Spile

So RACI or Telrad....?

Not with my bad back I won't - please share!

On my phone (Android) I am currently trying out Stellarium, SkEye and Heavens Above. I like them all for different reasons but may decide if one meets all my needs. I have a iPad but I do not use it when observing. I like the fact that the phone fits in my pocket.

The only thing I would add to the above comments are that when looking at low objects (Venus), due to obstructions, I sometimes need to raise the base of my Dobsonian a foot or two - Imagine a small child trying to look over a hedge! This then means I stand on my step/stool to do the viewing. Also, the straight-through finder is very uncomfortable for me (age!) when trying to sight anything more than 60° alt.

I have just updated my "default" 10 and 25mm EPs. Like you I found the 10mm lacking. After scouring the forums, the one that kept getting good reviews and recommendations in terms of sweet spot (optics/cost) was the Baader Hyperion IV Zoom, and that is what I chose. It was bundled with a matching Barlow at a special price so I went for that. It is BIG but mounted on 2" adapter it is secure though a little daunting! I now have a handy range of focal lengths (3.6 - 24mm) and a magnification range from 20X to 338X and the only changing I need to make are to insert or remove the Barlow. Checking out Saturn and Jupiter last night, the difference was considerable, features were more prominent and better defined. To be expected for something that costs almost as much as my telescope! All in all, I am very happy with the decision.

I understand why cheaper EPs are included - it keeps down the cost but they 'get you going' without compromising on the quality of the rest of the instrument. That said, I purchased a Hyperion Mark IV Zoom less than a week after getting the 200P!

That was the mantra I followed when I decided to use the homemade cap method rather than using a Cheshire or a laser. The advice I follow is https://garyseronik.com/no-tools-telescope-collimation and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KADpZ_XZkS8&t=1s I did have problems using the star method to test collimation using the original EPs supplied with my telescope but when I "upgraded" to a Hyperion Mark IV zoom it all worked as in the tutorials.

In your situation I would chose binoculars (used if available) and a tripod. The combination would give you flexibility - You can use them from your balcony and also take them to somewhere less built up. Comparing the views will be interesting and transportation will be so much easier.

I chose the 200mm Dobsonian after a lot of forum and review reading and am very happy with the decision. The 8" from FLO hit the sweet spot for me in terms of aperture and physical size/weight. I did want to see it's potential and succumbed to a Baader Zoom eyepiece however...

I am not sure car wax would work for my 200P as there are three rectangular pads sticking up from the bottom half of the turntable so unless you mean putting the wax on those rather than the whole disc...?

This was my first telescope since the toy 2" refractor I owned as a kid in the 1970's. Since then I've just been a naked eye and binocular observer. Ordered at the end of October from FLO, it arrived four days before Christmas, so I was very happy. It is packaged in two parts and you can read more details in the excellent thread (below) from Adz. It is a really well built telescope and I was able to follow the instructions to put it together without any issues. A few really minor comments about assembly... I did not find the base assembly instructions 100% clear - there is no mention about installing the three black feet and they are not listed in the parts list either. I also inadvertently installed board D (half of the turntable) upside down. It would have been helpful to mention that the three stapled pads should face upwards. Saddle side bearings - I think the diagram of the bearing, bolt and arrow is meant to show that the nut in the bearing is supposed to be closest to the bolt as it enters the bearing but this is not stated and I am not sure. I think a collimating cap should have been included - it is only going add a few pence to the hardware cost and it saves having to butcher one of lens caps or bodge one together as I did. In addition a few carrying/caring/dos and don'ts for your instrument and useful recommended accessories and an explanation why the OTA cap has a hole and cap (I know now) would be useful. In terms of use... Moving the base and OTA is no problem in terms of weight. After checking the collimation, I found the primary was spot on but the secondary needed a slight adjustment to bring the 3 clips into view. I am delighted with the performance of the 200P and was very pleased on my first day out to successfully target the moon, five planets, M45, M42 and M31. As I am getting on a bit, the finder is painful to use for high objects so I may get a Telrad. I have ordered a Baader Hyperion Zoom/Barlow - that is not a criticism of the two basic supplied eyepieces, I just need something better. So 9.8 / 10 and I am very happy to recommend this telescope to others. Tips/Updates I used double sided tape to attach a small polystyrene pad to the base just above the carry handle (facing inwards). This acts as a stop when the OTA is vertical. The Baader Hyperion IV Zoom/Barlow combination is a high improvement on the supplied EPs. Given that this costs almost as much as the 200P this is to be expected but it does demonstrate this instrument can be pushed further. I used the 2" adapter for this as it was more secure. When using the Barlow, I needed to extend the adapter about 5mm to achieve focus. Collimation using the out of focus star method did not work for me using the supplied eyepieces but did work when using the Baader Zoom. A demonstration of the quality of this EP. The 200P can be lifted and moved short (3-4 metres) distances when attached to the base. The accessory tray is pretty flimsy compared with the quality of the rest of the instrument. I needed to elevate the base to view Venus from my location - I used a sturdy box to do this but have also tested a Black & Decker workmate which was a little too high for me.

I decided to upgrade from the two starter eyepieces supplied with the Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P. After reading lots of user comments and reviews here and on Cloudy Nights, I decided to get a Baader Hyperion Universal Zoom Mark IV along with the Barlow that can be purchased as part of a deal. Initially rather strange to consider that this EP will be almost the same price as my telescope but I realise that is the price I need to pay for good optics. I also realise that the zoom is going to be a compromise over multiple EP's but given my starting point, I am happy to accept that and I am sure it will be a worthwhile investment. It is due to arrive tomorrow!

