Help with compatible mounts for Skywatcher 250PX

[HaplessWonder]

4 minutes ago, Mandy D said:

Hmm, that vane is distinctly bent. The pin that holds the outer end in the tensioner is also not properly in place. Someone has been messing around with tht scope. The focuser should run smoothly, taking very little effort to turn the knob; it is a friction drive, so no gears in there.

In light of all these problems, I think you are right to seek a refund and return this. It's a shame, as these are generally such good scopes.

I've attached a photo of mine to show how the spider should look. You can clearly see the fixings at the outer ends.

With the vane and pin as it is, does that actually cause an issue? I will now be sending this back but I will be without a telescope, I am now looking at a Celestron NexStar 6SE, it seems to offer everything we wanted.

[Mandy D]

10 minutes ago, HaplessWonder said:

With the vane and pin as it is, does that actually cause an issue? I will now be sending this back but I will be without a telescope, I am now looking at a Celestron NexStar 6SE, it seems to offer everything we wanted.

The bent vane will cause the diffraction spikes on bright stars and the brighter planets to be distorted. On the Moon, it will probably make little difference to be fair. Those pins are roll pins and are made from spring steel. You could probably squeeze it back in with mole grips, but I would want to remove the vane and properly straighten it, first. The other thing the bent vane will have done is to decentralise the secondary mirror, but that can be adjusted back into place using the knurled knobs on the outside of the tube.

I've never used 6SE, so cannot comment on it, but they seem to be regarded as good telescopes. Obviously, it would be best if you posted pics and asked questions in here once you have found one and before you buy. It does have a slightly longer focal length than the 200P, 1500 mm against 1200 mm, which will cause you problems if you want to image the whole of the full Moon with a crop sensor DSLR, but visually with an eyepiece, it will just be a little more difficult to point and provide higher (but dimmer) magnifications than the 200P using the same eyepiece. It's maximum useable magnification will also be lower. Hopefully, you will find what you want.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Mandy D

[HaplessWonder]

1 hour ago, Mandy D said:

The bent vane will cause the diffraction spikes on bright stars and the brighter planets to be distorted. On the Moon, it will probably make little difference to be fair. Those pins are roll pins and are made from spring steel. You could probably squeeze it back in with mole grips, but I would want to remove the vane and properly straighten it, first. The other thing the bent vane will have done is to decentralise the secondary mirror, but that can be adjusted back into place using the knurled knobs on the outside of the tube.

I've never used 6SE, so cannot comment on it, but they seem to be regarded as good telescopes. Obviously, it would be best if you posted pics and asked questions in here once you have found one and before you buy. It does have a slightly longer focal length than the 200P, 1500 mm against 1200 mm, which will cause you problems if you want to image the whole of the full Moon with a crop sensor DSLR, but visually with an eyepiece, it will just be a little more difficult to point and provide higher (but dimmer) magnifications than the 200P using the same eyepiece. It's maximum useable magnification will also be lower. Hopefully, you will find what you want.

Im indebted to you for all your help, I am an idiot for jumping in on this telescope believing it a good deal. 

Could you advise on a telescope for a budget of around £500-£600 that will allow me to observe the planets and galaxies, I'd at least like to see the swirling gases on Jupiter or as I said before the poles on Mars.

[bosun21]

You can’t turn the focuser with the motor still attached. That’s why you say it’s stiff and needs force and feels like grit. You would need to remove the motor completely to turn the focuser by hand. I would return it if I were you and consider buying a complete new one that comes with the mount for just over an additional £100. It’s been way overpriced at £245. I agree with John at around £100 for someone with experience to fix up and refurbish. Good luck whichever way you decide.

[NGC 1502]

29 minutes ago, HaplessWonder said:

Im indebted to you for all your help, I am an idiot for jumping in on this telescope believing it a good deal. 

Could you advise on a telescope for a budget of around £500-£600 that will allow me to observe the planets and galaxies, I'd at least like to see the swirling gases on Jupiter or as I said before the poles on Mars.

Your budget would buy a brand new 8” Dobsonian with enough left over for a couple of better eyepieces.  Having said that, you will have to learn the sky, manually find and hand track objects. But Jupiter is very easy to spot.  Details on Mars much more tricky.

[Mandy D]

9 hours ago, HaplessWonder said:

Im indebted to you for all your help, I am an idiot for jumping in on this telescope believing it a good deal. 

