Skywatcher 200P Flexi Tube Auto Track Dobsonian

[Matt2011]

I own a Skywatcher 127 Mak on a Celestron CG-5 GT Mount with Celestron Sky Sync GPS and thinking of trading it in for a Skywatcher 200p Flexi Tube Auto Track Dobsonian but what are the images like on the moon and planets with this scope and would they be better than my Skywatcher 127 Mak. I know the images are superb with my 127 Mak but how well does the 200p show the planets and moon and deep sky. Overall what is this scope like and is it easy to set up. Thanks

[Per167]

Hello Matt2011,

I have had the 200P FlexTube Auto for about two months and the views of the moon and Jupiter are really good as long as it is well collimated. I can't say how it compares to a 5" Mak though as the only scope I can compare with is the scope I had before (Heritage 130P table-top dobsonian). The difference between those two on the solar system objects is quite significant: brighter, more contrast and better detail in the 200P.

The handling in general is quite straight-forward: align it to north, connect the power and switch it on. The tracking works very well for me. I'm sure you already know but the scope is quite heavy and bulky. It's ok to carry it 25 meters into the garden but not ok to carry it 250 meters at a dark-site. It easily splits into two parts for transportation (e.g. in a car) though.

/Per

[gthomas]

The Mak will be better for planets because of the longer focal length. The 200P will be better for DSOs because of the bigger aperture.

[catburglar]

Matthew, not exactly the same comparison, but in my time I've had an 8 inch newt,10 inch flex tube dob, 4 inch Mak and 80mm ED refractor. There's no doubt in my mind that the views through the Mak and the refractor are more aesthetically pleasing, really tight round stars, high contrast and fairly flat across the field, whereas the newt and dob have diffraction spikes and coma to contend with.

However, the larger aperture will show you more detail on just about every type of object. It may not be quite so punchy, but I'd be surprised if you couln't see a clear difference.

One last caveat, I sold my 10 inch flex tube and went back to an 80mm ED refractor because I like the convenience and the style of the view.It's quite rewarding teasing out all you can from the view through a small scope. As long as the dob doesn't become burdensome, I'd say give it a go, you know you want to!

[Matt2011]

Basically could I move a Skywatcher 200P Dobsonian Flexi Tube around on my own and what is collimation and what does that mean and what os the procedure of doing this and how often do you do it and do these scopes require a lot of maintenance. My set up now which is quite a new set is a Skywatcher 127 Maksutov on a Celestron CG-5 GT mount with the Nexstar but its my first equatorial mount and have to admit I am not getting on to well with the set up as I find it complicated and time consuming but I would like to have a set up which is quick. Might put an ad and sell my set up for £300 or swap but not familar with the 200p FlexiTube and what images would be like with the moon and planets and some deep sky but I have read your comments and many thanks but need to know more about what collimating is and how you go about it and what you need and is it possible to take the scope to get it done by an expert. Many Thanks:cool::)

[Matt2011]

I wonder if upgrading from a Skywatcher 127 Mak on a Celestron CG-5 GT mount is well worth upgrading to a Skywatcher 200p FLEXI TUBE Dobsonian Scope, I am looking for easy quick grab and go portabilty and not long and complicated set ups which to me are time consuming but is the collimating process easy and also how does one go about this and how often.

[catburglar]

My 250 flex tube was manageable in one piece for short distances, I'd expect the 200 to be fine, although I never had the auto version, so can't comment on tracking.

Collimating is straightforward after a few minutes identifying the reflections you see through the focusser, and at F6, the scope shouldn't be too sensitive.

The scope comes with reasonable instructions on how to do it, so you should soon get the knack.

After that it's a two minute check at the start of each session just to make sure it's still OK and providing your reasonably careful handling the OTA it shouldn't need much tweaking.

[Matt2011]

Gonna have a few more tries with my Celestron CG-5 GT mount t osee if I can align this and just bought the new SkySync GPS also so need to try this and pick a night when there is no clouds. I found that as soon as you set up the mount it clouds over lol. Gonna buy the 200p or the 250p autotrack soon. I got the new Baader Hyperion Mark III Clickstop Zoom Eyepiece which is new so hoping for clear skies and the Dobsonians are regarded as garb and go scopes so may be better off with one. cheers

[asteria]

Hi - I think if you want grab and go, your best bet is a refractor or binoculars (the ultimate grab and go!). The dobsonian will require a significant amount of cooling time, and also you will probably need to collimate (align the secondary and primary mirrors) before each observing session. There is a fair bit of fiddling around with newtonian telescopes.

