Comet ISON - Help?
Taken by Josh Thum on September 25, 2013 @ Mount Prospect, Illinois
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Date Taken: 2013:09:25 16:50:24
  
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This was how ISON was a while back. We all remember, right? It seems like a long time ago. Filters: iprime, gprime, rprime. The telescope I used was the Yerkes Observatory 41-inch reflecting telescope. One thing kind of off topic: I just received a very nice and new pair of 7x50 binoculars. Specifically Celestron's Cometron series. When I use them, I can't focus the diopter. Perfect focus is just out of range, and then stars look like streaks in the combined image. Through the left image, they look perfect - sharp pinpricks of light. Can someone help me? I want to observe the comets, and I'm leaving with my family for a trip to Kentucky later this week, and I'd like to be able to see the night sky. Any help would be appreciated!
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Does one of the eyepieces turn? Binoculars generally have one eyepiece that focuses since few people have vision the same in each eye. You get them into focus on anything with the non focusable eyepiece with the other half covered. Then you cover the other half and get it into focus with the other eye. From then you should be good with just using the central focus.
Posted by pcomins 2013-11-23 14:39:50
It is often the right eye that has the focus adjust. And that is generally only the typical porro prism kind. Some roof prism have different mechanisms to adjust the eyes differently.
Posted by pcomins 2013-11-23 14:42:41
I do have the right eye focus adjust. Also, I did follow the steps given in the manual, which were covering the right barrel and focusing with the center piece for the left, and then covering the left once that was perfect and focusing with the right focuser for the right barrel. The thing is, the right barrel does not focus as well as the left, and then the main image is not its sharpest and stars are streaks.
Posted by GangnamStyle 2013-11-23 14:52:06
Are they still under warranty? Is the glass clean?
Posted by pcomins 2013-11-23 15:01:41
The glass is clean and they are still under warranty.
Posted by GangnamStyle 2013-11-23 15:26:09
I would return them, sounds like a defect. I had a pair of Celestron SkyMaster 25-125X80 zoom binos and they broke after a few uses. Ended up buying Zhumell Tachyon 25X100 and they are great! Individual Eye piece focus for both eyes, Nitrogen purged, waterproof, etc.. They do require a substantial tripod as they weigh a ton. But theyre the best.
Posted by TheDude 2013-11-23 15:58:16
The collimation or the roof prism is probably off a little I do not recommend you try adjusting that yourself but if you bought them online and cant take them back and want to risk making them work... you can try what I did to the binos I picked up, at a yard sale, some nice Vintage 7x50 SEARS Quick Focus model 47325130 and they had been dropped at least once, were foggy but still sharp and bright even with the fog. They were out of adjustment could not focus the right optical train, so, I disassembled noting where things were I made a tool to take off the rings for the lens piece of wood with two nails for the set ring, and cleaned all the lens and prisms and reassembled placing the porro prisms gently with a tongue depressor without the covers. Then The part I dont recommend I gently tapped them to see if I could get the prisms to align to their original position a few taps I kept rotating the binos until I started seeing the image align a few taps later and they work great... aligned and focus perfectly www youtube com user ihaveseenaufo has a a video for adjustments take a look there... I believe yours have roof prisms which are a little easier to collimate as they are in the eyepiece... dark skies in KY my old stomping ground
Posted by kc0yef 2013-11-23 16:03:55
@TheDude, Should I order the same Binocs, just a new set?
Posted by GangnamStyle 2013-11-23 18:23:35
Im not an expert but I would avoid the Celestrons. If you have the money and want to be able to see comets, Jupiter, Andromeda galaxy then go for the Zhumells. But I warn you that they are heavy and you should get a parallel tripod mount with a counterweight for them. Total investment would be $400 maybe a little more. If you want to know what I have I can give you my email.
Posted by TheDude 2013-11-23 18:36:18
OK. I guess Ill just keep them because Im 13 and I know my family does not have money for higher prices. I just got a Canon 6D with an f/1.4 lens, so I think Im okay for now. Thanks for the help.
Posted by GangnamStyle 2013-11-23 18:56:21
Oh! I guess the $400 wont be too easy to come by then! Sorry. Maybe you can ask for Xmas. That is a nice camera you got though. Should be able to get some great pics of the night sky with that set up. I look forward to seeing some of your pics.
Posted by TheDude 2013-11-24 02:27:14
Thanks, Ill definitely be posting them on here. I had been doing a lot of studying of the cameras and stuff, and ultimately that was the best option.
Posted by GangnamStyle 2013-11-24 09:38:29
 
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