My Skyliner 200p first use?

[Paulus17]

Well folks i finally got out ,albeit only in the back garden,with the Dob last night for a couple of hours and i think my collimation that i done the other day was good as the stars i was looking at looked pretty sharp when focused,but it would be good to get another opinion some time!!

I didn't seem to have any issues with the primary mirror so i will leave that for now and clean it when neccessary or if i flock the Dob,which leads me onto another question.

My Dob is already painted black on the inside,are they painted black on the inside from new or as mine been painted after??.

If so do i need to flock??

I also found that i was reaching for handles to rotate and tilt the Dob,do other Dob users find this,and found the rotating a little tight so i will be taking it off the stand a waxing the neccessary parts now.

I also found that the viewing will take some getting used to i think as i was turning it left when i wanted right,down not up and visa versa

So folks any useful hints,tips on using the Dob will be appreciated,i also have a bit of a stiff neck this morning,so a chair will be used next time out,just felt a bit rushed last night.

[Moonshane]

you don't need to flock (the paint will be standard) but it does provide a slight improvement in contrast - slight improvements are what we aim for.

the waxing will help but don't overtighten the central rotation bolt.

when using a newtonian the view is a simple upside down image so you can turn star maps around etc to match what you see. you'll soon get the idea of how it moves but basically think of it in terms of pushing and dragging the object you see e.g.if the object is in the left side of the view, push the object to the right side by pushing the scope to the right.

[stevetynant]

Theres a great guide on flocking an 8 Inch Newtonian like ours Paulis here - well worth a read if your thinking of it - will be doing mine in the next few weeks as the skies are so light at the moment.

An observing chair is a great aid for a sore back as well - just an ironing chair from Amazon was a great help for me @ £25

How did your actual observing go - did you get to see anything worthwhile- I know the conditions are not ideal at the moment but it must be nice just to get out with the new scope.

[bendiddley]

I've just got my myself a sw 200p dob and was using it for the third time last night. i found it a bit tight to start with (some people refer to it as stiction), but i found an article which suggested replacing the washer between the boards with washers made out plastic milk bottles. I didn't replace it just added 2 of these below the washer and used a bit of car polish on the upper board where the sliders slide on and on the sliders themselves, and it has made loads of difference, much smoother and easier to turn. Re the stiff neck, have you considered getting a right angle finder, i've got one and it makes viewing so much easier and more comfortable. I also found the turning left right upside down thing hard as well, but it is much easier with the smoother turning motion and also it just takes a bit of getting used to. Good luck.

[Bluey]

I had the same issue with up being down etc when I first got my scope, but with use it just becomes second nature to move the right direction, stick with it and you'll be fine.

[StarryBob]

I always looked at it like I am moving the object in view rather than the scope, so if the object is too far to the right you 'move' it to the left by pushing 'it' left. Don't know if that makes sense to anyone lol

[Paulus17]

Thanks for the tips folks i will try em next time i'm out.It was also making me feel nauseous looking through the EP???

I did try to look at Saturn last night but thought it was just a dot?? but after reading Space-Chums report on last night i think i was looking at the wrong star

So will have to try again next time.

I did talk about a right angled viewer to the chap i bought the scope off so i reckon that will be a must have soon.Any recommendations for one??

Thanks for that link Steve i did look at it and have saved it in favs for future ref.Looks easy enough to do

I might leave the ironing seat though just in case SWMBO has other ideas about me and ironing

[Foggymike]

Definitely not Saturn - you'd have seen the rings through your 25mm never mind the 10mm. Maybe tonight!

I use a Skywatcher right angled correct image finder which makes everything the right way up and correct left to right which is great for looking for things. You still have to adjust for the telescope eyepiece though. It was £60 from WEX.

I've got some turtle wax and milk bottle washers sitting in the kitchen to attack my dob base when I have the mood on me, also maybe tonight if the clouds keep building up

[paul schofield]

You will get used to the up, down, left right thing very quickly. A right angled finder would make a big difference, in comfort especially. I considered one of these for my 200p, but ended up keeping the straight through finder and adding a Rigel Quikfinder which is so much better for me and more comfortable to use. I may still go for a right angled finder eventually to replace the supplied straight through one. Or I could invest in a rubber spine replacement.

