New to the hobby - Equipment advice

[Craig F]

Hello all,

I have had a huge interest in astronomical veiwing for many years, albeit with the naked eye, staring for ages at the night sky. I have finally taken the plunge, after a long time researching different scopes, the pos and neg of each type, and settled on a Sky-watcher 200P classic Dobsonian from First Light Optics (literally ordered 10 mins ago!). This was based purely on sifting through web searches for "best beginner scopes" and looking at the reviews etc. I am aware that covid has decimated stocks of scopes worldwide, so I am intending to spend the "in - between" time reading about the night sky, and what I will be able to realistically veiw with the scope when it comes. So what I would like to know is what additional equipment would be beneficial to enhance the experience. I understand that things like a Telrad finder would be a good buy? Also could someone explain what a Barlow lens is, why it differs from the standard supplied lenses, and which one would be a good buy for the 200P.

Thanks in advance, looking forward to the responses.

[M40]

Hello Craig F and welcome to the forum. You will have plenty of questions, ask away there are some very knowledgeable people on here.

Can I suggest that you do not buy anything for the telescope until you have it in your hands, instead buy yourself Turn left at Orion, a very good and informative book. This book provides a wealth of basic information into the telescope and types of eyepieces and Barlow lenses that you can get for your telescope. As you get into the hobby, the book also provides some very good targets for you to find. I also like and use a planisphere, plus get yourself a night sky app for your phone. 

A few clues for you with your new telescope, it's going to be bigger than you think, so find somewhere to keep it, preferably in a shed or somewhere dry and safe outside. You will probably need a cover for your DOB, there is a topic on here with some solutions, have a search to try to find it.

Enjoy

[wulfrun]

21 minutes ago, Craig F said:

 Also could someone explain what a Barlow lens is, why it differs from the standard supplied lenses, and which one would be a good buy for the 200P.

A barlow is an additional lens that goes (usually) in the focuser before putting the eyepiece in. Optically it effectively multiplies the focal length (FL) of the telescope by the factor it's sold as (2x, 3x etc). The magnification of an eyepiece is calculated as the telescope's FL divided by the eyepiece's FL. So, for a given eyepiece/telescope combination a 2x barlow will double the magnification, a 3x will triple it and so on. They come with a penalty (no free lunch) - there's a slight loss of optical quality due to the extra glass. That could be trivial or severe, depending on quality and various things - a barlow can also result in over-magnifying, for instance.

Some barlows come with removable lens elements that can be screwed directly to the filter threads of an eyepiece to give a different factor - such as 1.5x when used this way and 2x when used separately in the "normal" fashion.

I would suggest not rushing out to buy one until you think you need one.

P.S. welcome to SGL, you'll get heaps of good advice from the friendly folk here - and remember, no question is too daft to ask.

Edited January 5, 2021 by wulfrun

[Pixies]

Hi and welcome. 

You might be waiting for a while, I'm afraid. I'll agree with the above, and say don't rush into buying lots of accessories just yet. However, if you have the budget, I would recommend a pair of binoculars (10x50). They would be useful while you wait for your scope to arrive, but they are a great tool to use alongside a big scope. I often use mine to 'reccie' out an area of sky before observing, or before a more complicated star hop. They are also the most 'grab and go' of any optical system.

Then there's the 'C' word. Collimation. Again, don't rush into things - some fall foul of the trap, trying to perfect collimation before even starting to use the scope and ending up losing days of observing, trying to fix any mistakes they make. Now collimation is very straightforward, especially with the correct tools, but I might advise that you start with the cheapest and simplest tool - a collimation cap. Get it in advance, just in case the scope arrives knocked out of collimation (as mine did). They are only a few pounds.

[Craig F]

49 minutes ago, M40 said:

Hello Craig F and welcome to the forum. You will have plenty of questions, ask away there are some very knowledgeable people on here.

Can I suggest that you do not buy anything for the telescope until you have it in your hands, instead buy yourself Turn left at Orion, a very good and informative book. This book provides a wealth of basic information into the telescope and types of eyepieces and Barlow lenses that you can get for your telescope. As you get into the hobby, the book also provides some very good targets for you to find. I also like and use a planisphere, plus get yourself a night sky app for your phone. 

A few clues for you with your new telescope, it's going to be bigger than you think, so find somewhere to keep it, preferably in a shed or somewhere dry and safe outside. You will probably need a cover for your DOB, there is a topic on here with some solutions, have a search to try to find it.

Enjoy

Hello, thank you.

