Advice needed on scope choise

[inksmithy]

Have one more thought about choices... (I guess patrons of site answered this question a milion time by now )

What will be actualy more beneficial for a first ever scope to go if comparing a first purchase as :

1) SW150P on EQ2/3 + eyepice set

2) SW200P on EQ5

3) SW200dob + eyepiece set

my considerations are:

a) is there SOOOO big difference to go for a 200 comparing with 150 newtonian

is EQ5 mount worth going for a new starter , or i will happily use dob mount for a long run.. (I am somehow more driven towards EQ mounts for not known reason )

c) is eyepiece set needed with first purchase or I can go with standart lenses/barlow for a first period and than see what I need from eyepieces as I will understand more my interests in the sky.

The thing is, for various reasons, any astro shop will tend to put an OTA on a mount which will just do the job. A 200P on an EQ5 will work, but not as well as a 200P on an HEQ5 or EQ6.

Same with the 150P on a 3-2, it will go much better on an EQ5.

As far as difference between apertures goes, I believe the 200P has 77% more mirror surface than the 150P, which is fairly significant by anyones standards.

I went through exactly the same process as you, only a couple of months ago, flipping between various telescope choices and alternatives, but in the end - after a brief flirt with a Celestron 127SLT which I loved, I've ended up with a SkyWatcher 250PX Dobsonian, which will serve me well for many years I think. Once I'm tired of using it as a dobsonian, I'll get myself one of the NEQ6's which are about to hit the second hand market and play with that.

Just as a point of interest, I just made myself a little solar filter using some Baader Safety Solar Film. By putting the filter on the off axis hole on the tube cap, I've effectively transformed the telescope from a 254mm F4.7 light bucket into a 50mm F24 solar telescope. With a barlow, it effectively becomes F48, which should be plenty, dont you think?

The best choice as far as aperture, optics, portability and adaptability goes, has to be the 200P dobsonian.

As far as eyepieces go, I bought the Revelation kit and find it fabulous. Admittedly, I'm looking for some eyepieces again, but I believe that is nothing more than a symptom indicating an amateur astronomer.

Hope that helps.

Alan

[rowan46]

In my opinion an eq mount is really only a neccessity for imaging and nether of those mounts are great imaging mounts with that scope combination. If I was buying it would be these combinations. a 150p on an eq5 (not great for imaging, but if you tune the mount and add motors you may get some half decent pics with a bit of luck and perseverence) Or a 200p dob with a cheshire collimator and a decent 10mm and 32mm eyepiece and maybe a tal barlow I reckon that would give you a decent range of magnification to give better views.

[MikeWilson]

You've got some great advice above! I'll just try to add a little more..

my considerations are:

a) is there SOOOO big difference to go for a 200 comparing with 150 newtonian

About 77% more light. Visually, I'd say it makes a difference but I haven't compared side by side at the same time on the same objects.

is EQ5 mount worth going for a new starter , or i will happily use dob mount for a long run.. (I am somehow more driven towards EQ mounts for not known reason )

EQ5 is a nice mount and will be reasonably stable for the 150P and a bit wobbly (but usable) for the 200P. A HEQ5 is the start of where it's at for stable mounts but just one of those mounts will gobble up the budget range that we're looking at here.

And for that reason, the Dob mount is perfect. Stable and cheap.

c) is eyepiece set needed with first purchase or I can go with standart lenses/barlow for a first period and than see what I need from eyepieces as I will understand more my interests in the sky.

I'd say that you'd need to get some better eyepieces from the start. I did, then I went back to try the stock eyepieces; the stock ones aren't very good. But that said; they are cheap and you can still find a use for them (popping out the glass and you've got an instant 1.25" extension tube for instance).

If you want to try imaging brighter objects (star clusters, bright nebula like M42) with your DSLR, I'd get the 150P. For everything else, get the 200P on a dob mount with eyepiece kit. I'd go with the dob myself, personally... and I don't even have a dob...

Mike

[Kaminovs]

Thanks again.. back to my thinking table now

Damn choises.. now I have to deal in both of my hobbies with them.. Airsoft and Astro

kill me now!

[MikeWilson]

Thanks again.. back to my thinking table now

Damn choises.. now I have to deal in both of my hobbies with them.. Airsoft and Astro

kill me now!

I also do (or did) Airsoft and Astro, and there are a few of us around with both hobbies. Handy for swapping kit :-)

Although the for sale/swap/wanted section here is strictly astro related, it's handy to get to know some fellow astronomers - you'd be surprised that extra hobbies people have

FYI - the 200P is probably your best bet if buying new (or indeed second hand)..

All the best,

Mike

[inksmithy]

That said, Simms on this forum is selling a beautiful 150p right now for a very reasonable price, try sending him a PM, see what happens.

Alan

[brantuk]

If you just want to do observing and portability isn't an issue then the dob is a great choice. If you ever want to do seious imaging (more than planets) then you're going to want an EQ mount and the 200 would be great. But I'd want it on an HEQ-5 for the extra stability that's required. I don't like the eye piece kits - two or three well chosen eyepieces is a much better option imho. For that you need to try several different types of eyepiece first to know what suits you best

[Kaminovs]

Heh.. Dob was removed from choice list as "unpreaty"... damn, why I asked my missis what she finks about it.

So now I am back on decision table between "preaty" SW 200p on EQ5 and Celestron Omni XLT 127 and SW mak 127 on some kind of mount.

After more thought I am more driven on planetary observing I guess from start, with some DSO. And no photo for me yet, only visual, so I still apreciate your opinions on these options .

damn.. never show wife a scope you plan to buy before you buy it..

