Sky-Watcher 9x50 Straight-Through Illuminated Finderscope
Looking for a reliable finderscope to make navigating the night sky and pointing your telescope at the right target easier? The Sky-Watcher 9x50 straight-through finderscope with illuminated crosshair reticle is a classic, time-tested choice for astronomers of all skill levels. With a large 50mm objective lens and 9x magnification, it delivers a wide enough field of view and a bright, clear image - even when searching for fainter deep-sky objects.
Optics and Image Quality
At the heart of the finderscope is a 50mm achromatic doublet objective lens with anti-reflection coatings that minimize unwanted reflections and maximize light transmission. This is especially important when hunting for faint stars or nebulae under poor atmospheric transparency conditions.
The fixed eyepiece provides a steady 9x magnification - a combination that is well established and widely appreciated in amateur astronomy for its versatility. Focusing to suit individual diopter requirements is performed by sliding the objective lens collar, which is then locked securely with a locking ring, ensuring the focus setting stays stable throughout the entire observing session.
As with most straight-through finderscopes of this type, the image is inverted both horizontally and vertically - this should be kept in mind when navigating with a star atlas or planetarium software.
Illuminated Reticle - A Key Advantage
The illuminated crosshair reticle is a standout feature that sets this finderscope apart from non-illuminated versions. When working in a dark field, the reticle remains clearly visible regardless of the brightness of the surrounding area, making it significantly easier to precisely center an object before switching to the main telescope eyepiece.
The brightness of the illumination can be adjusted to suit current conditions, so it does not unnecessarily disrupt your dark-adapted vision - an important consideration for serious deep-sky observation.
Build Quality and Mounting
The finderscope comes with a bracket featuring a dovetail fitting, which ensures a firm yet easily removable attachment to a standard telescope mounting shoe. This solution is widely used across the Sky-Watcher range and many other manufacturers, meaning the finderscope can be transferred between different optical tubes without any difficulty.
The robust metal body withstands typical outdoor conditions and is built to last through years of regular use.
Specifications
| Parameter |
Value |
| Magnification |
9x |
| Objective lens diameter |
50 mm |
| Optics type |
Achromatic doublet |
| Lens coatings |
Anti-reflection multi-coatings |
| Eyepiece |
Fixed (no eyepiece diopter adjustment) |
| Focusing method |
Sliding objective collar with locking ring |
| Reticle |
Illuminated crosshair (variable brightness) |
| Image orientation |
Inverted (both horizontally and vertically) |
| Viewing direction |
Straight-through |
| Bracket type |
Dovetail mounting bracket |
| Body material |
Metal |
Who Is This Finderscope For?
The Sky-Watcher 9x50 straight-through finderscope with illuminated reticle is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a precise and dependable pointing tool at the eyepiece. The combination of a large objective lens, quality achromatic optics, and a comfortable illuminated reticle makes it one of the most popular finderscopes for astronomical telescopes - whether you are a beginner taking your first steps under the stars or an experienced deep-sky observer.
Ideal Use Cases
- Star-hopping to faint deep-sky objects such as galaxies, nebulae and star clusters
- Precise telescope alignment and GoTo mount calibration
- Visual observation sessions where quick and accurate object centering is essential
- Upgrading from a smaller or non-illuminated finderscope
What Is Included
- Sky-Watcher 9x50 finderscope
- Dovetail mounting bracket
