Skywatcher 150PL owners. Tips and Mods

[Parus major]

Sorted!

I'm aiming to make my set ups a more elegant since something gets on my [removed word] every time go out. I'm seriously on the edge of buying a blue tooth EQDir thingy from that blokey and ditching the xbox pad since the EQmod unpairs it when it switches off in power save mode.

Anyway, that's mount rants and not 150PL love. Plans are to get to the bottom of this auto focus upgrade and how it fits the R&P focuser before I buy one and whether it can be ascom controlled.

[ChrisThePuma]

Yes - i also need to know if the autofocusser will fit the SW low profile focusser.

I will ask FLO when i am ready to purchase.

[Planetesimal]

Hi Chris - interesting that you're considering an auto-focuser, I was just wondering whether we can retrofit the SW auto to the 150PL... I'd be interested to hear how you get on!

[heathenwoods]

AFAIK the auto-focusser fits okay onto the standard R&P - but that's just from memory of posts on here.

Anyway, Hi from another 150PL owner. Just put mine on an motorised EQ5 from the dob base and am a very happy chap. Once I got over the shock of having to quickly think of what to do with the holes in the tube from the dob mounting kit (thick sticky tape for now...) it was pretty easy. I'm going to give basic AP a go in the next few weeks so will keep you posted about how that goes with a DSLR and a T mount... I'll also be very interested in how the webcam works.

Cheers :-)

[heathenwoods]

Hi Chris - interesting that you're considering an auto-focuser, I was just wondering whether we can retrofit the SW auto to the 150PL... I'd be interested to hear how you get on!

Just found this: check it out - with a minor bodge it sounds as if it should fit.

[Planetesimal]

Just found this: check it out - with a minor bodge it sounds as if it should fit.

Thanks - the link's not working from tapatalk but I'll have a go from the laptop later

Definitely interested to see what level of imaging / AP can be achieved with your set up; I've seen some great long-exposure DSO photos using the standard 150P...

[ChrisThePuma]

Hi, thanks for the link although it doesnt really make it clear if it will ft onto what i have...

I will ask FLO when i am ready, but in the meantine does anyone know for definate if this:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/misc/skywatcher-auto-focuser.html

Will fit onto this:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-focusers/skywatcher-dual-speed-low-profile-1252-inch-crayford-focuser.html

thanks

chris

[Planetesimal]

Had another good observing session with the 150PL last night... I got my first view of a (faint) Triangulum galaxy (M33) and the M15 globular. Just 30 mins until fog-time though!

Definitely finding the supplied 2X Barlow is a waster of time though - I combined it with the 10mm on Jupiter but it was a blur, light flares and warps spreading out all over the fov. Couldn't focus at all.

The R&P focusser is definitely a weakness there as well. I can bring the 25mm into reasonably good focus most of the time, but it's much harder with the 10mm. I tried to resolve the Almaach double last night but I couldn't get the star resolved into any kind of point. Maybe I need to look at collimation (not tried this yet!), but I'm definitely wishing I had a crayford with an autofocusser at this stage!

[hawk_eye1975]

Has anyone found a 2" focuser to fit the 150PL?

[ChrisThePuma]

Has anyone found a 2" focuser to fit the 150PL?

The main problem you will have is the draw-tube hole is not big enough to fit a 2" focusser.

The only way (that i know of) is to enlarge the main hole (which i did with mine - there is a link to the process earlier in this thread) and then you can fit most 2" focussers. I have the SW low profile one and it fits a treat.

[Planetesimal]

Looking at one of the other "historical" threads, it looks like it should be possible to fit the SW autofocuser to the supplied R&P - that might be a good route if you want to improve focus quality while avoiding drilling your OTA.

[Planetary Geologist]

Great sights of Jupiter with the four moons!!

Night crisp detail of the NEB, SEB, NPR, SPR and GRS!!!

[JB80]

Have any of you others with a PL made a travel/storage box up or use something already commercially available to keep the scope safe when transporting it?

