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First scope - Bresser Messier Dob 8" Question/s


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That sounds right. I was looking at a pic of the scope last night (there is only the one stock pic around !) and it did seem to have an extension piece attached to the hex shaped part of the focuser. It was a little difficult to tell from the photo exactly how it worked though.

I'm glad you have got that sorted :smiley:

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Thanks. Yes, it is typical. Get the scope sorted at last and then clouds for days ahead. Still, Gives me a chance to lube the Teflon pads and loosen the turn table a tad more.

Can't wait.

My wife saw the new addition for the first time last night as I bought it while she was away. She is excited to use it too.

I appreciate all your helps guys. I couldn't have managed without your knowledge.

In the meantime I have the books coming through the post from Amazon. Turn Left at Orion and the Philips Planisphere book. Learning how to use a Planisphere too.

Cloudy night reading!

Good stuff :)

While it's cloudy, you could make sure the finder is aligned by sighting on a distant object (ideally a mile or so away) this makes it much easier at night. You might want to consider a TelRad Finder too, very easy to use and they do make finding things easier.

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Congratulations on the new scope :) I was going to suggest holding the eyepiece above the focuser and moving in and out to find the focus distance, but sounds lke it's all thankfully sorted out now thanks to the advice above.

These 8" Dobsonians from Bresser are bang new on the market so it's very nice to see these close up pics you've provided :) Bresser have some really nice scopes for the money, I've just treated myself to their 5" AR127L refractor and a very quick test of the optics so far look very promising indeed, plus the build is surprisingly good. I hope you find the same with yours :)

You mention books and planospheres so you might want to check out this bit of free to download software:

http://www.stellarium.org/en_GB/

Keep us posted with how you get on, first light reports are quite popular on SGL :)

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Hi Steve, (& wife), and welcome to SGL.  :hello2:


 


Congratulations on the 'scope. I like the design of the mounting as it is adaptable for use it with a GEM too. It will give you the choice of mounting options if you decide to proceed onto astrophotography at a later date. As it can be used with a GEM, then you will need a dovetail bar to complete it. Check FLO, (SGL's sponsor), page for available length options.    


 


BTW - I apologies as I am unable to comment on your focus problem, but from what I have read so far, it looks like you have it under control.


 


Clear skies.



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Thank you for the welcome guys.

The scope seems to be built ok. The MDF base went together just like flat pack furniture although the instructions differed a little but it was not hard to figure it out.

I am hoping now that I have attached the 'missing' piece that it will work when the next clear skies become available.

The Stellarium software came with the package and I have downloaded it onto the PC already although have not read how to use it.

Practicing to learn the night skies is my first agenda. I'm not really into photgraphy and so would happily rely on others for viewing great pictures but it's nice to know the scope can be adapted for other mounts.

It's my wife's 40th Birthday Gift (albeit 3 weeks premature) to me (amongst other things she's got planned/bought) so I am a lucky guy.

It's nice to know there are some very helpful people on the forum too which is always a bonus.

Clear Skies indeed!

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...The MDF base went together just like flat pack furniture although the instructions differed a little but it was not hard to figure it out...

Flat pack furniture instructions :evil5: do leave a lot to the imagination.  :evil6:

As IKEA do not sell, [and MFI did not], sell telescopes & astro equipment we are safe! :angel4:

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Hi Rory,

Thanks. I'm glad people like the design. Not sure who would make the mirrors. When I first saw it online I thought it looked a little odd compared to a Skywatcher Dob but seeing it in person and comparing the two side by side I knew the extra £58 was worth paying for what I wanted. Not saying it is a better scope of course (I'm not experienced enough to say anything like that) but I liked the features which jane @ Tring Astro pointed out, such as the R&P focuser and the potential to upgrade onto another mount and that the stock EP was a half decent Super Plossl 25mm. Neat touches.

Nice to buy local too.

I'm happy for anyone to pop round for a nose if they liked. You can see where I will use it too.

I'm lucky enough to live in a house with a garden backing on to open fields and countryside.

The scope gets sat on the decking and the clear skies are not too polluted here although the orange glow can be seen to each side from nearby towns.

I like using my binoculars just as much as we get great wildlife too such as Deer, Buzzards and Hawks, Pheasants as well as other types of birds. The bins' are great for that.

I've bought my wife a little pair of Celestron pocket bins too so we can go for our walks around the footpaths etc and take in the nice scenery.

