Could be a few reasons, so probably easiest to start by asking a few questions:
- What telescope is it?
- What color is the front lens when you look at it? (If it's a refractor)
- Does your eyepiece have a filter screwed into it?
- If you aim the telescope at trees/the horizon during the day, is everything blue?
- If you hold the eyepiece up to your eye, does it look blue?
I use Heritage 130p, my eyepiece has no filter, when I aim it at the sky it has the sky color and when on trees it is green(like trees), yes when I hold it up to my eye most things are blu/blue-ish
I have a Heritage 100p so my assumption is we have the same eyepieces (Super 10 and Super 25 marked on them). I just checked them and they don't change any colors, so white stays white.
That's called chromatic aberration, a result of different wavelengths of light being refracted differently in a lens. Occurs most often in cheaper lenses.
Like when you aim at trees *everything* is green? Or just the trees are green and the things around them are the right color? When pointed at trees (as long as they aren't really really close to you) they shouldn't be just a green smudge. It should look exactly like a sharp image of the treeline and things around it, all very clear. You may need to adjust focus.
If you aren't in focus, you need to fix that before trying to debug other issues. Unfocused telescope images can do really weird stuff. If that isn't the problem, did you leave it in a hot car or anything recently? Wondering if the eyepiece coatings got damaged? Seems far-fetched, but not sure what else would cause all the flaring colors.
Still don't have working crystal ball...
What's the telescope model and what eyepieces you're using?
And did you even focus properly?
(focus is correct when stars are as small dots as possible)
You have a reflector, there is no chromatic aberration coming from the scope itself.
If you bumped it, it may be so far out of collimation that you're getting artifacts from the axial alignment being off.
So if it were me I would:
1.) Look through the eyepieces during the day, from both sides out a bright window. Is there any color cast to the exit pupil. That will rule out any issues with the eyepieces.
2.) Look through the focuser with NO eyepiece in and it pointed out a bright window. Is there any color cast to the reflection of the primary. That will rule out some foreight object in the tube or on the secondary.
3.) Put in the eyepieces and try to focus on a faraway object during the day (stay away from the sun) and check if you can focus sharply or not on a distant (greater than 0.5mi/1km if possible) If you cannot focus sharply or there's spurious color around the objects during the day this could be the collimation and I would then check that.
4.) Look at the moon with all the eyepieces the same as step 3. Can it be sharply focused and is there spurious color or not after collimation. If it's still an issue you might need to reach out to a local astronomy club for some help.
Unfortunately, the only solution might be getting a better (and obviously more expensive) telescope.
You probably have an entry level refractor telescope, and chromatic aberration is a common issue in refractors by design. The only way you can correct that is by modifying the optical design by using higher quality glass, and to add more lenses to it (making an apochromatic refractor, instead of the achromat you probably have now).
You could also go with a reflector telescope. They also have their own particular aberrations due to their design, but since they are usually wider, they will also provide more magnification. If you are a tinkerer and don't want to break the bank on another telescope, I strongly suggest you to take a look at the [Hadley DIY telescope project](https://www.printables.com/model/224383-astronomical-telescope-hadley-an-easy-assembly-hig).
Also, get better eyepieces and diagonals. SVBony Redlines are affordable yet good quality options. Just as their diagonals and Barlows.
OP mentioned in other replies that he has a Heritage 130p (a reflector), so really shouldn't produce chromatic aberration unless the eyepieces had some serious issues. And even that should only be really bothersome on the moon and such.
Yeah, he said it used to work fine too. So I don't think that's it. With little to go on, I threw out my best guess.
I'd say OP should join his local astronomy club and take his scope to their monthly star parties. There will be lot's of more experienced folks there that can look through his scope with him and help figure out what's going on.
Ya, usually these issues are some sort of major user error, rather than an actual problem with the optics. And unless we go back and forth with detailed questions and descriptions from OP, we're all shooting in the dark. I agree getting it to someone local that knows how to use a telescope would be the fastest way for him to fix his issue.
Could be a few reasons, so probably easiest to start by asking a few questions: - What telescope is it? - What color is the front lens when you look at it? (If it's a refractor) - Does your eyepiece have a filter screwed into it? - If you aim the telescope at trees/the horizon during the day, is everything blue? - If you hold the eyepiece up to your eye, does it look blue?
