a paper reinforcement. if you use a star you will limit your ability to use a laser in the future as the star wouldn’t make a great reflective surface. Edit: or anything with a open centre. I’d hole punch the star first to save yourself the hassle or removing it in the future.
On your laser collimation device, if you notice the 3 dimples around it at the battery end. If you dig that glue out of those holes, there's a hex key set screw in each one of those holes that allow you to collimate the laser beam to the body of the device (I've seen a few videos on collimating your laser on TH-cam). I've done mine and now the laser is spot on centered. I don't know why some companies think there products are so good that they never need adjusted after they leave they factory (and they fill the screw holes) but, usually they do need adjusted in my experience. Especially when you first get it after it has been bounced around during shipping.
I've heard that when you collimate that you need to make sure all brackets are visible meaning in some cases all three are not, I've made a collimation cap by putting a hole at the very center of a focuser dust cap + used aluminium foil as a reflective surface at the back and find that no matter how much I turn the allen screws on the secondary mirror (without it disengaging from the telescope), the brackets wont move + are all always visible. Is there a reason for that, or is that normal meaning I just need to line up the secondary mirror and its veins to be as even as I can without any proper guideline?
Very nice informative video. I have an 8-inch Reflector Telescope and the secondary mirror's supports (spider) and adjustments looks very similar to your telescope. I understand this would be extremely rare but how would you test and adjust if the secondary mirror was not at the correct depth in the telescope tube? Hope I said the correctly. Again thanks for the great video and information.
Thank you friend. I think I understand what you mean. The centre adjustment screw on the spider will also adjust how far in and out of the tube the secondary mirror is positioned, it wants to be directly underneath the focusr tube. As long as you are getting concentric circles like I show in the video, the secondary will be positioned correctly. Hope that answers your question.
I don't know if anyone will read this, but when working on the secondary mirror... do you need to lose the center screw before messing with the collimation screws? I can't get my center screw loose without loosening the collimation screws
@zascruyt hello there. Yes.. sometimes you do need to loosen the centre 2nd mirror screw but only a tiny bit just enough so you can adjust the collimation screws the main centre screw is a locking screw so make sure its tight after adjustment.. Hope this helps.
I'm new. 1st question: Where can I get the components to make a Collimation cap? 2nd question: Then what? Where do I put the Collimation cap? Did I miss something?
Hello Rick. A cap can be made from a eyepiece dust cover and it is then placed in the focuser like you would a eyepiece. You then look through the pinhole in the cap to collimate. Hope this has helped clear things up for you.
@@smalloptics753 wish you had showed your diy cap in the holder.. im having a NIGHTMARE trying to collimate my scope.. just bought a laser collimator.. waste of time.. should have known.. had one before,, didnt work then either.. same scope, same collimator .. cant get it to focus clearly.. (The Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ ) so looking at other collimation methods.. so what should i buy ? dont want to make a cap.. never trust my own work.. about had it with this bloody scope.. might just get a decent refractor.. its on its last warning or im going to smash it up and bin it ,, LOL.. its been frustrating me for years ! a link to amazon or wherever would be nice cheers Rob :O)
@@RobBob555 Oh dear Rob I feel your frustration buddy, don't give, you will get there...Deep breaths...Lol.. Have you tried a Cheshire eyepiece? I will leave a link for you. without actually been there to show you how it's hard to pinpoint your confusion. I would honestly have a go at making a collimation cap they are really easy to make just make sure the hole is bang centre. Btw, they fit into the focuser just like any eyepiece or dust cap....Really hope you can sort it pal....Be patient...you'll get there..Good luck : ) www.amazon.co.uk/Kalttoy-Collimating-Eyepiece-Newtonian-Telescopes/dp/B07K54BZXS/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=cheshire+eyepiece&link_code=qs&qid=1615143847&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-4
@@smalloptics753 thanks mate.. yes its a pain LOL i also have a Meade 800mm 70mm refractor , it aint much, but its something..nice clear views.. but want to get the Newtonian working..never have managed to get it to focus properly.. so just dumped it in the shed..2 years later, ive dug it out, cleaned it, and having the same issues as why it put it in there LOL thanks for the link but i dont buy from 3rd part sellers on Amazon. would this be ok ? it mentions refractor tho ? cheers www.amazon.co.uk/Mugast-Calibration-Astronomical-Telescope-Refracting-default/dp/B07VL1C5TC/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=cheshire+eyepiece&qid=1615148420&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sr=8-9
One thing I just don't understand is: where do you place the collimation cap???? to me it looks like you slapped the star sticker on some air particles and it is now floating there. I plan to get an 8"" dobsonian eventually cause that seems like a resaonable upgrade to my 60mm refractor currently but this makes me put off, it doesn't seem easy at all If I have to go out of my way to be a craftsman.
Hello Ridley, the cap is used exactly like an eyepiece.. You put it in the focuser.. Please don't be put off buying a 8" telescope once you understand the process of collimation you will realise how easy it is.. Stay tuned friend as I am going to be doing some lives here on TH-cam all about collimation and will be happy to answer any questions you may have on the subject. I got you buddy.