Could you advise on a telescope for a budget of around £500-£600 that will allow me to observe the planets and galaxies, I'd at least like to see the swirling gases on Jupiter or as I said before the poles on Mars.

As @NGC 1502 mentioned you could buy a brand new 200P with that budget (£379) or even the 250PX that you thought you were getting (£559), both complete with Dobsonian base. Obviously, you would have little left over to buy eyepieces if you went for the 250PX, but they do both come with a pair of eyepieces, 10 mm and 25 mm. Now that you have had the 200P in your hands, you are better informed about it's size and weight so should have an idea about whether you want to handle a larger, heavier tube. The 200P weighs about 8.5 kg and the 250PX is 12.7 kg. The bases are the same at about 20 kg., with a diameter of 520 mm. Max realistic magnification for the 200P is 400x and for 250PX, 500x, but you are unlikely to get above 250x very often in the UK due to the sky. The 250PX will offer brighter images at the same mag, but is marginally more difficult to collimate perfectly.

[Chandra]

I fully agree with the recommendations of our colleagues... If it is possible for you to return that telescope, do so, since its general appearance does not seem to indicate that it has been cared for by the hands through which it has passed.

And I agree with the recommendation of an 8" F/6 Dobsonian, but new, completely adjusted to your budget. As I said, it is an all-terrain telescope, which will perform well in planetary and deep sky, and I think it will satisfy fully meets your expectations. Being an F/6, its collimation is not so tough, in fact, if you are not going to transport it on long trips and if when you move it you do with care, you will not even have to worry about collimation too often. More advatages, a Dob 8" is still in the "carryable scope" range if you want to take it to a darker sky to enjoy your views even more. And although it is already beginning to be a large mirror, the fact that it is an open tube allows it to reach thermal equilibrium sooner than in a closed tube of its aperture (calculate at least 1 hour, the time to prepare and eat dinner, although in the end it will depend on the thermal gradient to be overcome, the shorter it is, the less cooling time).

Our sponsor has a good offer for the optical and mechanical quality of the tube. There I left the link for you to take a look at. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescopes-in-stock/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

Unlike what usually happens in most of sales sets, I think the eyepieces that come with the tube are quite decent, they are Super Plössl designs (it is the same as Plössl) of 10 and 25mm. Since you would still have a budget for accessories, and since you are interested in planetary observation, I would suggest getting a practical and proven SVBony 3-8mm zoom: https://www.aliexpress.com/i/1005004883846890.html. Or, if you prefer not to spend so, consider at least a 5mm eyepiece for nights with good seeing (240x, exit pupil 0.8mm): https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces/bst-starguider-60-5mm-ed-eyepiece.html

To complete your range of eyepieces, I would also recommend a 15mm (Ps 2.5mm), it will be useful for planetary observation and also for viewing globular clusters, galaxies and planetary nebulae: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces/bst-starguider-60-15mm-ed-eyepiece.html

[HaplessWonder]

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who advised and helped me on this telescope, it has now been returned to the seller.

 

Particular thanks to @Mandy D for his detailed opinions.

 

I have a replacement scope, not as large - a 130mm Skywatcher reflector, motorised, it seems to be perfect for what I want.

 

Thanks once again chaps and wishing you clear skies!

 

Barry

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Glad this got sorted out.  That 200P was in a very sorry state and somebody with some experience could have brought it around but they were asking silly money for it in that condition.

Good luck with the 130.  What model did you get in the end?

[Mandy D]

1 hour ago, HaplessWonder said:

Particular thanks to @Mandy D for his detailed opinions.

Actually, it is her. Glad to have been of help and to be appreciated.

[HaplessWonder]

On 10/12/2023 at 20:43, Mandy D said:

Actually, it is her. Glad to have been of help and to be appreciated.

My apologies, it's been a very long week.

[HaplessWonder]

On 10/12/2023 at 20:01, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Glad this got sorted out.  That 200P was in a very sorry state and somebody with some experience could have brought it around but they were asking silly money for it in that condition.

Good luck with the 130.  What model did you get in the end?

Managed to poke a look through the clouds yesterday and saw the fantastic sight of Jupiter with her gases! Her moons also, superb.

I want to know what the best eyepiece is for observing the planets in their optimum, also I noticed chromatic aberration, is there anything I can do about that? 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

2 hours ago, HaplessWonder said:

Managed to poke a look through the clouds yesterday and saw the fantastic sight of Jupiter with her gases! Her moons also, superb.

