Viewing Problem

[Oldtimer]

Hello 

New member Old timer here

I have recently  retired from work and was bought a Skywatcher 130/900 Eq2 reflector telescope  as a farewell present.

Despite lots of trying all I have to been able to locate is great views of the moon.

I am considering buying a Goto system but do I need to start again with all new equipment or can i just buy a new tripod that is comparable or and attachment for my old tripod.

 

  

[Cosmic Geoff]

Learning your way around the night sky requires a bit of effort, starting with buying a night sky atlas like Norton's and/or one of the books that give a monthly guide of what to look at. There are also various websites.

If you definitely want a GoTo (they are great once you have learnt how to use it) you have various options, which require some decisions:

You could clamp your telescope straight onto a GoTo mount, as your telescope almost certainly has a standard dovetail clamp fitting.

Or you could change the whole system.

Gotos fall into two main designs: the alt-azimuth (commonly a single arm) and the German equatorial. The latter design is needed for long exposure astro-photography but for visual use mainly introduces the annoying and unnecessary complication of an equatorial mount which needs polar alignment.

Then there are different operating systems: Celestron's Nexstar, Skywatcher's Synscan and a number of others.  These actually differ significantly in features and ease of use.  IMHO the Nexstar is easier to use than the Synscan.

You can buy all the Skywatcher mounts on their own, but some of the Celestron mounts, particularly alt-azimuth, are only available bundled with a scope.

Mounts come with a tripod and I would not recommend trying to retain the EQ-2 tripod.

[DaveL59]

the SW EQ2 doesn't use a dovetail unless yours is a new improved version, the tube rings bolt onto the mount head, but that said an EQ-goto mount will certainly accept those rings onto the short dovetail supplied with them, at least I can do that with my EQ5 mount should I choose to.

A potential alternative tho less accurate would be to use a smartphone with app in a phone holder mounted to the scope. You would then effectively have a push-to where you are guided to target but have to manually manipulate the mount/controls to find it. There's a couple ways to do this:

First using a free app (Skeye)
How to get quick and easy polar alignment and add a Push-To finder screen to an EQ2 mounted scope, all for £20. - Getting Started With Observing - Stargazers Lounge

A second, more expensive option (as you need to buy the scope for the unlock key), using the Celestron Starsense Explorer app
Starsense Explorer Stand Alone Conversion - Discussions - Mounts - Stargazers Lounge

The starsense app has a more limited database than a full goto system but with clear enough skies will actually plate-solve to know where it is aimed so more accurate in guiding you to target. If you go this route then you could buy the cheapest one but the LT models are quite wobbly and the reflector models are not great. The DX models are ok, more expensive but more stable so could replace the SW130 you have, for example. These are not EQ tho so no automated tracking, all manual operation.

 

Now, the downside of the EQ2 is it is a bit wobbly, hopefully you also have the clockwork RA drive? This makes things a little easier as the scope will track by itself once on target, so long as you have roughly got the RA axis aimed North. A motor focuser can help reduce the shakes too tho adds costs. I bought a couple Tasco 1603's from the US, not cheap when you ass shipping tho still only around £20-£25 each. Easily fits on the SW130.

Tasco 1603EF motor focuser and LT70AZ mods - DIY Astronomer - Stargazers Lounge

Optically I find the SW130 is quite good tho it gets far less use than the other scopes I have.

Edited December 31, 2020 by DaveL59

[nephilim]

9 hours ago, Oldtimer said:

Hello 

New member Old timer here

I have recently  retired from work and was bought a Skywatcher 130/900 Eq2 reflector telescope  as a farewell present.

Despite lots of trying all I have to been able to locate is great views of the moon.

I am considering buying a Goto system but do I need to start again with all new equipment or can i just buy a new tripod that is comparable or and attachment for my old tripod.

 

  

Hi @Oldtimer 
Before you spend a lot more money on a GOTO system there is a much cheaper alternative to try first.

Firstly I recommend buying a Telrad finder as I find this is the best finder on the market https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/telrad-finder-astronomy.html It has a sticky back strip which is used to just stick the device onto your scope. Then just align the Telrad to your scope as you would any other finder (Red dot, finderscope etc) The reticule is an illuminated bullseye which helpfully has a brightness control so it doesn't  blind you & enables you to see the night sky very clearly through it.