[Paulus17]

Well its cleared up nicely again here this evening so hopefully i will be out in a while having a nose round and trying out the tips mentioned above.

I have now waxed all parts that needed waxing as i found some old Turtle wax that i had and used it,loosened the center bolt off a little and it rotates a lot better/smoother now,and the up down movement is better also.

I also took the plunge and ordered a BST Explorer so will have that soon.

I don't think i can see Saturn from the back garden as there are too many trees about,but will have a look for it again tonight.

[Paulus17]

Well another disappointing couple of hours out last night in the back garden.

The sky was clear but had a big bank of cloud moving in very slow,and by the time it was dark enough most the clear sky had got whispy cloud cover,then thick cloud.

I can't see Saturn from where i am as it is behind trees,i will have to get out there and cut em down with my chainsaw

But at least the Dob felt better to use,oh and we did see the ISS again.

[Paulus17]

As i suspected from last nights attempts at viewing,i checked my viewfinder earlier and it was way out,is this due to the collimation i done?? so now sorted it,and while i was at it had a play with the Telrad and i have now got that set up,which i think will help with the back ache??

Do you leave the Telrads on your scopes or do you take em off after each session??

Also there is a small chromed what looks like an adjuster just under the standard VF on the left side,is this used for anything as i can't see anything in the manual about it??

Cheers

[Moonshane]

I always take off my finders. the Telrad usually needs no adjustment when put back on but the optical finder usually needs a tweak - I tend to be always smacking my head on them if I leave them on.

[stevetynant]

As i suspected from last nights attempts at viewing,i checked my viewfinder earlier and it was way out,is this due to the collimation i done?? so now sorted it,and while i was at it had a play with the Telrad and i have now got that set up,which i think will help with the back ache??

Do you leave the Telrads on your scopes or do you take em off after each session??

Also there is a small chromed what looks like an adjuster just under the standard VF on the left side,is this used for anything as i can't see anything in the manual about it??

Cheers

Hmmm - can't be 100% sure but is it the focus lock nut you are referring to here Paulus17? Its right under the focus mechanism - I can't say I've ever use it to be honest if this is what your referrring to. Also if you don't want to get a chair to save your back might be worth considering a raised platform - perhaps a low table or I know some people use half water butts upside down. That's the thing with a Dob - plenty of room for modding and experimenting until you get the set up that suits you - good luck

[bendiddley]

Definitely not Saturn - you'd have seen the rings through your 25mm never mind the 10mm. Maybe tonight!

I use a Skywatcher right angled correct image finder which makes everything the right way up and correct left to right which is great for looking for things. You still have to adjust for the telescope eyepiece though. It was £60 from WEX.

I've got some turtle wax and milk bottle washers sitting in the kitchen to attack my dob base when I have the mood on me, also maybe tonight if the clouds keep building up

thumbs up from me also on the right angled correct image finder! i've got one too and it really helps me with the object locating process

[Alan_B]

e.g.if the object is in the left side of the view, push the object to the right side by pushing the scope to the right.

Now why didn't I think of it that way - so intuitive

[Paulus17]

Thanks everyone

The little chromed adjuster,i think it is, is by the other two main adjusters.It just turns and doesn't seem to do anything??

I think i am getting used to the push pull method now after playing with it yesterday,just gotta wait to try it out in the field,so to speak.

The RAC is another item on the ever growing list,but i will give the Telrad a go first and see how i get on with that before i do invest in an RAC.

I do feel that i am getting to know,be more familiar with the Dob now during daylight hours,so have just got ot wait for some clear nights again

Bu t i do have another question-

Why can the small cap be removed on the scopes dust shield at the front??

Edit-:

Just found This post re the dust cap.

[Paulus17]

Strewth!!

Just had my 8mm Explorer EP arrive.

At the moment i can't get over how it is compared to the two stock ones i have,it just looks the business so i hope it is when i look thriugh it.

[Spec-Chum]

I think mine's arrived too. SWMBO popped home for a lunch and I've got a "sorry we missed you" card.

