Anywhere in Essex to get telescope collimated

[Ace Rimmer]

Anyone know of anywhere in Essex (preferably South or East Essex) where I could take my Nexstar 130slt and pay for collimation, I've read just about everything I can on collimation and really don't want to attempt it on the basis I am an oaf and usually break anything breakable, I'd rather pay or at least watch it being done before I attempt it.

[Abbots]

Anyone know of anywhere in Essex (preferably South or East Essex) where I could take my Nexstar 130slt and pay for collimation, I've read just about everything I can on collimation and really don't want to attempt it on the basis I am an oaf and usually break anything breakable, I'd rather pay or at least watch it being done before I attempt it.

Ah, the first person I have found here with a 130 SLT. I am taking delivery tomorrow of mine. I spent several hours reading up on this subject and have to agree it does sound a bit daunting... made worse by the fact these Newtonians need more regular collimations than the other types.... Bit of a worry... Sounds like it is something that needs to be learnt if possible at some point.... I am worried when my scope turns up it may need collimation out of the box if the mirrors are so delicately hung?

On the other hand, I also read last night that your telescope may appear to be performing really well, but could still give greater performance once collimated.

Does your SLT still perform well or is it completely out?

[tuckstar]

Most scopes will come fully collimated. I've had a sw 130 for over a year and it lives mainly in the boot of my car. I have never had to collimate it, although I have checked it. Due to it being a small mirror it seems not to be affected by movement like some of the bigger scopes.

My advice is find a local club, most are friendly and will be happy to help you with your scope.

Once someone has shown you what to do it really is easy, but I know how scary it can be first time.

Good luck with yours scopes.

[knobby]

Its really not that bad... Loads of tutorials on you tube http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=x2l38gjwE2A&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dx2l38gjwE2A

Or as already said pop along to a club meet.

which bit of Essex are you in roughly

[Ace Rimmer]

Ah, the first person I have found here with a 130 SLT. I am taking delivery tomorrow of mine. I spent several hours reading up on this subject and have to agree it does sound a bit daunting... made worse by the fact these Newtonians need more regular collimations than the other types.... Bit of a worry... Sounds like it is something that needs to be learnt if possible at some point.... I am worried when my scope turns up it may need collimation out of the box if the mirrors are so delicately hung?

On the other hand, I also read last night that your telescope may appear to be performing really well, but could still give greater performance once collimated.

Does your SLT still perform well or is it completely out?

It was performing very well as far as I new but I never checked collimation when I got it, it could have needed it from new, first look at Jupiter I was pleasantly surprised although I couldn't make out any detail I could see a few moons and if I really stayed still I'd make out some bands on Jupiter but I think there should have been a bit more detail and it was still pretty blurry, I hadn't used it for a few weeks and tried viewing Saturn last night and it was just a small white blurry blob so looked how to check collimation and it seems well out. I was actually looking forward to the collimation until I read about it and knowing how clumsy I am it's not something I want to do first time myself, I'd rather watch it being done to get an idea.

[Ace Rimmer]

Its really not that bad... Loads of tutorials on you tube http://m.youtube.com...h?v=x2l38gjwE2A

Or as already said pop along to a club meet.

which bit of Essex are you in roughly

Rochford near Southend, I sat for about 3 hours last night watching videos and reading page after page and the more I looked the more daunting it seemed, I know I have clumsy hands and there's more chance of me breaking or making it worse than anything else :-)

[Ace Rimmer]

Its really not that bad... Loads of tutorials on you tube http://m.youtube.com...h?v=x2l38gjwE2A

Or as already said pop along to a club meet.

which bit of Essex are you in roughly

Just watching the video in your post now, cheers for that, not seen that one so maybe it'll give me the nerve to try it.

[knobby]

I can relate to that

Nearest club to you is probably castle point astro group, and they have public viewing nights.

Check their website and see if one is due soon, maybe talk to them and see if you can take the scope along?

I'd try myself but I'm the other end of Essex, not very good at collimation myself and emotionally predisposed at the moment.

best of luck though

[knobby]

Just watching the video in your post now, cheers for that, not seen that one so maybe it'll give me the nerve to try it.