How do I mark the middle of my lens like you did with a star? My telescope doesn't have any center point marked anywhere. I'm VERY new to this so excuse my ignorance.
May I ask for an how-to about collimating using a Cheshire? I am at that point you show at 11:18, but can't, for the life of me figure out the screws. Try as I might, The mirror barely moves...
Hello there.. Not been able to adjust the mirror usually due to the adjustment screws been fastened down to there max meaning the is no room for adjustment.. First loosen off the locking screws then make sure all the adjustment screws are in half way so they have room to move in and out and this should hopefully solve your problem.. I will be doing another video on different methods of collimation and the Cheshire will be one of them.. So stay tuned.. Hope you can sort it out my friend. Good luck. :)
That collimater absolutely does have the ability to be itself collimated. The adjustment is under the three divots that are filled with material. Mine came absolutely true and didnt need adjustment. The instructions to collimate the laser are on the amazon web site where i bought it.
Hi Dave, Your probably right, but I will always favour this method of collimating. In my opinion laser's are no good for entry-level focuses, you need compression ring focuses to be of any use.
Sorry for the late reply my friend, the star is on the centre of the primary mirror (the big mirror at the bottom) I use a sticker of a star instead of a circle which is what a lot of other telescopes usually have. I have made a part 2 video which answers a lot of questions that a lot of people have been asking about this video. Here's a link to part 2 which should hopefully clear things up for you :) th-cam.com/video/Xzus4oA8Ses/w-d-xo.html
Hello Jason, I use a star sometimes instead of the normal doughnut circle design because I find it easier to see when doing the 'Cap' method of collimation. As to how it's placed there check out this video that I did on the subject. th-cam.com/video/4gpMuQrgyJo/w-d-xo.html
I just got my telescope. It’s a 114 EQASB whatever that means. I purchased it from the thrift store. It did not come with an eyepiece in the focused. I managed to find a Meade MA 25 mm and MA 9 mm lenses on eBay. Because I don’t know anything about telescopes I don’t know the difference between an eyepiece , a barlow lens, and these lenses I purchased on eBay. Now I’m trying to follow the videos online about how to collate a telescope. I’ve been looking at Jason’s offerings and they are helpful but I don’t see what he sees when he looks in his telescope. I don’t see the three clips holding on the primary mirror. I do see the spider in the middle of the screen. I also see what looks like a square rectangular out, cropping into the view, which appears to be the secondary lens. I’m not sure whether I should be seeing that or not. Also my focuser has a telescopic insert that I can slide in and out like a handheld telescope used by ship captains. Jason’s videos does not show this at all. I’m lost in the weeds with all of this stuff. I sure could use some help.
Hi there. I just discovered your channel recently, and I really enjoy your videos. I enjoy your choice of topics, and your videos on how to find objects in the night sky. You really put a lot of effort in to describing the subject matter of your videos which I really enjoy. You don't rush. To many people on other channels really breeze thru what ever they are describing, not thinking that not everyone out there has been observing for years and years. I have subscribed to your channel, and look forward to your future videos.
Can anybody tell me if it's better to collimate with the eyepiece focuser extended all the way or not? Or if it even makes any difference either way... I'd appreciate it
@TruthIsARuin Hello there. It's better to have the focuser racked all the way in because some Focuses (not all) do go out of alignment from the main tube a little when fully extended.. Hope this helps.
hi Jason, i have the same scope, get these thumbscrews for cheap.. perfect fit mate M5x16x20 no more messing with philips screws much cheaper than "Bobs Knobs"
Hey Rob, I was thinking of replacing them with something more practical, but to be honest I very rarely have to collimate this scope it holds collimation pretty well. I think if I was travelling a lot with it, like taking in the car to darker locations then I would probably replace them. Thanks Rob, take care buddy :)
@@smalloptics753 well, i will be taking mine out and about in the motorhome ( whenever lockdown is away ) so yeah, it is very necessary for me, TBH i think it looks a lot better too lol.. but i used 3 wing nuts from the tray ( they are M5 too) as they look and feel different from the adjustment screws, (no mixing them up ) on the tray itself, i replaced them with the extra new thumbscrews as you get 10 :O) cheers ps, anyone looking, search amazon uk for " sourcing map M5 x 20mm Male Thread Knurled Clamping Knobs Grip Thumb Screw on Type Round Head 10 Pcs " as link not working here. they are £7.19 for 10
Hello folks there in now a part 2 to this video.. I know quite a few of you have been a little confused of where the star is placed ect. So please have a look at this video and I'm sure it will clear up any further questions you may have. Take care all, clear skies :)
th-cam.com/video/Xzus4oA8Ses/w-d-xo.html
Thanks. How important is the secondary mirror centered in the focuser? Mine rotated
Ahhh! Thank you soooo much! I appreciate that this was both super easy for beginners as well as not requiring any new pieces of equipment! Trying to be an astronomer on a budget!