I want to know what the best eyepiece is for observing the planets in their optimum, also I noticed chromatic aberration, is there anything I can do about that? 

The exact eyepiece will vary but generally speaking, the shorter the stated focal length of the eyepiece, the greater the magnification, e.g. a 10mm eyepiece will give you twice the magnification of a 20mm.  They don't gather any more light though as that's purely a function of the aperture of the telescope - in effect, a shorter eyepiece just gives you a bigger picture - but the picture is fundamentally the same.

The limiting factor on magnification is a combination of the aperture of the scope but (more likely) the stability of the mount.  You might be best off getting a 2x Barlow lens as they can be had cheaply.  The Celestron 'Omni' model is inexpensive and gives reasonable performance.  Don't always assume that a higher magnification will give you more detail though, sometimes you can get a sharper view at a lower magnification, even if the object is smaller.

What did the scope come with, eyepiece-wise?

A reflector shouldn't be giving you much CA at all.  Can you describe it?  Usually, CA is a purplish fringing around a bright object.

Edited December 12, 2023 by GrumpiusMaximus

[Chandra]

I think the 5mm BST Starguider I told you about in my previous post will give you excellent performance in your setup if atmospheric conditions allow it. If you want to achieve higher magnifications, in a moderate price range you can opt for the 4.5mm TMB Planetary II (144x), the 4mm SW UWA or TMB (162x), or the 3.2mm BST or TMB (203x). Personally I would not look any further for your setup, and the last one basically for Moon and in a good night. So you must consider several aspects:
1. The higher the magnification, the less light the image you view transmits (this happens because what is known as the exit pupil is reduced). This is really not so important when observing bright objects like Jupiter or the Moon.
2. The higher the magnification, the more difficult it is to get a proper focus point for a sharp vision. Double speed focusers help in this sense. The focuser that mounts your tube does not have double speed.
3. The higher the magnification, the greater the optical demands on the eyepieces, which means that to get decent views the more money you have to invest. I think the ones I suggest would fall within an acceptable minimum.
4. The higher the magnification, the more important is the most precise collimation possible. Let's say that observation at low or medium magnification is more tolerant of inaccurate collimation states. Especially for someone with little practice, it can be very difficult to achieve excellent collimation at f/5.
5. As our colleague tells you, the more magnification you are observing, the more magnified the small vibrations of your support will also be. Any small knock on the tube can be very annoying at high magnification, especially if the mount is not capable of attenuating it properly. With your setup, I think this should be highly considered.

Considering these aspects, at least initially I would not worry about observing with your telescope at more than 150x. On the other hand, most of the time it will be the seeing conditions that will limit your observation, and many times not even with large telescopes you can really observe very well at more than 120x.

The use of a Barlow will prevent you from having to use eyepieces with very low focal lengths to achieve high magnifications, and it also generally somewhat improves the sometimes low eye relief of this type of eyepieces. But if you purchase one, you should still ensure that it is of a minimum of optical quality in order to not introduce more aberrations into the system. It's true that nowadays there are Barlows worth around 50 pounds, but, honestly, I don't think you'll need it for your setup.

As for chromatic aberration, rest assured that it is not coming from your tube (mirrors do not generate chromaticism) but from the eyepiece you are using, which should be a Kellner or perhaps a modified achromat, they are very basic eyepieces that usually come with entrey level kits. That does not mean that other better eyepieces do not also provide some CA, but at least in the center of the field it should be practically imperceptible on a reflector.

[HaplessWonder]

On 12/12/2023 at 11:46, GrumpiusMaximus said:

The exact eyepiece will vary but generally speaking, the shorter the stated focal length of the eyepiece, the greater the magnification, e.g. a 10mm eyepiece will give you twice the magnification of a 20mm.  They don't gather any more light though as that's purely a function of the aperture of the telescope - in effect, a shorter eyepiece just gives you a bigger picture - but the picture is fundamentally the same.

The limiting factor on magnification is a combination of the aperture of the scope but (more likely) the stability of the mount.  You might be best off getting a 2x Barlow lens as they can be had cheaply.  The Celestron 'Omni' model is inexpensive and gives reasonable performance.  Don't always assume that a higher magnification will give you more detail though, sometimes you can get a sharper view at a lower magnification, even if the object is smaller.

What did the scope come with, eyepiece-wise?

A reflector shouldn't be giving you much CA at all.  Can you describe it?  Usually, CA is a purplish fringing around a bright object.

