Because a telescope magnifies and often only shows a very limited part of the sky at once, it is often very difficult to find something in the sky. A finder offers the solution.
The essence of a finder is that it is mounted parallel to the telescope. If the object you are looking for is in the center of the finder, then the object is also centered in the main telescope. The finder often has a cross hair or some kind of bullseye that may be illuminated.
There are different types of finders. A small telescope finder lets you see more than the naked eye and this helps you to locate that weak nebula you're looking for. We often refer to a finder telescope as a Finder Scope.
A Red Dot Finder (RDF) projects a small red dot on a non-magnifying glass. If the RDF is properly aligned to the telescope the object you're looking for can be viewed through the telescope as soon as the dot coincides with the object in the RDF.
A Telrad is a specific type of Red Dot Finder where the red dot has been replaced by a certain pattern that helps to navigate the sky. A Telrad is often used with larger Dobsonian telescopes.
A digital non visual polar alignment aid is a Polemaster or similar device.
All sorts of finders can be found in this category together with accessories for finders such as illumination and mounting material.
Can't find what you're looking for or need help selecting the best finder for you? Contact Robtics!