Hello Anna, your more than welcome.. Welcome to the hobby :)
Just got a Celestron 130eq. So without a collimating cap I look through the finder and line everything up. Perfect circles. Then when I put the cap on, the secondary mirror seems totally off and oblong. Am I doing something wrong?
I can tell from your nails you play guitar. ;) Thanks for the helpful video!
Hello Suzanne, your more than welcome. Yes guitar is another passion of mine 🙂
Confused. Where did you place the cap?
Hello Rob, the cap is placed in the focuser just like you would with a eyepiece , in fact you use the cap just like a eyepiece, but instead of looking at objects in the sky, you can see the inside of the cap and the 2 mirrors of the telescope...Hope this has cleared things up for you :)
Hi, when I put in the collimation cap, I do not see the lines, what am I supposed to do ?
Hello Ahmed. Do you mean you are not seeing anything at all? If so, the only thing I can think of is, try making the hole a little larger in the cap, see if that helps. Also make sure you are doing it in the day time in good lighting, and obviously make sure you have removed the main dust cover.
@@smalloptics753 its a collimation cap that came with the telescope and what I see is light only. I am trying to through a window, would the window being open , or doing it outside be better ?
@@AhmedHussain-oc3cx I would try outside, just make sure your telescope is pointing away from the sun... I hard to for me to know exactly what problems you are having without actually looking through your telescope and assessing the situation with my own two eye's, but I will help has much as I can friend.
@@smalloptics753 I will try that and let you know. Thank you for your help
@@AhmedHussain-oc3cx Please do..Your more than welcome :)
I'm getting my first ever telescope - an 8 inch dobsonian - very soon. Your videos have been so helpful and explain things so clearly. I don't even have my telescope yet and I feel like it's so simple when you break it down step by step. You clearly have a deep passion for this hobby.
Hello Kev, great to hear your enjoying my channel...
Enjoy your new telescope my friend which I'm sure you will as it is often said that a 8" dob is the perfect telescope for both seasoned and beginners in this amazing hobby. Have fun, clear skies 😀
How is it?
Did you get the Skywatcher Skyliner 200p?
Also mention that when working on your telescope, it's a good idea to keep it level. Lest you drop a tool on your primary mirror.
Hello Pax. Yes that is a very good point, I have actually done a video on the dangers of not leveling your telescope when using tools, it's so easy for them to slip from your grip and cause un-reversible damage.
Hello folks, just wanted to let you know there is a facebook group set up by one of my subscribers feel free to come and join in the friendly chat with any questions you might have or just general astro chit-chat. The group is still quite young so we don't have many members at the moment, but hopefully it will grow. If you are new to astronomy and do have questions, remember....There is no such thing as a stupid question :) Take care all, clear skies.
SmallOptics Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/223807419299994/?ref=share
New to telescopes, got a skywatcher heritage 130p and your channel is brilliant thank you, only been out 4 times propper at night up to yet seen the moon very clean, Jupiter and 2 of its moons, saturn, and meany stars and comets realy enjoying it cant wait for cold clear nights
Thank you so much for the tutorial, I had to subscribe. I'm very glad I found your channel before buying a laser!
Hi Jack, your welcome my friend, Thank you for your support. Take care, clear skies.
Some of the best tutorial and advice videos out there. Thank you!
Your more than welcome friend :)
I just got my telescope. I am doing something wrong. When I try to look I see my eye reflecting back. The instructions manual was crap. Had been putting it together looking at videos. My telescope looks similar to this one but a different brand. I need help
Al tell thee Jason, I don't know about adjusting the mirrors on a car, maybe it's a bit more like adjusting the mirrors on a car whilst travelling at 50 miles an hour, adjusting it with one hand whilst holding a cheese burger in the other. Apart from that, top advise
I've never collimated mine... been in the car multiple times, crystal clear images.. took it apart and cleaned the mirrors, reassembled and it never collimated... same...
Hi John no matter how much i do collimating on my telescope one of the mirror clips is not visible, the dot is in dead centre just like in this video but one clip will not show and I see blury double vision in the sky
Hi. So if i can't see primary brackets then move secondary away or closer right? With cap on or off ...and then adjust primary after secondary is set...is that right?
Excellent videos Jason. As a first time owner of an 8inch Dob, I first tried out collimating with a laser collimator without much success. Despite following step-by-step with various TH-cam videos. Then I tried out the hole in a cap method and I dare say that it was pretty easy and effective. Thanks.
Your more than welcome friend :)
I'm a new amateur astronomer from Egypt and I really want to thank you for your guidance! I wasn't able to properly collimate my telescope using the laser collimator for the reasons you mentioned in another video. I do have a question however, even though my primary mirror is centered in the secondary, it doesn't completely fit in the view of the secondary mirror. It's almost as if my secondary is too small or something. In your video, you are able to see the full primary mirror with the three brackets, but for me if I center the primary mirror I don't see ANY of them, even though I can tell from the spider that it is centered. Does this mean I could possibly be losing value as I'm not utilizing a part of the primary mirror, since it isn't being fully shown in the secondary? I hope that doesn't mean I'm not doing collimation correctly in the first place. My telescope aperture is 160mm, with 800 focal length. If you could shed light on this I would highly appreciate it! not sure if this video is too old for you to see the comment tho lol. All in all, thanks a ton!
