Phoenix collimating telescope for RC, Cassegrain and DK telescopes - built-in illumination

Phoenix collimating telescope for RC, Cassegrain and Dall-Kirkham telescscopes as well as Refractors

With the Phoenix Colliscope, you can collimate your telescope in just a few minutes.

With most alignment aids, it is difficult to identify the individual elements visible when looking through the telescope. This makes precise adjustment difficult and the alignment process time-consuming and imprecise.

With the Colliscope, these problems are a thing of the past: Using the sliding focuser, you can focus on the element to be adjusted (e.g., the secondary mirror´s center mark) without being distracted by other components or reflections.

Thanks to the built-in illumination, the telescope can be adjusted even in bright environments. The generously sized battery provides an operating time of approximately 20 hours, so that even with frequent use - for example, in professional applications - recharging is rarely necessary.

Features of the Phoenix Colliscope

Easy adaptation with T2 thread

Integrated illumination

Integrated rechargeable battery for approx. 20 hours of runtime

USB-C charging port with battery level indicator

Camera connection possible

Two eyepieces included

Adapters for M90 and M117 available

Suitable for RC, Cassegrain, and Dall-Kirkham telescopes as well as refractors

USB-C charging port with charge level indicator

Compatible with a camera featuring a 1.25" connection or a smartphone adapter

Suitable for adjusting refractors

To focus on the objective lens with short-focal length refractors, the sliding focuser can be extended using standard 1.25" extension tubes (with M28.5x0.6 thread) or the housing can be extended using M42x1 extension tubes (not T2!).

Using an alignment laser
Especially with RC telescopes, the axis of the focuser flange should be properly aligned first. The commonly used method of relying solely on the center mark on the secondary mirror can lead to a worsening of the alignment. A laser is used for this adjustment.

With other alignment tools, you have to switch between the laser and the alignment tool. With the Colliscope, however, the laser can be connected directly.

Using a camera
Instead of an eyepiece, a camera can be inserted into the 1.25-inch connection of the Colliscope. If you are collimating your telescope without the focuser, i.e., with the collimating scope screwed directly onto the telescope, a camera must always be connected to the 1.25" receptacle because a means of adjustment is required for focusing.

Instead of a camera, you can also use your smartphone and a standard smartphone holder. Attach this to the eyepiece (eyepiece projection).

Collimating small RC telescopes
For RC telescopes with 6-inch and 8-inch apertures, the circumferential light gap (the space between the baffle tubes) is often used to align the primary mirror. In newer telescopes, this gap is no longer visible, so this alignment reference is missing. Alternatively, the mounts of the secondary mirror spider can be used; however, these are difficult to see, which makes the alignment result inaccurate. With the Colliscope, you can see these mounts clearly magnified and align the telescope with ease

Aligning refractors
Thanks to the bright built-in illumination, even refractors can be adjusted with ease. The ring-shaped reflections on the surfaces - which vary in color (depending on the coating) and size - can be emphasized or attenuated using the sliding focus mechanism.



View through the collimating telescope into a misaligned doublet refractor

When adjusting short-focal-length refractors, it may be necessary to extend the focus range of the Colliscope. To do this, the sliding focuser can be extended using standard 1.25" extension tubes (with M28.5x0.6 threads) or the housing can be extended using inexpensive M42x1 extension tubes (not T2!).

Collimate the collimating telescope? No!
The Phoenix Colliscope has no parts that can become misaligned. Therefore, there is no need to check or adjust it.

Eyepieces
The Colliscope comes with two eyepieces to accommodate as wide a range of applications as possible.

In principle, any eyepiece with a standard 1.25-inch filter thread on the barrel can be used with the Colliscope. However, we cannot guarantee that every combination will produce a perfect collimation result.

Mechanical connection of the Colliscope
The Phoenix Colliscope features a T2 female thread on the telescope end. This allows for a wide variety of different adaptations. We recommend using the separately available adapters to connect to standard M90 and M117 threads.

USB-C port
The Phoenix Colliscope features a built-in rechargeable battery and integrated charging circuitry with a USB-C port. You can charge the device using any USB-C port that provides at least 500 mA of current.

There is an indicator window next to the USB-C port. While charging, the LED there glows red; once the battery is fully charged, the indicator turns green.

User´s Manual
You can download the user´s manual from the following link: 260422_Colliscope_en.pdf

Video
We have made a video about collimating your RC with the predecessor TSCOLLIT, you can watch it here:

Safety informations: PDF Download