Is this the longest First Light delay ?

[brent205]

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to post a Collimation problem here on SGL – but after my telescope arrived on 28^th June I’m still not able to see post a First Light report !

I bought a Hotech Laser Collimator with my Skywatcher 300P Flextube Goto. I have followed the Hotech instructions to the letter. But when I started observing on good nights back in July and August, I could just about pick up very blurry low mag stars for Synscan 2-star alignment – that was it. After trying out various Synscan setup theories I had, I then decided to go back to basics and try for the moon manually first and work up from there.

So earlier today I did a thorough collimation test – and then decided to try the moon in the clear blue early morning sky. After a struggle I picked up the outline moon using a Plossow 25 but it looked more like a blurry cloud to be honest – focusing in or using a Plossow 10 made it much, much worse. So two and half months in - I’ve either got a major problem scope or my collimation skills are woeful.

I’ll give FLO a ring to see what they suggest - any ideas would be gratefully received.

Thanks for any help you can give me

[moriniboy]

Are you using both the 2" and 1.25" focuser adaptors together, it should be either one or the other. If you just have the eyepieces which come with the scope you will only need to fit the 1.25".

[acey]

Miscollimation causes coma (stretching of star discs) not bluriness. Your problem is a focussing one - it sounds like you don't have enough travel to bring your eyepieces to focus. I would suggest three possibilities. First is your own eyes: if you normally wear glasses then try viewing while wearing them. Second is that for some reason your flextube might not be fully extending, perhaps because of a very stiff fit - make sure it locks into place when extended (there should be a clunk in the lower part as the tubes lock). Third, and this is maybe the most likely, is that with all your collimating you have moved the primary mirror quite far up into the tube, and it's now too far up for you to get focus. This has happened to me in the past with my own flextube. The solution is to unscrew the primary bolts (the small locking ones and the large collimating ones) so that the primary moves right back down to the bottom of the tube (you will see by turning a collimation bolt which way the primary moves). Then you start collimating again, beginning with the secondary. It doesn't need to be perfect - you could do it roughly by eye, or use a collimation cap, or a cheshire, laser, Hotech - whatever you like. The important thing is that you can get your eyepieces to focus.

[brent205]

Thanks Moriniboy - you are spot-on I now realise my schoolboy error - the Laser Collimator is 2" and my eyepieces are 1.25" .....many thanks

[brent205]

Thanks acey

[Scott]

not the first to do this and certainly not the last

[acey]

I actually don't see how the adaptor issue is relevant, I use a 1.25" adaptor on top of a 2" one on my scope - but if it solves the problem you're sorted. If not, I would point out that you say that focusing inwards makes the image more blurry, suggesting that lack of outward focuser travel is the problem. To check, just leave the eyepiece loose in the focuser and slide it out a bit to see if it comes to focus. If that's the situation you're in then it could still be one of the possibilities I suggested. But if it's the adapators then fine - I don't have a Hotech so don't know what bits and pieces it may add to your optical train.

[brent205]

Acey - Thanks for the input - I will run through all your suggestions, if I can't get the adaptors right (especially if you have successfully used a 1.25" on top of a 2").

I'm just pleased to have some options now - thanks again.

[moriniboy]

This is my 300px with just the 2" adapter fitted, when I want to use my 1.25" ep's (eyepieces) I use an Orion self centering ep holder in the 2" adaptor.

Let us know how you get on

[brent205]

Fixed now I'm using just the 1.25" focuser adaptor with EPs - thanks to all.

Schoolboy error 1 Brent205 0

[TheNorthernMonkey]

You're not the first and certainly won't be the last to make a daft mistakes. I couldn't get my scope to focus the first time I use it, and now I've used it a few times, I don't know how I couldn't do it the first time