New scope! What to do!?

[astromackem]

Morning all,

I'm now the proud owner of a Dobsonian.

Any tips on what to do first? (no doubt it'll take me a while to set up first). Clear skies permitting of course but what good views are up there at the moment? I hear the moon isnt shining at the minute?

It comes with a 10mm and 25mm eyepiece I think (120x and 48x)

[PeterCPC]

Jupiter is still fairly well placed.

Peter

[ronin]

TAKE THE 2" ADAPTOR OUT OF THE FOCUSER!!!!!!! :eek:

If you leave it in and then post about not being able to achieve focus I will do something very unpleasant with the scope.

Other then that drop the 25mm in and simply go looking at just about anything that you can see to point at.

Oh yes, align the finder and the main scope.

Just get that flaming 2" adaptor out.   

[astromackem]

TAKE THE 2" ADAPTOR OUT OF THE FOCUSER!!!!!!! :eek:

If you leave it in and then post about not being able to achieve focus I will do something very unpleasant with the scope.

Other then that drop the 25mm in and simply go looking at just about anything that you can see to point at.

Oh yes, align the finder and the main scope.

Just get that flaming 2" adaptor out. 

Thanks but I need some explanantion please..i'm a noob!

What is the 2" adaptor and why would you need to take it out?

And how do I align the finder and the scope?

[D4N]

Ronin is referring to an adaptor that is fitted as standard in some Skywatcher scopes but make it unusable if you don't realise that it needs to be taken out.

You haven't stated what scope you have so it is entirely possible that you don't even have one.

To align your finder first you need to point the scope at something, a chimney pot or pylon should do (don't use the sun!). Now use the adjusting screws on the finder so it is also pointing at the same thing.

Now when you go out in the evening you will see two really bright objects, one is Venus and the dimmer one is Jupiter. Point at one of them and fine tune the finder if required.

Venus will look like a small 2/3rds moon and Jupiter should show banding and 4 of its own moons.

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[Dave In Vermont]

Thanks but I need some explanantion please..i'm a noob!

What is the 2" adaptor and why would you need to take it out?

And how do I align the finder and the scope?

A 2" adaptor is a little, round item that fits in a 2" drawtube of a focusing mechanism. The outer diameter is 2 inches. And it has a inner sleeve that is 1.25 inches in diameter. So if you have a 2" focuser, you would put the 2" adaptor into the drawtube, and any eyepiece that is a 1.25" eyepiece will fit into 1.25" center of the adaptor. Here's a photo:

The reason one would remove it is you may wish to use a 2 inch eyepiece, rather than the more common 1.25" eyepieces.

Enjoy your scope,

Dave

[astromackem]

Thanks.

for info. I have the Skyliner 200p dob.. so its 1.25" eyepieces.

Also, how do I know if the scope needs collimating?

[ronin]

Both the 2" and 1.2" adaptors fit in the focuser, however the 1.25" one will fit inside the 2" one and for shipping that is how they are shipped.

So when you get the scope the 1.25" eyepiece fits nicely into the "focuser" but it is held at the wrong location and so you cannot get the scope+eyepiece to focus.

Everything looks correct and right, just it isn't.

What you want is the focuser and the 2" adaptor "OR" the focuser and the 1.25" adaptor.

What happens is that it ends up as focuser and 2" adaptor and 1.25" adaptor.

Ignore collimation for now (my suggestion).

Just use the thing at first.

[astromackem]

Both the 2" and 1.2" adaptors fit in the focuser, however the 1.25" one will fit inside the 2" one and for shipping that is how they are shipped.

So when you get the scope the 1.25" eyepiece fits nicely into the "focuser" but it is held at the wrong location and so you cannot get the scope+eyepiece to focus.

Everything looks correct and right, just it isn't.

What you want is the focuser and the 2" adaptor "OR" the focuser and the 1.25" adaptor.

What happens is that it ends up as focuser and 2" adaptor and 1.25" adaptor.

Ignore collimation for now (my suggestion).

Just use the thing at first.

Thats clear enough for my novice brain. That all made sense!

thanks

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The galaxies in Leo, Canes Venatici, and Ursa Major are also well worth a visit at this time of the year

[BonkingBal]

I'm also a new telescope owner (skywatcher 130). Keen to look at planets and the moon.

Do I need a moon filter for the latter ?

Is there a good source (website etc) that will allow someone with a very limited knowledge of the night sky to locate the planets ?

I know there are loads of threads on eyepieces, but is there a good option for planet watching ?

[Calculon]

I'm also a new telescope owner (skywatcher 130). Keen to look at planets and the moon.

Do I need a moon filter for the latter ?

Is there a good source (website etc) that will allow someone with a very limited knowledge of the night sky to locate the planets ?

I know there are loads of threads on eyepieces, but is there a good option for planet watching ?