25mm
12mm
10mm
6.3mm
2x Barlow lens
Meade 2x telenegative Amplifier

Not getting much by way of clear sky right now, but last night I glimpsed Jupiter and Sirius, Jupiter appears almost washed out with white light but I see that quite clearly albeit small, it's moons also apparent with reflected sunlight. I doubt I can see much clearer than this. 

Sirius and Betelgeuse, I focus carefully but they never resolve to a crisp point, I mean for what I am using it is maybe the expected result. They appear with a bluish tinge and seem to pulse a little.

A problem I do have is the mount - it just has up and down movement but it appears loose so when I have an aim and let go of the scope it drops so Ill need to look at why that is, maybe another mount.

 

[HaplessWonder]

On 13/12/2023 at 06:34, Chandra said:

I think the 5mm BST Starguider I told you about in my previous post will give you excellent performance in your setup if atmospheric conditions allow it. If you want to achieve higher magnifications, in a moderate price range you can opt for the 4.5mm TMB Planetary II (144x), the 4mm SW UWA or TMB (162x), or the 3.2mm BST or TMB (203x). Personally I would not look any further for your setup, and the last one basically for Moon and in a good night. So you must consider several aspects:
1. The higher the magnification, the less light the image you view transmits (this happens because what is known as the exit pupil is reduced). This is really not so important when observing bright objects like Jupiter or the Moon.
2. The higher the magnification, the more difficult it is to get a proper focus point for a sharp vision. Double speed focusers help in this sense. The focuser that mounts your tube does not have double speed.
3. The higher the magnification, the greater the optical demands on the eyepieces, which means that to get decent views the more money you have to invest. I think the ones I suggest would fall within an acceptable minimum.
4. The higher the magnification, the more important is the most precise collimation possible. Let's say that observation at low or medium magnification is more tolerant of inaccurate collimation states. Especially for someone with little practice, it can be very difficult to achieve excellent collimation at f/5.
5. As our colleague tells you, the more magnification you are observing, the more magnified the small vibrations of your support will also be. Any small knock on the tube can be very annoying at high magnification, especially if the mount is not capable of attenuating it properly. With your setup, I think this should be highly considered.

Considering these aspects, at least initially I would not worry about observing with your telescope at more than 150x. On the other hand, most of the time it will be the seeing conditions that will limit your observation, and many times not even with large telescopes you can really observe very well at more than 120x.

The use of a Barlow will prevent you from having to use eyepieces with very low focal lengths to achieve high magnifications, and it also generally somewhat improves the sometimes low eye relief of this type of eyepieces. But if you purchase one, you should still ensure that it is of a minimum of optical quality in order to not introduce more aberrations into the system. It's true that nowadays there are Barlows worth around 50 pounds, but, honestly, I don't think you'll need it for your setup.

As for chromatic aberration, rest assured that it is not coming from your tube (mirrors do not generate chromaticism) but from the eyepiece you are using, which should be a Kellner or perhaps a modified achromat, they are very basic eyepieces that usually come with entrey level kits. That does not mean that other better eyepieces do not also provide some CA, but at least in the center of the field it should be practically imperceptible on a reflector.

Fantastic advice, I will look at the 5mm BST Starguider.

I dont mind paying if the results are worth it.

 

[Chandra]

On 12/17/2023 at 12:00 PM, HaplessWonder said:

25mm
12mm
10mm
6.3mm
2x Barlow lens
Meade 2x telenegative Amplifier

Not getting much by way of clear sky right now, but last night I glimpsed Jupiter and Sirius, Jupiter appears almost washed out with white light but I see that quite clearly albeit small, it's moons also apparent with reflected sunlight. I doubt I can see much clearer than this. 

Sirius and Betelgeuse, I focus carefully but they never resolve to a crisp point, I mean for what I am using it is maybe the expected result. They appear with a bluish tinge and seem to pulse a little.

A problem I do have is the mount - it just has up and down movement but it appears loose so when I have an aim and let go of the scope it drops so Ill need to look at why that is, maybe another mount.

 

It is normal to see Jupiter with these tones, but of course you should be able to clearly differentiate its equatorial belts of a darker tone, and at least glimpse large formations like the GRS when it is transiting near the meridian... Of course, with your telescope it is possible to differentiate more fine details, but they already require good seeing conditions.

