Finally scope arrived! Pros and Cons

[Nuno]

Hi everyone

I finally got my first real scope (Skywatcher 200p dob) two days ago and yesterday was my first night using it

I also bought a 2x barlow and laser colimator

Pros:

- I could manage to colimate the scope with no problems

- Aligning the finderscope was also super easy to do. I was especting spending some time with that but no problem.

- Also the way the scope let us guide it thought the sky is very confortable but I guess I had luck to have a chair that has the perfect height for me to stand at the same level as the EP.

- Altough Im aware that a telrad is for most the best to use as a finderscope, the one that comes with the scope (9x50 I think) its actualy not that bad.. without it I would have been lost with so many stars 0.o

Cons:

- Its pretty heavy, well I just didn't espect that it was that heavy, and I am saying this just because of the base, cuz the tube itself has a normal weight for its size. So I only get to move the scope from my room to my balcony of the living room and of course I dont get tired but its not a pratical object to move aroung I guess (and I move it around separetely, the base first and then the tube xD)

- One thing that scared me today was the braket that holds the finderscope. They were assebled on the tube and I was putting the cap on the findscope but I had to do a little push down for the cap to fit and the braket got loose and almost fell if I didnt had my hand on the under it. So I saw that the little lock that holds the braket does not lock it 100% cuz with a little push I can easly get the braket off (or maybe I am doing somithing wrong :S)

And I think thats that xD. Overall the scope is amazing (and a beast also xD) and I am looking foward to explore its potentials. Im very happy with my new toy and is also a great step to get more in touch with the thing that I like most: Astronomy.

I notice that I could resolve many double stars pretty easy now, and these two days I had the moon looking at me so I couldn't resist of taking some afocal shots with a simple canon powershot that I use. Here's one of those photos as a sample and I will post the rest of them in the appropriate section of this forum

Oh and today I could see Andromeda but just the core because the moon was turning my night into day xD

Cheers everyone and clear skies

[Joves]

Congrats on the new scope. May you get as much pleasure from it as many if us others do from ours!

Nice write up too, btw.

Clear skies,

Aaron

[faulksy]

sounds like you had a good few days happy for you and welcome to sgl

[Astro Imp]

Good to see another member happy with their new toy.

Great write up BTW and a terrific picture, well done.

[Ally8446]

Hi Nuno. We have the same scope and it will probably never disappoint you, it's a very capable telescope. I love hearing about other peoples enthusiasm so thanks for the report.

Clear skies

Ally

[rwilkey]

Great report Nuno and a great photo, well done!

[mitchelln]

Congrats on your new purchase!

I had the same near mishap with the finder scope on my 300P. I thought I had assembled it wrong initially as well. For some odd reason Skywatcher have put the lug at the back of the bracket, which makes no sense to me. The scope spends all its time pointing upwards, so why not have the lug at the front of the bracket to stop the finder slipping off backwards?

[Astro Imp]

I had the same near mishap with the finder scope on my 300P. I thought I had assembled it wrong initially as well. For some odd reason Skywatcher have put the lug at the back of the bracket, which makes no sense to me. The scope spends all its time pointing upwards, so why not have the lug at the front of the bracket to stop the finder slipping off backwards?

I asked the same question some time ago and as yet no explanation has been forthcoming. 

[ScottS]

Good stuff. These are great scopes. Did you use the Barlow to help with collimation? That's a great little trick I learned from SGL.

[Nuno]

Actually I didn't but I knew of that trick.. just didn't remember xD

Either way I haven't had any problems with collimation so far  

I'm planning on get some views and shots of Jupiter the next few days hope to get some clear skies

[Charic]

Nuno..............Glad your enjoying the moment, and many thanks for the reminder? That scope bracket  is upside down in my opinion. There is a lug on the holder that slides onto the base. If the lug was uppermost, then even with the security bolt missing, the finder-scope  could not fall out due to the angle of the telescope unless you forcefully pushed it up / forward?  If you invert the base, the finder-scope can be  inserted into the holder, and  cant fall out, but then there is not enough finder-scope to secure correctly into the holder due to the design, and the `O` ring would not function? The other problem i had was the `O` ring fitting. Its a lot easier with a smear of vaseline on the `O` ring first. But thanks again for the reminder? You reminded me that the only tweak I needed to carry out was to secure the finder-scope holder to its base in-case that screw ever comes loose and falls out. My fix is to tie-wrap with a nylon tie, under the base and around the neck of the holder. I`ve just done that, and its impossible to fall out now.