Is the Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX Dobsonian Any good?

[Simonw]

Looking at this scope as my first decent scope. Anyone know pros v cons?

[JemC]

Welcome to SGL

I think you might get better response to your question if you post it in the "Getting started Equipment help and Advice " thread,

sorry i can not be of help with the telescope question,

[Waddensky]

The Skyliners are decent all-round telescopes. They come with two eyepieces that are good enough to start with. The base is heavy and the tube is huge. What 'non-decent' scope did you have? What do you like to observe - deep-sky, planets, double stars? A bit more information might be useful.

[kev100]

Hiya.

I'm sure that if you search the site you'll find plenty of recommendations for this scope. In short, though, it very much depends on what you want to view, how able you are coping with the weight and size, and what your budget is for eyepieces ...

Perhaps if you offered a little more information ... ?

Kev

[AstroNowt]

I have the 300p FlexTube. All I can say is try and see one before you buy. Do not underestimate the size of it.

[John]

There was a poll on here a couple of years back on the most popular scope for obervational astronomy balacing performance potential with affordability and practicality and I seem to recall that the 10" F/5 dobsonian, such as the Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX was the winner.

I've owned one and used other peoples and found it to be an excellent scope. Probably as much performance per £ spent as you can get

The cons are that the solid tube version needs some storage space (the flextube version is shorter when stored) and obviously you need to find your own targets to observe so a good sky atlas and some patience is required.

In short, a very capable "first" scope indeed and one that could provide a lifetimes enjoyment, and often does !

[westmarch]

Hi Simon....It depends.  if you are looking for a good all round visual scope then a 250 Dob is about the most that the average person could (should) lift and will give you the maximum aperture for the buck. There are some expensive and superb lightweight truss Dobs that are bigger and get around this but as a rule of thumb it stands.  Having said that it comes with several caveats:

1.  If you want to progress to serious photography a Dob is not going to work.  In the words of some wise AP hands on this forum, "For observing, aperture is all; for imaging, the mount is all”.  Your mount has to be able to track stellar movement very closely to get any type of worthwhile image. 

2. Check it fits in your car, at some point you will want to take it to a dark sky site.  If it doesn’t, as John has advised,  a truss dob is the way to go.

3. If you are content to find your own way around the sky then its a great way to widen your astronomy knowledge and adds to the satisfaction of finding your target.  If not, you need to look at a goto scope - this will double your budget though.

4. If you are interested mainly in planets or lunar then you could get by with a smaller scope and save some money for additional eyepieces.

In the end it is a choice that only you can make but lots of people here can help with advice.

Good luck with your eventual choice.

John

 

[Jimtheslim]

Yes

[cletrac1922]

Simon

I have had my Skywatcher 250mm collapsible dob now for about 10 years, and out 2 or 3 times per month with my astronomy club, doing presentations in schools and scout/guide groups

Find easy to transport and store, as folds down when not in use

I have additional assortment of eye pieces as well as  2 X Barlow

A little trick

The hard plastic cover, has a removal small cap, which fits over the non-removal cap

Tape a bit of Baade visual film on the underside of the small hole, and fit over top of the tube, and can use for solar viewing

Make sure spotting scope is removed

Talking of spotting scope, get yourself a right angle spotting scope, if viewing objects almost overhead, do not have to lay on the ground to align scope with spotting scope

Have attached pic for of mine with right angle spotting scope fitted

Pic taken at a club public viewing night

John

 

 

[Ceramus]

I have the 300p GoTo Flextube and it's a great scope, but heavy! The 250 would be lighter ( although not as bright  for Deep Sky fuzzies) and the Flextube version much easier to store/transport. 

[Geoff Lister]

My Skyliner 250PX has the Skymax GoTo built-in. I tend to use my Skymax 127mm Mak. more often, but the Skyliner is a close second. I have a Mazda MX5 roadster, and there is no way that the 10" Dob. tube, or the 53" diameter base, will fit. The base, and collapsible tube, are relatively easy to carry, as 2 parts, for about 10 yards from my garage to my patio. It is a challenge to go up or down a flight of stairs; you have to use a "wide knee waddle" to avoid bruised shins.

The end of the tube describes a large arc when tracking or slewing to objects close to the horizon, so, with the additional observing chair, you need plenty of clear space around the base.

Geoff

[Whistlin Bob]

I've had the Skyliner 200p for some years now and wouldn't hesitate to recommend assuming that the size is manageable for you.

But I would also agree with the guidance on the RACI finder, and I would also get a telrad or Rigel plus some sort of adjustable chair (ironing chairs and drum stools are cheaper alternatives to proper observing chairs). These transformed my observing experience.

[dweller25]

The Skyliner 250PX Dobsonian I owned gave me superb views of the planets but sadly it proved to be too heavy for my bad back.

I consider it superb value for money given it's performance.

And it can be equatorially mounted at a later date ..... (this is an 8")

[Mr niall]

16 hours ago, westmarch said:

 

1.  If you want to progress to serious photography a Dob is not going to work.  In the words of some wise AP hands on this forum, "For observing, aperture is all; for imaging, the mount is all”.  Your mount has to be able to track stellar movement very closely to get any type of worthwhile image. 

 

Progress? Tut tut ??

[westmarch]

Maybe deviate would have been better! ?

[Geoff Lister]

16 hours ago, westmarch said:

Your mount has to be able to track stellar movement very closely to get any type of worthwhile image.

However, with the GP-CAM V2 and Sharpcap live stacking, I can "see" beautiful colours in M42 (Orion) & M57 (Ring) nebulae. An EQ mount may be better, but for occasional use, the 10" Dob. is fine.

Geoff

[Chris]

On the back of how good the 6" and 8" versions are that I've owned, I'd say it's probably the best sub 500 quid scope you could buy for pure visual observations of deep sky objects. 

The only down sides I can see are:

1) it's a relatively big scope so factor in transport and carrying the thing.

2) Large apertures need more cool down time, and better seeing conditions to perform their best. 

Great scope, just also consider the 200p f/6 Dob, and some nice eyepieces instead for the same price. Either way definitely budget for replacing the 10mm eyepiece that comes with these scopes as it will improve high power views no end.  

[8472]

I've heard it's not as forgiving as a 200p or 300p of low quality eyepieces. 

Never owned one though, so happy to be corrected.

[Chris]

Just now, 8472 said:

I've heard it's not as forgiving as a 200p or 300p of low quality eyepieces. 

Never owned one though, so happy to be corrected.

Yep you're right, the faster the optics, the harder they are on lenses. The 10" is an f/4.7, the 8" is f/6 and the 12" is f/5. The 8" is the kindest on lenses as it's a slower f/6, but even with the 8" I would still buy better lenses than the ones supplied as soon as money allowed. The supplied lenses are really just to get people going.

[fiestazetecmk2]

200p is worth every penny. A truly wonderful scope.will do most things you ask of it and not too heavy. It may well be the only scope you'll ever need .

I know I won't be getting rid of mine.buy some decent eyepieces and your away..maybe the best value out there. IMHO. Hope this helps.

Paul.

[JOC]

I've got a 8" 200P F6 flextube Dbobsonian - all the advantages of 8" solid tube, but easier to store, transport and move.

[fiestazetecmk2]

Yes raci finder is good.I use a ts optics 10x60.I use my 8-24 zoom helps finding in a big way .