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Hello from Hampshire

Ferneberge

By Ferneberge
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Ferneberge

Ferneberge

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Hi.

I came across SGL when researching what telescope to buy so I thought I'd stop by. It seems to be the done thing to give a bit of background as a first post, so here's mine!

I initially had a Bushnell Voyager 570x60 Compact Rotary Telescope. It was quite a nice unit, but I only managed to get it out the box a couple of times (due to young kids, lack of time and a small house, and it being stuck in the loft!). Having moved to a new house, I finally now have the space and back garden to get it out, but I found to my dismay that the focuser rack has broken, and the two focusing controls have snapped off. Even more irritatingly, there were two bits of rack rattling around between the objective lens and whatever is next down the tube!

It was a free gift from my work for completing 5 years service (some 12 years ago now!) so I wasn't holding out much hope for its quality, but it would have been a start. I doubt it's worth getting repaired.

So, it turned out I had nearly enough Christmas and birthday money saved up to contemplate something like the Skywatcher Explorer 130. After some research, it seemed I didn't want the regular model, with it's spherical mirror, but the 130P with its parabolic mirror. Even better, there seemed to be a 130MP model with parabolic mirror *and* motor drive, but I gather production of this model was discontinued some 7 or 8 years ago.

The local photography shop had an Explorer 130P in the front window (at least that's what was advertised), but on closer inspection it looked more like the Explorer 130 (900mm focal length, rather than the 650mm of the 'P' variety). So I was almost back to square 1. However, he had an offer of 25% off stock items, one of which was a Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian.

Having read over and over again "aperture is king", it was a toss-up between the 200P on a Dob mount (which I could take there and then), or spend about £25 less to order in the 130P for 3 fewer inches, but an EQ mount. In the end I decided on the 200P, since I hoped an 8" scope was going to be the better viewing "investment". I gather I could potentially mount it on an EQ5 or something like that, but that would be a future purchase. For now, I need to get used to how to aim a scope when all the controls feel "back-to-front" :-D

I got about 10 minutes of clear sky that evening, so without any cooldown or night-vision eye adjustment, I could point at a few pretty stars and get a glimpse of what was up there (although I realised too late that I hadn't lined up the finerscope in the light - the next day I found it was off by around 2-3 deg in both axes!). However, since then, we've been battered by storms Doris and Ewan, so I've not got back outside. Having said that, a cheeky look out of the window now reveals Orion, so I may get half an hour or so tonight yet.

Here's to seeing cool stuff!

Cheers,
Brian

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Ferneberge

Ferneberge

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Thanks for the welcome.

Well, after a frustrating flurry of clouds and a crying child to almost have to deal with, I got about 30 mins of lovely random looking around time. Turning to the plough, I happened upon a double star, there right above me. At first I thought it was just my eyes going funny, then I realised what it was. I couldn't easily get my bearings even with the 25mm EP in there. The finder didn't really give me enough of a clue either, although I'm still learning to look at this all "upside down" to what I'm used to. Anyway, google and wikipedia inform me it's most likely Mizar and Alcor I've happened across by chance. Gosh I could stare at them forever. Or until the cold spreads to my special place.

I'm just astounded how much I can see through the scope with no eye acclimatisation time at all. I also found the Dob mount more intuitive than I feared it would be. It's like a microfiche - moving the sky to where you want to, not the scope :-)

I was also somewhat amused to see the shimmering ring patterns when I defocused. I presume that's the tube still cooling down, and I'm looking at the convection currents in the air inside it? Well, a lovely calming end to the evening. G'night.

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ronl

ronl

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Hello Brian welcome to S G L, a good choice of scope, it takes a while to get used to any scope,

but you seem to be enjoying yours, the weather is a right pain at the moment, which doesn't help,

you could do with a star chart to make things a little easier.

Clear Sky's. 

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glowjet

glowjet

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Hi Brian, good first post and a warm welcome to SGL. it only goes to show that an initial perusing of our forum has given you sufficient knowledge to make a sound decision in the acquisition of the 200P Dob. One of the most popular scopes for many of our starters and even some seasoned members who are quite satisfied to stick with what they have, as this scope can cover an awful lot in the night sky.  

Over the course of time you can, if you so wish, remount the scope on a motorised equatorial mount, as you have already mentioned, but taking things in order of priority, you will want to purchase better eye pieces, than those supplied. If you ask the question, I am sure you will receive plenty of recommendations from our colony of 200P Dob users. Enjoy your new scope and the forum :)

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SmokeyJoe

SmokeyJoe

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Hi Brian, welcome, I too have a 200p (although on equipment mount) as my first scope, love it, great fun.  If you are having troubles getting you bearings and you have an android phone have a look at the SkEye app, it's free. Or Stellarium for the PC (couple of quid on android).

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