<p>First off I want to say I am a complete amateur when it comes to stars and even bigger when it comes to optics.</p>

<p>I was looking at sky from indoors and my windows have double glass. It turns out that this was the problem or maybe the glass on the window is not some good quality.</p>

<p>In any case, all works well now and I am thrilled at what I'm seeing in the night sky.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-23T23:59:08.697Z
Congratulations and have fun!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-24T05:31:42.427Z
Thanks for the update, glad you solved it.
Mike G
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-23T21:10:11.867Z
2019-03-23T21:10:11.867Z
Robert
<p>I bought an amateur(and rather cheap) refracting telescope and while I can see moon quite clear and crispy I am having difficulties in observing some larger stars. </p>

<p>All stars appear as lines rather than dots. It is always one longer line. I read something about those lines but this stands only for reflecting telescopes that have some kind of structure inside that holds a mirror and this structure interfers thus producing these lines. But I don't have a reflecting telescope, mine is refracting.</p>

<p>I cannot seem to find anything on google regarding this. Maybe it is because I lack the vocabulary.</p>

<p><strong>EDIT #1:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/ts-optics-telescope-ac-70-700-starscope-az-2/p,56947#tab_bar_1_select" rel="nofollow noreferrer">This</a> is the telescope I have.</p>

<p><strong>Edit #2:</strong></p>

<p>This is my depiction of what I see. Forgive my MS pain skills. As I focus out(or in, not quite familliar with the naming) it goes more clearer and clearer but I never get to see a simple shiny dot. The closes to dot is the first image but this is so blurry that I barely see it. The red line is the one I perceive as the clearest. The orange lines is what I perceive as "outline" and the yellow inside is that shiny effect one usually gets when looking at objects that emmit light.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Hd4Uy.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Hd4Uy.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T08:40:02.680Z
When you look at objects on land, do they appear the right way up, and not inverted left to right?
Dr Chuck
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T08:53:15.650Z
I haven't noticed if they are inverted. If I look on on land than the image is upside down.
Robert
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:06:44.143Z
Ok, my potential explanation isn’t valid.
Dr Chuck
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:37:33.940Z
If line changes direction when you adjust the focus, it might be astigmatism.
Mike G
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T14:48:49.217Z
I can confirm that the line does not change direction when adjusting focus. The only thing that happens when I adjust the focus is that the line becomes blurry. I am confident that the focus I have adjusted gives me a clear image of the star but the problem is that this is a line rather than a dot.
Robert
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T15:38:04.897Z
Have you asked the maker ?  Does the line affect all stars in the scene or just one ?  Is it the same orientation every time ?  Could you add a photo or drawing to your post to give a better idea of scale and extent ?
StephenG - Help Ukraine
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-20T15:55:24.940Z
All eyepieces or just one? If all, then main objective may be slightly tilted. Take it out and put it back in carefully. Only 1 eyepiece?, then take it apart, if possible, and reassemble. Eyepieces can be tricky. I've seen some glued together so taking apart without wrecking it is impossible.
Wayfaring Stranger
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-21T07:14:19.400Z
@WayfaringStranger It is all eye pieces but the smaller the eye piece the more noticable error is.
Robert
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-21T08:43:04.427Z
Your telescope is miscollimated. There has to be some astronomy club nearby, I suspect they might be able to help you, assuming collimation can be fixed on your telescope.
Florin Andrei
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-23T09:39:42.633Z
@FlorinAndrei I have read a bit about that and I also believe it might be the issue here BUT my telescope is a cheap one and it doesn't have those screws for collimation. They say that with telescopes this cheap collimation has been done at the assembly line by the manufacturer.
Robert
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-23T23:18:17.203Z
@Rob That's right, a lot of entry level scopes do not have adjustment screws for collimation by the user. That still doesn't mean the scope is in good collimation.
Florin Andrei
<refractor-telescope>
Seeing a line rather than a dot when looking through refracting telescope
Robert
# Seeing a line rather than a dot when looking through refracting telescope

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-20)

I bought an amateur(and rather cheap) refracting telescope and while I can see moon quite clear and crispy I am having difficulties in observing some larger stars.

All stars appear as lines rather than dots. It is always one longer line. I read something about those lines but this stands only for reflecting telescopes that have some kind of structure inside that holds a mirror and this structure interfers thus producing these lines. But I don't have a reflecting telescope, mine is refracting.

I cannot seem to find anything on google regarding this. Maybe it is because I lack the vocabulary.

**EDIT #1:**

[This](https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/ts-optics-telescope-ac-70-700-starscope-az-2/p,56947#tab_bar_1_select) is the telescope I have.

**Edit #2:**

This is my depiction of what I see. Forgive my MS pain skills. As I focus out(or in, not quite familliar with the naming) it goes more clearer and clearer but I never get to see a simple shiny dot. The closes to dot is the first image but this is so blurry that I barely see it. The red line is the one I perceive as the clearest. The orange lines is what I perceive as "outline" and the yellow inside is that shiny effect one usually gets when looking at objects that emmit light.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Hd4Uy.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Hd4Uy.jpg)

**Tags:** refractor-telescope
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: When you look at objects on land, do they appear the right way up, and not inverted left to right?  
> **username_0**: I haven't noticed if they are inverted. If I look on on land than the image is upside down.  
> **username_1**: Ok, my potential explanation isn’t valid.  
> **username_2**: If line changes direction when you adjust the focus, it might be astigmatism.  
> **username_0**: I can confirm that the line does not change direction when adjusting focus. The only thing that happens when I adjust the focus is that the line becomes blurry. I am confident that the focus I have adjusted gives me a clear image of the star but the problem is that this is a line rather than a dot.  
> **username_3**: Have you asked the maker ?  Does the line affect all stars in the scene or just one ?  Is it the same orientation every time ?  Could you add a photo or drawing to your post to give a better idea of scale and extent ?  
> **username_4**: All eyepieces or just one? If all, then main objective may be slightly tilted. Take it out and put it back in carefully. Only 1 eyepiece?, then take it apart, if possible, and reassemble. Eyepieces can be tricky. I've seen some glued together so taking apart without wrecking it is impossible.  
> **username_0**: @WayfaringStranger It is all eye pieces but the smaller the eye piece the more noticable error is.  
> **username_5**: Your telescope is miscollimated. There has to be some astronomy club nearby, I suspect they might be able to help you, assuming collimation can be fixed on your telescope.  
> **username_0**: @FlorinAndrei I have read a bit about that and I also believe it might be the issue here BUT my telescope is a cheap one and it doesn't have those screws for collimation. They say that with telescopes this cheap collimation has been done at the assembly line by the manufacturer.  
> **username_5**: @Rob That's right, a lot of entry level scopes do not have adjustment screws for collimation by the user. That still doesn't mean the scope is in good collimation.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2019-03-23. Score: 1

First off I want to say I am a complete amateur when it comes to stars and even bigger when it comes to optics.

I was looking at sky from indoors and my windows have double glass. It turns out that this was the problem or maybe the glass on the window is not some good quality.

In any case, all works well now and I am thrilled at what I'm seeing in the night sky.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Congratulations and have fun!  
> **username_2**: Thanks for the update, glad you solved it.  

---