I resolved it! I did some calculations on how big the secondary should be with the guidance of a website article, and found that mine was 5-6 mm smaller than it should be. I now have the bigger secondary and I can see the mirror clips =)
Very well illustrated video, Jason. I really good guide for beginners! Indeed, never buy a uncollimatable laser collimator, you might as well put your money straight down a drain. With Newtonians I usually give the secondary a very quick check and just star test on Polaris as it doesn't move so its easy to keep in the centre of a high power eyepiece. I've just literally received an 8" Ritchey Chretien through the post and I think I'll need to break out the Chesire for that one.
Hey Chris, Thanks buddy. Wow you got an RC....Nice. Hope there is going to be a video? We could always swap, I've got a 130 with a broken secondary with deluxe PHILLIPS collimation screws if your interested. lol.
@@smalloptics753 lol Deluxe Phillips collimation screws :D It's a deal! Yeah off course I'll do a video, this is me we're talking about here :D
ive been putting off buying a reflector because collimation sounded scary. Now i realize it is quite easy 😭
Took me 30 hours to collimate mine but finally got it.
I use a hotech laser collimator to get it close, then I double check with a cheshire/sight tube or star test to double check, usually spot on or very close. I have a truss so even the secondary needs tweeking everytime
New subscriber and bought my first telescope earlier this year. Thanks for what you do, you're videos and insights have been extremely helpful and have made this journey much more enjoyable thus far!
Hello friend, fantastic to hear you are more than welcome 🙂
Very informative and easy to understand video. Thanks! My only question is where do we place the star sticker?
Hello Ranga, your welcome my friend. The star sticker is on the centre of the primary mirror, if you take a look at this video you will see where it is placed th-cam.com/video/RzBh9yZyVG0/w-d-xo.html also if your don't know how to place a centre spot/sticker take a look at this video th-cam.com/video/4gpMuQrgyJo/w-d-xo.html Hope this helps. Take care, clear skies
This is a very helpful video, I too use a collimator cap. I'm three years into Astronomy and this is the clearest guide to collimation I've seen so far. Thanks!
Yep! I created a simple collimation cap with a shiny interior as Jason described, and it made collimation easy & precise.
This was great! Thank you! You must be a guitarist like me ... fingernails on one hand only. :-)
Hello Robert, your welcome. ha ha ha well observed, I was wondering when somebody was going to point that out, yes your right, guitar is another passion of mine. :)
just did a major pull down and clean of the 8 inch dob, which included removing the spider... i remembered this video from you and glad i did 🌟🔭👍
Fantastic video!
thank you so much!!! :p
Hey Mate; good job. I teach communications at the university level and have done a great deal of video communications. I must say you have done a wonderful job without all the fancy (and expensive) graphics we have now-a-days. So Congrats, and keep them coming. (I am a rank amateur and appreciate all the info)
Hello there friend, Thank you for your encouraging and kind words, very much appreciated. Take care :)
Very informative video, thanks!!
My million dollar question: when looking into the eyepiece, do you stand at a 90 deg angle to the tube? If i do, the image i see is tilted about 30-degrees or so. Is that normal? 🤔
Edit: my amazon scope does not have those bands around the tube like yours has, so i can't adjust it that way.
It has been decades since I got my first Newt. I was a wee lad, and found that I could collimate acceptably well with the Mark 1, eyeball. Would a full collimation suite have been better? Almost certainly, but for visual observation, I certainly got tolerable results. I had no problem seeing the distinct dots of Jupiter's Galilean moons, and even distinguished the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings.
My new (to me) telescope is considerably larger than the one I had as a kid (tough still comfortably in the "beginner range"), and disappointingly it came mounted on a horrible fork mount, much too light for a scope of its size. Not to worry, though, I will be constructing a much more stable mount, just as I did with my first 'scope. This time, I will go with a Dobsonian. I recall the satisfaction I felt improving my first scope, and look forward to achieving the same satisfaction yet again!
I think I need to watch most of your videos before I start operating my first telescope. It's the Celestron 8in Newt on AVX mount. Im a complete beginner and Im still kinda anxious on setting uo my telescope :>
Hello KikyoMiko..Please do my friend, nearly all of my videos are for the beginner I'm sure you will find something to help you along on this amazing hobby... Congrats on buying probably the perfect size telescope, 8" is the only size you will ever need. There is not a lot of Astro objects you can't see with a 8" scope... You are doing the right thing doing a little research before using it but don't be anxious just get out there and enjoy it..Have fun, clear skies ☺️🌙🔭
I just received a Celestron 5" reflector today. I had heard that collimation might be necessary. I'm a bit concerned with the sticker on the primary mirror? I will take a look at the second video so, if this question is answered there, nevermind. Is it not a problem to stick something to the primary mirror?
