Advise for my new scope

[tim26792]

Hi All,

Finally I have got my hands on my new scope a Skywatcher 200p on eq5. I got it second hand and it came with several eyepieces.

2" 42mm

2" 28mm

1.25" 32mm plossl

1.25" super25 w/a long eye relief

1.25" super 10mm

1.25" super 3.6mm

1.25" x2 barlow

Which one of these is best to use for my initial search? Also any recomendations on other eyepieces to buy I think all the ones above are just standard skywatcher pieces as there is no other branding on them.

Also having trouble starhopping using the 9x50 finder scope I was thinking about getting the skywatcher red dot finder is this a decent piece of kit?

Thanks

Tim

[swamp thing]

HI

I would use the eyepiece with the widest field of view for your initial searches (probably the 42mm ).

As for a red dot finder IMO the Telrad is about as good as they get.

Regards Steve

[Adamski]

Any thing from your 25mm up to 42mm ep will help you navigate easily. Although they are the standard ep's you get with yor scope they are still ok and you have a good assortment. I don't think you need to worry about ep's just yet. Have you got stellarium yet? Once you start learning the constellations you'll be hopping all over the place. I've also got Patrick Moores "guide to stars and planets". Yon can pick these sort of books up quite cheap in charity shops and carbooty's.

[BAZ Senior]

Hi Tim, that's a fair selection of eyepieces you got with it, and although they aren't Naglers, they should suit you until you have looked through some others and found what you like. I have looked through some really expensive eyepieces, and was planning on one for a milestone present, but having used one for an evening, I found although it delivered stunning views, it didn't suit me or my scope, it caused balance issues which made the scopes use more of a chore.

I use a 2" 26 mm for locating objects, this one is a clone of a well known brand, and it does me fine, find your object and then find one where you get maximum detail, but without starting to dim or lose image quality. This is dependant on how bright or how big your object is.

For instance, if you go looking for M33, use the 42mm, or binoculars, as this is very faint, but is also about twice the size of the moon. The first time I went after it, I found I had been looking clean through it.

I would also suggest you look at buying a right angle finder for your scope, this makes life a lot more comfortable, and for the extra few quid, get a Right Angle Corrected Image (RACI) finder, this makes moving the scope to the object easier, as the image is the way it looks like you should move to it. It will, if you get a Sky Watcher one, fit straight into the shoe so no mucking about putting holes in the scope.

A lot of people use a Telrad finder, including myself, as these have graduated rings, as opposed to a single red dot, and make getting in the right area for the finder scope to take over, a lot easier as well. This is of course all dependant on your budget, a Telrad will set you back about forty quid, and a RACI is around sixty quid. For me the RACI was one of the best things I have bought, it saves no end of back ache, trying to look up a straight through finder is not a natural position to be in.

Hope that helps.

[hawker]

i would second getting on to stellarium...it's a great and exciting way to just learn your way around the sky a bit.

[spaceboy]

I suspect the previous owner had the 42mm Ep purposely for finding objects as the Exit pupil will be huge and beyond the reach of most adults for any practical use. A RD finder is a very useful piece of kit but don't think you have to get rid of your optical finder as both can be mounted to the tube next to each other. Another thing to consider getting is a collimator to make sure your always getting the best from your scope.

[tim26792]

Thanks for the replies.

Is this the type of red dot finder you recommend, if so how does it fit to the scope as the ad says no need to drill.

[tim26792]

forgot to put link in

Telrad Reflex Finder | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

[BAZ Senior]

That's the chap!

You may find these useful as well, finder charts kindly put on the web by MSAS.

MSAS: Messier Finder Charts

[tim26792]

Thanks