A collapsible set of 2 steps that triple up as a seat and table. A Nivea toiletry bag for holding accessories. A strange collimation cap made from a polished washer, the foot of a table and a small plastic tube/reducer. Made because I didn't want to put a hole in a lens cap and 35mm film cases did not fit.

I have been using the Affinity applications and can recommend all three. £49 each and a free trial so that you can try them out. Terrific support and forums with astronomy related posts at https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/search/&q=astronomy

I like this collimation guide... https://garyseronik.com/a-beginners-guide-to-collimation/

I should have mentioned that the most common way to record and playback video is to use an NVR but you can also run software on a PC if you don’t mind leaving it running 24/7.

I installed two security camera's in April after doing a lot of reading up on the forums. Extremely happy with the system I chose* and no issue with IR LEDs when observing. I am not sure if this would be case if I were using filters? I followed the general advice... Avoid cheap brands and Wi-Fi cameras - Opt for power over ethernet (POE) Lower resolution (1080P) camera are fine and work better at night (using IR) Do not place them too high * I have a Network drive (NAS) which I use for backing up files, storing music and now running a security camera system. The software (QVRPro) is free and records video and one camera sound 24/7. It captures "events" such as the postman delivering mail or foxes on night runs and emails me "alerts". The cameras (one turret and one bullet) are from Amcrest which are rebranded Duaha's. They cost about £75 each Recordings are kept for two weeks before they are automatically recorded over. "Events" are kept for about five years. A recommended FAQ - https://ipcamtalk.com/wiki/ip-cam-talk-cliff-notes/

For editing video I can recommend OpenShot https://www.openshot.org For converting between video formats I can recommend Handrake https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/1.3.0/introduction/about.html

I’ve come to similar conclusions as you. I was delighted to view Uranus and Andromeda last night, even though one was a blue dot and the other a misty blob. Never say never but I don’t intend imaging other than the occasional point and click with my phone. I often prefer real-time observation rather than needing to record and that applies when travelling to spectacular places (remember that?) and valuing the memories of what you saw rather than the recordings. That said, as much as I love live performances, I couldn’t do without recorded music.

I made up for the lack of planets this morning by ticking off another four tonight. Our moon was a delight and Andromeda a nice bonus. Note to self - everything up there will still be there tomorrow and the day after. Now celebrating with a G+T . Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and delighted to be a member of this community .

Hi all Up at 4am this morning to point my Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian at the heavens for the first time. Very happy with first two targets - Orion Nebula (before it sank) and Pleiades. As there were no planets or moon I had to wait until 7am for Venus to rise. Resolved but surprised and a little disappointed not to see a crescent. My previous scope was a cheap 2" refractor and crescent Venus was easily seen. However that was forty-five years ago and I've only had 8x40 Olympus binoculars in the intervening years! Lessons (re)learnt Stellarium and SkEye are VERY impressive but I still love my 1971 Norton An Avon toiletries bag is a perfect place to hold eyepieces, lens caps and tools Feet are colder, backs are stiffer and bending over is harder in 2020 than in 1972 Yoga teachers' recommend a viewfinder without a right angle eye-piece If my old refractor was Sophia Loren then my Newtonian is Jenny Agutter Small, folding steps are also comfortable place to sit and observe Put thick walking socks on over a thinner pair at the start of observation periods Walking boots are better insulators than trainers and both transfer mud outdoors<>indoors very efficiently Just because you can't see mud in the dark does not mean that it is not there when you go indoors Your partner may not wish to see Venus at 6.45am Just because SkEye tells you that the Spindle Galaxy is visible from your location does not mean that you can find it on your first date with Dobo. Just because you can find Alkaid, does not mean you can find the Whirlpool Galaxy Up means down and left means right makes pointing difficult. Sometimes just looking though the eyepiece at a load of dim stars is wonderful especially when you think what those little dots actually are, how old they are and how far away they are! Patience is a good thing - M51 will still be there tomorrow (weather permitting) Plan what you want to see at least the night before Just because you can see Andromeda my moving your telescope in a different part of the garden, does not mean that moving your telescope is a good thing to do. In terms of easily finding things, my binoculars are better than my telescope I need a finder scope on my finder scope! FLO are a nice company to deal with - Hi Grant! You can find the ISS by "accident" without planning a view The amount of traffic on roads today compared to 45 years ago equates to the number of man-made objects that pass across your eyepiece The number of man-made objects that pass your eyepiece is alluring and frightening at the same time You do not need a hearing aid to Skywatch - yay! A small section of plastic pipe makes a good finder for a finder Learning star patterns helps you to find "difficult" objects Starting with M1 may not be the best / easiest way to start a Messier tick list When Tina Turner sang "Simply the Best" was she thinking about viewing features on the moon through a telescope? Doctors should prescribe star gazing to insomniacs If Castor is the gin of the sky are its partners the tonic or the ice? Holding a phone to an eyepiece to capture the moon is like balancing a pencil on its flat end Holding a phone to an eyepiece to capture a planet is like balancing a pencil on its pointy end

I can recommend this adjustable, small and cost effective option https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MP2307-Adjustable-Mini360-DC-DC-Converter-Step-Down-Buck-Voltage-Regulator-UK-/231914348146

I can recommend this as a small and cost effective option https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MP2307-Adjustable-Mini360-DC-DC-Converter-Step-Down-Buck-Voltage-Regulator-UK-/231914348146