Smashed it , but as a rookie I don’t even know what I am supposed to check with my national geographic reflector , before I start tweaking the star shaped screws , how do I know if the reflector is tuned ? Do I must collimate a 2nd hand reflector
I am attempting to collimate my scope and have hit a big problem. I can`t undo the locking screw on the secondary mirror. I have tried blocking the tube behind the secondary mirror with kitchen roll. Then spraying the screw with WD40 without success. Any advice much appreciated.
So it's real easy to collimate a telescope but it's a huge job to collimate a laser? Just buy one with collimation screws and it's a 2 minute job.
You say: the circles should be concentric, but I can see clearly that the circle of the secondary is not concentric with the other circles.
This is probably has to do with offsetting the secondary, but if that is the case then I don't understand your explanation of the collimation process.
Alright lads, get out there and collimate!!! 🎯🔭
(Just be careful to pick nose with left hand vs. the right one though!) 😉
(👉🏻👃🏻⚠)
I just bought my wife a 5" newtonian and the image just wasn't clear. Stars could not be focused to a point. I used this method to collimate it. I made the collimation cap myself from the stock plastic cap. The secondary was mounted too deep and not in alignment with the eyepiece so I had to move it as far up as it would go just to get the full reflection of the primary. Then I adjusted the secondary so the circle on the primary was centered and then adjusted the primary until the collimation cap reflection was centered on the primary circle. Everything was lined up so that should be it, right? Well we tested it on Saturn and Jupiter and WOW! All 4 Galilean moons were pinpoint sharp. 4 cloud bands were visible (2 came and went with the seeing). Saturn had 2 moons visible and the shadow of the rings was sharp. The image was so clear and detailed it's hard to believe it's the same scope. I have to mention that this was with my Teleview eyepieces, not the junk ones that came with the scope.
Ive been trying and trying and I just messed up even more. Now everything is blurry, and theres no astronomu clubs where I live.
I dunno, maybe my secondary is too far left or right, or its angle is all messed up...
I have a collimation cap, a crappy cheshire ans even dared to take out and put a little dot in the center ( its not perfectly center but close enough for getting at least SOME positive results )
The nights are getting darker, and Im so sad :(
I'd get rid of those Phillips adjustment screws from day 1 and replace them with thumb screws
Jason, I need some help, I have built an telescope. and I cannot get it in focus. I have a 6 inch mirror with 150mm focal length. I have roughly columnated it but nothing is in focus. Is there a good way to tell if my focal length off? My eye in the focal tube is out of focus is this right? If I pull my head back from the focuser my eye comes into focus. Does that mean my focal length is too short? I put a dot on ,my main mirror and that is nicely centered. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
With a cap I can line up a smartphone camera with the axis of the pinhole, take a photo and load it into a free app called screen ruler (iOS). It's got a protractor tool which I can move/zoom to see how centered the secondary is in relation to the focuser (and see if the secondary isn't round) as well as line up the primary with the reflection of the washer on the back of the cap.
I have just tightened all the locking screws after hrs of trying to preform a collimation
Of a Celestron 114az that my wife bought me for my birthday. I watched a few videos but found this one the most useful. The scope worked out of the bow but it was obvious there was miss alignment as there was an arc missing from the primary mirror. Others are saying to upgrade from standard eyepiece/lenses as they are trash? Recommendations/advise? Thanks
Hello March Hare, pleased to hear you my video helped you. Upgrading your stock eyepieces is always a good idea and will improve your overall views. The thing is, eyepieces that are provided with telescopes are just to get you going, think of them a bit like batteries that are supplied with electrical products, they are not that good and later on you would replace them with better ones. Most telescopes come with two eyepieces a high and low power usally round about a 10mm high and a 25mm low. It's the high power eyepiece that needs replacing, the low power ones are usally ok as they are not that demanding on the telescope. A good first upgrade is a plossl (that is the design of the eyepiece) I would recommend a 12-15mm Plossl, they are a good all-rounder and will work well with a barlow. You can get a plossl for around £25-30. If you need further help on collimating your telescope feel free to email me and I will help as much as I can. Take care, clear skies :) smalloptics@gmail.com
Hello i have question what happens if you accidentally remove the secure screws from back of primary mirror ?
Was trying to collimate my dob telescope and just messed it up big. Honest the telescope both mirrors are all over the place and completely loss . Am using the collimate eyepiece u have in ur hand. I just don’t know where to start
The milking stool analogy doesn't take positioning along the Z axis into account. You can only correct the angle by turning two screws, but you can't correct the position. If it is out of position, you end up trying to adjust/compensate to a wrong angle in a futile attempt to get it right.
After watching both your videos about collimation without a laser I agree that not relying on a laser makes sense. What doesn't make sense to me is why you have not made a video using a cheshire like the one you showed in the picture. Seems to me that a cheshire instruction would be very helpful to many people.
