Problems with Meade ds-114 reflector

[frenchy124]

I didn't really know where to put this so i put it in here cause it is a question that needs an answer. I have a Meade ds-114 f=910 f8 scope. I have been having problems collimating the scope so i bought a laser collimator and i had it collimated as best i could. After i got it collimated i put in a h2.5mm & h12.5mm eyepiece right into the focuser and I see everything fine. Now When i put in the right angle piece and the eye piece all i can see is the back of the scopes mirror looking at the secondary mirror i focus all the way in and out but can't focus on anything. the same thing happens with the barlow 3x and eye piece. and no right angle. When i went to put the laser collimator in to check to see if the right angle mirror is causing misalignment it is hitting the secondary but not centered on the primary and i can't get it to hit the primary center. then when i put in the barlow and the laser it isn't even hitting the secondary. Everything on the angle mirror and barlow seem right nothing is wrong with them. these are the pieces that came with the scope. I don't know what to do. I have tried everything at my disposal to try and correct it. I am at the point of pulling my hair out. Can someone help

[Glom]

114mm eh? Hmm. And Huygenian eyepieces eh? Hmm.

[aurora]

First, forget the 3x barlow for now. With the two eyepieces you have, the barlow (assuming it was decent quality) would give such a high magnification as to be useless.

Second, throw away the huygens 2.5mm eyepiece. I can't even imagine such a thing. It must have an absolutely tiny view. Are you sure it is 2.5? Maybe it is 25mm, which would be a nice size for that scope.

If you look through the telescope in the daytime, you can focus it on a distant tree or something? Without the diagonal you can see the distant object fine? That tells me that when you put in a diagonal you would have a difficult time getting enough in focus to focus.

[frenchy124]

sry you are right it is a 25mm and a 12.5mm these are the lenses that came with the scope. and yes when i don't have the diagnal in it focuses fine but when i put in the diagnal i can't get anything. its like the whole focusing point has gone to hell in a handbasket. I do understand that putting in the diagnal piece changes the distance from the eyepiece to the secondary. I just can't get the happy medium in between having the diagnal and not. I mean having the diagnal and not having it shouldn't change the focusing that much should it?
I wish i could throw them away, but don't have the money to buy new ones right now.
Oh and Glom you are very insightfull lol..

[Kaptain K]

Just out of curiosity,
The Meade ds-114 is a Newtonian reflector, right?
Diagonals are usually used on refractors, Schmidt-Cassegrains and Maksutov-Cassegrains to allow comfortable viewing of objects that are at otherwise uncomfortable angles.
Using a diagonal on a Newtonian means you have to lay your face against the side of the tube to use it.
So,
Why do you want to use one on a Newtonian scope?

[aurora]

Oh, good question K. I didn't even think of that.

It sounds like it won't focus with the diagonal in because the total focal length is too long -- the focuser probably won't go in far enough. But I didn't even think to ask why use a diagonal on a Newtonian.

[frenchy124]

the only thing wrong with that is that when i first got the scope it worked great with the diagnal in. Untill the scope got knocked over and through everything off. Even with out the diagnal I still have a problem with the barlow x3 (which is also came with the scope.) When I try to view mars all i can see is the refection of the back of the scope that same as the diagnal.
I attached a pic of the scope