The fact that the stars you observe are pulsating precisely indicates inadequate atmospheric conditions, more inadequate the larger the twinkl is. I don't know what magnification you are observing the stars at, but remember that the higher the magnification, the more difficult it is to get proper focus, and therefore sharpened stars. Furthermore, since they are such bright stars (Sirius, Betelgeuse, it would also be applicable to Rigel, Capella, etc.), beyond inadequate seeing, their own flash in the eyepiece optics will make it difficult for you to see them as points. On the other hand, and on nights with very good seeing, with exit pupils of around 1mm (which means around 130x for your telescope) you will be able to see the diffraction pattern of the stars, since you will be moving close to the resolution limit of your telescope, you will not see them, therefore, as points. If you want to make this observation, however, avoid very bright stars, but also dim stars. I believe that the eyepieces provide the bluish chromatic effect that you see in shiny objects. If you see a bluish stripe and a red stripe at the opposite end of the light source, then it may already be due to an atmospheric refraction effect; you are observing the object when it is still too low above the horizon.

As for what you describe about the mount, that is called backlash, it is a type of effect in the form of unwanted movement that is produced by looseness in poorly adjusted or already very worn mounts. It seems to me from the picture you did share that your mount is a GoTo similar to the Star Discovery... Before considering purchasing another mount I think it is worth checking the axles and trying to adjust the crowns, if that is the problem. Maybe someone here can give you some more specific advice on the matter, in my case I have never disassembled and adjusted motorized axles.

[Cosmic Geoff]

9 hours ago, Chandra said:

As for what you describe about the mount, that is called backlash, it is a type of effect in the form of unwanted movement that is produced by looseness in poorly adjusted or already very worn mounts. It seems to me from the picture you did share that your mount is a GoTo similar to the Star Discovery... Before considering purchasing another mount I think it is worth checking the axles and trying to adjust the crowns, if that is the problem. Maybe someone here can give you some more specific advice on the matter, in my case I have never disassembled and adjusted motorized axles.

Your mount appears to be of the GoTo type, so you should not be trying to move it by hand at all.  All mounts of this type have some backlash in the gearing - it's normal and you cannot adjust it out, but you can compensate for it in the handset settings (see the handbook).  

If you are not satisfied with the degree of wobble, you need to get a better class of mount, which could be disagreeably expensive.  

[Mr Spock]

One from the archives! Skywatcher 250 on an EQ6 from 2010.

 

[HaplessWonder]

11 hours ago, Chandra said:

It is normal to see Jupiter with these tones, but of course you should be able to clearly differentiate its equatorial belts of a darker tone, and at least glimpse large formations like the GRS when it is transiting near the meridian... Of course, with your telescope it is possible to differentiate more fine details, but they already require good seeing conditions.

The fact that the stars you observe are pulsating precisely indicates inadequate atmospheric conditions, more inadequate the larger the twinkl is. I don't know what magnification you are observing the stars at, but remember that the higher the magnification, the more difficult it is to get proper focus, and therefore sharpened stars. Furthermore, since they are such bright stars (Sirius, Betelgeuse, it would also be applicable to Rigel, Capella, etc.), beyond inadequate seeing, their own flash in the eyepiece optics will make it difficult for you to see them as points. On the other hand, and on nights with very good seeing, with exit pupils of around 1mm (which means around 130x for your telescope) you will be able to see the diffraction pattern of the stars, since you will be moving close to the resolution limit of your telescope, you will not see them, therefore, as points. If you want to make this observation, however, avoid very bright stars, but also dim stars. I believe that the eyepieces provide the bluish chromatic effect that you see in shiny objects. If you see a bluish stripe and a red stripe at the opposite end of the light source, then it may already be due to an atmospheric refraction effect; you are observing the object when it is still too low above the horizon.

As for what you describe about the mount, that is called backlash, it is a type of effect in the form of unwanted movement that is produced by looseness in poorly adjusted or already very worn mounts. It seems to me from the picture you did share that your mount is a GoTo similar to the Star Discovery... Before considering purchasing another mount I think it is worth checking the axles and trying to adjust the crowns, if that is the problem. Maybe someone here can give you some more specific advice on the matter, in my case I have never disassembled and adjusted motorized axles.

I really appreciate the time you take to provide this level of detailed information, there is a heck of a lot to learn. I have a childlike excitement for observing the cosmos and the objects within it, I am awestruck being able to observe with my own eyes, the endless wonder of I am seeing. I am saying this because I came in on that approach and only now is the sobering reality on me that I need to get into the tech side of it! Like everything, the more you put in, the more you get out.