My telescope's primary mirror is not parabolic so it needs another domed lens at the bottom of the focuser tube to sort of achieve single focal point at the eye-piece, but not really. Using a collimating laser is therefore useless because at the end on the target spot it's not a single dot anymore but elongated type beam.. Collimation cap I'm sure will be far superior in calibration of this bottom of bargain bin telescope, great vid, thanks.
Thank you so much sir for the video 😀
I didn't know about the collimation cap untill now ,haha
will definitely try it out ❤️
Hey Mubarak, Your welcome friend, yes I've used collimation caps for years they are cheap and easy to make and use, better than them awful lasers lol.
lol - laser needs collimation. mine isnt. it draws about 1.5" diameter circle on my 12" primary. 🧐
iiiiinteresting.... would it be safe to assume that if i can't collimate during the day using the cap (get to location too late), i can just use the second method with similar results?
Thanksfully the Heritage 150p came with a collimation cap
Thank you sir, very good and useful explanation!!
Easy?Not to me...I had to remove the main mirror to clean it.. wonder if there are some professionals who offer some collimation?
12:43 my telescope that centre mirror thing is off centre like huge and i can see scope part inside moving when use focus like you have on top maybe but mine move allmost centre so what i need aling. whole thing that hold mirror or back mirror? yes its cheap 100 buck telescope i found trash lol mayby its there for reason xD all right i removed bottom mirror and try without screw so it can move that mirror piece siluette to centre
so need alight it with those skrews 3 is holding and 3 is tilting it
Thanks for the video, still need help, so I have the concentric circles through the eyepice but when I place the lens I only see a white blu...r??
Hello JD, I'm not quite sure what you mean, Is it the star test that you not sure of?
Although a long-winded he’s my go-to guy for help. (Cool accent).
Thanks for your tips, i hope i can do by myself cuz is really expensive
I just came to the realization that my laser collimator is crap. Used it, looked in, and everything was way off. I’m doing it like you from now on. Thanks for the video
14:00 do i understand this right, it's the secendary (smaller) mirror that i have to set if star looks like that?
Great video but I have a question where or on what did you put the star on, I mean was it on the wall or the telescope, and if on the telescope then on which part ?
Hello there friend, Thank you. The star is on the mirror. I use a star sticker as a centre spot instead of a circle that is usually on a mirror. It doesn't matter whether it's a spot, circle, triangle or a star as long as it is placed precisely in the centre of the mirror you can collimate using this method. Hope this has cleared things up for you.
On the primary mirror or the secondary one ?
@@guptazzzfamily8639 it's on the primary:-)
Ok , thankyou
I’d only use the ring from a paper reinforcement. if you use a star you will limit your ability to use a laser in the future as the star wouldn’t make a great reflective surface. Edit: or anything with a open centre. I’d hole punch the star first to save yourself the hassle or removing it in the future.
You are the best, and yes you got it right, the best collimation tool by far is this one here!!
Hello Pablo, thank you for your kind words my friend. I agree, it's definitely my prefered method. take care, clear skies :)
Thank you sir, Learned a lot, Very informative..
Wich screws do you need for front mirror and for primary mirror my telescope doesent have any screw parts
Great, you can either buy a collimator or buy a lens you'll make collimator from
On your laser collimation device, if you notice the 3 dimples around it at the battery end. If you dig that glue out of those holes, there's a hex key set screw in each one of those holes that allow you to collimate the laser beam to the body of the device (I've seen a few videos on collimating your laser on TH-cam). I've done mine and now the laser is spot on centered. I don't know why some companies think there products are so good that they never need adjusted after they leave they factory (and they fill the screw holes) but, usually they do need adjusted in my experience. Especially when you first get it after it has been bounced around during shipping.
One of my telescopes came with what I call a bottle cap collimator.
Take a shot for every time he says collimator/tion. 🥴🥴
u may have seen me on another vid but
once again a livesaver! :D 👍👍
I've heard that when you collimate that you need to make sure all brackets are visible meaning in some cases all three are not, I've made a collimation cap by putting a hole at the very center of a focuser dust cap + used aluminium foil as a reflective surface at the back and find that no matter how much I turn the allen screws on the secondary mirror (without it disengaging from the telescope), the brackets wont move + are all always visible. Is there a reason for that, or is that normal meaning I just need to line up the secondary mirror and its veins to be as even as I can without any proper guideline?
Same results here no matter what I did I couldn’t see the three brackets at the same time.
Everything I needed to know. Thank you! 👍
Your more than welcome :)
Very nice informative video. I have an 8-inch Reflector Telescope and the secondary mirror's supports (spider) and adjustments looks very similar to your telescope. I understand this would be extremely rare but how would you test and adjust if the secondary mirror was not at the correct depth in the telescope tube? Hope I said the correctly. Again thanks for the great video and information.
