Skywatcher EXPLORER-200P (EQ5)....Good First Scope?

[NightLaw]

Thanks Pvaz, will read in detail.......off to try and get Pearl Jam tickets now!!! another vice!

Cheers

Keith

[Saturnalia]

Good choice...on the music...!

I'm reading this with interest as I'm in the same boat as you...although it's a nephew.

I have an eye on the 8" dob - I've even been doing some 'what can I sell' calculations to see if I could raise the cash to buy an 18"...hehe

But, I also have a very keen eye on the smaller refractors because I was figuring that space is a big place for a small boy - where do we start...moon and planets seems like a great place to start and many threads here have mentioned how good a refractor can be for this.

That Celestron Omni XLT 102 looks tasty - are there any reviews on it...?

[chuckles0001]

Hi, brand newbie here! I looked at this article and have subsequently purchased a nice new 200P. Still putting it together and have a few queries.... any help really appreciated...

1, I seem to have a spare part, about 5 inches long with holes in it and bevelled sides and cut outs for a screw to hold it in place - I think. I reckon that this must be an adaptor part for a different scope to mount to the tripod???

2, I've two knobs which don't really want to easily slip onto the part which I reckon they ought to - a piece of metal about 14mm long with one flat side. when pushing on I'm just scared of damaging them - are they really that delicate?

3, the main glass at the bottom of the scope has a few screws around it: 3 holding pins and 3 pins on springs. Are these adjusters - the 3 holding pins were loose when i unpacked it

4, the scope has two holding straps, one of these has a threaded screw coming out the top with a plastic 'nut'. (a) should this tighten down to the scope, and ( should there be a screw and nut on the other strap?

5, I've two long (one longer than the other) threaded screws with a flexible key end - I think the picture shows me where to put these but I've no idea what they do or how (I suspect they move the barrel up and down?)

6, the two counter weights really need to be as far down as possible on the pole and even then the barrel still wants to move - is this normal?

7, what do i do with it when ive finished putting it up! lol

Thanks. Jonno.

[phattanglo]

Hi Jonno

1. A spare dovetail mount, you already have one attached to the big rings on your scope.

2. The knobs have a little locking screw to tighten after you line up the flat part inside the end of the knob with the flat part of the brass coloured bit on the mount.

3. The 3 knobs are to adjust the main mirror so that the reflection bounces up and hits the little mirror as straight as possible it's called Collimation, everyone at SGL will help you with questions, trust me you will have questions.

4. The threaded bit on the strap or Ring is to mount a camera.

5. The 2 big screws move the mount so that it is pointing higher or lower into the sky so that you can aim the mount at Polaris.

6. Scope balance is trial and error, but gets easier with practice.

7. Now that is a question