If you do try it... Just make small adjustments at a time, maybe 1/4 turn, then you can put it back if it gets worse

[Ace Rimmer]

If you do try it... Just make small adjustments at a time, maybe 1/4 turn, then you can put it back if it gets worse

Well the video was excellent, just bought the collimator he was using from Saben-Europe-eBay so I'm gonna have a go myself, if I muck it up I'll pay to have it done anyway so might as well give it a try. Cheers

[knobby]

google collimating a laser collimator first, most of the laser collimators are pointing inaccurately which will make things worse.

you just need a couple of nails and a bit of wood to make a holder which you use to aim the laser at a distant wall ... when turned in the vees the dot shouldn't move ... baah just google it :-)

[Ace Rimmer]

google collimating a laser collimator first, most of the laser collimators are pointing inaccurately which will make things worse.

you just need a couple of nails and a bit of wood to make a holder which you use to aim the laser at a distant wall ... when turned in the vees the dot shouldn't move ... baah just google it :-)

Just found

Collimating a Collimator, seemed quite easy, all seems a little easier now, and again, I'm looking forward to seeing what the 130slt can do once collimated, thanks again.

[knobby]

Good luck fellow Essex boy!

[Ace Rimmer]

Good luck fellow Essex boy!

Cheers, I'll let you know how it goes when I get the Collimator

[knobby]

Is it here yet...

[bottletopburly]

Fret not I do my sw 200p and check it most times I get it out due to it being stored on a shed shelf I use a seben laser collimator and final check with a astro engineering Cheshire really nothing to worry about and I have only been doing it a year don't be scared of doing it.

[Ace Rimmer]

Is it here yet...

Nah, not yet, still waiting, hopefully it'll be this week as I can't wait to see what I get with the scope once it's properly set up.

[Ace Rimmer]

Fret not I do my sw 200p and check it most times I get it out due to it being stored on a shed shelf I use a seben laser collimator and final check with a astro engineering Cheshire really nothing to worry about and I have only been doing it a year don't be scared of doing it.

Now I've seen a decent video (Thanks Knobby) I can't wait to have a go, I think I read so many pages and watched so many overly complicated videos it ended up seeming a lot harder than it is, I think I wanted to understand everything about the scope before I tried the collimation but should have kept it simple, I'm really looking forward to seeing what it can do now.

[Ace Rimmer]

Is it here yet...

Finally got the collimator yesterday, I tested it and it was well off, at 4 meters the laser drew a circle about 10" when turned in the block, adjusted it and got it centred but when I try and collimate the scope the adjustment screws on the secondary mirror don't move the laser, they loosen but the laser doesn't move. The Celestron site says alternately loosen and tighten the screws until the laser is centred but I can't tighten the screws at all, I can only loosen and re-tighten them but the laser point doesn't move at all, any ideas.

[Peter Drew]

You need to loosen two screws and then tighten the third one before you can adjust the laser spot position. If this doesn't work, back off all three at which point the diagonal holder should become loose and tightening any of the three should move the laser spot. If again this does not work, it could be that there is not enough clearance between the diagonal holder and the spider boss that holds the adjusting screws. Hope this makes sense.

[umadog]

Finally got the collimator yesterday, I tested it and it was well off, at 4 meters the laser drew a circle about 10" when turned in the block, adjusted it and got it centred but when I try and collimate the scope the adjustment screws on the secondary mirror don't move the laser, they loosen but the laser doesn't move. The Celestron site says alternately loosen and tighten the screws until the laser is centred but I can't tighten the screws at all, I can only loosen and re-tighten them but the laser point doesn't move at all, any ideas.

These manuals are often not very clear. Try to look at the plate and screws and think through what you'd need to do in order to get it tilted in the direction you want. I know that may not sound very helpful but, honestly, thinking through these little implementation details is very helpful. It's in the details such as this that the manuals are the least useful. I suppose it's because it's hard to describe and so something that you learn by doing.

[Ace Rimmer]

You need to loosen two screws and then tighten the third one before you can adjust the laser spot position. If this doesn't work, back off all three at which point the diagonal holder should become loose and tightening any of the three should move the laser spot. If again this does not work, it could be that there is not enough clearance between the diagonal holder and the spider boss that holds the adjusting screws. Hope this makes sense.

Tried loosening off all three screws and tightening them in different orders but the spot always ended up in the same place, eventually I loosened off all three screws, and the secondary holder became loose, I moved the secondary mount by hand and then did the screws back up and got it centred, got there in the end, now just gotta wait for a clear night to test it, here's hoping I'll be amazed at the difference. Cheers

[knobby]

Good luck, tonight looks promising... Fingers crossed

[Phil Fargaze]

I was wondering why you are adjusting the secondary screws at the moment instead of adjusting the primary first, or had you already adjusted the primary?

Sorry if it sounds confusing.