I have ordered a book called " The stargazers handbook" by Giles Sparrow, basically an atlas, again based on reviews, so I will have a read through that and then have a look at your recommendation as it might answer some equipment questions.

[Craig F]

15 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Hi and welcome. 

You might be waiting for a while, I'm afraid. I'll agree with the above, and say don't rush into buying lots of accessories just yet. However, if you have the budget, I would recommend a pair of binoculars (10x50). They would be useful while you wait for your scope to arrive, but they are a great tool to use alongside a big scope. I often use mine to 'reccie' out an area of sky before observing, or before a more complicated star hop. They are also the most 'grab and go' of any optical system.

Then there's the 'C' word. Collimation. Again, don't rush into things - some fall foul of the trap, trying to perfect collimation before even starting to use the scope and ending up losing days of observing, trying to fix any mistakes they make. Now collimation is very straightforward, especially with the correct tools, but I might advise that you start with the cheapest and simplest tool - a collimation cap. Get it in advance, just in case the scope arrives knocked out of collimation (as mine did). They are only a few pounds.

Thanks.

Yes I'm prepared for the wait, who would have thought astronomy would be so popular during lockdowns lol. I will hold off on the accessories. I hadn't even thought about a pair of binoculars, this would be a good idea to use for basic recognition of common objects, whilst I'm waiting. In the mean time I'll get a collimation cap.

[Craig F]

@Wulfrun, many thanks for the explanation, that makes a bit more sense. I think the reason I hadnt got into astronomy sooner is the minefeild of equipment and what it all does. i guess all will become apparent .

[wibblefish]

Welcome and sounds like you will have yourself a good scope and hope you have clear skies when you get it  

I would echo what others have said and definitely need to get out a few times with it first before you consider any upgrades. I have been fortunate to get a good few nights under my belt before the clouds have closed over and with some kind pennies as my christmas / birthday overlap I decided the first bits to get would be eyepiece upgrades as I wanted a wider field of view at low magnification and a better high magnification EP as the 10mm I have is pretty dire from an eye relief point of view.

I was much more impatient and bought mine in Nov due to it being one of the few in stock in the price range (though I had done plenty of research so I don't regret it!). I had a few nights out with just my eyes and then a pair of binoculars prior to the telescope arriving which was fascinating how many stars there are after your eyes dark adapt a bit. 

In terms of books I can heartily recommend Night Watch and Backyard Astronomers Guide as good all purpose reference books (though they both have some star charts) as well as Turn Left At Orion as a what to find (and what it will look like) guide!

Binoculars are always a good idea as I have found out when hunting M31, I have a pair of Olympus DPS-1 10x50 and they seem excellent for observing - you may want a tripod and adapter I guess if you are using them for longer period but they aren't to bad handheld 

Edited January 5, 2021 by wibblefish

[nephilim]

Hi Craig,

Welcome to the forum. You've made a good choice with your scope, Skywatcher are a good quality, well priced brand, my first scope was a  200P HQ5 Skywatcher ( a similar scope but on a EQ mount) +1 for turn left at Orion, it's a good book which will help you navigate the night sky 

You mentioned a Telrad, I found this the best (IMO) finder going. You simply stick it onto your scope,it's attached by surprisingly strong double sided foam tape (the main body can be removed for transportation with the base plate remaining, I'd recommend also buying the Telrad 4" riser which raises it slightly up from the scope for easier, more comfortable viewing.

Looking through it you will see a bullseye type reticule (the brightness is adjustable) with the circles @ 0.5°, 2°, 4° which can be used along with a star chart to star hop.

I use it with a free phone app called Stellarium http://stellarium.org/ (theres also a desktop pc version) You put in the coordinates for where your viewing from & it will show you exactly what's in the night sky from where you are, the clock can also be adjusted for hours, weeks, months etc ahead to help plan future observing sessions. Stellarium has a Telrad option which shows the digital bullseye at real life scale on the screen which I find very helpful for finding objects. You can also enter your scope details in the Occular section, add any size, brand of eyepiece and any add on such as a Barlow etc, put in the object you want to see (M31 Andromeda for example) & it'll go to that on the screen so you have an idea of how it would look, very helpful with future EP purchases.

