First Light with 250pds and wow!

[Kevdan]

Hi all,

just come in from an absolutly brilliant couple of hours, M13 isnt just a smudge anymore but has detail, M2, M5 and other clusters now within reach, my old 150p would never have shown these (mainly due to light polution) and using the NEQ6 properly for the first time with Cartes Du Ceil realy makes a difference.

I took a few pics but just 1 min each just to see what was visible and can only say that I cant wait for the dark nights,

Ok Im off to catch some ZZZZ's

Clear skies,

Kev.

[umadog]

Nice!

[cyborg421]

I've got the 250 on alt/az mount. The extra light gathering does make a difference. You might like to consider a dual focusser. I've got a Moonlight one. Expensive I know, but a haven't regretted it once. The ability to fine focus brings out detail that I missed with the coarse focusser.

Simon

[estwing]

well done, Globs are tops aren't they...just keep throwing the mag at them!

[swamp thing]

Congrats. It's a great aperture ain't it?

Love my 10" Dob, it is the "Goldilocks" of scopes. Not too big, in that it's up and ready to go in seconds, and not too small to show some real detail in DSO,s. just right.

[Kevdan]

You might like to consider a dual focusser

It has the skywatcher dual focuser on it, is the moonlight one better ?

kev.

[swamp thing]

It has the skywatcher dual focuser on it, is the moonlight one better ?

kev.

Only about a hundred times.

[Kevdan]

Only about a hundred times.

Just looked at the Moonlight focusers and well, I dont care if they are better I want one because they look good , Only problem is at the moment I've just spent over £1500 on mount and Scope and still need other stuff like a coma corrector and even though my misses hasn't batted an eyelid at my spending, another £250 may tip her over the edge. Patience is a virtue,

I wish you hadnt mentioned this focuser, I can visualise it now on my scope in black to match the tube, mmmmmmmmmmmm

Sad arnt I

Kev.

Oh and just to add my first light was only using an old stock 26mm eyepiece just to get the feel of it.

[Tinker1947]

There's loads of bits to increase your viewing pleasure, take your time, use what you have then go for improving your kit, i think i have spent 1k over the cost of the scope/mount, and i still have plans for another 1k, just as long as you enjoy yourself...

[Kevdan]

There's loads of bits to increase your viewing pleasure, take your time, use what you have then go for improving your kit, i think i have spent 1k over the cost of the scope/mount, and i still have plans for another 1k, just as long as you enjoy yourself...

I got some flocking material on order from FLO, and will need a coma corrector, but I can say that using the old stock 1.25" 26mm eyepiece, stars were pretty sharp even at the end of the FOV, I didnt even try my Celestron X-cel LX 5mm, I want so many things now like better eyepieces to join my X-cel and now I want a new focuser (thanks to people telling me about the Moonlight ones) bu tto be fair last night was a massive learning curve coming from a 150p on eq3-2 to this beast, Using the wireless hand controller made it so much more relaxing to use as well, Only thing I didnt realise was I'd need my 3 step steplader to look through the eyepiece when looking up. I also need to spend time setting the polar scope up properly as well as checking for cone error, and generally getting used to the mount.

The focuser isnt a real problem, my 150p had the old rack and pinion focuser so this was a million times better.

Just need some clear skies and no work the day after.

Kev.

[faulksy]

glad you had a good night, as you said wait for the dark nights

[JamesM]

Congratulations on your setup Kev and glad that it is showing you plenty of detail. There is always a little fettling to be done (especially when he clouds roll in) but it will only add to your sense of anticipation.

Clear skies soon

James

[cyborg421]

Sorry for being out of sequence, been out for the day. My SW scope only came with a single focusser and I found it a bit limiting for focussing globulars, for example. With the Moonlight it is feathertouch and rock solid. It is very easy to make a minute change to resolve the stars in the globular clusters. I can't comment on the SW dual focusser as I've never had one.

Roll on the dark nights.

Simon