I ask because I'm going to need to put my scopes on a truck which I presume is going to drive from Brussels, Belgium to Alicante, Spain.

I do have a couple of smaller refractors too but seeing as the PL is the largest I thought I'd ask for any tips and what the best way to go about it may be.

I thought about removing the primary but it did come already set up so I don't think that's all that important.

Ideas?

[Stargazer_00]

Just caught on to this thread. I own the explorer P not the PL but this all makes good reading, nice to see a community around a single scope

I just had to comment after recently flocking my own 150p, any one of you who do this inside a 6" PL tube deserve a merit badge or something. the centre section must be something like a leap of faith. I know even on the shorter 6" there wasn't room for my arm and any direct look at what I was doing. The PL must be a right advernture

[moriniboy]

Have any of you others with a PL made a travel/storage box up or use something already commercially available to keep the scope safe when transporting it?

Here is one I made for a TAL 2M using the original TAL box for mount and scope (similar length and diameter to a 150pl)

[JB80]

That's excellent, thank you for the pic.

Is it held in place just by the wooden brackets on the top(and presumably the bottom?) or is there foam in place too?

The other thing I have considered is a hard golf bag case, these are pushing the 100 Euro mark though.

[moriniboy]

Not the best photo but it shows the box before it was cut down.

There is an additional piece of plywood to stop the tube from moving lengthways, this was also covered with foam as a support.

As it had degraded I have now replaced this with leather.

[sbj]

Hi all, I recently took delivery of a 150pl in the skyliner dobs guise. I've really enjoyed the clear nights I've had, but am becoming increasingly frustrated with the mount. I've done a few upgrades there, but am still thinking that an eq mount is the way to go. I was wondering who else had moved theirs from a dob mount to an eq mount and what they went for. I'm thinking that it may be a bit too much for an eq3. How does it behave on an eq5? or would I really need to blow the budget on an heq5? I think it is going to used really just for observation. Apologies for the long string of words - my return key doesn't appear to work on here!

[JB80]

Not the best photo but it shows the box before it was cut down.

There is an additional piece of plywood to stop the tube from moving lengthways, this was also covered with foam as a support.

As it had degraded I have now replaced this with leather.

Thanks, that gives a clearer idea.

Hi all, I recently took delivery of a 150pl in the skyliner dobs guise. I've really enjoyed the clear nights I've had, but am becoming increasingly frustrated with the mount. I've done a few upgrades there, but am still thinking that an eq mount is the way to go. I was wondering who else had moved theirs from a dob mount to an eq mount and what they went for. I'm thinking that it may be a bit too much for an eq3. How does it behave on an eq5? or would I really need to blow the budget on an heq5? I think it is going to used really just for observation. Apologies for the long string of words - my return key doesn't appear to work on here!

I think if you are frustrated with the mount as it is on a dob then using an EQ3-2 will be equally frustrating.

I haven't put mine on an EQ5 so can't say for sure how much better it would make things but it should make a world of difference and be more than enough for visual without extending to the HEQ but maybe someone who has used both can tell you more.

[sbj]

Thanks, actually decided to go for a second hand HEQ5. Can anyone advise me on tube rings and dovetails?

[sbj]

I have been told that the skywatcher long dovetail is needed, but Martin at Flo wasn't sure what size rings were needed.

Can anyone shed any light?

thanks

[JB80]

I had a look the other day and this is what I have come up with. I haven't needed new tube rings so can't say for certain but I would double check with them before ordering that these are the right ones for a PL.

http://www.365astronomy.com/skywatcher-182mm-tube-mounting-rings-for-150mm-newtonians-p-2394.html

http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-tube-ring-set-for-150mm-newtonian_d858.html

[sbj]

Thanks for that - I've placed an order.

Now researching the power options. Thinking of running it off mains as it will only ever be in the back garden. So had a look at the maplins DC power supplies and may run one off those off an extension with a circuit breaker.

Otherwise, any idea how a sealed lead acid battery would do? There are plenty 12v 12ah - 22 ah options that come in a lot cheaper than leisure batteries.

