I'm new to all of all of this, and I have found it rather easy to adjust the view finder. I've made adjustments during the day, as well as after dark, and both adjustments seem to be good. I have the CELESTRON NexStar 114SLT .
My Number One tip would be to extend the legs of the Tripod to full length, and it should not be much of an issue to align the finderscope with your 2 lenses in the Celestron 114 LCM atleast.
The problem I have with the red dot finder is with parallax. If I'm behind the red dot finder, the dot's alignment is dependant on whether I'm directly parallel to the center of the red dot glass window or not. If I'm any where *NOT* parallel to the exact center, the red dot moves to a different object in perception. The problem is, in the dark, I cannot be 100% sure that I am perfectly parallel to the center of the red dot glass window! Do they make a red dot glass window with cross hairs so I can be sure that the dot *AND* the object I'm looking at are at the exact center of the red dot glass window?
A quick comment on my experience with alignment... Recently purchased my first "real" telescope (Evo 8), and am slowly going through the process of becoming familiar with it before taking it out for a serious run. Today, I decided to align the red dot finder - and found it difficult to adjust the knobs enough to put the dot on the image in the center of the eye piece. I probably did a little damage to the screw threads, but I suddenly realized that there was another factor this video didn't mention: the screws which tighten the Finder onto the scope. I loosened them and repositioned the Finder, then tightened them evenly - THAT is when it became easy to use the dials to put the dot where it needed to be.
Jon, I'm having this exact problem. I have an clearly focus on a terrestrial object about 2km away in the main scope but I cannot get the red dot on top of this object -- the dot is too high and too far to the right and the knobs reach the end of their adjustment range. Can you clarify how you repositioned them to remedy the problem? E.g., are you far to the front or the rear on the mounting rail? Any advice about how to tighten the screws evenly?
Hi Sneakyimp. Sorry, I deleted my previous reply because I described the fix incorrectly. As I type this, I'm looking at the scope. The finder sits pretty much in the middle of the mounting bracket, rather than being more forward than back (or vice versa). The adjustment knobs were made to move the dot, but the tightening of the screws onto the rail also provide a secondary "adjustment", in the sense that if you tighten them unevenly, it can skew the finder to the right or left. I played with the "mounting screws" until I was able to get the red dot in the general position, and then used the adjustment knobs to dial it in. It was a few months ago. but if I remember correctly, I probably initially had the mounting screws tightened unevenly. In any case, whether even or not, they can be used to coarsely skew the finder to the right or left. Try playing around with it. Hope this helps!
@@sneakyimp Hello, I am having the same problem with my celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ # 31045. The viewfinder is firmly fixed to the telescope. I could adjust the left-right position of the red dot to align with the object but the up-down screw at the back is at its extreme position (cannot rotate any further) but the red dot is above the target and needs to be brought down. Is there any other adjustment?
Hi PafMedic, sorry you are having trouble with your red dot finderscope. Please reach out to our technical support so they can help address the issues. The best way to reach us is by submitting a ticket here: www.celestron.com/pages/technical-support. Thank you, Celestron
Just got my 8SE and have started figuring stuff out. In the manual it says on page 8 that the alignment is best done at night since the LED will show up better. This video by Celestron says do it in the daytime. Maybe it makes no difference - I'll try it this afternoon.
Every time I touch the telescope I seem to knock the red dot finder off. Not sure why Celestron made it so easy to knock off and so hard to put back on (requiring a screwdriver).
zypherdose shield If a person is color blind in such a way that he sees orange for red, then the person wouldn't know better than that orange = red. So i highly doubt that that's the problem here :-)
I would expect to get a visit by neighbors if they see a large tube looking down at their license plates I also read some crazy stories of people setting up their telescopes and aligning it with an object while a crazy karen comes out to confront them r/telescopes
Glad to find this viddy. I bought my red dot off Ebay with no instructions. I tried to go with it and found it frustrating. I was ready to take the Telrad off my other scope. Then I found this and learn that I was looking through the damned thing backwards. DUH.
I'm on my 2nd night trying to align this thing. Last night, I discover they packaged it with a dead battery. So I buy a new battery today. Try again tonight. Red dot alignment scope falls off the telescope. Not enough hands to hold the flashlight, hold it on the scope and screw it back in, so I pick it up and head back inside. Thought I had it on, but then it fell off again so I take the chance I don't tighten the screws so tight I break it. Go back outside again. A few minutes to line up a star (no moon tonight). I get close but discover that only 1 alignment knob moves; the other does not by hand and requires a screwdriver to turn, otherwise I have to use too much force. It's hard to see past the screwdriver and on several, several occasions, keep knocking the scope off the star it's on. I have to restart the process all over. I've been doing this for a solid hour in 20 degree temperature until I took it all back inside and research on the Internet for anything I could be doing wrong. Now according to the manual, I have to do this at night because I won't be able to see the red dot in the day time. But this Celestron produced video says different. Does it really have to be this hard??? By the way, did not get the RS 232 cable they claim should be packed with the telescope, but I did get a wrench with it that appears to serve no purpose.
