Laser collimator or cheshire collimator?

[pipnina]

Since getting my Skywatcher 130 (900mm version) I have attempted collimating it by eye. The only problem is that I can't tell if it's collimated accurately enough to get optimal views because it didn't come with any collimating aids (e.g. cap, laser eyepeice etc).

I have no idea whether I'd always need a collimating cap or not, or If I do have a collimating cap... Do I still need either a laser or a cheshire eyepeice to get it collimated more accurately? I'm somewhat lost here!

Not being able to collimate properly is affecting my ability to find objects as well- The position of the primary mirror affects the point of the sky the scope looks at which makes views in the eyepeice different to those through my finder scope (red dot).

If any of you can help with what equipment I need to collimate my scope properly, I'd appreciate it a lot!

    ~pipnina

[Rusty-Gunn]

I figure you'll get more votes for the Chesshire than the laser. It seems this way when I read about collimating.

I have a laser and only collimated once (new scope). It was very easy and took about ten minutes.

[ronin]

A collimating cap can be made from an "old" 35mm film can, you need a suitable hole in the centre.

A laser collimator means you will have to collimate the laser collimator before - what happens is the laser does not come out central to the actual body so does not go straight down the scope. Not difficult but necessary.

Not sure about the cheshire but they are often the easier to get on with.

Concerning the finder and the scope that is not caused by collimation.

You have to align the finder (red dot) to the main scope.

If you have not done it then it is fairly easy.

Point the scope at something distant say 1 or 2 miles away - do it during the day as stars move and trees don't.

Then carefully sdjust the finder to point at the same thing.

Then check the scope is still pointed at whatever and repeat if required.

Take your time, rushing gets nowhere.

Have you looked into the Plymouth AS ?

http://www.plymouthastro.btck.co.uk/

May be an idea to say hello and get an idea of the club and what they do, even if it doesn't suit.

[pipnina]

I figure you'll get more votes for the Chesshire than the laser. It seems this way when I read about collimating.

I have a laser and only collimated once (new scope). It was very easy and took about ten minutes.

Based off ronin, that seems to be the devloping case.

A collimating cap can be made from an "old" 35mm film can, you need a suitable hole in the centre.

A laser collimator means you will have to collimate the laser collimator before - what happens is the laser does not come out central to the actual body so does not go straight down the scope. Not difficult but necessary.

Not sure about the cheshire but they are often the easier to get on with.

Concerning the finder and the scope that is not caused by collimation.

You have to align the finder (red dot) to the main scope.

If you have not done it then it is fairly easy.

Point the scope at something distant say 1 or 2 miles away - do it during the day as stars move and trees don't.

Then carefully sdjust the finder to point at the same thing.

Then check the scope is still pointed at whatever and repeat if required.

Take your time, rushing gets nowhere.

Have you looked into the Plymouth AS ?

http://www.plymouthastro.btck.co.uk/

May be an idea to say hello and get an idea of the club and what they do, even if it doesn't suit.

I have looked at the Plymouth AS, I intend to visit their meeting on Friday 13th of march.

Conveniently also their 50th anniversary.

p.s. I tend to put off some things if I feel the step prior hasn't been done properly yet. Hence I adjusted the red dot somewhat but left it rather rough as any changes I make to the mirrors would also require me to edit the finder again. If I can be certain my collimation is accurate I'd have no problem spending some time adjusting my red dot. (Fairly certain this is an Autistic tendancy, I am diagnosed)

[Dave In Vermont]

I use both. But I actually enjoy collimating. I'm strange.

The biggest problem faced by someone wanting to collimate their scope is a lack of clear instructions to demystify the process. A member here has written an excellent guide:

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

Hope it helps,

Dave

[Floater]

I use both. But I actually enjoy collimating. I'm strange.

Nah, not too strange at all, Dave. Enjoy.

[Charic]

......same as Dave, I can collimate all Day for the fun of it.

A dust cap with a 1.0mm hole or the 35mm film container will suffice, and will generally get great results. The object of these devices is solely to align your eye to the focuser/mirror axis.

Given that I have used both methods including a Cheshire-sight tube and a Laser I  now prefer the  Cheshire sight tube over a standard laser.

 But if I use the laser, I will Barlow it to align the primary mirror. An uncollimated laser works ok with a Barlow ! 

.........already mentioned above, read this guide a few times, it really is simple, once you get your head around the method? http://www.astro-baby.com/collimation/astro%20babys%20collimation%20guide.htm

[Helite]

Like Dave I use both methods, use the laser and a combination tool and bounce them off each other to ensure its as close as I can get it. I try not to get too hung up on it though, collimation to me seems like one of the things you can get too nuts about, and end up doing more looking into the scope at alignment than through the scope at the night sky. I collimated for the first time in about 12 months recently and that was only due to stripping the tube out to flock it.

Collimation blew my mind when I was about to attempt it for the first time, I read as many guides and tutorials as I could find and scared myself witless about it and was overloaded with technical information I don't think I really needed. To put it as simply as I can in a way that worked for me, you want to get the small circle central in the big circle and the crosshairs straight through the centre of them! Oh and putting a coloured piece of card in the tube really helps you to distinguish what you re looking at.