Talking of eye pieces, the ones that come supplied are usually not the best quality so those are one of the first things people upgrade although see how you get on with the supplied ones first. I personally would recommend BST Starguiders, they are  good quality & very well priced https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html

As for the Barlow lens, as mentioned above, put simply they 'double the maginfication' as it were. So a 20mm eyepiece becomes a 10mm etc effectively doubling your EP collection. IMO you won't go wrong with this Barlow, https://www.firstlightoptics.com/barlow-eyepieces/stellalyra_2x_2_barlow.html

There are cheaper ones available but you get what you pay for & this has good quality ED glass meaning only a very slight loss of image quality & light transmission (Barlow's slightly darken the view) compared to a cheaper brand. It's a 2x but the Barlow lens is removable & can be screwed into a 2" EP making it 1.5x  (it accepts both a 1.25" & 2" EP therefore although it will accept both 1.25" & 2" EP's the lens on its own can only be screwed into a 2" EP)  I wouldn't get too hung up on magnification though as we are limited by the 'seeing' here in the uk . This is a good article explaining all of this  https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-equipment/choosing-your-telescopes-magnification/ it explains eyepieces, seeing (as I mentioned above) ,magnification , which EP's are suitable for which targets & much more.

You'll find everyone here at SGL very friendly & helpful so don't be afraid to ask any questions you like, we were all beginners at some point & non of us will every stop learning.

Regards 

Steve

 

 

 

[Craig F]

Thanks @wibblefish and @nephilim, some great advice there. It's a bit overwhelming all of this, but as I said in my OP, its something I've wanted to get into for many years. I think I'll look into getting some bino's to use whilst I'm waiting for the scope, to get me used to the night sky and learn where "things" are.  I'll also look into the apps and book  suggestions.

[wulfrun]

17 minutes ago, Craig F said:

Thanks @wibblefish and @nephilim, some great advice there. It's a bit overwhelming all of this, but as I said in my OP, its something I've wanted to get into for many years. I think I'll look into getting some bino's to use whilst I'm waiting for the scope, to get me used to the night sky and learn where "things" are.  I'll also look into the apps and book  suggestions.

The thing to remember, we're all learners in a sense, I certainly am. No-one knows it all. The difference I guess is how far away we are from "total newbie". It seems to me that all astronomers (or nearly so) have at least one pair of binoculars, so it's probably fair to say you wouldn't regret buying a pair. They're the ultimate in portability and always handy for nipping out to peek between clouds or whenever conditions or time don't merit setting up a scope. Plus you can use them for birdwatching/sports/planespotting or whatever other interests you may have.

While you're waiting for your scope, there's a wealth of information to absorb in books and on websites. Also handy for the inevitable cloud-obscured conditions!

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @Craig F and welocme to SGL. 

Whilst you are waiting for your 'scope to arrive, there are sites where you can download star charts & finder charts for Messier, Caldwell, Herschel, other DSO's etc., as well as popular planetarium programs, i.e. Stellarium, Celestia, etc., and lunar/Moon maps for free.   

[wibblefish]

47 minutes ago, Craig F said:

Thanks @wibblefish and @nephilim, some great advice there. It's a bit overwhelming all of this, but as I said in my OP, its something I've wanted to get into for many years. I think I'll look into getting some bino's to use whilst I'm waiting for the scope, to get me used to the night sky and learn where "things" are.  I'll also look into the apps and book  suggestions.

I am pretty much in the same boat so please do let us know what books / apps you find good and what experiences you have both with binos and your scope when it arrives. Always great to hear about how other people get on with getting started!

Everyone on here is really friendly and knowledgeable, they have been great for my newbie queries so far! Just need some decent clear skies, keeping my fingers crossed for later this week / weekend, seems to change though every time I open my scope nights app (gives you weather data about cloud, humidity etc. - seems accurate so far!).

Edited January 5, 2021 by wibblefish

[Tiny Clanger]

2 hours ago, Craig F said:

Thanks.

Yes I'm prepared for the wait, who would have thought astronomy would be so popular during lockdowns lol. I will hold off on the accessories. I hadn't even thought about a pair of binoculars, this would be a good idea to use for basic recognition of common objects, whilst I'm waiting. In the mean time I'll get a collimation cap.

Hi Craig welcome to the forum,

I second the 'don't buy extras yet' opinions , you really won't know what needs upgrading/ replacing/adding until you've spent some time with your 'scope.

I don't know about the 200p, but can tell you my skywatcher 150 heritage came with a collimation cap included , it is simply a blanking cap with a hole in the centre and some reflective stuff on the inner face. Easy to make for yourself at no added cost ! See if you can get hold of a kodak type 35mm film pot, (black body and a grey cap which overlaps the body) , they are the right size to fit a 1.25" focus tube and could easily be used as a base for a DIY effort , bet there's plenty of how to info online .