I think I resolved my mount simply by having it plugged into the mains, with the remote I can control the movement with some precision without 'backlash'.

This is a long, road for me and I am excited about it, I see me getting bigger and more capable scopes but for now I will cut my teeth with this one.

 

[HaplessWonder]

1 hour ago, Mr Spock said:

One from the archives! Skywatcher 250 on an EQ6 from 2010.

 

I have been looking at similar but right now they are outside my budget, I will stick with the mount I have which is much better with the motor than manual. The battery pack was faulty that came with it but I now have it plugged into a portable power station and it works fantastically.

[HaplessWonder]

1 hour ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

Your mount appears to be of the GoTo type, so you should not be trying to move it by hand at all.  All mounts of this type have some backlash in the gearing - it's normal and you cannot adjust it out, but you can compensate for it in the handset settings (see the handbook).  

If you are not satisfied with the degree of wobble, you need to get a better class of mount, which could be disagreeably expensive.  

Quite right about motor v manual!, I thought it would allow me to move the scope without power supply but seems not as with power it moves so precisely. Now I want to focus, literally on what it is I can see, just need the right weather! 

[Chandra]

On 19/12/2023 at 12:47, HaplessWonder said:

Quite right about motor v manual!, I thought it would allow me to move the scope without power supply but seems not as with power it moves so precisely. Now I want to focus, literally on what it is I can see, just need the right weather! 

I'm glad the mount is working fine. It is important that you try to make an adequate alignment before observing, normally it is enough to do it with three bright stars/objects that the same software suggests you, but if it is not enough you can repeat the process again with three different objects. If you get a proper setup, the goto will have greater precision and more precise tracking it will give you. It will help you to ensure that the mount is as level as possible with the horizon. In my case I use an electronic level, since the floors of terraces, balconies, gardens, etc. may be slightly inclined.

I think that in the economical segment of AZ Goto mounts, only the one linked below allows you to move it manually (also without losing its alignment). In any case, like the rest of the motorized azimuthal mounts, it is not really designed to be used manually, but rather through a controller connected to it or by the application on your smartphone. It would be nice if one day they designed a versatile AZ mount that could be used either in manual mode or in GoTo mode as it suited us.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/computerised-goto-astronomy-mounts/sky-watcher-az-gti-wifi-alt-az-mount-tripod.html

Good luck and clear skies!

[HaplessWonder]

On 21/12/2023 at 22:12, Chandra said:

I'm glad the mount is working fine. It is important that you try to make an adequate alignment before observing, normally it is enough to do it with three bright stars/objects that the same software suggests you, but if it is not enough you can repeat the process again with three different objects. If you get a proper setup, the goto will have greater precision and more precise tracking it will give you. It will help you to ensure that the mount is as level as possible with the horizon. In my case I use an electronic level, since the floors of terraces, balconies, gardens, etc. may be slightly inclined.

I think that in the economical segment of AZ Goto mounts, only the one linked below allows you to move it manually (also without losing its alignment). In any case, like the rest of the motorized azimuthal mounts, it is not really designed to be used manually, but rather through a controller connected to it or by the application on your smartphone. It would be nice if one day they designed a versatile AZ mount that could be used either in manual mode or in GoTo mode as it suited us.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/computerised-goto-astronomy-mounts/sky-watcher-az-gti-wifi-alt-az-mount-tripod.html

Good luck and clear skies!

I seem to be quite ok with targeting and focusing on objects although I have barely had any clear skies to point it at beyond the moon and Jupiter. An issue I do have is the tracking on the motorised mount. I thought this would mean the scope would track the object in view but it does not. This is after following the setup procedure.
Still to buy the 5mm BST Starguider ED as I want to learn the basics before splashing out any more money.

Clear skies

[Chandra]

To my knowledge, motorized AZ mounts automatically perform tracking the target once it has been reached and centered in the field of view (always use an eyepiece that gives you a wide field of view, like your 25mm). With the command you can move the mount at will at different speeds with the directional arrows, but it should do the tracking, normally there is a sidereal, lunar and solar tracking mode (this one must be activated sometimes, for safety). If it is not tracking after pointing an object, maybe you have it disabled ("no tracking" option), or maybe you need to activate the "point and track" option... These are just suggestions because each SynScan console model is a little particular...

Clear skys and happy 2024!