Skywatcher 200p

[Darren1983]

Hi guys.

Sorry if you find me hard to understand my english is not that great still leaning.

I think i throw myself into the deep end with my scope as its my first one and maybe im a little out of my depth. The problem i am having is with my barlow lens x2. When i don't use it and i use the 10mm and 25mm supplied with my scope i can see lots of stars in space and get a nice image,but when i add my barlow then try both lens i get no decent focus all i get is this image in the video link i provided.

it never gets that crisp as you can see in the video all i get is was i call crossairs even when i mess with the focus wheels,is there something i am doing wrong, i have taken out some of the extentded eyepiece tubes but still no look just intrafocus.

Any help would be greatful.

Thank you

[perkil8r]

I have the same scope as you. With the 2 x Barlow I need to have the focuser a long way further out than without the barlow, so the eyepiece is further away from the secondary mirror if that make sense to you? It is a big adjustment from the focus point of the lenses on their own.

[rwilkey]

One of the problems is that the supplied eyepieces and the Barlow are not the best quality out there. The other thing is removing parts of the focuser may inhibit the problem, make sure you have the 1.25" focuser attached and leave the 2" out of it altogether. Seeing the 'spider' vanes is part the process of focusing, they should dissappear as you come to focus, maybe some way out as suggested above. Stick to the 25mm for the time being until you get that to proper focus. One of the problems when you first change to higher magnification is that you loose the object you were looking at, that is quite common and happened to all of us when we first ventured on this great adventure with our first telescopes. Be patient and it will come out right. Get your first star or planet well and truly focused in the 25mm (40x BTW) first then go from there.

[Darren1983]

Thank you for your replys guys, I just got a little worried when I put the Barlow lens in and tried it in all possible positions and only managed to get the spider vanes, I guess I should try get some new lens once I'm use to my scope. Where is the best place to purchase some from?

[Darren1983]

well i have just spent the last 4 hours in the garden with my scope and tried various methods,no joy using the barlow at all,and i just stuck with the 25mm as you suggested. i get a crisp view of the stars but the view i get is no better then what i see through my finder scope,im not sure what im doing wrong? do i need to mess with the alignment of the primary and secondary mirrors?

[rory]

hi darren , if im correct ,your 25mm eyepiece will give x48 . 1200 divided by 25= 48

so it should be more powerful than your finder which is something like x 8 or x9 usually. ,however stars only ever look like stars , always a stellar point of light. i believe( could be wrong here) but only time people use higher power on stars is for splitting doubles or multiples.

whats the views like without the barlow ? have you checked collimation ? what have you been viewing ?

[Darren1983]

if my telescope wasn't aligned right i wouldn't get it to focus right? i manage to get focus pretty sharp of outer space,i have just been looking at the brightest stars in the sky,im new to all this and have a book on the way to guide me in the right direction,i have not messed with the polar scope.

Im pretty sure its aligned right,when i zoom out i have a black circle centred inside of the spider vains.

[Darren1983]

heres an image i took of my scopes allignment

[Darren1983]

[rory]

hi darren . looks pretty good. but ive only had my newtonian a week, so i'll let more experienced guys chip in at this point. if your only having issues when useing the barlow, maybe thats where the problem lies ?

[Tinker1947]

Take a peek at Mizar in Ursa Major its a double star and you 25mm should split them..Stellarium will show you where to look if your not to sure..

http://stellarium.org/

[Darren1983]

I guess so,i don't suppose you know a good place to purchase a decent barlow and lens?

[rory]

the sponsors here (flo) first light optics offer a good dervice ,and will offer advice if you conatact them. also skies the limit is a trusted supplier.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/

http://www.skysthelimit.org.uk/

i believe both of these will offer good advise.