Skywatcher 150p help!!

[mc1989]

HI All

This is my first question so be gentle. I have a skywatcher 150p telescope and have had trouble trying to set it up ever since i bought it, although it has been in my cupboard most of the time as i get frustrated quite easily. So last weekend i set about spending all weekend trying to get it set up and working but having got the tube fitted on the mount and an eyepiece fitted i noticed the image was upside down, is this because its not collimated properly, as i have tried to collimate it without a tool (probably a big mistake). 

Thanks

Mike

[brantuk]

Hi Mike and welcome to SGL

You're worrying unnecessarily cos all regular newtonian scopes show the image upside down and wrong way round.

The collimation is usually factory set on the 150P's and holds it quite well being a smaller tube. Apart from the odd tweak now and then (when you notice a degraded image quality) it shouldn't need doing. Be prepared for the notion that tinkering with it may have unset the collimation. So you'll need to look that up and find out how to correct any errors you've put in it. Hth

[mc1989]

ah thanks Super Giant although if the collimation was factory set when delivered it's probably wayyyyy out of collimation after all attempts to collimate it, any suggestions for a good collimation tool? Thanks  

[jonathan]

35mm film canister with a hole in the middle at one end (free), or a Cheshire Collimation Tool (about £30), take your pick.

[brantuk]

Well I use the Hotech laser collimator but it's very expensive - there are cheaper alternatives. There are also three different techniques to do collimation - laser, barlowed laser, and cheshire. So you'll need to pick one of those according to personal preference and budget.

You may find this guide useful:

http://www.astro-baby.com/collimation/astro%20babys%20collimation%20guide.htm

[mc1989]

I bought a Seben laser collimator from amazon last week and it arrived today and within about 10 minutes my telescope is now collimated, just got to get the rest of the telescope setup and I'm ready to go.    

[Floater]

I have the Skyliner 150P, too, and struggled (like most beginners, I think) with collimating at first. I used a Cheshire and a 'cap with a hole in it' and, after worrying so much, found it wasn't too bad at all.

It's the worrying that's the worst part!

One thing I would say is that the collimation screws and locking screws that come with the 150P are not the easiest to deal with. Life became an awful lot easier when I replaced them with Bob's Knobs. (Google it, if need be.) But if you do replace them, just watch out for the little rubber 'washers' behind the collimation screws ...

Oh, and enjoy what you're doing, don't let it eat at you!

[Floater]

Sorry, Mike, forgot to mention that you should beware that the supplied Allen key doesn't fit the primary mirror locking screws. That gave me a helluva headache when first trying to collimate. You'll need to get one that does fit.

Honest, it's easier than you think.

[wookie1965]

More than likely the secondary will not need touching just a tweak of your primary and with practice with a Cheshire will take 2 minutes maximum.