First Light !!

[SkyExplorer]

Hi all,

I finally bought my first scope, a Sky Watcher Explorer 200P on Saturday from my local Astronomy shop. Thanks for everyone’s advice on this forum.

Seeing that Sunday was going to be a clear day, I got the scope out of the box in the afternoon and took it into the garden to assemble and get ready for darkness.

I thought I'd start with something easy, Orion, so I found the belt, then worked my way to the sword. At this point I wanted to find the M42 nebula, I changed EP to 10mm and low and behold after a little adjusting, there it was, a grey ‘C’ shape smudge around the trapezium stars, and it was a very sharp image – Wow !!.

At this point I wanted to see more, so I then went to look at Betelgeuse and looked at the orange glow, after which I found Aldebaran and from there I visited M45 (Pleiades). This was amazing, it only looks like 5 bright stars with the naked eye, with the scope, the finder scope was full of stars and looking down the scope with the 25mm EP it was equally impressive. I am really pleased I had a copy of “Turn Left at Orion” at hand to assist.

A few things I thought were a bit awkward on my first observing session, that I hope I get some advice on are:

I setup the mount and balanced it (RA and DEC) with the scope on it at the beginning of the evening. As I was moving the scope to look at different objects in the sky the EP and finder scope sometimes ended up in a awkward position, so I slackened the mounting rings so I could twist the tube to rectify this, but by doing this the tube slid down a bit so the balance must have be affected. Is this a common problem or am I doing something wrong?

Also I started out at 6:30pm and by 10:30pm when I went to find Mars the finder scope was all fuzzy, I also could not see very clearly through the EP, I only assume this is because of a dew buildup?

Cheers

[Casus belli]

Hairdriers are a quick and cheap way of clearing dew from mirrors.

Stellarium.org

Above link is an excellent, easy to use and free program

[mdstuart]

Yes the tube will move when you rotate it but as long as the balance does not go too far out I would not worry, just balance at the start of each session.

Yes Mars would be fuzzy from the dew after that long. I am surprised it lasted that long to be honest given how damp it is..

I hope you continue to enjoy the scope.

Try a galaxy for me. Perhaps start with Andromeda M31/M32 and then later in the evenign give M81/2 a go with the 25mm eyepeice. When you find them try drawing what you see and spend some time with these fine galaxies...

Also look at the pole star with the 10mm in . Its a fine double star. Really special in a large scope...

Enjoy

Mark

[SkyExplorer]

Thanks for the replies,

I have Stellarium - A fantastic app

If I were to get a dew heater, where do these go a reflector? Around the bottom where the main mirror is and the finder scope?

Thanks

[Bizibilder]

Hi SkyEx

On my scope (a 200P also) i put a strip of masking tape along the tube and then balanced it. Put marks on the tape, either side of the rings, with a thick marker. It is then easy to put the tube back in the right place as it often slips - as you have found out!!

(I use masking tape as it is easy to strip off when it gets too scuffed to use - and it won't damage the paintwork.)

Aparently some folk use embroidery rings around the tube for the same purpose.

[SkyExplorer]

ah, good idea !!

Do you use the long black dovetail that comes with the scope, or the small white mount plate that comes with the mount? Can you screw the black dovetail to the white mount plate?

Is it normal that the dovetail will become marked and scratched etc?

[Bizibilder]

Hi SkyEx

I use the long black dovetail. This is to get the tube rings well spaced apart. If you use the short one the tube of something like the 200P may well twist as it is only supported over a very short length. (It is supplied for mounting small scopes / cameras and adaptor plates etc.).

Will it become marked - Yes it will - where the screw tightens against the dovetail. You can't help this as the screw will firstly "squash" the paint off and will also eventually scratch the softer metal of the dovetail.

Engineers would not use a dovetail directly in a dovetail grove (for want of a better word!). They would use a gib strip (as found on the sliding dovetails of all machine tools like lathes etc). All this is is a strip of metal that fills the "gap" between the dovetail components, the locking screw bearing on the gib strip. This prevents any marking or scoring of the male part of the dovetail. When the gib becomes worn it is easy and cheap to replace (on a machine tool it would not actually wear in the way it would on a telescope and would last more or less the lifetime of the machine).

Should you use one? Probably not! it simply adds another set of surfaces to the mount and is another way of "everything coming undone" when mounting or dismounting the scope!! The designer of the scope would expect the scope to be assembled once only, not taken apart every time it is used - if they did then the would have put a gib strip into the design.

Hope this helps.

[bigstu]

Hi all.

I bought my first telescope (skwatcher 200p) last week and also got to go out sunday around 4 am. First views were of mars and saturn.

Sunday night I was out again. This time Orions nebula, Andromeda galaxy and Hyades open cluster.

A brilliant first day.

I found the Skywatcher Ultra High Contrast Filter was perfect for bringing out the detail of Orions nebula.

[SkyExplorer]

yeah, I was impressed with my first night observing with the 200P until the dew stopped me.

Can anyone help advise me on what kit I need to help prevent dew build up? I've seen you can get dew shields and also heaters, do I need both? Should I start with a dew shield and see if that works (as cheaper)?

Any advice appreciated

[Brunty12345]

gratz on your first light =]

[SkyExplorer]

Thanks Brunty, it was a good night and great starter for the hobby.

If I make a dew shield for the scope using a camping mat, should I also make one for the finder scope?

Has anyone made a dew shield for their finder scope using a camping mat?

[Bizibilder]

Yes - use camping mat for both. I usually leave the plastic cap on the finder (except when I'm using it!!) - this usually allows it to stay dew free.

[SkyExplorer]

Thanks I'll give it a go.

[mdstuart]

Brilliant idea on the finder..leave the cap on unless using it. So simple!