Thanks

[rjc404]

Just thought I'd keep this thread going as I'm a new 150PL / EQ3/Pro owner.

First of all some feedback... I've had my 150PL probably about a month and I'm really pleased with my purchase. I did have a problem with the mount when it came out the box in that one of the altitude bolts was bent - but I've managed to rig up my own replacement for that which works fine and only cost about £5 - anyone else had that problem out of the box?

Anyway I've now had a few nights of clear skies over the last month to get things figured out. First clear night I pretty much spent scratching my head and trying to work out how to polar align properly and couldn't get the GOTO alignment to work (this is my first GEM telescope having previously just used binoculars on the night sky) but after watching a few YouTube videos and reading some threads on here that cleared my head up for my next time out and the GOTO worked brilliantly after three star alignment, putting everything pretty much in the centre of the eyepiece. I also contacted Coventry council as I had a couple of street lights which were really intrusive with light into my back garden and unbelievably they shielded these within a week of emailing them which has made a big difference to what I can see and keeping night vision - so a big thanks to them, not sure how common such a speedy response is from other councils? Anyway, really pleased with this scope and views I'm getting and crucially it's not too heavy to lug in and out of the house. I did think of getting the 8" Skywatcher on an EQ5 but it just looked too big and heavy when I saw it in a showroom and I know I would be too lazy to keep lugging that in and out. I think this scope will do me for years to come.

Now for some questions that hopefully you experienced 150PL users can help me with (sorry if any of them are obvious):

1. Scope occasionally touches tripod legs.

As I said I've now got the GOTO working fine but I've found occasionally when selecting an object around the Zenith the scope will occasionally touch the tripod legs on it's motorised journey around the mount and get stuck if I don't quickly hit escape first on the keypad before it touches. I can't see any way to avoid this so looking for ideas? I don't think I can push the scope any further up through the rings as I've got it balanced pretty well as it is. It's only an occasional problem so far but is this just a normal thing for a longer scope like the 150PL? Will setting elevation limits on the synscan hand set help?

2.Eyepieces?

What are the opinions on the supplied eyepieces (Super 10, 25 and 2x barlow)? I've been really pleased with the views so far. I also got a Skywatcher wide angle 32mm as well and a 6mm with the scope but not had a chance to look at Saturn yet as it is just obscured from my garden but have seen some easy targets like M13, Andromeda Galaxy (though in low sky light pollution it just looks a bit fuzzy), the dumb bell nebula, ring nebula (can just about make out the ring) etc and worked through some open star clusters which look really nice in the 32mm. It's fantastic seeing all these (and a massive improvement on binoculars!). The nebulas and faint galaxies all look a bit like grey fuzzy ghosts in the night sky and really take some concentration to see out the corner of my eye (which is what I was expecting so not disappointed on that count) but was just wondering what opinions are for the best eyepieces for this scope and what are the best magnifications for different night sky objects?

3. Lastly what are people's favourite targets through the 150pl?

Thanks in advance for any help or opinions.

Cheers,

Rob

[Parus major]

The tube will touch the legs every now and again. You can avoid this by doing a meridian flip and moving the tube to the other side for the same target.

The eyepieces that come with the telescope are a funny thing, at first you will be exceptionally pleased with them as a beginner but you will eventually want to throw the barlow and the 10mm into the deepest ocean you can find.

Being an F8 OTA it does go easy on cheaper eyepieces so you do effectively get a free upgrade on quality when you buy an eyepiece.

In terms of upgrades You can pick pretty much anything and it will be an improvement, the 25mm is good but you will want shot of the 10mm ASAP, I know the Celestron Omni Plossl's are good since that was what I was using until I upgraded to X-Cel LX's. I have the 6mm and the 15mm which worked very well despite the 6mm being "a bit much", likely the 9mm would have been a better idea.

Pretty sure the Skywatcher SP's are the same designe and spec, though but a nice leap for not much more would be these - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html

If you want to invest a bit more then the Celestron X-Cel LX's are smashing in this tube.