New 200P, a question or two.

[Coastliner]

I have owned the 200P on the Dob mount for one whole day now, I'm very impressed at that even in a very light-polluted area I can see loads of stars in an area that looks totally black to the naked eye.

1) Can anyone show me which bits of ironmongery they are using to connect a DSLR to the scope? I have a 450D and a 60D and cannot get an image in live view or the viewfinder. I know light is getting through as I can see a streetlamp ok (very blurred, of course). FLO said that it is ready for dslr out of the box (with the necessary T-adapter).

2) I notice that the tube cover has a small cap that can be removed. Can this be used to observe the Sun through a solar filter? If I buy some Baader film could I cover the hole with it?

3) I bought a Cheshire premium collimator with the scope, but I find that I cannot see all three primary mirror clips at once. Is the Cheshire of any use with the 200P? Or would I be better off with a lens cap collimator?

Thanks,

Neil.

[Bart]

Hi Neil

Someone else will have to help you with Q1 as I'm a purely visual kinda guy. I generally thought scopes on Dob mounts are unsuitable for AP except maybe for shots of the moon.

Yes with a solar filter, you can use the tube cover to view the sun. Google it and you will see instructions.

The collimator, as far as I know, is really for the centering the primary mirror. You need to first centre the secondary under the focusser while allowing the full view of the primary, incl clips. I do this with a lens cap homemade yolk.

Good luck, after a couple of attemps, collimation is a piece of cake, taking less than a minute, as you won't be messing with the secondary mostly.

Barry

[ronin]

To attach a DSLR you need the T piece for that camera, however as said not really much use as a manual dob doesn't track and so you will find imaging something between difficult and impossible. As Barry say maybe the moon at about 1/100 sec. You can attach a DSLR after that I don't think there is realisitcally a lot you can do. However give it a try.

Really safer to cover the whole of the front aperture, but covering the small hole should do it, also cover the finder or take it off. People have an odd habit of covering the main scope then trying tio locate the sun with the finder.

Cannot answer about the Cheshire, many others seem to have them and use them on a 200P.

[Coastliner]

Hi Ronin, Th 60D takes video natively, so I'd like to video the usual suspects and use Autostakkert to construct a still image. I think I'll have a go at getting an image through the viewfinder during the day and then try again at night.

[Reeny]

To see all 3 mirror clips, you will need to fit the 2-inch adaptor and the 1 1/4" adaptor into the focuser tube at the same time.

Then wind the focusser all the way out.

Thats' what I did when using the pin-hole technique, before I got the laser last week.

Check these £15 Ebay prices out.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Best-Selling-Seben-Laser-Collimator-LK1-Perfect-Telescope-Alignment-1-25-/161377222077

I discovered this seller after ordering mine for full price from Skys the Limit.

[Coastliner]

Thanks, I'll give that a go tonight. Screwing both in together may help me with the dslt focusing as well.

[Bart]

I discovered this seller after ordering mine for full price from Skys the Limit.

Yes. But maybe if you ordered it, it would arrive sometime in the summer after the astro season is effectively over!!

Barry