Thank you friend. I think I understand what you mean. The centre adjustment screw on the spider will also adjust how far in and out of the tube the secondary mirror is positioned, it wants to be directly underneath the focusr tube. As long as you are getting concentric circles like I show in the video, the secondary will be positioned correctly. Hope that answers your question.
@@smalloptics753 Yes it answer my question. Thanks!
@@smalloptics753 what do you put the stars sticker on. I'm completely new to this. And what do you actually stick the cap to
I don't know if anyone will read this, but when working on the secondary mirror... do you need to lose the center screw before messing with the collimation screws? I can't get my center screw loose without loosening the collimation screws
@zascruyt hello there. Yes.. sometimes you do need to loosen the centre 2nd mirror screw but only a tiny bit just enough so you can adjust the collimation screws the main centre screw is a locking screw so make sure its tight after adjustment.. Hope this helps.
Why cant you make your dust cower into a collimator?
How do you know how to adjust the secondary mirror ?
I'm new. 1st question: Where can I get the components to make a Collimation cap? 2nd question: Then what? Where do I put the Collimation cap?
Did I miss something?
Hello Rick. A cap can be made from a eyepiece dust cover and it is then placed in the focuser like you would a eyepiece. You then look through the pinhole in the cap to collimate. Hope this has helped clear things up for you.
very confusing..
what's confusing you my friend, more than happy to help :)
@@smalloptics753 wish you had showed your diy cap in the holder.. im having a NIGHTMARE trying to collimate my scope.. just bought a laser collimator.. waste of time.. should have known.. had one before,, didnt work then either.. same scope, same collimator .. cant get it to focus clearly.. (The Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ )
so looking at other collimation methods..
so what should i buy ? dont want to make a cap.. never trust my own work.. about had it with this bloody scope.. might just get a decent refractor.. its on its last warning or im going to smash it up and bin it ,, LOL.. its been frustrating me for years !
a link to amazon or wherever would be nice cheers Rob :O)
@@RobBob555 Oh dear Rob I feel your frustration buddy, don't give, you will get there...Deep breaths...Lol.. Have you tried a Cheshire eyepiece? I will leave a link for you.
without actually been there to show you how it's hard to pinpoint your confusion. I would honestly have a go at making a collimation cap they are really easy to make just make sure the hole is bang centre. Btw, they fit into the focuser just like any eyepiece or dust cap....Really hope you can sort it pal....Be patient...you'll get there..Good luck : )
www.amazon.co.uk/Kalttoy-Collimating-Eyepiece-Newtonian-Telescopes/dp/B07K54BZXS/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=cheshire+eyepiece&link_code=qs&qid=1615143847&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-4
@@smalloptics753 thanks mate.. yes its a pain LOL
i also have a Meade 800mm 70mm refractor , it aint much, but its something..nice clear views.. but want to get the Newtonian working..never have managed to get it to focus properly.. so just dumped it in the shed..2 years later, ive dug it out, cleaned it, and having the same issues as why it put it in there LOL
thanks for the link but i dont buy from 3rd part sellers on Amazon.
would this be ok ? it mentions refractor tho ? cheers
www.amazon.co.uk/Mugast-Calibration-Astronomical-Telescope-Refracting-default/dp/B07VL1C5TC/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=cheshire+eyepiece&qid=1615148420&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sr=8-9
looks the same as what you recommended, i ordered it..started a return for the crappy laser one..
One thing I just don't understand is: where do you place the collimation cap???? to me it looks like you slapped the star sticker on some air particles and it is now floating there.
I plan to get an 8"" dobsonian eventually cause that seems like a resaonable upgrade to my 60mm refractor currently but this makes me put off, it doesn't seem easy at all If I have to go out of my way to be a craftsman.
Hello Ridley, the cap is used exactly like an eyepiece.. You put it in the focuser.. Please don't be put off buying a 8" telescope once you understand the process of collimation you will realise how easy it is.. Stay tuned friend as I am going to be doing some lives here on TH-cam all about collimation and will be happy to answer any questions you may have on the subject. I got you buddy.
How do I mark the middle of my lens like you did with a star? My telescope doesn't have any center point marked anywhere. I'm VERY new to this so excuse my ignorance.
Take the lens cap divide it down the middle vertically and horizontally mark each line directly in the middle and proceed to drill that exact spot
May I ask for an how-to about collimating using a Cheshire?
I am at that point you show at 11:18, but can't, for the life of me figure out the screws. Try as I might, The mirror barely moves...
Hello there.. Not been able to adjust the mirror usually due to the adjustment screws been fastened down to there max meaning the is no room for adjustment.. First loosen off the locking screws then make sure all the adjustment screws are in half way so they have room to move in and out and this should hopefully solve your problem.. I will be doing another video on different methods of collimation and the Cheshire will be one of them.. So stay tuned.. Hope you can sort it out my friend. Good luck. :)
Very hepfully, I realy like your videos, spacial fo beginners😊 As I see your nails I guess that you play also on guitar😂
Great to hear my friend really pleased my video has helped you... Hahaha, you guessed correctly guitar is another passion of mine.
i know ive already said.. but this is a brilliant video.. thanks :O)
Thanks Rob and your welcome buddy :)
Where does the collomation cap go?
