Essential kit to go with shiny new scope

[ktdelain]

Well hello lovely folks,

I have a question about essential kit to go with a new telescope. What would you say has been your can't do with out gadgets and accessories that have helped make a new scope extra great? I go camping with my kit a lot, so is there any thing you have found handy to have when your stuck in a field/wood?

(I say camping - I've upgraded to a caravan with electric, and hot water, and a kettle so it's really more glamping!)

BTW - I had every intention of asking that all important Help me buy a new telescope question....BUT...er, it's too late! one is on its way!

I say too late, I actually started to ask a question loads of times - but everytime I had a question about the type of scope, size, mounts you lot already had all the answers i needed! so I have spent the last week whilst stuck inside with birthday money burning a hole in my pocket, scouring the forums, and have found really helpful threads that have really helped me work out what sort of scope I wanted, how big, which mount, whats the difference between, etc etc etc, so THANK YOU! once again, you are all complete stars!

with all your help I have worked out that I would prefer something a little bigger to last me longer, something that would enable me to use mostly as a visual scope but had the capacity to tinker with some AP (esp as I have been lucky enough to have 2 photographers in my family who pretend to know what they are talking about and access to some decent camera kit), and most usefully the importance of mounts, what the types where, pros cons, costs etc, it all had helped me work out what feels right for me and what to spend some proper dosh on first.

and to be quite honest, I don't get to splash out very often, so there was a bit of I want that one, just because it was a bit of love at first sight!

So, I am soon to be the proud owner of a shiny new, oh so pretty Skywatcher 200pds on an HEQ5 mount, which all in all seemed the best start for me at the moment and something that will keep me going for ages but has the capacity to build on and tinker with and try out some AP too.

Can you tell I am a bit over excited. i really shouldn't have had that extra cup of coffee this morning.

anyway, back to my actual question!! so if you are still reading past my excited ramblings!! (it might wear off soon, and I'll get more concise!) any wish list suggestions of key extra kit to consider most welcome!

[Uplooker]

Hi ktdelain,

A Sky Watcher 200pds on an HEQ5 mount is a very good combination. It will serve you well as 8 inches is a good size and the mount is certainly capable of introducing you to astro photography.

Good choice and well done, you just need to wait for it to get a bit darker

Ian

[mog3768]

Hi My first scope was a 200p on an EQ5 mount. One of the first things I did, was to buy a duel drive motor kit for the mount about £100 but well worth it Tracking manually can be very frustrating.

[JamesF]

The HEQ5 won't need motorising, but a powertank of some sort might be worth considering if you're going to use it away from any power source.

The one thing I use most is probably a red light torch. I don't think I'd want to be without one. You don't want anything excessively bright, but just enough so you can see what you're doing or read notes.

At some point fairly soon you'll probably also want some sort of collimation tool, be it a laser or a cheshire collimator.

It's worth thinking about clothing, too. In the winter I wear old/second hand ski gear, a warm hat and fingerless gloves.

James

[Carl Reade]

I would defo second the collimator first as its a pds. No rush on anything I would just get used to the scope first.

Good choice by the way cheers Carl

[SnakeyJ]

Agree with James on the collimation tool, a long tube cheshire will be really helpful and is a quick/reliable way of keeping your scope in collimation - quite useful if you are moving the scope around a lot in the caravan. A dew shield is really useful to help keep the dew at bay - but you can make one out of camping mat for a couple of pounds. I think the most useful accessory I got for mine in the early days was a Telrad finder which really helped with finding my way around - much more intuitive than an inverted straight through finder. The rigel quickfinders are very similar to the telrads and perhaps a few pounds cheaper.

Another essential for taking the scope out and about is an old duvet or sleeping bag to wrap and keep the scope nice and safe.

Good luck and hope the skies clear for the new arrival - worth taking some time to get it setup in the garden during the day to get the finder scope(s) aligned and to get familiar with the setup. It's quite a bulky and heavy bit of kit when all setup, but the views are excellent - enjoy.

[ktdelain]

Good choice and well done, you just need to wait for it to get a bit darker

Ian

I know! i didn't think I'd be complaining for an end to long balmy summer days!

[ktdelain]

Another essential for taking the scope out and about is an old duvet or sleeping bag to wrap and keep the scope nice and safe.

ooh sleeping bag - that's a fab idea - we only upgraded to caravan this year, so have tons of old camping stuff and some really good sleeping bags that have been archived as duvets so much nicer on the caravan - right, where are my stepladders and torch, i'm off to rummage on top of cupboards and in the attic!

[ktdelain]

The HEQ5 won't need motorising, but a powertank of some sort might be worth considering if you're going to use it away from any power source.

The one thing I use most is probably a red light torch. I don't think I'd want to be without one. You don't want anything excessively bright, but just enough so you can see what you're doing or read notes.

At some point fairly soon you'll probably also want some sort of collimation tool, be it a laser or a cheshire collimator.

It's worth thinking about clothing, too. In the winter I wear old/second hand ski gear, a warm hat and fingerless gloves.

