Cap in the main cover of my Skywatcher 200p

[Extreme Fencer]

Hi I am a newby member to this forum,

Got my first scope in September Sky watcher 200p on EQ5 upgrading to HEQ5 shortly.

Whats the small cap 50mm ish in the tube cover for?

Thanks

[ronin]

You will probably find the moon too bright with the full aperture, put the end cap back on and remove the small one. Then it is not so bright..

Some say you can put the main cap on then remove the small one, and put a full aperture solar film over the small hole to view the sun. Not overly happy with this idea myself. So simplest answer it's for moon viewing.

[Moonshane]

what Ronin said is true but you lose a lot of aperture which means resolution/detail. after a minute or so the moon won't seem so bright. it's not as bright as looking with your naked eye. a moon filter or baader neodymium filter is better than losing aperture to my eyes.

[ndastgir]

You will probably find the moon too bright with the full aperture, put the end cap back on and remove the small one. Then it is not so bright..

Some say you can put the main cap on then remove the small one, and put a full aperture solar film over the small hole to view the sun. Not overly happy with this idea myself. So simplest answer it's for moon viewing.

I have done exactly that. the small hole covered with a sun filter/film works really well for observing the sun

[LukeSkywatcher]

I used my first scope (90mm refractor) only observing through the smaller cap. Soon as i found that the whole dust cap was able to be removed the moon damn near blinded me.

Its main job is to stop down the aperture while observing the Sun (with the correct filter in place).

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I put some Baader solar film over it, and made it into a solar filter. Only problems ive noticed with this is that it makes your dust cap quite delicate, as you dont want to puncher the film, and on a cold night when at a dark site, dew builds up on the cap and filter, even if place it in the car etc, not sure what affect this may have on the filter in terms of wearing it down etc.

[Extreme Fencer]

Thanks for your reply's.

After posting the question I did wonder if it was to allow the scope to cool down without taking the full cap off.

BIG P.S. couldn't sleep so got up at 4.30 and had my first look at SATURN WOW! Can't wait for my new mount.

[rwilkey]

Thanks for your reply's.

After posting the question I did wonder if it was to allow the scope to cool down without taking the full cap off.

BIG P.S. couldn't sleep so got up at 4.30 and had my first look at SATURN WOW! Can't wait for my new mount.

Too early for me, but that is a great big WOW! Well done. Jupiter and its moons is also up in Taurus at the moment, look out for that and also Vesta, coming up to the left of Aldebaran.

[foundaplanet]

I think ronin makes a very valid point about using these little holes for solar film. It is bordering on getting dangerous.

Solar filters that are made using solar film are best made as seperate aperture masks that fit firmly on to the telescope. When not in use they should at all times be kept safely in a box. You will only ever have one accident when viewing the Sun.

If these little apertures were safe for sun viewing, companies would use it as a marketing tool and probably supply them with film....They don't do they!