I just got the 127slt (my first telescope) and I am trying to work through the setup. I have both lens caps off but I only see dark (it is night). If I flash a light directly inside I can see it but I cannot see the neighbors very bright streetlight nor can I see a single star. It is pitch black in the scope no matter where in the sky I look. The moon isn't out tonight but the neighbors light is super bright. I have been trying to adjust the focus if I go counterclockwise to infinity or I can keep turning it clockwise and I get nothing at all. Any tips on why this may be happening would be super amazing, ty all and happy stargazing.
This isn't even remotely helpful. We purchased a Celestron Powerseeker 70AZ with red dot finder for our daughter last Christmas; tonight was the first time we were able to get it out and use it. The red dot finder is absolutely useless. We can see the red dot, but the azimuth/altitude knobs do nothing---the dot doesn't move, just sits at the right edge of FOV. Worst of all, even manually trying to line up the moon produces nothing. At best, we were able to get a bright white blur in the viewfinder. Tried all three lenses, nothing. Tried removing the Barlow tube and inserting the lenses directly into the tube, nothing. Celestron clearly makes crap telescopes. Don't even waste your money or your time. We're throwing ours in the garbage tomorrow.
Props to whoever made this video. It was beautifully done.
The video was really helpful, I was trying to align the red dot with the finder backwards hahahahah
Me encantan los tutoriales, muy fáciles de entender aún sin dominar el inglés.
I'm new to all of all of this, and I have found it rather easy to adjust the view finder. I've made adjustments during the day, as well as after dark, and both adjustments seem to be good. I have the CELESTRON NexStar 114SLT .
Very informative video.
Thank you for the fine work on this.
My Number One tip would be to extend the legs of the Tripod to full length, and it should not be much of an issue to align the finderscope with your 2 lenses in the Celestron 114 LCM atleast.
The problem I have with the red dot finder is with parallax. If I'm behind the red dot finder, the dot's alignment is dependant on whether I'm directly parallel to the center of the red dot glass window or not. If I'm any where *NOT* parallel to the exact center, the red dot moves to a different object in perception. The problem is, in the dark, I cannot be 100% sure that I am perfectly parallel to the center of the red dot glass window! Do they make a red dot glass window with cross hairs so I can be sure that the dot *AND* the object I'm looking at are at the exact center of the red dot glass window?
I'd like to know how to change the battery in it without damaging it.
A quick comment on my experience with alignment...
Recently purchased my first "real" telescope (Evo 8), and am slowly going through the process of becoming familiar with it before taking it out for a serious run. Today, I decided to align the red dot finder - and found it difficult to adjust the knobs enough to put the dot on the image in the center of the eye piece.
I probably did a little damage to the screw threads, but I suddenly realized that there was another factor this video didn't mention: the screws which tighten the Finder onto the scope.
I loosened them and repositioned the Finder, then tightened them evenly - THAT is when it became easy to use the dials to put the dot where it needed to be.
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.
Jon, I'm having this exact problem. I have an clearly focus on a terrestrial object about 2km away in the main scope but I cannot get the red dot on top of this object -- the dot is too high and too far to the right and the knobs reach the end of their adjustment range.
Can you clarify how you repositioned them to remedy the problem? E.g., are you far to the front or the rear on the mounting rail? Any advice about how to tighten the screws evenly?
Hi Sneakyimp. Sorry, I deleted my previous reply because I described the fix incorrectly.
As I type this, I'm looking at the scope. The finder sits pretty much in the middle of the mounting bracket, rather than being more forward than back (or vice versa). The adjustment knobs were made to move the dot, but the tightening of the screws onto the rail also provide a secondary "adjustment", in the sense that if you tighten them unevenly, it can skew the finder to the right or left.
I played with the "mounting screws" until I was able to get the red dot in the general position, and then used the adjustment knobs to dial it in. It was a few months ago. but if I remember correctly, I probably initially had the mounting screws tightened unevenly.
In any case, whether even or not, they can be used to coarsely skew the finder to the right or left. Try playing around with it. Hope this helps!
Thank you, sir.
@@sneakyimp
Hello, I am having the same problem with my celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ # 31045. The viewfinder is firmly fixed to the telescope. I could adjust the left-right position of the red dot to align with the object but the up-down screw at the back is at its extreme position (cannot rotate any further) but the red dot is above the target and needs to be brought down. Is there any other adjustment?
Helpful video thank you.
No Matter How Much I Turn Those Screws..That Damn Dot Does Move
Hi PafMedic, sorry you are having trouble with your red dot finderscope. Please reach out to our technical support so they can help address the issues. The best way to reach us is by submitting a ticket here: www.celestron.com/pages/technical-support. Thank you, Celestron
Very helpful , thank you!