Your makcass should be fine for lunar and planetary viewing. The dobsonian will be better for dsos, esp. if you get 8" or more aperture.

Ed

[Matt2011]

What I would probably would do is save up for one of the Celestron's Nexstar's like the 5SE or the 6SE but nothing smaller than I think. They are housed on a simple ALT/AZ mount but the 5" one is more in my price range but is it worth waiting longer to get a 6SE and would there be much difference between the two apart from the extra inch as far as detail on the moon and planets. Many Thanks :)

[asteria]

Hi - I don't know that you would see much gain between your makcass and the SE, even the 6". The focal length might be a bit shorter, so you would sacrifice some magnification for a slightly brighter image. I don't think the swap from the 5SE from your mak would gain you anything really. The benefit of a mak is that you won't have collimation issues like you would with schmidt cassegrain, which I believe the 5SE and 6SE are. I have a 6" mak (SW Pro) on a CG-5 GOTO and it is a fantastic setup, but you are probably just as well sticking with the 127 for the time being.

Ed

[Matt2011]

Thanks Asteria, I have the CG-5 GT mount and do you find set up easy and do you use a Polarscope to set up with Polaris. I have not got one but been told I do not need one but have been having problems setting up the mount and is the bubble level on the mount accurate and how do you go about setting up your mount and Nexstar Handset, So many functions and set up options it fry's the mind lol. Gonna wait for a while and see what happens before I update my equipment. Just bought the new Celestron sky sync GPS for the CG-5 GT mount which I will try out as soon as I get clear skies. Thanks

[asteria]

Hi there - when I got my CG-5 GT I set the mount indoors and practised with it. It sounds bizarre, but it means you can get thoroughly familiar with the set up process in full light. It's also much easier to follow the manual! At least you can get through to the alignment choices, after that I guess it gets a bit more difficult in daylight.

I always find that a two star align, with calibration stars, preferably two, makes the alignment just about perfect for visual work. I don't think you'll need a polar scope for visual alignment. Just get Polaris in the centre of the hole in the polar axis. Levelling the scope will help, and I find the bubble level is fine.

I hope that helps. Ed

[asteria]

By the way - don't practice outdoors in daylight, in case you catch the sun in the eyepiece. Do it indoors, out of the way of direct sunlight. Ed

[Matt2011]

Does the silver peg on the tripod base have to be facing NORTH as I am now outside trying to put the mount on the tripod base but seems the only way its going on if the mount faces in a different direction to the silver peg which is facing NORTH. My base of the tripod is full of scratches on a new mount and the paint has come off also.

[asteria]

Hi there - yes the silver peg faces north, you should have two knobs on the mount base, which allow the mount to be placed over the peg once these have been unscrewed to move them apart a bit. When you have secured the mount on the base, you can use these knobs to move the mount in azimuth (horizontal left-right) to get the polar axis aligned with Polaris. (Assuming you have the altitude about right to put the star in the polar axis sighting tube.

I would really suggest having some trial set ups indoors to get yourself really familiar with all this. It's difficult to get the set up right if you are fiddling around outside in the dark. When I got my mount I had at least two or three complete runs through the whole set up, using the handset to get familiar with the menus.

Just put the tripod and mount up indoors, roughly pointing to where Polaris is in your vicinity, and work through the whole process using the manual. If you power up the mount you can then do an approximate alignment procedure and begin to follow some of the menu choices. Once you've done this a few times you should be alright.

The alignment procedure is complex, but working through it methodically in a practice will help to familiarise you with the process.

Hope that helps. Ed

[Matt2011]

Looks like I will be swapping my CELESTRON CG-5 GT mount for a CELESTRON 6/8 SE mount. Will make my life less complicated and a quicker set up as 30 to 40 mins setting up a Equatorial Mount is to much and that is just the mount lol. I don't mind 1O mins or more setting up but I never had a EQ mount before so now I have had one for a short time I know there probably not to suitable as of right now. The SE mount will be more suitable as I am able to use it as a GRAB AND GO with my Skywatcher 127 Skymax Maksutov which is what I want also and then I may upgrade to a 150mm Mak later on to use on ths SE mount. Thanks:cool:

[asteria]

Fair enough - should be a good combination. Ed

[Matt2011]

Cheers Ed, Clear Skies:hello2: