Sky watcher 127

[HALO]

Hi I'm about to purchase my first scope it's a

SKYMAX-127 SynScan™ AZ GOTO

127mm (5") f/1500 COMPUTERISED MAKSUTOV-CASSEGRAIN

Are they any good any advice welcome

[Davey-T]

What are you planning on observing with it ?

Dave

[HALO]

the night sky 

[Davey-T]

 I think that is a comparatively long focal length small field of view scope well suited to Solar system objects not so well suited to other stuff.

Could be wrong never looked through one

Dave

[jambouk]

I had written an answer but it seems to have been deleted.

James

[jambouk]

Some old threads you could look through:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/246690-hi-i-am-new-to-astronomy-and-would-like-some-help-deciding-between-2-telescopes/?hl=%2B127#entry2683288

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/245352-what-telescope-to-buy-with-a-%C2%A3500-budget/?hl=+127

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/252553-maksutov-v-schmidt/?hl=+127

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/251860-a-beginners-mount-question/?hl=127#entry2747619

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/251861-which-scope/?hl=127#entry2745316

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/136314-skywatcher-synscan-goto-what-the-manual-doesnt-tell-you/page-1?hl=127

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/60917-skywatcher-skymax-127-auto-supatrak/page-1?hl=127

James

[rwilkey]

That's a fairly long focal ratio, not so good for widefield (richfield) study but good for Moon and planets.  You will need a dew shield.  Good luck with your choice.

[HALO]

That's a fairly long focal ratio, not so good for widefield (richfield) study but good for Moon and planets.  You will need a dew shield.  Good luck with your choice.

what size dew heater would i need and dew shield thanks

[rwilkey]

Hi HAlo, there are a number of solutions found here: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention.html Best to get advice from FLO on the best for your setup, personally I only use the Astrpzap dew shield.

[Davey-T]

I had written an answer but it seems to have been deleted.

James

It was a triple post so you probably posted in one of the others that have been deleted.

Dave

[Peter Drew]

I had the chance to use one last night, it gave text book star images at high magnification which bodes well for lunar, planetery and double star observation. The often repeated comments concerning its relative unsuitability for DSO's, although true, doesn't mean you won't be able to see them, most will look similar in any 5" telescope it's just a handfull that won't fit the lowest power field of view. 

[HALO]

I'm lost my latitude is 53.23 n

Longitude 1.21w the thing is how do I input this into the synscan

[HALO]

The synscan display shows

000.00W 000.00N

[abodee2]

The synscan display shows

000.00W 000.00N

Search your GPS coordinates online so e.g. the latitude/longitude for 10 Downing Street is - 51° 30' N , 0° 7' W. The handset usually asks you for longitude first, not to sure on that thought. My one also doesn't give me the option to put in seconds, just the minutes and I'm assuming thats with all the new Synscan handsets as I got mine fairly recently.

Your latitude/longitude in the handset would be 053° 23' N and 001° 21 W (based on the coordinates you've posted up there). Just double check which one you enter first, I'm fairly sure it's the longitude and then once you hit enter you'll have to put in your latitude. 

If its coming up with both W and N (long + lat) on the same screen then enter it all but with the longitude at the start and latitude after (053.23W 001.21N).

Hope that helps!

Ali

[HALO]

Thanks for that

[HALO]

Aligned my scope today but the moon was completely opposite direction? Any ideas

[Davey-T]

Aligned my scope today but the moon was completely opposite direction? Any ideas

Was that exactly 180 degrees out ?

Dave

[HALO]

Yes

[Davey-T]

Sounds like a time / date entered wrong.

Dave

[HALO]

Could settings my scope up in a conservatory be the problem

[Davey-T]

In what way ? you can set location  / time / date indoors, bit tricky polar aligning and star aligning

Bit halfway through this video on setting time  /date

Dave

[jambouk]

One of the links i put above is to a thread whoch you should read and informs you of all the things the manual doesn't tell you.

James

[HALO]

Got there in the end

Should capella look like a catheroine wheel lots of colors

[Davey-T]

Bright stars like Capella and Sirius twinkle in rainbow colours caused by earths atmosphere.

Dave

[jambouk]

It will donif you use an high magnification eye piece and/or the star is out of focus.