Rigel QuikFinder Illuminated red bullseye finder

This straight-through viewing non-magnifying finder has a bull's-eye reticle, rather than a red dot. When you look at the sky through the tilted clear plastic plate at the top of the finder, you see two concentric circles of red light seemingly projected on the sky to help you aim your scope. The outer circle is two degrees in diameter and the inner circle one-half degree in diameter. You can use the outer circle to starhop from object to object in two degree steps. The inner circle will help you center your eyepiece on an object at high powers. Three collimation knobs on the back of the finder let you line up the center circle precisely with the center of the scope's eyepiece field.

The circles stay the same size no matter how far your eye is positioned behind the finder. Unlike ordinary magnifying finders, you don't have to keep your eye pushed up against the QuikFinder to use it. You can be as much as 12" to 18" behind the finder and it will still work properly.

Separate controls on the finder adjust the brightness of the red circles of light and adjust the rate at which the circles pulse on and off. Some observers find it easier to use a pulsing light to avoid tiring out the eye. The Rigel QuikFinder builds this feature in, rather than making it an option as it is with some other finders. The pulsing action also conserves battery life.

The finder uses one user-replaceable 3 volt BR2032 or CR2032 lithium camera battery (supplied, but not guaranteed by Rigel to be fully charged when received). Battery charge and battery life are not covered by the finder warranty. When it is time to replace the battery (readily available at Walmart, Radio Shack, camera stores, etc.), you can use either of the above batteries or a BR2025 or CR2025.

The QuikFinder comes with two bases, each measuring 2" x 2.5". They attach semi-permanently to your telescope optical tube by means of supplied double-faced tape. The tape can be removed from the optical tube, but might mar the finish on a sonotube reflector, so be sure the finder is precisely where you want it to be before taping it in place. One base is shaped to fit scope optical tubes under 5" in diameter, the other fits larger scopes. The finder itself is 5" tall by 1-3/8" square. Its compact size, height, long eye relief, and small base option makes it ideal for small scopes such as the Bushnell 4.5" Voyager and the Meade ETX scopes, where it is difficult to get your head close enough to use a conventional finder. At the same time, it makes an excellent second finder for quick object locating with virtually any large telescope.