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  • 2 months later...

I know have one of these and are very pleased so far with the optical quality and the focuser.

The mount needs modding so that I can add tension to the elevation which should be easy enough.

Shame the red dot finder and the eyepiece were of poor quality. The eyepiece fell apart on first use and the red dot finder wobbles all over the place.

If there going to give supposed freebies might as well be resonable quality.

Pinsharp star images over 85 % so not bad. Focuser is actually very good and the best I have seen on a scope of this price. Ive upgraded to the 10:1 option that took seconds to fit and works very smoothly.

just waiting for more clear weather then I can report more on its performance.

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Focuser upgrade I would say was essential if your going to try photography.  Its also nicer to have visually as its easier to focus. The focuser is quite a heavy build and the large knobs make fine adjustment an art. I did fix my eyepiece, the metal base would not tighten onto te upper part so I glued it. RDF if just about functional and is going to get replaced. It just sort of floats on the alighnment screws and switching it on moves it out of alighnment.

Never mind the rest of the scope is fine.

Good luck with yours.

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Thanks guys. I will play around with the eye pieces tonight and move them in and out to see if that helps. I can speak to Tring tomorrow at work.

Got some DIY to do during today so no chance to check in the daylight either.

ps. I'm learning as I go along so this will all help me.

.....aren't we all?

Looks like a nice scope you have their, and soon, hopefully, you will be able to overcome this focus issue.

My only issue with the set up of the scope is that you mentioned it has a rack& pinion focuser?  I thought they were frowned upon, but time will tell.

Welcome to the SGL.

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  • 7 months later...
On 13/09/2015 at 07:23, stevenbmkiv said:

I also find the movement of the scope quite difficult and am already starting to think the Skywatcher model would have been better.

The base turns fine and I can loosen off the lock nut ok if needed but up and down movement is stiff as the mounts don't seem to be very forgiving with movement up and down and one side will keep popping out of the base unit leaving the scope tilted sideways until I pop it back in place.

Hi Steve,

I've been looking at the Bresser Messier 8" Dobsonian vs the Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dob too.  The Bresser does seem to have some features as Ricochet points out in the 3rd post here:  

But the way the altitude works on those teflon pads you mentioned concerns me:  did you find the mount eased up at all?  The 'stickiness' concerns me a little, where the Skyliner seems more tried and tested but I can't help but think that Bresser focuser, collimation knobs on the primary and blackened 2nd mirror are all improved features to have...

Matthew

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I'd put money on one or more of the screws holding the teflon pads being slightly proud and carving a channel through the aluminium as causing the stickiness as I had with mine. Before purchase I tested the display models for movement and the Bresser was noticeably smoother so I knew immediately to look for something catching.

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7 hours ago, Ricochet said:

I'd put money on one or more of the screws holding the teflon pads being slightly proud and carving a channel through the aluminium as causing the stickiness as I had with mine. Before purchase I tested the display models for movement and the Bresser was noticeably smoother so I knew immediately to look for something catching.

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense and should be an easy fix with slightly more countersinking or lightly sanding any burrs on the screw head.  

Do you still have yours and if so how have you found it?  I posted in the topic (I quoted above) asking if opinion was that the Bresser was worth the extra £60 over the Skyliner 200P?  I'd want to replace the red dot finder but I might have wanted to replace the straight finderscope on the Skyliner with a right angled finder in time anyway - it would just make it harder to use initially until I could justify spending more!

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  • 5 months later...

Good Morning! I hope I can made myself clear because my english is a little weak

I think I've the same problem of the OP with the altitude movements. The scope sits in the rocker box slightly offset. The wheel are transverse in the half round sections of the side parts, they are perfetcly parallel to each other but each wheel is not perfectly in line with the side part in which it sits. 

The altitude movement is not impaired by this and is smooth enough, but when I move the scope in azimuth it slips out if apply too much strenght. This is killing me. OP is inactive since 2015 but I hope that somehow I'm lucky enough to find someone that can help me to find a solution.

 

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Perhaps check the fixings holding the rocker box together? If the wheels are parallel but don't line up with the box then I assume that the fault must be in the box. Also there are little plastic sliders that hang down from the wheels and run against the inside of the rocker box. I believe there is a bit of adjustment in those so maybe have a look there to see if they make any difference.

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