Skywatcher skyhawk 1145p

[Ger]

 As im a newbie with a skywatcher skyhawk 1145p and a goto I am looking for any tips and advice that people want to share when using this telescope.

I am still getting use to the telescope, the goto system, planets, constellations etc. Which I'm enjoying, I am taking my time in doing so which I have to due to been busy in work and cloudy skies at night. I welcome any advice from people and read the posts of other people everyday, I am interested in people's views especially those using the same telescope as I think it would be beneficial to exchange notes when using the 1145p

Cheers

[Ben the Ignorant]

Can't separate scope advice from eyepiece advice. Which do you have?

[Ger]

I have a 10mm, 25mm and a Barlow 

[Ben the Ignorant]

You have a good range of low to medium-high magnifications, up to 100x. The 25mm focal length is basic in 1.25" format, it gives the lowest power and widest field, always nice to have that 25mm focal length. But a 115mm reflector can easily use 160x or 170x power. These are the proper magnifications for planets, globulars, shell (planetary) nebulas, and tight double stars. I don't see other special advice for that particular scope, keep observing like you do.

But for observing in general, with any scope, do you know how to have the best dark adaptation, and keep it, and find the spot the with the least turbulence?

[Ger]

Thanks Ben. I was thinking of getting a 6mm EP in time to get a better magnification but before I do I want to get as much out of my current EP as possible and enjoy what they bring. 

Regarding the dark adaption you mention I am not 100% sure what this relates to ( sorry ).

 

Thanks for the feedback, always welcome.

[laudropb]

Basically if you are in total darkness your pupil will dilate to let in more light. This may take 10 to 15 minutes. Also chemicals are produced in your eyes which improve your dark vision, but this takes longer perhaps 30 minutes. The effect is to let you see fainter objects, with and without optics. The problem is that any exposure to light, particularly white light immeadiated reverses the process. Red light, if not too bright, will not have this effect. That is why we use dim red torches.

[Ger]

34 minutes ago, laudropb said:

Basically if you are in total darkness your pupil will dilate to let in more light. This may take 10 to 15 minutes. Also chemicals are produced in your eyes which improve your dark vision, but this takes longer perhaps 30 minutes. The effect is to let you see fainter objects, with and without optics. The problem is that any exposure to light, particularly white light immeadiated reverses the process. Red light, if not too bright, will not have this effect. That is why we use dim red torches.

Thank you for that great piece of info on the eyes and light. I'm a little lucky that where I have started using my telescope is quite dark with very little, if any, light causing problems. Just have an issue of limited viewing which I can resolve with some new locations I have in mind 

[Alan64]

Hello Ger,

I have an f/4 Newtonian, a 100mm.  I just got it over the holidays, and I'm enjoying it quite a bit.  I have other Newtonians, too, and both a step slower at f/5.  You may have narrowly missed getting a Jones-Bird type reflector instead, as the two kits appear very similar, the 114 and the 1145P; congratulations.

I see that you're wanting to up the magnification.  I love doing that with my telescopes, for that's what a telescope is all about, to see faraway things up close, and closer still.  A telescope, eyepiece and barlow must work harder to produce the best images at the higher powers, but that doesn't mean having to break the bank when selecting same.

My 100mm f/4, shown here...

The kit came with two eyepieces...

After I did a review of the kit on another site, I shelved those two eyepieces.  Now, whilst the telescope itself seems to be of very good quality, the eyepieces bundled with it just didn't make the grade, and to be expected, as the kit is entry-level.  The manufacturers of these kits often provide very good telescopes, but the included accessories are simply not in the same league, and are intended just to get one started.  Vixen and GSO make very good Plossls...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html

I have the 6mmm and 30mm from that series, and they are of very good quality, yet reasonably priced.

The GSO Plossls...

http://www.365astronomy.com/GSO-Super-Plossl-Eyepieces/

Plossls will work quite well with your 114mm f/4.4 Newtonian.  However, Plossls shorter than 10 to 12mm tend to have very short eye-relief, whereby you would need to place your eye right up to eyepiece's eye-lens to see the full view, just a scant few millimeters away.  If that doesn't sound very comfortable, which it isn't, you can then barlow a 12mm, for example, and for a simulated 6mm.  You would then have the longer eye-relief and larger eye-lens of the 12mm, yet doubled in power.

To find the power of any eyepiece, simply divide the focal-length of the telescope by that of the eyepiece...