Picking it up from Post Office tonight...

[sunshine185]

Chrome adjuster, you mean on the focusser? I think its for adjusting in case you get any slack. As for the little end cap,I will let someone who is more literate than me explain that one.

[Paulus17]

Russ- you won't be disappointed with the quality of the EP.

Just tried mine looking in the distance and my scope had the object bang in the middle and up close.

Sunshine-I did find an earlier post about the dust cap which i have put in that post.

But yes the chrome adjuster could just be that as it doesn't seem to do anything esle??

[Foggymike]

http://www.365astron...74ffeaa85667eb5

The chromed knob could be the bolt that attaches the 1.25 eyepiece holder into the 2" one? If so be careful as you don't want it falling out if it's not tight!

On this picture is it the bottom one between the focussing knobs or one of the ones further out on the sides?

[Paulus17]

Thanks for that Mile but i meant the scope finder.Sorry if i milead anyone??

Here is a piccy of the knob i am on about if it helps.I can't find any ref to it.

Click on image for larger view.

[Paulus17]

Well it does seem that the part i am on about is just a tensioner so thats that sorted now

Well what a weekend again.

I saw that there was gonna be a clear spell on Friday/Sat from about 10pm till about 4am,according to the forecast.

So i contacted a fellow member to see if he was up to going out,so we arranged to meet at mine and see how it went.

The sky cleared completely by about 10.30 and by about 11.00 Andy the forum member was at mine and we had a look out back in the garden and decided we should go out to a localish site that we have used before to get better views.

So the Dob was loadedcarefully into his car on the back seat,seat belted up,and off we went all excited at using the Dob in some decent skies.

But as soon as we got there cloud was already coming inwith the blustey wind still blowing, with a big bank of cloud on the horizonheading our way.

The stars that were visible looked really bright and clear,but the wispy cloud was soon covering em up

I didn't even bother getting the Dob out at this point as we knew the thicker cloud would be on top of us soon.

We were high up and in an exposed spot and the wind and cold was soon getting to us so we decided to get back in the car and wait to see if the clouds disappeared.

While waiting we had a car pull into the spot which was a police car asking us what we were doing,Andy had set his tripod up for his scope and left it out soat least the officer could see that we were gazers,and showed him the Dob on the back seat.So off he went.

Then about two minutes after another car pulled in,more slower than the previous, full beam on blinding us both,i heared Andy lock all the doors as this one made me a little more nervous

Then as he pulled up along side us we could see he was also the police,who again asked us what we were doing,to which Andy explained once again,and he seemed fine and off he went.

The clouds didn't clear so we decided to call it a night so packed up and headed back home.

On the way back we saw a van had crashed into a stone wall blocking the one lane,and the driver wondering about,so we pulled up and gave assistance.

We just couldn't believe that other cars just either turned round or past without asking how things were!!!!

So an eventful night for all the wrong reasons.

Then last night the skies cleared up once again from about 7.30 andstayed that way.So as soon as the footy finished i got the Dob set up,but my young dauhter wanted to look at the moon first,but this was low on the front so i just had to look at the moon through the windows which was ok,the detail with the 8mm EP was fantastic,but the moon soon sun behind the houses and that was that.

So off i went out the back with the Dob got it set up and could see some small patches of cloud coming in,then i had a tap on the window,my other two daughters had come home so i went in to see them before they went back out,for about ten minutes,went back out the back and big clouds had come in by then blocking most the sky

I just couldn't believe it with in minutes it was complete cloud cover,so brought the Dob back in and that twas that went to bed.

Will i ever get to use the Dob for star gazing??

[Foggymike]

Oh, that silver one is spring loaded. When you adjust the other two that one pushes back against them to hold the finder steady. Turning it won't do anything but if you ever want to get the finder out of the holder you'll have to pull it back away from the scope to free it up and you'll feel the quite strong spring inside.

I've just been out for a quick peek at Mars and Saturn before bed. Seeing not great and the sky is still quite blue but nice to get the dob out anyway! Hope you managed to get out for a while too if it's clear where you are.