Collimation

[tim26792]

Hi All,

I am collecting my first scope at the weekend, a Skywatcher 200p on eq5. I know I will need some sort of collimation tool so could someone advise what I need to buy, I was reading the asto baby tutorial and it mentions a collimation cap but I cant find that on the flo website. Do I just need a cheshire collimation eyepiece?

Thanks

[Kevdan]

did you win that one from ebay? I was watching that, My advice is do just as Astrobaby says, get a camera film tub and put a very small 2mm ish hole in the dead centre, then get a cheshire, FLO do them for around £25, Im certainly no expert but there are so many different views on laser collimators. I decided to stay away.

Kev.

[tim26792]

No still watching the one on ebay but even if I dont get that one I think that is the model I will go for.

[Kevdan]

the 200p on eq5 has gone

[Doc]

FLO used to sell them, they very cheap at about £5, a cannister does work but you will have to be accurate with that drill.

[Ad Astra]

If you want to go the laser route, I recommend Orion's LaserMate Deluxe (don't you love the fancy names???). It's available on Amazon for about $50, I think.

The best thing about it is that you can see the results from the back of the scope as you tweak the collimation knobs. No need to adjust - then check - then adjust and check again! Even with a partner, this can be a pain. The LaserMate makes it an easy, one-man job.

Dan

[Pete Presland]

i would go with the laser as well.i used a cheshire to some degree of satisfaction,but was never happy with the end result,the laser is less ambiguous.

[Adamski]

I find the plastic 35mm film case method to be very good and very cheap.

[Adamski]

Sorry, me again. I used a school compass for circles to peirce the hole, the lid of the case has a mark in the centre but just check first.

[Damo636]

ScopesnSkies sell Astro Engineering dust caps for about 3 quid each. I think they are listed as Posh Dust Plug. They are solid aluminium and if you peel off the Astro Engineering sticker they have hole in the exact centre. Better than the film canister i used to use. This and Cheshire is all i have ever used. Personally i would not trust a laser but that's just me!

[twotter]

Literally just got an Astro Engineering Colli-Mate Deluxe today from Scopes'n'Skies/Pulsar Optical. Will try and use it over the weekend

[Pete Presland]

ScopesnSkies sell Astro Engineering dust caps for about 3 quid each. I think they are listed as Posh Dust Plug. They are solid aluminium and if you peel off the Astro Engineering sticker they have hole in the exact centre. Better than the film canister i used to use. This and Cheshire is all i have ever used. Personally i would not trust a laser but that's just me!

you can collimate the laser as well

[twotter]

Collimating the collimator does sound rather bizarre

[Damo636]

Literally just got an Astro Engineering Colli-Mate Deluxe today from Scopes'n'Skies/Pulsar Optical. Will try and use it over the weekend

That's the one i use. It's a nicely made piece of kit

[TheThing]

Oh dear!

A_B's guide is far too unnecessarily complicated! I wouldn't bother following it if I were you. Much better to use Andy's Shot Glass which is much clearer and provides better results. The pain of it is, using Andy's system you can collimate without any special equipment, just your eyes! If I'd seen this sooner I could have saved you some time, hassle and money.

If you really want it spot on, a laser is so much easier as Dan says. Andy's will also walk you thru using one.