Posts Made By: Dan Hereford

I'm returning to astronomy for the first time since I was 12 years old (40 years ago). Just want to put things into context before posing a question.

I just purchased a used Orion Skyquest XT10 telescope with a dob mount. It came with no finderscope and no eyepieces so I need to get the following items for it:

1. A finderscope
2. A 20-30mm eyepiece w/ 68-82 degrees to max FOV
3. One other more powerful eyepiece

I'm tight on funds so I'd probably go for the "best value" - not top of the line but also not introductory. Any suggestions about what to get . . . . and where to get it?

Finally, would you recommend using a barlow lens with this setup??

Thanks for your insight!

I just purchased a used Orion Skyview XT-10. I'd like to know what barlow lens would work well with this unit . . . and perhaps what power level might be best to consider. I've used 2x and 3x barlows on a refractor before but never on a reflector. What do you think?

I'm struggling to decide what additional eyepieces I might need for use with an Orion X10 telescope. I've been using a Meade 2x shorty barlow lens along with either a 15mm or a 9mm Meade 4000 series plossl lens.

We've been looking at Jupiter and a few other objects but they seem to be extremely small even at the highest level of magnification. Should I be using higher power lenses or are these objects just more distant this time of year.

I have an Orion Xt10 telescope with a dobsonian mount. It also has a telrad site.

It has been next to impossible to get this telescope lined up to see anything. In the event that something is located the telescope moves. It's very unstable. It immediately starts to droop even when the mount screws are tighted as far as they can be tightened, I still have this problem. Forget changing lenses. Once an object has been located. It will knock the unit out of alignment. And breathing on it even moves its field of vies.

Can you help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?