New scope:Before and after collimating

[Size9Hex]

Just in case it's useful to anyone with a new scope, I've just collimated mine properly for the first time. Well worth doing if you haven't already. Although the performance (to my untrained eye) was passable when I used it for the first time, it was a chalk and cheese difference splitting the Double Double. Couldn't spiit it before I collimated, and split it fairly easily (at x120) after collimating. Interesting to see just how much difference it made to a brand new scope.

[BritAngler]

Good advice there Paul

[Size9Hex]

Good advice there Paul

Thanks. I know it was rather obvious advice, but one of the questions I couldn't find an answer to before it arrived was whether it would need collimating before it was usable, or would be pretty much bang on, or somewhere between.

Anyway, it should be nicely cooled down now, so I'm off out for a look through it :-)

[Pompey Monkey]

Just in case it's useful to anyone with a new scope, I've just collimated mine properly for the first time. Well worth doing if you haven't already. Although the performance (to my untrained eye) was passable when I used it for the first time, it was a chalk and cheese difference splitting the Double Double. Couldn't spiit it before I collimated, and split it fairly easily (at x120) after collimating. Interesting to see just how much difference it made to a brand new scope.

Well done, that man!

[freds]

Just in case it's useful to anyone with a new scope, I've just collimated mine properly for the first time. Well worth doing if you haven't already. Although the performance (to my untrained eye) was passable when I used it for the first time, it was a chalk and cheese difference splitting the Double Double. Couldn't spiit it before I collimated, and split it fairly easily (at x120) after collimating. Interesting to see just how much difference it made to a brand new scope.

Thanks for the tip

I have a NEW Skyblast 6 and I have been happy with the viewing results.

Yesterday I checked the collimation and it was a TINY bit off.

I will check if there is any difference the next clear night

[LukeSkywatcher]

Most people who have a new scope are simply terrified by the word "collimation" and really fear doing it (needed or not......you wont know til you try). 

Most scopes come perfectly collimated, but can/may be slightly off. This is fine for purely visual use of a scope. For imaging the collimation really should be 100% spot on tight sharp.

Larger aperture scopes say 150mm and above may need regular collimation, depending on how far they travel and how much "abuse" they get while being moved about.