Stellarium with the 200p Dob

[dannycox]

Hi Guys,

I have downloaded Stellarium whilst im here at sea to practice using the software, when i get my 200p Dob how do i use the scope to get the correct alignment for the various planets, stars, galaxies etc etc???? does it come with something that allows you to match the directions that is given to you by stellarium or do i have to buy an add on????

thanks danny

[Capricorn]

The idea of a Dobsonian mount is that it is fully manual.

You nudge. push, point it at the bit of sky and you locate whatever.

Nice if the base is level, but no need for this at all.

You can get setting circles but then you would have to align those so the simplicity is getting eroded.

You can buy inclinometers etc but again you have to set these up a little then you start reading the output and hope that while moving from reading the output to looking through the eyepiece that nothing moved at all.

You have purchased a Dobsonian that is at it's heart a fully manual scope.

Now you have to manually locate the objects that you want to see.

[Tinker1947]

You will need a GoTo Dobsonian for Stellarium to link up to,,,,there a bit dearer than the DOb without GoTo but will allow tracking DSO, while you go make a cuppa tea.....

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-flextube-goto.html

[brucen]

I always use Stellarium to get a general idea of what is in the sky before I go out. Once I am viewing I then use it as a reference to try to identify things and to improve my very basic knowledge of the night sky. I also have a goto scope but still use Stellarium to help me identify objects to use when doing the initial alignment as it makes it quicker which improves accuracy. As Capricorn and Tinker1947 have said you basically have to push. pull and nudge the Dob which is part of the fun!?! Hope you enjoy the scope when it arrives.

[lestergibson]

I'd add that you might look at scoring yourself a book like Turn Left At Orion, or a sky atlas and red LED head torch. Very usefull I'm a noob myself and just recently got SW200 and the fact that it's a manual dob actually makes it easier to get the scope out and set up - very important for me:). I was going to go for a 'goto' but decided against it. If you stick with the dob and spend a bit of time learning the sky to allow you star-hop, you'll be better off in the long run, I reckon. Best of luck with your new scope!

[scuffer]

I learn the constellations which will give me rough guide as to where to look then look at the star patterns to find my target , you can also add a setting circle and a Wixey which will give you an effective push to system.

[Eastridge]

I have found freebie SKeye on our smartophone more use with our Dob than Stellarium to be honest. Could just be that we have a desktop and by the time I'm outside I've forgotten what I saw on the screen , whereas SKeye in red view mode I can hold right by the scope and 'match' to the sky I am seeing 'real time' as it were.

Maybe my short term memory is going with age!

Over the winter I will try and get Stellarium to show the Telrad circles as that might make it more useful although my gut feel is that printed Telrad maps that I can take outside with me will once again be a better solution for me.

[Momentous]

I've not had my 200p for too long and yesterday I bought Turn Left at Orion (after reading so many good reports about it on this site). The weather's terrible so I've not had chance to use it in the field, however I've had a flick through it and it really does seem to take the mystery out of navigating the night sky. I'm a complete beginner so it's early days yet but the book seems like a good buy.