Introduction
Your Celestron finderscope can be problematic sometimes for any reason. It’s also common for it not to work at all right after you buy it.
But you don’t have to throw it away immediately. It is essential to have one that is fixed and functioning.
So why’s your Celestron finder scope not working?
There might be many reasons, the first being a misalignment of the Finderscope and telescope. Your Finderscope may stop working due to a faulty battery or battery contact point issues. If the problem isn’t even with the battery pins, it must be something on the inside.
That’s not all. We have assembled this article with in-depth insight into how to solve these issues yourself!
So, what’s the holdup? Let’s dive right in!
Why Isn’t the Celestron Finderscope Working – Get the Solutions
Three usual causes are the culprit in most cases. Here, we have discussed all these three reasons and how you can fix them below:
Reason 1 of 3: Alignment Problems
Most people mess with the adjustments of the Finderscope. This results in Celestron alignment issues. Your primary step should be aligning your Finderscope correctly, which will remove many other problems.
Alignment is easier if a distant and recognizable object that does not move is chosen. Find something about a quarter or half a mile away that is easy to align with.
Set your telescope up using a 20 mm wide lens. This must give you a nice wide field of view.
Point your telescope in the approximate direction of the alignment target (e.g., light post)
Focus on your telescope to get the sharpest view. Then get the target as near to the center as possible. If you can’t get it clear, consider a distant object.
Remember that the picture you see might be reversed. After that, lock your telescope so it can move to adjust your Finderscope.
It’s time to center your Finderscope on the same object as your telescope. Look for them using your Finderscope. In most finderscopes, the vision is upside down, which is perfectly normal. But the item you use for alignment must be appropriately centered.
Depending on the Finderscope, you may need two or three adjustment screws to center an item. After you’ve centered your item and locked it in the Finderscope, check back through the primary telescope.
Congratulations if your chosen item is still centered when you look through the eyepiece! You’ve properly aligned the Finderscope and telescope. If there is any movement, re-center the thing in your eyepiece.
Ensure the telescope is completely secured before adjusting your Finderscope to re-center the target. Otherwise, you may see crosshairs through the lens, though you can also see them for other reasons.
Before proceeding to night work, picking one or two objects during the day is advisable to ensure perfect alignment. This also provides you with some experience in using the Finderscope.
Please choose a new object to examine and adjust your telescope to be centered in the Finderscope. Look into the eyepiece of the telescope after locking it in position. If you performed the instructions correctly, you should see the same object in the center of your eyepiece.
It’s possible to improve alignment precision using higher magnification eyepieces. This extra step adds accuracy in the case of faint, hard-to-locate deep-sky objects.
Reason 2 of 3: Battery Issues
After replacing the battery, you might fail to make it function again. The issue might be with the battery’s contact point.
The pin holding the battery may not apply enough pressure to push the battery inside. Hence, I couldn’t establish contact with the contact point beneath it.
Wear rubber gloves while troubleshooting to avoid getting any moisture on the battery. Then change the battery in the Finderscope. Use your thumbnail to remove the plastic piece below the front end.
Work your way around this cover, which has one prong in front and two in the back.
A flat battery can be seen after the lid is removed. Bend the metal clasp slightly to allow the battery to come out. Insert the new battery well beneath the clip keeping the positive side out.
Reinstall the cover. When you switch on the Finderscope, your red dot should display now.
In other cases, carefully screw off the lid on the switch side of the Finderscope. When screwing the cover back on, don’t force or cross-thread it. When you switch on the Finderscope, the red dot should be displayed now.
Also, you must bend the pin slightly to provide more pressure when the battery’s inside.
Here we have mentioned some quality rechargeable battery packs for you:
| Celestron – PowerTank Lithium Telescope Battery | |
| Celestron – PowerTank Lithium Pro Telescope Battery |
Because these cells are utilized in flashlights and automobile remotes.
During shipping, plastic covers are often placed between the battery and connections to avoid depletion. Just make sure you get rid of it.
Reason 3 of 3: Malfunctioning Switch
If you see a gap near the switch, the wires have separated. Because the locating pins had fallen off at some time, the switch body was freely revolving.
Please remove the thumbwheels, which you can remove by strongly gripping them with your fingers. And use a small, strong screwdriver to remove the screw.
Unscrew the on/off switch wheel and store it somewhere secure since it’s very small.
Your issue may be with the cord connecting the switch and the LED. It separated because the two pins that held the button in place broke. By ‘tinning’ the wire beforehand, the solder will heat up rapidly and flow together in seconds.
Hence, lowering the danger of harming the switch. You could squirt hot melt glue into the register pinholes and put the button in. You must do a few ‘dry runs’ to ensure speedy placement.
Warm up the glue with a low heat gun, then push the rear of the switch with a wooden handle to true it up.
Re-attach the on and off thumbwheel. Take a quick look at the glue clearance. And determine if you want to chop some of it off using a knife.
Start winding the two thumbwheels with your fingers, then complete using the screwdriver. However, if the wheels are coming loose, get super glue. Then put a dot of it on the top of the thumbwheel thread. Then wind it all left and right, and your switch is ready.
Research before buying a finderscope can save you a lot of trouble. It can save both your time and money.
FAQs
Question: How do I activate the Celestron finderscope?
Answer: Move the telescope until the object you want lies in the middle of the view. Turn on the red dot once the thing is in focus.
Question: Is the finderscope upside down?
Answer: Your Finderscope’s visuals will be upside down or reversed from left to right. It’s normal. However, a proper picture diagonal can be used to make the field of vision seem natural.
Question: What is MM on a telescope lens?
Answer: The focal length of a telescope is the clearest indicator of the telescope’s power. It is the distance between the lens or primary mirror to the telescope’s focus. The Focal Point is measured in mm.
Final Words
We hope you’ve got the answer to why is your Celestron finder scope not working. I hope you have got some ideas on how to fix it easily on your own.
Always be careful when you disassemble the Finderscope to repair them. Otherwise, you will end up damaging the components mistakenly.
We will see you soon. Till then, have fun with your telescope!
