First Light report for a 300P Goto

[brent205]

Scope: Skywatcher Skyliner 300P FlexTube Goto

EPs: Plossol PS 10mm & 25mm – I’m just starting to get EP upgrade fever now!

Finder: Telrad (I hated the standard finder scope)

Mount: Alt-Azimuth Mount & SynScan AZ

Collimation: Hotech Laser Collimator

First Light Date/Session: Tuesday 18^th September 9:30pm to 11:30pm

As a newbie I’ve had a few abortive sessions as I got use to the scope and its setup. I was so focused on getting the Collimation and Synscan setup right that I made the school boy error of having the 2“ and 1.25” focuser adaptors in together. Once I got that fixed (thanks to SGL!) and did a test on the moon in the early morning I was ready.

I started setup at 9:30pm and once I had finished it took 20 minutes to get dark adapted and let the scope cool down. Then down to business:

M31 - I am truly obsessed with M31 – so I started there and whilst it was stunning to see it for the first time (1 trillion stars, 2.3m LY’s, going to collide with the milky way in a few billion years - just WOW to see it in person ) – but there was no definition and it looked just like a fuzzy glob although the centre was bright and reasonably large in the EP.

M110 – visible although not very defined – I tried the 10mm Plossol but think the LP in my area was too much for this target

I then moved through the following Clusters M34/M39/M56/IC1396/M15 – I was blown away by M15 in particular and this Glob Cluster looked brilliant in the backdrop of deep space. I can’t believe this cluster is 12 billion years old – M56 is 13.7 billion years old – just mind numbing.

I then spent the last 30 minutes switching between M31 and M15

A great first light experience – especially with the globular clusters being just stunning – I had to calm down my initial expectations which were high for the 300P and what it could pick out. However, I now totally understand the importance of a dark site – because even at 11:30pm on a coldish night, the LP was not great. I live in the country but in a village between two cities.

One question I have is – if I was to buy some decent EPs (I’m thinking of importing an ES 24mm 82 and ES 11mm 82) – would that improve my M31/M110 type viewing to a minor or major degree.

I’m assuming that it is all about the darkness – and the EPs would sharpen the experience by say 10-20% only?

Anyway I’m truly addicted after my first light – so can’t wait for the cold dark clear skies of winter

An early view on the Sky Watcher 300P Goto :

+ves for me

• I do love the Synscan goto – the 2 star alignment is a few minutes on Vega/Altair with the telrad to get centred and and then slews to 2^nd star and just centre it – done
  
• I like the manual slewing of the scope via the handset – it allows you set a rate between 1-9 and it is perfect for scanning around the targets you have
  
• I think it is a great scope for the money – but I think I need a much darker site than my small back garden to do it justice
  
• I have had little re-collimation to do on the 300P – admittedly I’m only moving it back and forward 40 feet (the Hotech Collimator has been good in this regard)
  

-ves for me

• The base is big – not super heavy, just awkward to carry – I’m 6 foot 7 and it is a bit of a wrestle to get it out of my garage via the kitchen doors – it is doable – but if I ever got a bad back I don’t think I could move it. I hated it in the first month but I’m more use to it now – but if you are looking to buy a big DOB do think about the logistics of the base and doorways
  
• The automatic slewing noise is a little loud, if you are moving between targets – my wife has complained that the noise is too much with the bedroom window open in August above the patio I have the 300P on – but the neighbours you live close by haven’t complained so far!
  
• The standard finder scope on the 300p was disappointing and I went straight for a Telrad replacement, based on SGL feedback
  

Other things I have found very useful as a newbie:

• SGL has been brilliant just in four months – the depth of sound knowledge/advice/support is great
  
• Stellarium is my go to guide – and I run through all my targets for the evening on that first – my garden is small and surrounded by houses and tall trees so it is great to plot out the trajectory of targets
  
• A red light head lamp – to protect those DA eyes
  

[Black Knight]

Can't help on the eyepieces question, but it certainly sounds like you had a good time!

[estwing]

what a good report well done,welcome to Dobsville!

[rory]

nice report, thanks. m31 is always a nice object, although ive not seen outside the core area as yet. i think your right about dark skies, they make all the difference.

[Double Kick Drum]

That's a great first light report.

The 250mm version is on my wish list (all be it without the electronics).

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report. Congrats on getting a really nice scope.

[swamp thing]

Hi

Nice report, a great read.

For deep sky observing dark skies hold the key to the success and failure of observing many objects. Eyepieces can sharpen a view, improve contrast, or increase your AFOV at certain powers but they aren't going to give the sort of improvement many expect. Eg, take two scopes with equal quality optics but different apertures, say 6" & 8" newts. Put low cost plossls in the 8" and TV Ethos in the 6". The 8" will still outperform the 6" on everything you look at.

That said, take the 6" to an ink black sky leaving the 8" at a LP one, and the 6" will wipe the floor with the 8". Dark skies make a HUGE difference.

I notice you say you "can't wait for the dark skies of winter". Your sky is probably as dark as its going to get now. If its not that dark you would be well advised to hunt down a good dark sky site from which to observe. As I've said this will make more difference to your viewing pleasure than any eyepiece upgrade or aperture increase.

Have fun out there

[Mike73]

I agree with Steve.

There seems to be a lot and maybe too much emphasis on EP's when a tank full of petrol and a cheaper EP will show more from a dark site than a premium EP in LP.

The 300P is a great scope though and you'll see some amazing things through it.

Welcome to the dob mob.

[brent205]

Thanks for the great feedback - very interesting point on my 'winter sky' expectation and the focus on technology over location, location location

Clearly I need to think about taking my DOB on a little road trip!

[Stu]

Nice report brent, great scope you have there.

Just to add a few observations about M31 as it seems to be your favourite . First point is that it is huge, roughly 6 times the size of the moon

Alot of the time, from light polluted skies you just see the central core. The outer parts are very faint and need dark skies to see properly. Even in larger scopes it often doesn't give up much detail, a couple of dust lanes but that is generally it.

I do agree with the advice given by others that you should take your time deciding on upgraded ep's, try out some before buying, and best to buy second hand so you can sell on without much loss.

Just some perspective on sizes and field of view. If I am correct, your scope has a focal length of 1500mm. With a 25mm plossl, assuming 50° apparent field of view, you would see 0.83° of sky. Andromeda is approx 3° x 1° so will not fit it at all. Even with say a 31t5 nagler with 82° fov, you would only get 1.69°. You would see much more of it but still wouldn't fit it all in. Andromeda can actually be easier in some ways in a wide field refractor with a 4° fov from a very dark site. Just something to have in mind when observing it.

Enjoy the scope, look forward to more reports. By the way I love globs too

Stu

[brent205]

Thanks Stu

I will try dark site options first - then look into 2nd-hand selected EP's next - and give my credit card a breather!

[Helen]

Nice report I've got one too, and I too love it! On the goto noise, remember that you can manually push the scope to close to your target and then just let the goto fine tune it - that way it should reduce the slew noise considerably (and its quicker too).

Keep on enjoying...

Helen

[Stu]

That sounds like a really good and useful feature, sometimes wish it was possible on EQ mounts, much quicker.

Stu

[Helen]

That sounds like a really good and useful feature, sometimes wish it was possible on EQ mounts, much quicker.

Stu

Its great! The new EQ6 alt/az GEM mount has the double-encoders needed for this too.

Helen

[Stu]

Excellent. I do like the look of that mount. Will keep an eye on it, not sure when it is available, or how much more to the point!

Stu