Shared first light with the 200p

[Dark Vader]

Looking out to the SE around 10ish I saw the 2 gas giants up in a clear sky, with a good forecast on CO I put the new dob out to cool. 

As I turned to fetch the OTA, my 9 year old son had escaped from his bedroom (should have been asleep by then) and was watching me set up the scope. 
"Can I do stargazing with you?" he says. I told him not to expect too much as I'm not used to moving it around and finding stuff yet. Also, I had little confidence my finderscope alignment was any good...turns out it wasn't!

I found Jupiter in the raci finder - scope was nowhere near it! Couldn't get the scope view to clear the garden fence. I'm hoping for a better view when the water butt stand turns up. 

He pointed out that he could see the moon coming up through the trees so I found that and waited for it to clear the branches. As it climbed higher, I put the supplied 25mm EP in, focussed and the first wow moment of many came along. Beautiful crisp detail, the rays around Tycho and Copernicus nice and clear and some lovely views of peaks and craters around the top.

I told him to sit at the eyepiece - the wow moments started coming fast at that point. That look of wide eyed excitement as he looked up having seen the craters and mountains alone was worth the time and money.

Then I put the 2x Barlow in, refocused and was blown away by the clarity of the view. I briefly put the 10mm into the Barlow just to see what it was like. So much detail visible. He asked me if it was normal to see what he called "a slight wobbling, like looking over a heater." I explained it was caused by the atmosphere.

I noticed Mars just clearing the trees to the East, checked it in the 10x50 bins and told him we'd have a look when it got a bit higher. Went back to the 25mm, found it, just looked like a reddish disc. Popped the 10mm in and the wish could have been father to the thought but I'm sure I could make out the phase and some slightly darker shadow detail on the surface, and a point of light that, when checked on Sky Safari, had to be Deimos. 

I tried realigning the finder on Mars, got it central but then Barlowed the 10mm and although still central in the finder had disappeared from the EP. Couldn't find it again without going back to the 25mm and starting again. There must be a knack to it... experience will no doubt make things like that easier. 

By this point, young un was tiring (it was gone half past midnight) and we called it a night.

1st impression - This scope is a beast, even better than I'd hoped. Even though Jupiter and Saturn were obscured by trees and the fence and I still have little idea what I'm doing, that was brilliant. Mind = blown.

I've ordered a 21-7 Starguider zoom. Can't wait for that to turn up... I assume its possible to Barlow a zoom?
Another question - can I turn the eyepiece on the raci finder to the same angle as the main eyepiece, and how do I do it without breaking anything?

TIA

Andy

[geeklee]

Great first light report and even better you got to share those initial wow moments too.  Plenty more to come I'm sure 😀

[RobertI]

Fantastic first light report and so glad you got to share it with your son. Lets hope he's got the bug too! Those 8" dobs work so well.

Yes it is is possible to barlow a zoom - I recently bought a Baader 2.25x barlow which works brilliantly with my 8-24mm zoom, and a snip at £39!.

[des anderson]

All good things come in  two`s, who had the most fun?? Sound`s like little one to me. A most enjoyable journey for both of you, may you  have many more. Des

[Dark Vader]

Thanks Des, I think you're right but it was a close one...I had to keep lining up the views for him without really knowing what I was doing. I've taken him out a few times with the binos and he enjoys that too. The recent Mercury Venus conjunction and of course comet Neowise were def. the best of them.

[Dark Vader]

1 hour ago, RobertI said:

Fantastic first light report and so glad you got to share it with your son. Lets hope he's got the bug too! Those 8" dobs work so well.

Yes it is is possible to barlow a zoom - I recently bought a Baader 2.25x barlow which works brilliantly with my 8-24mm zoom, and a snip at £39!.

Thanks, I think he has...

I just paid £39 delivered for the Starguider zoom and I'm hoping it turns out to be a bargain. It should give me all the magnification I can use, especially barlowed.

[Second Time Around]

2 hours ago, RobertI said:

Fantastic first light report and so glad you got to share it with your son. Lets hope he's got the bug too! Those 8" dobs work so well.

Yes it is is possible to barlow a zoom - I recently bought a Baader 2.25x barlow which works brilliantly with my 8-24mm zoom, and a snip at £39!.

You can also use the Baader Classic Q at 1.3x I believe by unscrewing the lens and screwing it onto the filter thread of the eyepiece.

How does it compare with other Barlows? 

[RobertI]

2 hours ago, Second Time Around said:

You can also use the Baader Classic Q at 1.3x I believe by unscrewing the lens and screwing it onto the filter thread of the eyepiece.

How does it compare with other Barlows? 

I haven't tried the 1.3x element, but I notice it does have a long screw thread and many (possibly most) eyepieces don't have enough room inside the barrel to take it, but could be useful even if it works with just one eyepiece in your collection. It's my first barlow and I got it for use with my zoom primarily for looking at doubles and so far it has worked superbly. 

[Whistlin Bob]

Excellent report- sounds like a great session- and even better with company.

My first decent telescope was a 200p five years ago- I still use it regularly. It really is a superb instrument for the money. I hope you have many happy years of use with it.