Proposed 200p setup

[branigan]

Hi there guys,

After a few weeks lurking and researching this site, among others. I have come up with an idea of what equipment I will need to save up for to continue further (I am happy reading books, learning & looking with binos/ naked eye until I have enough cash).

Anyway, I have drafted a list of equipment & would like others thoughts/ critisisms please;

Item Requirement Description Cost Source Telescope Primary Skywatcher Explorer 200P EQ5 £415.00 Firstlightoptics Flocking Primary Flocking Material £7.00 Firstlightoptics Collimator Primary Premium Cheshire Collimating Eyepiece £36.00 Firstlightoptics Finder Primary Telrad Finder £35.00 Firstlightoptics Finder Primary Dew Shield for Telrad Finder inc mirror £25.00 Firstlightoptics Filter Primary Baader Neodymium Filter £50.00 Firstlightoptics Dew Shield Primary Dew Heater Tape 8" £10.00 Diy Dew Shield Primary Dew Heater Tape 2" £10.00 Diy Dew Shield Controller Primary Dual Channel Dew Heater Controller £20.00 Diy Motor Secondary Dual-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ-5 £100.00 Firstlightoptics Eyepiece Secondary Celestron X-Cel LX eyepiece 7mm £70.00 Firstlightoptics Eyepiece Secondary Celestron X-Cel LX eyepiece 18mm £70.00 Firstlightoptics Eyepiece Secondary Skywatcher PanaView 2" eyepiece 32mm £80.00 Firstlightoptics Eyepiece Secondary Dual-power 2x/1.5x Barlow AC710 £90.00 Scopesnskies Total £1,018.00

Books

Title Cost Source Turn Left at Orion £20.00 Amazon The Sky at Night: Answers to Questions £10.00 Amazon The Practical Astronomer £9.00 Amazon The Backyard Astronomer's Guide £23.00 Amazon Philip's Moon Observers Guide £6.59 Amazon Total £68.59

[branigan]

Tables didnt work

[branigan]

Item

Requirement

Description

Cost

Source

Telescope

Primary

Skywatcher Explorer 200P EQ5

£415.00

Firstlightoptics

Flocking

Primary

Flocking Material

£7.00

Firstlightoptics

Collimator

Primary

Premium Cheshire Collimating Eyepiece

£36.00

Firstlightoptics

Finder

Primary

Telrad Finder

£35.00

Firstlightoptics

Finder

Primary

Dew Shield for Telrad Finder inc mirror

£25.00

Firstlightoptics

Filter

Primary

Baader Neodymium Filter

£50.00

Firstlightoptics

Dew Shield

Primary

Dew Heater Tape 8"

£10.00

Diy

Dew Shield

Primary

Dew Heater Tape 2"

£10.00

Diy

Dew Shield Controller

Primary

Dual Channel Dew Heater Controller

£20.00

Diy

Motor

Secondary

Dual-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ-5

£100.00

Firstlightoptics

Eyepiece

Secondary

Celestron X-Cel LX eyepiece 7mm

£70.00

Firstlightoptics

Eyepiece

Secondary

Celestron X-Cel LX eyepiece 18mm

£70.00

Firstlightoptics

Eyepiece

Secondary

Skywatcher PanaView 2" eyepiece 32mm

£80.00

Firstlightoptics

Eyepiece

Secondary

Dual-power 2x/1.5x Barlow AC710

£90.00

Scopesnskies

Total

£1,018.00

Book

Cost

Source

Turn Left at Orion

£20.00

Amazon

The Sky at Night: Answers to Questions

£10.00

Amazon

The Practical Astronomer

£9.00

Amazon

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide

£23.00

Amazon

Philip's Moon Observers Guide

£6.59

Amazon

Total

£68.59

See if this works - Mods please delete if not a table

[Astro Imp]

I would forget about the mirror on the Telrad dew shield, I have one, tried to use it once and gave up, you don't get a big enough FOV to make it work effectively.

It is very tempting to flex the credit card and get everything you think you are going to need in one fell swoop but I would obtain the scope, mount, Telrad and perhaps the drive and then use the equipment and see what you need after using it a few times. Also I would start with one of the books you mention, probably Turn Left @ Orion and build up from there.

I'm sure others will come with other views but ultimately it's for you decide.

Good luck.

[rwilkey]

I agree, it is tempting to get everything in one swoop if you have the money, but i would get the basic scope first and see how you get on, then you will know what extras you will need, some you will not so it will be a waste of money. For example - dew heaters, I have never needed those for my 200P, as the primary is quite well protected by the OTA. I advise, get the scope then wait and see, otherwise you will have so much stuff you won't know where to start first. Make the above your 'wish list' then think about the benefit of each before you buy.

Added Edit: a 5x Barlow is for astro-photography, not for visual use, wheras a Cheshire collimating eyepiece is a 'must' for reflector owners.

[rwilkey]

Sorry, just re-read the post, you're not taling about a 5x Barlow!

[tranas]

I`m agree with guys above, get the scope first use it for a while then you will see what extras is necessarily to buy. Before buying the scope it looks what you need every think mention above :

My experience ,I bought the scope and straight away want to get all bits-and-pieces and the end of the story the job kid`s and the weather does`t let me enjoy watching to he night sky, as much as I want.And even now I thinking to get HEQ-5 PRO mount but weather stopping me, and I`m on holiday can`t get the scope even out .

So think before you will sped that amount of money,what you really gonna need.

Good luck.

[branigan]

Thanks for the responses.

It hasnt come out well because the tables havent worked, but I plan on the scope £400 + telrad, colimator & other bits first before getting any of the other stuff (eps, motor, barlow).

I have a few of the books & I hope santa will bring the others so I can do plenty of learning before I get a scope.