Uhh question which one makes it go up or down and which makes it go left and right
How do you change the batteries in a RED-DOT Finder
where can I find this model of a finderscope please send it as soon as possible! Needed to attach to my Nexstar 130 Slt.
1/4 of a mile away....stars are much further...different angle...how will this work?
Just got my 8SE and have started figuring stuff out. In the manual it says on page 8 that the alignment is best done at night since the LED will show up better. This video by Celestron says do it in the daytime. Maybe it makes no difference - I'll try it this afternoon.
if you run into trouble, reach out to our technical support team.
Every time I touch the telescope I seem to knock the red dot finder off. Not sure why Celestron made it so easy to knock off and so hard to put back on (requiring a screwdriver).
chuckeenz Postman Buy Celestron From SOUTHMINSTER School Caravan Birthday CHILLDREN
LOL i reply to this 4 years after. But you don't need a screwdriver you can easily just turn your finger once. AND WALLA DONE
subscribed, amazing stuff telescope :D
Very Helpfull ! Thanks
I can't get my red dot low enough to align. It was ok for the first 6 months. Any ideas?
I have an Orange dot instead of red,is that a problem or something?
+Sotiris Krol or maybe you could have color blindness. No offence
Sotiris Krol Maybe too much voltage on the LED, then it turns orange, a few millivolts more and it burns out. Or it's just a different color LED.
zypherdose shield If a person is color blind in such a way that he sees orange for red, then the person wouldn't know better than that orange = red. So i highly doubt that that's the problem here :-)
Dude you made me like an idiot. I wondered why my scope point was pointed at the moon and my red dot was pointing into outer space hahahahaha
I would expect to get a visit by neighbors if they see a large tube looking down at their license plates
I also read some crazy stories of people setting up their telescopes and aligning it with an object while a crazy karen comes out to confront them r/telescopes
Glad to find this viddy. I bought my red dot off Ebay with no instructions. I tried to go with it and found it frustrating. I was ready to take the Telrad off my other scope.
Then I found this and learn that I was looking through the damned thing backwards. DUH.
Me too!
I'm on my 2nd night trying to align this thing. Last night, I discover they packaged it with a dead battery. So I buy a new battery today. Try again tonight. Red dot alignment scope falls off the telescope. Not enough hands to hold the flashlight, hold it on the scope and screw it back in, so I pick it up and head back inside. Thought I had it on, but then it fell off again so I take the chance I don't tighten the screws so tight I break it. Go back outside again. A few minutes to line up a star (no moon tonight). I get close but discover that only 1 alignment knob moves; the other does not by hand and requires a screwdriver to turn, otherwise I have to use too much force. It's hard to see past the screwdriver and on several, several occasions, keep knocking the scope off the star it's on. I have to restart the process all over. I've been doing this for a solid hour in 20 degree temperature until I took it all back inside and research on the Internet for anything I could be doing wrong. Now according to the manual, I have to do this at night because I won't be able to see the red dot in the day time. But this Celestron produced video says different. Does it really have to be this hard??? By the way, did not get the RS 232 cable they claim should be packed with the telescope, but I did get a wrench with it that appears to serve no purpose.
for any missing pieces or problems with your setup, please reach out to our technical support team mail@celestronsupport.com.
intense
Why i cant see any no red dot?
Turn it on?😂
okay
I just got the 127slt (my first telescope) and I am trying to work through the setup. I have both lens caps off but I only see dark (it is night). If I flash a light directly inside I can see it but I cannot see the neighbors very bright streetlight nor can I see a single star. It is pitch black in the scope no matter where in the sky I look. The moon isn't out tonight but the neighbors light is super bright. I have been trying to adjust the focus if I go counterclockwise to infinity or I can keep turning it clockwise and I get nothing at all. Any tips on why this may be happening would be super amazing, ty all and happy stargazing.
Please reach out to our technical support team for them to assist you. mail@celestronsupport.com
This isn't even remotely helpful. We purchased a Celestron Powerseeker 70AZ with red dot finder for our daughter last Christmas; tonight was the first time we were able to get it out and use it.
The red dot finder is absolutely useless. We can see the red dot, but the azimuth/altitude knobs do nothing---the dot doesn't move, just sits at the right edge of FOV. Worst of all, even manually trying to line up the moon produces nothing. At best, we were able to get a bright white blur in the viewfinder. Tried all three lenses, nothing. Tried removing the Barlow tube and inserting the lenses directly into the tube, nothing.
Celestron clearly makes crap telescopes. Don't even waste your money or your time. We're throwing ours in the garbage tomorrow.
A bad workman always blames his tools!
+Warhorse500 I suppose calling the company to try and find out what is going on is a little too much to expect?
Celestron makes crap telescopes eh? Well....lots of people would disagree, since Celestron is the top number 1 telescope maker in the world.
+krzyzsto I really agree!
Warhorse500 LOL :) Be a but more patienceful next time you buy something expensive. You might have found out what the focus knob is for :D
Say anything and don't show us a cartoon.
Andrew York Is there something not clear then? You cannot read?