Why do you bash Lazer collimators, but you have another video that you're raving about the Svbony Lazer collimator.?
That collimater absolutely does have the ability to be itself collimated. The adjustment is under the three divots that are filled with material. Mine came absolutely true and didnt need adjustment. The instructions to collimate the laser are on the amazon web site where i bought it.
Hi Dave, Your probably right, but I will always favour this method of collimating. In my opinion laser's are no good for entry-level focuses, you need compression ring focuses to be of any use.
@@smalloptics753 Agreed. A compression ring keeps it centered better than the pinch screws. I appreciate your simpler method of getting great results.
Thanks
Your welcome :)
After 3 months it still will not work for me
Hey,
One of the best explanations.
But still im not sure where did he put the star??
Sry, im a noob.
Sorry for the late reply my friend, the star is on the centre of the primary mirror (the big mirror at the bottom) I use a sticker of a star instead of a circle which is what a lot of other telescopes usually have. I have made a part 2 video which answers a lot of questions that a lot of people have been asking about this video. Here's a link to part 2 which should hopefully clear things up for you :)
th-cam.com/video/Xzus4oA8Ses/w-d-xo.html
Might be a dumb question…what’s up with the star? Is it a sticker on the primary mirror ? How is it placed in the center?
Hello Jason, I use a star sometimes instead of the normal doughnut circle design because I find it easier to see when doing the 'Cap' method of collimation. As to how it's placed there check out this video that I did on the subject. th-cam.com/video/4gpMuQrgyJo/w-d-xo.html
thinks coller- Maiter is imortant
Took me 30 hours to collimate mine. It was a nightmare from hell. Sorry
I just got my telescope. It’s a 114 EQASB whatever that means.
I purchased it from the thrift store. It did not come with an eyepiece in the focused.
I managed to find a Meade MA 25 mm and MA 9 mm lenses on eBay. Because I don’t know anything about telescopes I don’t know the difference between an eyepiece , a barlow lens, and these lenses I purchased on eBay.
Now I’m trying to follow the videos online about how to collate a telescope. I’ve been looking at Jason’s offerings and they are helpful but I don’t see what he sees when he looks in his telescope. I don’t see the three clips holding on the primary mirror. I do see the spider in the middle of the screen. I also see what looks like a square rectangular out, cropping into the view, which appears to be the secondary lens. I’m not sure whether I should be seeing that or not.
Also my focuser has a telescopic insert that I can slide in and out like a handheld telescope used by ship captains. Jason’s videos does not show this at all.
I’m lost in the weeds with all of this stuff. I sure could use some help.
The "star test" method seems much easier.
Hi there. I just discovered your channel recently, and I really enjoy your videos. I enjoy your choice of topics, and your videos on how to find objects in the night sky. You really put a lot of effort in to describing the subject matter of your videos which I really enjoy. You don't rush. To many people on other channels really breeze thru what ever they are describing, not thinking that not everyone out there has been observing for years and years. I have subscribed to your channel, and look forward to your future videos.
Hello Tony. Thank you for your kind words my friend, great to hear you like my channel, much appreciate your support. All the best, take care :)
Does this method work for SCTs?
Can anybody tell me if it's better to collimate with the eyepiece focuser extended all the way or not? Or if it even makes any difference either way... I'd appreciate it
@TruthIsARuin Hello there. It's better to have the focuser racked all the way in because some Focuses (not all) do go out of alignment from the main tube a little when fully extended.. Hope this helps.
@@smalloptics753 It does help!! Thank you so much for replying. And thanks for all the amazing videos. Idk what I'd do without ya.
hi Jason, i have the same scope, get these thumbscrews for cheap.. perfect fit mate M5x16x20
no more messing with philips screws
much cheaper than "Bobs Knobs"
Hey Rob, I was thinking of replacing them with something more practical, but to be honest I very rarely have to collimate this scope it holds collimation pretty well. I think if I was travelling a lot with it, like taking in the car to darker locations then I would probably replace them. Thanks Rob, take care buddy :)
@@smalloptics753 well, i will be taking mine out and about in the motorhome ( whenever lockdown is away ) so yeah, it is very necessary for me, TBH i think it looks a lot better too lol.. but i used 3 wing nuts from the tray ( they are M5 too) as they look and feel different from the adjustment screws, (no mixing them up )
on the tray itself, i replaced them with the extra new thumbscrews as you get 10 :O)
cheers
ps, anyone looking, search amazon uk for " sourcing map M5 x 20mm Male Thread Knurled Clamping Knobs Grip Thumb Screw on Type Round Head 10 Pcs "
as link not working here.
they are £7.19 for 10
aaaaand… I subscribed. Your tutorials are so nice and effective!
Thank you for your support and kind words my friend :)