Dark Vader

My main interest is visual and just occasionally try some pics. My phone is pretty basic and doesn't have the settings for exposures long enough for most DSOs. And my tracking is Dob nudging so I take either single shots or very short videos. 😄 If I had tracking, I would probably centre with the eyepiece first then put the phone mount on as to me it sounds easier, but I've no actual experience with tracking mounts. Hope that helps in some way. Andy

I've had some decent results on the moon using that method with the native phone camera app set on auto. Neighbour was able to see a pretty good close up of the moon from over the garden fence. If you have manual control, picture data says 1/100th sec at ISO64, was with an 8" SW Dob and Samsung A6 though. YMMV, There are a few books on smartphone astrophotography that give useful starting suggestions for iso / shutter speed. Andy

Quite possibly John, quite possibly. 😎 The XW 30 is cheaper but a 2". Everything else I've got is 1.25", question is, do I want to change adapters?

Nice! Yep, frustratingly still in their boxes. I thought about the 7 but I'm pretty well covered for 6-8 mm. Gonna check with SWMBO if I can get away with a 24mm Panoptic in a few weeks

Not exactly for Christmas, but arrived on the 23rd. As a result of a recent payout from a former employer coinciding with FLO knocking 50 quid off, I decided to upgrade my eyepieces. As is usually the case, the weather has been shocking since 🙄

Viewing through open windows is really not recommended. It's way better to get the scope outside. The Skywatcher 200P Dob is a large, heavy beast and it will likely become a chore if you have to do stairs to use it. It sounds as though you'll be better off with something a bit more portable.

I use it mainly in the garden but have transported it in the car to a society outreach session. The base fits in the boot and the OTA fits nicely across the back seat. I have an estate car. If you have to carry it up or down stairs and drive a smaller car, you may have issues. I do have to contend with "security" and street lighting from my garden. I'm in a Bortle 6/7 suburban area, and have found that for planetary and lunar observation especially, house lights are not that much of a problem. They are quite big - I knew it was going to be big but it still surprised me when I put it together - and as long as storage and transport is doable they are very good scopes. Andy

Hello The Skywatcher Skyliner 200p comes apart if needed for moving. You unscrew the bearing tension screws and lift out the OTA. It can be carried in 2 parts. Personally, for short 5 yard trips from house to patio, I pick it up by those bits and carry it as one. As for the height, I'm 6'5 and use a musicians stool for seated observing. You could use a camping chair or adjustable drum stool just as easily. Another option - I raised the height of my Dob base by putting it on a water butt stand.

I generally start with the 25mm BST to find things then pop in the Hyperion IV zoom. That gets a lot of use, sometimes with the matching 2.25x Barlow. My most used eyepiece is the BST 15mm, a very good performer especially on Jupiter and Saturn coupled with the Hyperion IV zoom 2.25x Barlow. This may change shortly as I've had a brace of Pentax XWs delivered today. 😁

Snapseed is a very good phone processing app, and free. Two of my better efforts, single shots through an 8" reflector on a Samsung A6 and processed in Snapseed.

Hello At someone else's recommendation I downloaded this one recently. Looks pretty useful. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smartphone-Astrophotography-Introduction-Photographing-Heavens-ebook/dp/B09KT7KX9X Here's another: https://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov/SMBooks/AstrophotographyV1.pdf There's a load of articles around on the subject. Amazing what you can do with a phone camera these days. https://nightskypix.com/smartphone-astrophotography/

10x50 binoculars, a garden recliner and one of these and you're good to go. Put this ball head on a monopod, even better. https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-177-cm-Pistol-Grip-Tripod/dp/B01LQX0P8Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?crid=24IWAIV1T42IW&keywords=pistol+grip+ball+head&qid=1639267936&sprefix=pistol+grip+ball%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-8

Welcome to SGL. I don't understand RA either but with a manual Dob base you can manage without. I found this to be a useful accessory for a Dob. https://www.amazon.co.uk/0-360°-Digital-Inclinometer-Protractor-Magnets/dp/B08GM3BHRB/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&keywords=Inclinometers&qid=1639246386&s=diy&sr=1-13&ts_id=1939096031

Spent a couple of hours introducing a friend to some targets in the 200P. Jupiter just showing 2 belts in pretty poor seeing, M45 nice and clear but more of it visible in the RACI. M31 and M110 faint smudges. Finished with the moon, took a few shots handheld on the mobile...processed in Snapseed.

Please delete - off topic

Apologies if I missed an earlier budget post but this appeared on my Facebook market feed today. A tabletop dobsonian mount 130p. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/942321570024244/

Just ordered some of these ^^ 🤞 Will report back. Andy

^^^ what he said 😃 Sorry if that was a bit "jargonish". Andy

Decent first attempt, without the green filter very similar to mine. You've got Petavius nicely lit right on the terminator.

I've almost forgotten what a clear evening is... Yes, the 200P is 8". You should still get some good results with a 150P

No tracking, I've got a SW 200P on a Dobsonian mount. It was a single shot. I've just checked the settings and it says 1/50 sec at ISO50. It was a Samsung A6 on auto through a barlowed BST 15mm if I remember correctly. I may have zoomed the phone a bit (2 - 4 x), can't really recall now. Snapseed is a pretty good mobile processing app.

I can, although they can be tricky to set up in the dark. I'd definitely recommend getting used to setting it up using the Moon. I've had some good lunar results just using the phone's auto focus and exposure. Another tip is if you're not using a remote shutter release, set the self timer at 5-10 seconds so the phone doesn't shake when you press the shutter. Also, don't be afraid to use the phone's zoom a bit. Andy

One from last night. Single shot handheld, as I didn't have time to set the phone mount up. Samsung A6 on auto. Skywatcher 200p, BHZ at 24mm with ND09 filter. Processed in native app then sharpened in Snapseed.

Most purchases of astro gear will unfortunately do that 🙄

Excellent scope choice. Excellent advice above about collimation. My first buys after the 200P were a premium Cheshire and a RACI finder - much easier on the neck. Once you've seen how the supplied eyepieces perform it's easier to see where the improvement is needed. Personally, I went for a cheap zoom eyepiece, then bought 3 BST Starguiders - very good for the price, then upgraded the zoom to a Baader Hyperion IV with matched Barlow. Andy