James

Oh yeah! totally forgot about getting a new torch - I have been making do with an old maglite with a red filter that sorta works, but is not great, and well torches are awesome, so any excuse to get a new shiny one! besides, my eyes are really ropey when it comes to light - I think i must be a bit over light sensitive, I am often really grumpy with any amount of stray lights (leading to lots of teasing from friend and family with "too much borrowed light" being a long running joke now!) despite the fact that I love fairy lights and tend to put them up when not stargazing - its either lots of pretty lights or pitch black with me!

anyway, I did see this torch a while ago, that the silly kid in me liked the look of, because it has more than one colour! not sure though if it's a good enough low red light? http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/coast-tx10-quad-colour-led-torch_d5567.html

[JamesF]

I used a mini maglite with a red cellophane sweet wrapper held over the end with an elastic band for a while, but it was a nuisance because actually I sometimes want to use the torch as a "real" torch. Now I have a red-only variable brightness torch:

http://www.scsastro.co.uk/catalogue/orion-redbeam-ii-led-flashlite.htm

Not sure I'd ever use the green or blue on the one you link to, but I'd say it's definitely worth having one that allows you to vary the brightness.

James

[Astro Imp]

To help you find objects you'll need some kind of star chart/map/app.

[AlexB67]

The excitement of a new scope, you could do worse in life and no doubt you will enjoy it

I'd say plus 1 for the red torch, while I have not used it much to read charts, mainly to read the labels on my eyepieces and seeing things when I am faffing about, or when I've dropped a cap or something like that.

[Jim Steele]

Id recommend an old card type planesphere with red torch to view. Sky maps is great and all, but phones can be hard to operate in the cold with gloves on and can also damage your night vision navigating through menus

[rowan46]

eyeballs

[m37]

Welcome to SGL!

I think a motorised focuser control is worth looking at. You won't have to touch the scope to focus and you avoid the wobbling that really used to get on my nerves. Particularly a problem at high magnification for me. If the Skywatcher 'auto' focus fits your scope I think it's one of the best value for money upgrades. It's not listed so might be worth checking as I read that some not-listed models fit just fine but not sure which ones they were.

Lovely setup you have there!

[Naemeth]

I agree with James about the clothing issue. It is often left out of consideration with first scopes - but believe me, you'll be wishing you invested in warm gear come winter. For the day time, a thick normal coat is fine, but bearing in mind you have extra body heat from walking around, when you're stargazing you don't generate any extra heat by standing still in the coldest part of the 24 hour period. After less than even an hour your hands can become numb without gloves (which also make it more difficult to change eyepieces etc.). I've got myself stocked up for this winter, now it'll be:

Thermals, Long Sleeve T-Shirt (etc.), Hoodie, Micro-Fleece Hoodie, Thick Snow/Ski type coat (very light, but keeps you very warm because of all of the layers!). Oh, and gloves, a hat, thermal socks, hiking boots (important to keep feet warm too!). Even if I look like a penguin, at least I'll be a warm penguin .

[mog3768]

Sorry should of read your post properly thought it said EQ5 not HEQ5 of course it does not need a motor kit. Do I feel stupid!!

[Macavity]

A spirit level - Or rather digital level (inclinometer) can be useful in setting up an equatorial mount.

O.K., things don't have to be absolutely "level" for stuff to work and there's always Polaris. But, for

quick setup / confirmation, handy to have a ready measure of horizontal, a check polar angle etc.

[AndyWB]

Why I started earlier this year the most useful additions I had were:

- Warm clothes. Even with walking boots, fleece trousers, down jacket, gloves, and fleece hat the cold really limited my time outside, and I'm pretty cold resistant. It's hard to imagine at the moment!

- A guide book. I used 'Turn Left at Orion' - it's great for suggesting what to look at, and helping you find it.

- A star atlas of some form. I just used an iPhone app, but I now prefer the Sky and Telescope pocket atlas. Just helps you navigate, it isn't a guide book.

[ktdelain]

Not sure I'd ever use the green or blue on the one you link to, but I'd say it's definitely worth having one that allows you to vary the brightness.

James

Oh totally pointless for the other colours, I just like torches and silly lights! I do like the idea of a dimmable torch though, as my normal bright white torch has that function and is really handy.

[ktdelain]

A spirit level - Or rather digital level (inclinometer) can be useful in setting up an equatorial mount.

O.K., things don't have to be absolutely "level" for stuff to work and there's always Polaris. But, for

quick setup / confirmation, handy to have a ready measure of horizontal, a check polar angle etc.

ooh totally hadn't considered that - we have a little 2 way spirit level in the caravan to help level it out, which should do the trick for not, also might have a play with an old spirit level app i've got on the iphone that might also do the trick for now. Thanks!

Kates

[ktdelain]

- Warm clothes. Even with walking boots, fleece trousers, down jacket, gloves, and fleece hat the cold really limited my time outside, and I'm pretty cold resistant. It's hard to imagine at the moment!

Yeah, I think i really need to start digging out my thermals - thankfully years of boating on a cold thames, camping in cold woods and living in Coventry in my student days with no central heating has made me fairly resilliant to the cold! however these recent thunderstorms here in Reading are reminding me it gets cold and wet!

I do often wear my pyjamas under my warm clothes though, so that way, when I'm done sitting out in the cold and go inside, It saves time and I'm still warm and toasty to jump into bed! that and lots of layers of socks in the walking boots!

Thanks folks for all your help! I'm off to the new forest next week, and with all your help have already started making lists of extra useful stuff to take!

[ktdelain]

I say thunder storms, its mostly just wet! disappointingly no thunder and lightening yet!

[L8-Nite]

Stop by Wilkinson and get a Bar-B-Que cover for your scope. Nice to have when it starts to rain.

[L8-Nite]

A good adjustable observing chair is worth its weight in gold. The commercial astronomy chairs are expensive,

however, I find that an "Ironing Board Chair" works great; found ours at a charity shop, price - £ 3.