On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 3:47 PM, Daniel Holmes <danielh@holmesonics.com>wrote:
When I use a finder, I use a Telrad. I have a 8" f4.7 Newt, and I think having the large telrad at the end of the tube actually helps--I see significantly better out of one eye than the other, so I can put my head against the tube and be able to see the finder--the finderscope that came with the unit can sometimes be tricky for me to see through…
Now I have to see if I can make a blinky circuit for it--never thought of that.
One HUGE problem I've noticed is that MOST Newtonian manufacturers install their finder scopes for left-eye dominant users. Stupid, since most people are right-eye dominant. I've always made my own scopes to accomodate my dominant eye. Seems it's not even a consideration among telescope makers, but makes a huge difference.
Your dominant eye should be the one closest to the main tube, when using a straight-through finder. If it's not, you're scope is probably a "leftie", in a right-hand world. If you are left-eye dominant and you lucked-out, congratulations! The blinky circuit for the Telrad was available through Rigel Systems, IIRC... though it's been a LONG time and I could be wrong. I love mine. I bought it at the same time I got my Pulseguide, back in the days of hand-guiding.