Tundra

Is the difficulty with seeing conditions from from the long focal length? I would assume that the increased aperture compared to my current scope would mean that it would be more tolerant to seeing conditions... If the issue is the focal length, for both the problems, would the reducer help fix the problem? Thanks again!

I currently own a 200p on an EQ-5, motorized on one axis, and a ZWO ASI224. I've had this scope for over a year now, and I am very pleased with it and the views I can see. That being said, I suspect that my optics aren't diffraction limited and I want something higher quality and slightly bigger, but still portable. I plan to upgrade to an EQ-6, which I will use mostly for planetary AP for now but I will probably try some DSOs later on. The C9.25 seems like a good option, but I have some concerns which might make me want to stay with my 200p. I'm not to worried about the focal length and not being able to fix in large objects, I think that the reducer/coma corrector could fix this problem for AP, and I can just use my 35mm eyepiece for visual (possibly with the reducer too). Central Obstruction: I know that many people think this value is talked about to much, but I have heard that it can be a large contributor to things like loss of contrast, image sharpness, and maximum theoretical resolution. Light Transmission: Does the addition of a corrector plate cause more light to be absorbed (I think I read for Celestron only like 76 percent of the light makes it through) and would that make the 200p deliver more photons, even though I has a smaller aperture? Basically, does the quality improve? Do I get better seeing and resolution? Is that at the expense of contrast? Is the issue of cooling down really something I need to worry about, I store my scopes out on the porch most of the time? Any other general advice about the C9.25 would be amazing too! Thank you so much in advance to helping me, I really appreciate it. P.S. How does one change the finder scope on the C9.25? Is it possible to add another for autoguiding if I get into that later? P.P.S I'm almost certain that it would be diffraction limited, but confirmation would be nice...

Thanks. I think I'll get the Astro Essentials one.

Its forming on the primary mirror and dripping down the insides of the tube, but not as much as the mirror.

Exactly what the title says.

Thanks for the replies! Getting the 200PDS would still allow to focus to be reached when using eyepieces, right? I'm not sure how long the focusing tube is on it. I would be using anything from a 5 to an 30mm eyepiece for my viewing tastes. As for why I might want to use the mount without a computer... It might be nice to not have to worry about bringing out battery and electrical equipment out sometimes and, some people might disagree, but I still think that there a certain charm to going out there and looking at the starts with just you and your scope. No computer, no motors, just your good old fashioned hands. One more thing, do you think that you could recommend a good starting camera to use with this? Thanks.

Hi, I'm new here but I have a decent grip on the basics of astronomy. I currently have a 70mm EQ mount which I've gotten to known pretty well and I now feel comfortable using EQ mounts. I've decided that I want to get a Skywatcher 200P, but there are many options. Do I want a normal or DS focuser? Do I need to get a heavier HEQ5 mount? Basically I have 4 questions that I'm hoping you can answer: Do I need the DS version? I haven't started to do any AP yet, but I might be interested in doing it in the future. Apparently the mirror is closer in the DS, but if that's so why is the focal ratio still the same? Do I need to get the heavier but more sturdy HEQ5 that comes with motors and a GOTO pad? Do you think I would need a GOTO option instead of just a motor on the equatorial axes? Is it really that necessary to find dimmer objects? If I get a GOTO mount, and this may seem like a very silly question, can I still use it manually? If I turn it off, can I still track and move the telescope around without damaging the motors or gears? Here's a link to the HEQ5 version: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200pds-heq5-pro.html Thanks alot!