No need for a moon filter at all, it's just some people don't like the glare. Personally I don't mind the view from my 10" Dob but it certainly can get quite bright.

Resources all over the shop, but Stellarium is a cracking piece of software you should try out - it's free! Little bit fiddly to set up but it will simulate the view of the sky from your location, allowing for easy navigation around the stars with limited knowledge. If you can memorise the locations of a few bright stars then you'll have no problems at all. It can also be set to different times and as such is great for picking out future targets or simply playing with when the inevitable clouds appear!

[skywatcher58gb]

Hi  If you live in the Sunderland area why not pop down to the Sunderland Astronomical Society.

We meet most Sunday nights and every Thursday night, You will be able to find out how to use your scope and what objects are visible.

We meet at the Washington Wetlands centre.

Dave

[BonkingBal]

thanks Calculon. Just checked out Stellarium on my iPad. It looks EXACTLY what I was after for locating planets etc, but as an iPad app will cost me £1.49. Being a tight Northerner, I'll download onto my PC and see how I get on with it before I invest that kind of wedge !

[astromackem]

Hi  If you live in the Sunderland area why not pop down to the Sunderland Astronomical Society.

We meet most Sunday nights and every Thursday night, You will be able to find out how to use your scope and what objects are visible.

We meet at the Washington Wetlands centre.

Dave

I live in Newcastle but I will certainly consider it cheers Dave.

I do have young kids so it may be a stretch to say to the wife i'm off to be a astronomy nerd one night!

I spent the night beginning the set up on my scope. The Skyliner 200p really is a thing of beauty.

[osbourne one-nil]

There are 3 open clusters in Auriga, which is high up in the west around 10pm - they'll look very pretty through a 10" scope. 

Google M36, M37 and M38. 

[astromackem]

There are 3 open clusters in Auriga, which is high up in the west around 10pm - they'll look very pretty through a 10" scope. 

Google M36, M37 and M38. 

What about an 8 inch one? ;-)

[skywatcher58gb]

These three open clusters will be fine in an 8" dob, no problem.

Dave

[osbourne one-nil]

Sorry - always think things are bigger than they really are!

They look great through my 4" and even greaterer through my 8" - the whole region's nice to scan through. There's another nice one nearby in Gemini - M35...and Prasapae in Cancer - M44.  Don't forget, you might still have time to catch the Pleiades before they sink out of view, low down in the west. They're super pretty. 

[astromackem]

Sorry - always think things are bigger than they really are!

They look great through my 4" and even greaterer through my 8" - the whole region's nice to scan through. There's another nice one nearby in Gemini - M35...and Prasapae in Cancer - M44.  Don't forget, you might still have time to catch the Pleiades before they sink out of view, low down in the west. They're super pretty. 

I'll keep that in mind- from my back garden though I may not have line of sight

[Hobbes]

Have a look at Messiers 13 & 92 in Hercules, Messiers 81 & 82 in Ursa Major, NGC 884 & 869 the double cluster in Perseus

[BonkingBal]

WOW. Just spent some time looking at Venus and then Jupiter and its moons. I'm hooked ! Definitely need to get my EQ2 motor drive set up, as constant tracking at high ,magnification is a pain.

Any tips on scope/ image stability ? I keep having to focus then not touch the eyepiece or scope to get the image to stabilise, refocus when it settles, and repeat this a few times until I have got it in focus. When it does even with the lenses supplied, I can get pretty good clarity, but every time I need to track the scope a little more, I need to wait for the "shake" to subside. I suspect the answer is going to be live with it or get a better tripod, but if anyone has any other tips I'm all ears.

[D4N]

Don't extend the tripod legs too far and try filling them with dry sand.

Make sure the scope is well balanced as well.

Try tracking with the metal gear not the flexible thing, it is a bit smoother.

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[astromackem]

Both the 2" and 1.2" adaptors fit in the focuser, however the 1.25" one will fit inside the 2" one and for shipping that is how they are shipped.

So when you get the scope the 1.25" eyepiece fits nicely into the "focuser" but it is held at the wrong location and so you cannot get the scope+eyepiece to focus.

Everything looks correct and right, just it isn't.

What you want is the focuser and the 2" adaptor "OR" the focuser and the 1.25" adaptor.

What happens is that it ends up as focuser and 2" adaptor and 1.25" adaptor.

Ignore collimation for now (my suggestion).

Just use the thing at first.

Tried to set up the focusser last night. You got three bits which all attached together perfectly in a line (including the 1.25" eyepiece). Have I done the right thing?

[BonkingBal]

Thanks for the tips on stabilising the 'scope D4N - balanced the tube (which was quite a way off from the balance point), and was already using the tripod without any extension of the tripod legs, and the image at higher magnifications seemed a lot better/more stable last night - shame that some cloud cover meant my viewing time and targets was limited - I guess that's all part of it though !