First light 200P Dob

[GazofCorra]

Well after a long wait for my 8" dob i finally got to use it last night 24th April, temp was 11c and RH 59% seeing was about II at the beginning but went to III later on.

11.30pm Saturn (always a favourite) with my 13mm Nagler which was awesome and i saw titan and 2 other moons.

12.00pm Split Cor Coroli in Canes Venatici.

Tried to find a few messier's but failed as i am using the standard finder and have not got use to the opposite effect of the finder and nudging the dob in the right direction, i suppose it will come with time (i was searching around ursa major).

12.25pm everything was looking very faint and i was finding it hard to focus, i checked the primary and it was clear so i removed the eyepiece and the secondary was all fogged up, so that finished the session.

Most of my kit and books were all wet with dew which surprised me, but that is the enemy of astronomy.

Hopefully i will have better look next time out.

[obscura]

Some time back in mid winter had a similar prob. The crown lens had iced up!!

I have been advised here that an astrzap dew heater should be on my shop list - towards Autumn methinks

I'm sure it'll just get better and better.

[twotter]

I've got an Astro-Engineering Dark Cap on my 200P and I've not had any issues with dew inside the OTA.

Works for me

[Adz]

A nice little report Gaz, thanks.

Check my latest thread about my 200p. I made a great dew shield for next to nothing

Also m13 should be possible to see in the optical finder, I can from my garden.