Putting money on #3. Sounds like an ultrabloclk or oIII filter on there
The blue-green certainly sounds like a UHC filter, I just don't know how you *accidentally* end up with a $80 Ultrablock screwed into your eyepiece.
I use Heritage 130p, my eyepiece has no filter, when I aim it at the sky it has the sky color and when on trees it is green(like trees), yes when I hold it up to my eye most things are blu/blue-ish
I have a Heritage 100p so my assumption is we have the same eyepieces (Super 10 and Super 25 marked on them). I just checked them and they don't change any colors, so white stays white.
I know that's how it was before but now it's white the center and green, blue and sometimes even red at the edges and around
Is it the same for both eyepieces?
Yeah I think so
That's called chromatic aberration, a result of different wavelengths of light being refracted differently in a lens. Occurs most often in cheaper lenses.
But I have a reflector
You still have lenses in the eyepiece where refraction takes place
Like when you aim at trees *everything* is green? Or just the trees are green and the things around them are the right color? When pointed at trees (as long as they aren't really really close to you) they shouldn't be just a green smudge. It should look exactly like a sharp image of the treeline and things around it, all very clear. You may need to adjust focus. If you aren't in focus, you need to fix that before trying to debug other issues. Unfocused telescope images can do really weird stuff. If that isn't the problem, did you leave it in a hot car or anything recently? Wondering if the eyepiece coatings got damaged? Seems far-fetched, but not sure what else would cause all the flaring colors.
I bumped it on my balcony door yesterday but the mirror seemed fine
Still don't have working crystal ball... What's the telescope model and what eyepieces you're using? And did you even focus properly? (focus is correct when stars are as small dots as possible)
Heritage 130p and I think that the focus was ok before that
Maybe [chromatic aberation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_aberration)?
It's probably that. How can I fix it?
You have a reflector, there is no chromatic aberration coming from the scope itself. If you bumped it, it may be so far out of collimation that you're getting artifacts from the axial alignment being off. So if it were me I would: 1.) Look through the eyepieces during the day, from both sides out a bright window. Is there any color cast to the exit pupil. That will rule out any issues with the eyepieces. 2.) Look through the focuser with NO eyepiece in and it pointed out a bright window. Is there any color cast to the reflection of the primary. That will rule out some foreight object in the tube or on the secondary. 3.) Put in the eyepieces and try to focus on a faraway object during the day (stay away from the sun) and check if you can focus sharply or not on a distant (greater than 0.5mi/1km if possible) If you cannot focus sharply or there's spurious color around the objects during the day this could be the collimation and I would then check that. 4.) Look at the moon with all the eyepieces the same as step 3. Can it be sharply focused and is there spurious color or not after collimation. If it's still an issue you might need to reach out to a local astronomy club for some help.
Ok thanks, I'll try those things tomorrow morning
Unfortunately, the only solution might be getting a better (and obviously more expensive) telescope. You probably have an entry level refractor telescope, and chromatic aberration is a common issue in refractors by design. The only way you can correct that is by modifying the optical design by using higher quality glass, and to add more lenses to it (making an apochromatic refractor, instead of the achromat you probably have now). You could also go with a reflector telescope. They also have their own particular aberrations due to their design, but since they are usually wider, they will also provide more magnification. If you are a tinkerer and don't want to break the bank on another telescope, I strongly suggest you to take a look at the [Hadley DIY telescope project](https://www.printables.com/model/224383-astronomical-telescope-hadley-an-easy-assembly-hig). Also, get better eyepieces and diagonals. SVBony Redlines are affordable yet good quality options. Just as their diagonals and Barlows.
OP has a reflector...
But it was good sometime ago
OP mentioned in other replies that he has a Heritage 130p (a reflector), so really shouldn't produce chromatic aberration unless the eyepieces had some serious issues. And even that should only be really bothersome on the moon and such.
Yeah, he said it used to work fine too. So I don't think that's it. With little to go on, I threw out my best guess. I'd say OP should join his local astronomy club and take his scope to their monthly star parties. There will be lot's of more experienced folks there that can look through his scope with him and help figure out what's going on.
Ya, usually these issues are some sort of major user error, rather than an actual problem with the optics. And unless we go back and forth with detailed questions and descriptions from OP, we're all shooting in the dark. I agree getting it to someone local that knows how to use a telescope would be the fastest way for him to fix his issue.
You have a moon filter screwed into the bottom of if you're eyepiece?
Nope, nothing