[inksmithy]

Go for the 200p, it will do planetary stuff at least as well as the 127.

Alan

[Kaminovs]

And so it is done,

Just aranged a buy for a almost new SW 200p on EQ5. And this way I even have bit more money left on eyepieces and stuff.

Now I just need to decide finaly which eyepieces I need.

I was thinking on first buy for 8mm and 25mm eyepieces in price range about 40gbp for each (or may be I better go with different sizes) , any tips here whould be apreciated.

Also one question - is Barlow supplied with SW200p needs a replacement or it is good to go with eyepieces in 40 gbp range?

[Kaminovs]

Hello again,

So question remains, with a little update now.

for a high mag and medium/high on my sw200p eq5 for a start I will use my new Celestron X-Cel 10mm ( barlowed for high mag)

I need advice though on a choice for a low mag nad low/mid eyepiece. As I understand it should be wide field of view piece. Any advice apreciated.

[MikeWilson]

I'm happy with my 32mm Revelation Plossl for wide field.

[Kaminovs]

Hi,

Scope arrived yesterday.

As I have bought previously used scope, I was worried abit about condition. But as seller told it was used once, and it definitely looked this way. Collimation was almost good than scope arrived, I re collimated it using Cheshire collimator.

One problem i found bit later trying to see if everything on a scope and mount was in order. Damn latitude adjustment bolt was bent. and I mean BADLY bent.

I have contacted seller, and to best his regards, we agreed he will compensate me with a upgrade replacement bolts from Astrodevelopments. Now I need to find a safe solution to get a bent bolt out of a mount. Problem is it is screwed in almost completely, and it does not rotate.

Need some thinking done here.

Though I couldn't set my latitude right, I have done my first light observation this night. First it was cloudy, but closer to midnight it cleared out and I have been given a 3 hours of good clear sky.

My first impression is just great

As I am only learning sky, navigating was kind of hard for me. Using finder scope was complete mess. And I believe I want to upgrade my setup with a red dot finder.

I tried to find some DSO's in Ursa Major, but failed. somehow I couldn’t find nor whirlpool galaxy, nor anything else but i have split Mizar in two. It was relay nice to see how it went apart showing Alcor and Two closely located Mizar stars.

Just browsing the sky was a joy in itself, but later at night, than Andromeda came out from my rooftop. I had a great view on m31, great meaning a good big smudge with distinctive core and fudgy surroundings.

All in all it was a great first night. Sky definitely looked back in me

[Kaminovs]

Pictures illustrating bent Latitude bolt inside mount. It is not only bent, but also hardly damaged. It was screwed in completely and than bent inside, making it totaly stuck and not rotating.

[MikeWilson]

Pictures illustrating bent Latitude bolt inside mount. It is not only bent, but also hardly damaged. It was screwed in completely and than bent inside, making it totaly stuck and not rotating.

Ouch!

Dremel drill and get in there to cut it off at the part at which it is bent?

[Kaminovs]

Yeah.. thou i was thinking about manual old style .. hand + file + blisters just to not mess up mount boddy. Thou dreml drill is also good. but i dont have it yet. Relocation killed most of my instrumental package (

Any other parts you advice me to check before, to avoid future problems?

[JKB]

Bolt is soft so if bent one way will almost certainly bend back again. Probably enough to unscrew it?

[Kaminovs]

aye, using a long nose pliers i have almost unbend a screw. But thread was heavily damaged and it is stuck in screwed in possition. it only unscrewes now for about 5-8mm

I will try to cut part of inside bolt and than, cut a outside head of bolt. than will try make single cut across a bolt and screw it in. Hopefull it will work.

[Kaminovs]

As replacement latitude bolts are on the way, I had to remove old bent bolt from mount.

First I unbent screw alit bit, so I was able to unscrew it half way. Unscrewing it more could have damage thread on alluminium mount, so I decided to cut bolt in the midle using a fine file.

Steel is realy soft, so after a little bit of efford, it went apart smoothly.

Using fine grip I have unscrewed bold from inside, and safely removed it from mount.

No damage to mount thread or mount was present.

So all I need now is a new replacement bolts to arrive.

[JKB]

Well done! hope you get your new bolts soon.

Cheers

[MikeWilson]

Very well done indeed. Did you etch out a flat head in the screw so as to use the screwdriver to unscrew the rest of the screw or were you able to simply twist the remaining part of the screw out with pliers?

[todd8137]

i disagree a laser col is not needed and a cheshire is easier to use for begginers

[Kaminovs]

To Mike - I used fine pliers. I unscrewed a bolt to its most loose possition, so it was rotating very frrely and than I made a cut so remaining part of bolt in mount was more or less freely rotating. than it was just a matter of playing with pliers and job done.

Stock Bolts are realy made from some soft steel, and I guess it is done in purpose, so they break first, before any damage is done to mount. So logic there from designers. But may be they went a little bit overkill.. who knows.

[Kaminovs]

Just had a breef session till clouds arrived.

Seen my first Saturn. Wow

Amazing look than you dont expect it. Scope performed realy well. even though sky was still bit bright. I used Celestron X-cel 10mm and than Barlowed it x2

Without barlow it was crystal sharp. With barlow it was harder to get it in focus, but than I did, it was worth a million. Looken very close to...hmm.. saturn on forum sign than we have no new topics. Like this -> Slightly yelowish with shades on a rings and some shade on a Saturn from rings.

My missis finaly approved "astronomy spends" after this look