Explore Scientific Tall 50mm Finder Scope Rings

Product Overview

These are Explore Scientific's tall-profile mounting rings for 50mm finder scopes. Where a standard ring set holds the finder close to the tube, this one raises it: the published height is 115mm, which stands the finder roughly four inches above its base. That extra clearance is what makes the finder usable when a large 2-inch eyepiece, a dew heater strap, a focuser knob or a camera is occupying the space beside it.

Published dimensions are 73mm long, 61mm wide and 115mm high, at 7oz (198.4g). The set uses two rings, each with three adjustment points, so the finder is aligned at six contact points rather than clamped and hoped for. The thumbscrews are heavy-duty plastic with large heads that stay usable with gloves on — a detail that matters more at two in the morning in February than it does in a product photograph.

A quick-release dovetail lets the finder lift off complete with its rings, which keeps the alignment intact and lets the telescope pack into a case with less headroom.

Who It's For

• Owners of 50mm finder scopes who want a mounting that holds alignment through transport.
• Anyone whose finder is crowded by a large 2-inch eyepiece, a diagonal, a dew strap or a camera body — 115mm of height moves the eyepiece end of the finder clear of all of it.
• Observers who wear gloves: the oversized thumbscrew heads are sized to be turned with cold hands.
• People who transport a telescope regularly: the quick-release dovetail takes the finder off without disturbing the six alignment screws.
• Anyone replacing a damaged or lost ring set and looking for a taller mounting than the original.

Key Features & Design

• 115mm published height: a high-profile mounting that lifts a 50mm finder roughly four inches above its base for clearance.
• Two rings, three adjustment points each: six screws bearing on the finder body, which is what allows fine alignment in both axes and holds it once set.
• Quick-release dovetail: the finder comes off as an assembly and returns to the same position, so realignment between sessions is minimal.
• Heavy-duty plastic thumbscrews with large heads: turnable with gloves on, and plastic heads mean no metal-on-metal marking where they bear.
• 73mm long and 61mm wide: the footprint the rings occupy along and across the tube.
• 7oz (198.4g) published weight: light enough that it does not meaningfully change the balance of a telescope tube.
• Sized for 50mm finder scopes, which is the size Explore Scientific specifies for this set.

Recommended Uses

• Mounting a 50mm finder scope where a low-profile bracket leaves too little clearance.
• Raising a finder over a wide 2-inch eyepiece, a dew heater band or a camera train.
• Replacing an original ring set that has been damaged, lost or outgrown.
• Setups that are packed down each session, where a quick-release finder saves case space.
• Cold-weather observing where large glove-friendly adjusters are worth having.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

• Finder size: specified by Explore Scientific for 50mm finder scopes. A finder body of a different outside diameter is outside what the rings are stated to hold.
• Base pattern: the set uses a quick-release dovetail, but Explore Scientific does not publish which dovetail standard the base follows or whether a matching base is supplied. That is a question worth settling before ordering — send us a photograph of the shoe on your telescope and we will confirm the fit.
• Finder scope: not included. These are the rings and their mounting only.
• Weight on the tube: at 198.4g the rings add very little; the finder itself is the larger part of the load.
• Alignment: six adjustment points allow the finder to be tipped to match the main telescope precisely, which is the difference between a finder that helps and one that misleads.

Good to Know Before You Order

• The finder scope is not part of this listing. The rings mount a 50mm finder you already own, or one bought separately — we can quote a finder alongside them.
• Explore Scientific does not publish the ring inner diameter, only that the set is for 50mm finder scopes, so that row reads as not published below rather than being estimated. Measure the outside diameter of your finder body and we will check it against the specification with our Explore Scientific representative.
• The dovetail standard is not published either. Explore Scientific describes a quick-release dovetail without naming the pattern. We are happy to confirm compatibility with your telescope's finder base before the order goes through.
• The tall profile is the point of this set. If your finder already clears everything around it, a standard-height ring set does the same job in less space; this one exists for the cases where it does not.
• Thumbscrew material is plastic by design. Large plastic heads are easier on cold fingers and gentler on a finder tube than knurled metal, and there are six of them sharing the load.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to set up?

No. The rings slide onto the quick-release dovetail, the finder goes between them, and the six thumbscrews are turned until the finder is held and pointing at the same place as the main telescope. Aligning it on a distant object in daylight takes a few minutes and holds from then on.

What size finder does it fit?

Explore Scientific specifies this set for 50mm finder scopes. If yours is a different size, send us the outside diameter of the tube and we will tell you whether it is in range.

Why choose the tall version?

Clearance. At 115mm the finder eyepiece sits about four inches above the base, which puts it clear of wide 2-inch eyepieces, dew straps, focuser knobs and camera bodies. On a crowded tube that is often the difference between using the finder comfortably and craning around something.

Does the finder stay aligned when it is removed?

That is what the quick-release dovetail is for — the finder and rings come off as one assembly and return to the same seat, so the six alignment screws are left untouched.

Can I use it with gloves on?

Yes. The thumbscrews are heavy-duty plastic with oversized heads chosen specifically so they can be turned with gloves.

Does it come with a base to mount on the telescope?

Explore Scientific does not state that in the published specification, so we would rather check than guess. Tell us which telescope it is going on and we will confirm what is in the box and what your tube already has.

Bottom Line

In short: a 115mm-tall, 198.4g ring set for 50mm finder scopes, with six adjustment points, glove-friendly thumbscrews and a quick-release dovetail — a mounting for the cases where a low bracket leaves the finder buried among eyepieces and cables. Send us the make of your finder and a photo of your telescope's finder base and we will confirm the fit before you order.