500mm ÷ 6mm = (83x)

That would give you a nice view of Saturn and its rings, but closer still would be better...

500mm ÷ 4mm = (125x)

Now we're getting somewhere.  Actually, a 114mm aperture is theoretically capable of 225x.  Unfortunately, a 500mm focal-length isn't long enough to make effective use of the shorter, high-power oculars by themselves.  In that event, barlows are often used to reach those higher powers, like a 3x barlow.  Or, eyepieces with built-in barlows are an option...

http://www.365astronomy.com/3.2mm-The-Planetary-Eyepiece.html

500mm ÷ 3.2mm = (156x)

Why, there's even a 2.5mm... http://www.365astronomy.com/2.5mm-The-Planetary-Eyepiece.html

500mm ÷ 2.5mm = (200x)

The higher magnifications can also be accomplished by using a 3x barlow, with a 9mm eyepiece for example, and for a simulated 3mm(167x)...

http://www.365astronomy.com/9mm-GSO-Plossl-Eyepiece.html

http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/antares-x3-twist-lock-barlow-lens-125.html

Of course, I have no idea as to the exact nature of your present barlow, whether it's a 2x or 3x.

The higher magnifications are not only for the Moon and planets, for there are double-stars that require splitting, and the Trapezium of Orion to behold.

Do you have one of these, for there's another aspect, and of the telescope itself, to consider when striving for the higher powers...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/other-collimation-tools/rigel-aline-collimation-cap.html

Cheers,

[Ger]

Hi Alan

 

Thanks for taking the time to send that lengthy response to my thread.

Currently I have a 2× Barlow so with my smallest eye piece I get 100× 

I'm thinking of getting the 6 mm to get up to 183×. At the moment I have looked at the moon which is really impressive. I get nothing out of Venus but apparently that is not uncommon. I have not spent too much time looking at Mars as it is currently in an orbit that it difficult. I have jump up early over Christmas to try and get a look just Jupiter.

Having said that, all of these planets have not provided too much at the moment as I seem to get the usual beginners problem of just getting a bright dot and people suggesting in looking at a star, which I'm not.

all of this I put down to the eye pieces I have and the need for me to be patient and spend time using the scope. This is why I am looking at the 6 mm. 

I do have a goto and I have spent time reading books and studying apps in order to understand the skies above which I find really interesting. I think I will take the plunge on a 6mm soon because as you mention these telescopes come with entry level eye pieces.

Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated.

ger

[Alan64]

You're most welcome, Ger.

When you say "goto", is that a go-to mount alone that you have, or a go-to kit with another telescope mounted on it?

A proper collimation of your f/4.4 Newtonian will prove most helpful when barlowing the 6mm and then aiming the telescope at the object of choice.  An f/4.4 is quite fast, and where collimation is most critical.

I look upon my Newtonians, and I see the focussers on the outside, and the large primary mirrors at the bottom of the tube.  But that doesn't assure me as to whether or not my telescopes are capable of providing their best when observing.  A collimation-cap does, however.  I simply pop it into the focusser, aim the telescope towards a blank bright wall or other, then place a camera's lens over the pinhole of the cap, zoom in a bit, and snap a shot...

I then see exactly what's going on inside the Newtonian, and to see if it needs adjusting.  No, not in that case.  I then know that I can pop in an eyepiece, like a 4mm orthoscopic, and see what I was after, sharp and clear.

Collimation instructions... http://www.forumskylive.it/Public/data/serastrof/201281510358_Astro Babys Guide to Collimation.pdf

In so far as the planets, Jupiter and Saturn are the most popular, and who can resist not turning one's telescope towards Venus.  You may have seen Jupiter and Venus as this through your telescope...

The cure for that is a variable polariser...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/variable-polarizing-moon-filter.html

Such will allow you to see the coloured bands of Jupiter, and the Moon-like phases of Venus, and by dimming down the glare and brilliance.

Enjoy your new kit, and clear skies to you always.

[Ger]

Thanks again Alan

 

I am using the goto mount which is quite handy to have but as I'm still finding my way I have yet to fully exploit this system or the software that comes with it.. but I enjoy using it.

 

The picture you have of Venus is also what I have seen at the moment as it just looks like a bright star.. with Jupiter I have not spent enough time looking at it as currency you would need to be an early riser. But the one morning I did look I think I might have made out the planet and some moons but more time is needed.