Help me spend money! Accessories....

[JonnyP]

I've decided on a SW 200 Dob at £279 from FLO and will be ordering on payday later in the month.

I've got £300 - £350 to play with so have a few pounds to spend on bits.

Would it be better to get a Cheshire Collimator straight away? How often does a 200Dob need collimating, or is it a fairly irregular thing?

If not a collimation tool, how about a Barlow?

Is there anything obvious I've missed? I've got a Rigel Quikfinder already, star atlas, TLAO, PLanisphere, red light torch.

Thanks for any advice guys.

[nightfisher]

i dont know much about reflectors but would advise getting the cheshire first

[RikM]

Yes a Cheshire is a 'must have'. Easy to use and ensures you always get the best view possible from your kit.

I find the eyepiece height of the F1200 Dobs a bit uncomfortable for standing up and a bit too high for a regular garden chair, so a cheapo stool or something like that would be a useful accessory. I actually have a set of kitchen steps which are just the right height for me to sit on, and the bottom step is just the right height for my 7 year old to stand on to see things.

[coffee_prince]

its a shame you cant access the sales section as there are some great beginner bargains for sale e.g. barlows, telrad, plossls etc

[SplintUK]

I just got my new explorer 200p, and The primary mirror had been screwed up tight for shipping, I'm guessing by synta. The secondary was also nowhere bear collimation. I would thoroughly recommend a collimation tool, you're going to need one straight away.

That said, I went for a skywatcher laser collimator, which it turn out was itself massively out of collimation, and is in the middle of being replaced at the retailer... Kind of wish I had gone for Cheshire now instead of laser...

[Moonshane]

will this be your only scope?

either way I would not rush into buying things but as mentioned a collimation tool of some kind will be beneficial. I collimate any newtonian (at least a check and usually a small tweak) before (and sometimes during e.g. if I move the scope) an observing session.

if you really want to spend the cash then a right angle correct image finder would supplement your Rigel well and make finding things a lot easier.

I also agree with the observing seat. if you are handy with a saw and screwdriver, you could make your own. mine is rather utilitarian but very robust and cheap to make http://stargazerslounge.com/members-equipment-gallery/97962-observing-chair.html

or you could maybe buy one RVO New Observing Chair | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

[JonnyP]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Moonshane, it will be my only proper telescope (for a little while!). I've got a small, cheap Celestron at the moment which will probably be passed on, also binocs, etc. Why? Should I be thinking of something else?

If you mean in terms of waiting a while to see what I want to get from astronomy, if I wait any longer I'll miss another winter and any decent skies! Also £280 for a decent telecope isn't going to break the bank. I'm not intending to do any AP, and it's the deep sky stuff that interests me more than the moon/planets.

[coffee_prince]

the 25mm ep it comes with is good IMO, not that u have much to compare it with

I dont think you need any eyepieces straight away. Everyone on here endorses a the telrad, and I have to say that I am a cnvert, it really helps find things where sometimes coordinates do not, it also makes you learn the constellations

[Luke]

I'd definitely recommend getting a collimation tool.

I put it off for a while thinking it must be tricky but it wasn't so bad once you know what to do and to think I avoided high power for months because it was blurry. It just needed collimation!

Have fun unboxing the new kit, always a magical moment!

[valleyman]

I would recommend a Wixey for getting the Altitude setting, all you have to do then is push the dob to near where you want to look, Set the ALT using Stellerium on the Wixey and slowly move the dob round until the target comes into view, http://www.firstlightoptics.com/misc/wixey-digital-angle-gauge.html.

Also get some kitchen unit feet from B&Q (3 is best) and screw them unto the base for leveling and keeping the base of the damp floor. Also join the DOB Group in the community tag and have a look at some MODS for setting circles.

[Moonshane]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Moonshane, it will be my only proper telescope (for a little while!). I've got a small, cheap Celestron at the moment which will probably be passed on, also binocs, etc. Why? Should I be thinking of something else?

If you mean in terms of waiting a while to see what I want to get from astronomy, if I wait any longer I'll miss another winter and any decent skies! Also £280 for a decent telecope isn't going to break the bank. I'm not intending to do any AP, and it's the deep sky stuff that interests me more than the moon/planets.

don't sell your other scope (assuming it's a small refractor?) as this may well be useful in association with the dob. no, your choice is a great scope I was just wondering about your budget in some ways.

you seem like you have your head screwed on!

[pjmaciw]

Get a collimator ...... not very exciting but essential.

have I done 50 posts yet, Pete.

[JonnyP]

don't sell your other scope (assuming it's a small refractor?) as this may well be useful in association with the dob. no, your choice is a great scope I was just wondering about your budget in some ways.

The thinking behind the budget is more along the lines of not spending too much money at the moment just in case I lose interest. This is more likely to happen because of frustration at the great Welsh weather more than anything else!

Strangely enough, despite spending a lot of time out of doors (cycling, running, surfing, dogwalking, chasing kids..) I had never noticed how few clear evenings we have!

you seem like you have your head screwed on!

Why thank you!

[Moonshane]

might be worth considering a used purchase then. that way you'll get most / all of your cash back if the interest wanes.

[JonnyP]

Yes, I'm keeping my eyes open.

Tbh I can't see me losing interest - I've been 'casually' looking at the sky for years. Only now taking a more close up interest. (I didn't realise that decent equipment is so affordable).

At the moment even when the skies are cloudy I'm finding plenty to do or read. Next step is to try to get some of the actual theory into my trivia filled brain!

[Austin]

Collimation tool, decent star atlas - sky and telescope do a good one for a reasonble price and a TELRAD is a must have for a dob. Used in conjunction with a 9 x 50 finder, it is the perfect combination!