Collimation please take alook

[Zachariah]

Still trying to get to grips with collimation on my SW skyliner 150. I have tried alaser but there is so much movement in the focuser that its impossible to me accurate. So using a cap this is where I am. Its not perfect but is it far out and if so what should I adjust now the primary?

[Zachariah]

Twenty eight views and no opinions? Come on give us some help!

[Moonshane]

hi there

your secondary looks reasonably good (it does not look quite central to me but is close enough) but the primary is not yet aligned. this is the easy bit.

if you look at your pic, the small which dot should, if I interpret your image correctly, be inside the white donut. adjust the primary bolts until it is and you should be OK.

[umadog]

Neither secondary nor the primary tilts are correct. It should look like this:

Telescope Reviews: Useful info about secondary mirror alignment

[Moonshane]

I agree that the secondary is not perfect but it's almost certainly good enough for visual observing. to make a futher fine adjustment it looks like you could make the primary reflection in the secondary more central by bringing the secondary assembly down the tube a little.

ideally invest in a Cheshire as this will make life a lot easier.

[assasincz]

Try and collimate your laser collimator, or at least check that it's collimated - I know, sounds silly, but usually, there are three small allen screws in the body of a laser collimator that would allow you to centre the laser beam should you need it. Just try and follow this video:

Furthermore, if there is a play in the focuser tht might cause the inaccuracies, just use your collimater with the focuser at a position that you use most with your eyepieces.

[Zachariah]

Its difficult to take a square on photo so it may look a little distorted.

[Jason D]

Your secondary mirror is little high. Use the secondary mirror central bolt to lower it down the tube -- be careful not to drop your secondary mirror.

Note that you can't see all circles concentric. If you make the secondary shadow look concentic then the secondary mirror will appear high under the focuser -- as shown in your photos. If you center your secondary mirror under the focuser then its shadow will appear off-center.

See attachment