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Just realized my telescope's viewfinder was off by a mile after a camping trip up at Lake Tahoe
I spent two hours trying to find Andromeda last Friday before I noticed the mount screw had loosened up on the bumpy drive, has anyone else dealt with gear shifting on rough roads ruining their night sky setup?
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loganthompson26d ago
Nah, blaming the road's just an excuse for a bad setup.
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terryh2026d ago
It's tough out there @loganthompson, I really feel for you on that one.
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the_jamie25d ago
Wait, I just heard about this from a podcast about astrophotography on the road, the host was saying even a tiny bump can throw everything off. I gotta disagree with @loganthompson though, rough roads definitely wreck collimation on dobsonians, I've seen it happen to a buddy's 10 inch after a trip up to Yosemite. The vibration from washboard roads can loosen thumb screws and shift mirrors, it's not just an excuse. I'd tighten everything before heading out, then do a quick star alignment test once you set up, saves a lot of frustration.
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