Celestron telescope and Nikon camera

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I have a Celestron AstroMaster 130 telescope and I was wishing to put my camera on it. I got a genuine Celestron T adapter and a Nikon to T adapter. All fitted together fine apart from it will not focus on anything. I have tried looking at the top of the hills out the back of my house and the moon and its just fuzzy. Can any one think what I have done wrong?

Thanks
 
Add a 50mm extender between the scope and the T adapter and that should solve your problem.

The scope is designed to work with an eyepiece and that adds a varying amount to the overall tube length depending on whether you are using a straight eyepiece or a 90 degree box and then eyepiece. Add 50mm to your tube and you should compensate for this and get back within the focal plane of the lens and tube.

You can test this quickly by detaching the camera from the lens and holding it approx 50mm away from the scope and then moving backwards and forwards a few millimetres to adjust focus whilst looking through the camera viewfinder. Obviously you will not get any images this way but it will confirm that you need an extension to the scope tube.

John
 
No - the scope is a newtonian, adding 50mm will make this problem worse. Unfortunately, you cannot use your scope with a camera the way you are trying to without either getting a low-profile focuser or moving the main mirror up the tube. Your problem is not enough inward travel on the focuser assembly. You could try to add a barlow between the focuser tube and the t extension which may work, but sadly the majority of newtonian telescopes will not allow the travel required for an slr to focus - your only other option is to use eyepiece projection.

If you had a refractor then there would likely be very little problem at all.

Arthur
 
I suspect you cannot get enough forward or back focus, usually back focus is the usual problem but don't quote me on that.
 
Thanks for the replies. I tried extending but its defiantly the other way round as Arthur said. I an a wee bit confused Celestron had sold me parts that will not work. O well I will drop them a email and see what they say.
 
Celestron will sell you anything, but I doubt you actually bought these from Celestron (which is now Synta anyway). If you told the person/shop/dealer what your set up is they should have known right away you would have a problem and therefore should have advised you of your options (EP projection or barlow) before taking your money. Bit of a bad show there, whoever supplied you was not on the ball it seems - assuming you did tell them the intended use that is.

Arthur
 
My better half got it all for me as a Christmas present so I will see where she got it from and try get the money back for the camera adapter. I just tried removing the hold lot and just holding the camera body flush against the. It was just about clear so you are defiantly correct its to long.
 
Ambermile is spot on with the problems you are having - my brother has the same scope. With regard to what you have been sold, is it the scope or the t-mount and adapter that you think you were mis-sold?

If, when buying the scope, you indicated that you wanted to use it for astrophotography, and the salesman recommended the Astromaster, then you have a case. Likewise with the adapter - if you told the salesman that you wanted to use the parts to enable you to take photographs through your specific scope, then if he was on the ball he should have been able to advise that it wouldn't be possible.

If however, you merely stated that you wanted an adapter that would allow you to connect your camera to a telescope, then that is what you have got; the problem is that whilst they will work with a different scope, they don't work with yours. Don't think you will be able to get a refund if this is the scenario you went through.
 
It might be better to state here for *everyone* to read...

DO NOT BUY A NEWTONIAN TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

A refractor is really the only way to go unless you do know what you are doing from the outset.

Arthur
 
Ambermile said:
It might be better to state here for *everyone* to read...

DO NOT BUY A NEWTONIAN TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

A refractor is really the only way to go unless you do know what you are doing from the outset.

Arthur
Click to expand...

Good advice but for the record I have used a 10" newtonian with a low profile 2" helical focuser with my D70 fitted to it.

Don't forget, every time you purchase new astronomy gear it will cloud over for two weeks.

Hope you get it sorted.:thumbs:
 
Indeed, for the record I have used a Fuji S1 Pro on my 22" Newtonian (lo profile Moonlight, not that it makes a difference) - but that only reinforces the point does it not... if you know what you are doing fine, if not... don't get a newtonian.

Arthur
 
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