While you wait, enjoy your planning ... it's what I've been doing for the last fortnight, despite having two perfectly good 'scopes sat in the corner waiting to be used : It's just been too cloudy to use them !

Heather

[Geoff Lister]

Hello Craig, and welcome to SGL.

Several of those above have suggested the book "Turn Left at Orion". As a taster, there is a limited coverage of this book on the web site

https://www.cambridge.org/turnleft

Geoff

[Craig F]

28 minutes ago, Geoff Lister said:

Hello Craig, and welcome to SGL.

Several of those above have suggested the book "Turn Left at Orion". As a taster, there is a limited coverage of this book on the web site

https://www.cambridge.org/turnleft

Geoff

This is great, thanks Geoff.

[jacobingonzo]

yes all good comments- dont go hell for leather buying stuff you think you may need- you need to temper expectations , what you will see will not be something from the Hubble or the expected James Webb telescope nor will to be what you see in the glossies- yes get binos, even a reletively inexpensive pair will stand you in good stead- Turn Left at Orion is a great starter- the stargazers atlas your getting will also be a good start, learn the night sky-not having computer scope guidance ,you need a little knowledge of what's where in the sky. The only thing just now is a collimator, I use a cheshire but others say a laser- 

let us know how you go

 

J

[Xilman]

I am an old-school type (started in the mid 70s) and find printed atlases invaluable. In my view Norton's Star Atlas is still the most usable going for beginning astronomers ---- and old fogey astronomers with decades behind them for that matter. Copies are available from all the usual suspects.

Don't get me wrong: I use electronic resources all the time but you can't beat good old paper in some circumstances. It doesn't break, it doesn't require batteries, it doesn't need an internet connection, it is generally cheaper to buy, you can make field copies with a pencil and a sheet of tracing paper ...

[Craig F]

Thanks for all the advice thus far. I have ordered a pair of Helios 10x50 binoculars to get me started and learn where some of the popular sights are, I’ll let you all know how I get on once my equipment starts to arrive. And no doubt I will have countless questions to ask along the way.

 

[Pixies]

3 hours ago, Craig F said:

Thanks for all the advice thus far. I have ordered a pair of Helios 10x50 binoculars to get me started and learn where some of the popular sights are, I’ll let you all know how I get on once my equipment starts to arrive. And no doubt I will have countless questions to ask along the way.

 

This is a great site: https://binocularsky.com/

 

[Sunshine]

Welcome to SGL!

[Pedro In Devon]

Hi Craig and all those helping.  I am in a similar position experience wise to Craig and have just ordered a Sky-Watcher Explorer-200PDS (EQ5) Parabolic Dual-Speed Newtonian Reflector Telescope and was wondering what to get on with while I await arrival of same.  Thanks to Craigs' questions and your answers I am now in posession of Turn left At Orion and am reading same.  In the meantime I am using a pair of Carl Zeiss Jena (old East German manufacture) 10x50 binoculars I got for my 21st birthday (a long time ago, before Victoria came to the throne).  Unfortunately they don't have any means of attaching them to a tripod and they are quite heavy so prolonged use is difficult.  Does anyone have a 'universal' binocular tripod mount that they would recommend please?  I have had a look through various internet sites but reviews are difficult to assess.  There is not a single attachment point anywhere on the binoculars so some form of clamp is maybe the only option?

[Pixies]

16 minutes ago, Pedro In Devon said:

Hi Craig and all those helping.  I am in a similar position experience wise to Craig and have just ordered a Sky-Watcher Explorer-200PDS (EQ5) Parabolic Dual-Speed Newtonian Reflector Telescope and was wondering what to get on with while I await arrival of same.  Thanks to Craigs' questions and your answers I am now in posession of Turn left At Orion and am reading same.  In the meantime I am using a pair of Carl Zeiss Jena (old East German manufacture) 10x50 binoculars I got for my 21st birthday (a long time ago, before Victoria came to the throne).  Unfortunately they don't have any means of attaching them to a tripod and they are quite heavy so prolonged use is difficult.  Does anyone have a 'universal' binocular tripod mount that they would recommend please?  I have had a look through various internet sites but reviews are difficult to assess.  There is not a single attachment point anywhere on the binoculars so some form of clamp is maybe the only option?

can you post a quick pic of the bins?

[Pedro In Devon]

I have taken a couple to hopefully cover the options.

 

 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Pedro In Devon

[Pixies]

You'll need these:

https://www.opticron.co.uk/our-products/accessories/binocular-tripod-mounts/centre-focus-bar-binocular-tripod-mount-for-binoculars