Secondly, download Stellarium  to your phone  (for when your observing) and if you have one also download it to your PC, laptop or tablet for when your at home planning observing future sessions https://stellarium.org/release/2020/06/22/stellarium-0.20.2.html 
You simply input your location & Stellarium brings up the night sky as your seeing it from where you are in real time (You can also alter the time for seeing what will be visible in the coming hours, days, weeks or even years which is great for planning future observing sessions) the other bonus with it is it has a 'Telrad' option, so it will bring up the bullseye reticle on your phone the same as you'll be seeing it through the real thing on top of your scope. Simply type into Stellarium the object you want to see (say, M31, M42 etc) & Stellarium will 'slew' the reticule on screen & centre the bullseye on the phone. Its then a simple matter of doing the same with your Telrad/ scope, you can also use it to star hop on the brightest stars until your nearby. 
It takes a bit to get used to but is a great way of finding your way around the night sky & will save you a fair bit of money not having to buy a GOTO system, which means more money for better eyepieces. Talking of eyepieces, I owned the same scope a fair few years ago & like most new scopes the eyepieces that came with it wont be the best quality so I would replace those. BST Starguiders   https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html  are a really good mid range EP at a very reasonable cost. Another thing that Stellarium does is it has a list of popular EP brands & their sizes & a list of popular scopes. Simple add your scope make/ model & any EP & it will show you the view you can expect in the sky from that combination.

All the best

Steve

Edited January 1, 2021 by nephilim

[Oldtimer]

21 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

Learning your way around the night sky requires a bit of effort, starting with buying a night sky atlas like Norton's and/or one of the books that give a monthly guide of what to look at. There are also various websites.

If you definitely want a GoTo (they are great once you have learnt how to use it) you have various options, which require some decisions:

You could clamp your telescope straight onto a GoTo mount, as your telescope almost certainly has a standard dovetail clamp fitting.

Or you could change the whole system.

Gotos fall into two main designs: the alt-azimuth (commonly a single arm) and the German equatorial. The latter design is needed for long exposure astro-photography but for visual use mainly introduces the annoying and unnecessary complication of an equatorial mount which needs polar alignment.

Then there are different operating systems: Celestron's Nexstar, Skywatcher's Synscan and a number of others.  These actually differ significantly in features and ease of use.  IMHO the Nexstar is easier to use than the Synscan.

You can buy all the Skywatcher mounts on their own, but some of the Celestron mounts, particularly alt-azimuth, are only available bundled with a scope.

Mounts come with a tripod and I would not recommend trying to retain the EQ-2 tripod.

 

[Oldtimer]

Thank you all so far for the comments and advise 

From the comments it might help by giving you some more information. 

I am using a Reddot finder and also a Telrad

I have replaced all the eye pieces supplied with my package

I use a Collins Planispire and a Clestrion Sky Map

On my mobile phone I have downloaded Skyview /Skymap/Skysafari and from the advise given from a comment I today have downloaded the  Stellarium app but I will have to wait for some better weather in the S/E before trying it out.

Sorry if I missed out on some of the comments but did one say I needed a dove tail on my EQ2 mount to use Goto and what is a Dovetail ?

And can I still keep using my S/W 130/900 with a Goto added and replace my tripod or can my existing tripod be adapted to suit.?

Thanks again for your help and I will update on any developments 

[Cosmic Geoff]

26 minutes ago, Oldtimer said:

Sorry if I missed out on some of the comments but did one say I needed a dove tail on my EQ2 mount to use Goto and what is a Dovetail ?

And can I still keep using my S/W 130/900 with a Goto added and replace my tripod or can my existing tripod be adapted to suit.

No, you need a dovetail attached to the scope tube, via the scope rings. If you search the astro retailer sites for 'dovetail' you will see what a dovetail bar is, and with a bit more looking at pictures you will probably see how it is used.

You could continue using your 130/900, but replace the EQ-2 mount and tripod with a GoTo mount and tripod.   You cannot just change the mount head as the parts are not interchangeable. 

I suggest you look at some astro retailing sites to see images of small reflectors on GoTo mounts, to give you an idea of what you might end up with.

[Oldtimer]

Thank you for that advise and information .

Interesting times ahead

[Oldtimer]

Thanks to the advise on viewing problems from yourselves and with the never ending help from Adam at RVO  (16 emails .) I am now waiting on a supply of Skywatcher Skymark 127 with Goto  to come into stock and then hopefully I will be placing an advert for my complete 6 months old Skywatcher 130/900  for sale. ( When I figure  out how to place the advert first.)

Thanks again all for your help and advise.

 

[M40]

Hello Oldtimer, you do realise that now the upgrades have started...... it never ends 😜 

Couple of pointers for you on the new telescope. It works slightly differently to the 130 in that there is a piece of glass at the end of the tube, the corrector plate. This is very susceptible to dew, so you will need to buy a dew shield. When you get dew on the corrector plate, never use anything on the glass other than a lens cleaning solution or more specialised solution. You will also find that with the Skymax, because the optics are sealed, it will take a time to cool down compared to the 130 so unless you can keep it in the shed, if you take it from inside to outside give yourself time for it to acclimatise. 

Don't rush to put your 130 up for sale, you won't have a problem selling it but you never know, we might actually get a clear night between now and the time your new telescope arrives. 😎

All the best

 

[Oldtimer]

Great advise especially not rushing to sell as the sky here is looking like a good clear sky.I also need to new box to box up the old telescope  for selling.