Transporting a telescope

[The_Kirbys]

Hi ya all, complete beginers we are so please be gentle

We have just got a telescope with eq3-2 mount.

My question is.......maybe a silly one

We are going on holiday to the outer hebrides at the end of the month..... do you think taking the telescope is ok?

if they travel well whats the best way of transport them safely?

Clint:icon_salut:

[KingOfColly]

If you still have it, the original box it came would be ideal

[billinforres]

I transport my 8" DOB tube in a cradle I made for it but it takes up a fair bit of room in the boot of a Cleo! The rocker box almost fills the back seat.

By the last week in August will will have truly dark skies once again, good luck with the weather.

[Astro_Baby]

The origibal box is best. You dont say what type of scope it is. Generally so long as they are treated carefully, not bumped around etc they are fine.

[yeti monster]

I took my 10" SNT for a trip out in the Land rover (leaf sprung=bumpy ride). Only 30 miles, but it survived only requiring a wee tweek to re-collimate. It was in the original box and sat on 4 foam sleeping mats. I'll be making a more robust crate for it, just as soon as the doner materials arrive.

[TopHouse]

I'll be making a more robust crate for it, just as soon as the doner materials arrive.

Ahhhh, a kebab to get your strength up to build the crate!

[The_Kirbys]

The origibal box is best. You dont say what type of scope it is. Generally so long as they are treated carefully, not bumped around etc they are fine.

Hi ya i have a skywatcher 150mm/750mm, reflector.

I will be taking a trailor loaded with all my kites and kite buggies lol....

If its wrapped in foam etc etc, i dont have the original box, will this be ok?

Calabration mmmmmm is this an easy thing to do?

Sorry silly newbe alert

Clint

[brantuk]

It'll be fine so long as its well padded. I took my 150 from E.Mids to Ft.William and back a couple of years ago with no side effects. The OTA just needs a soft bed to lie on and wrap in a couple of blankets so it does'nt vibrate or knock against other stuff.

The mount head was padded on the floor behind the drivers seat and the tripod in the boot.

No probs whatsoever

[Llamanaut]

i regularly take my 12" in the car for my obs sessions, i use the foam padded supports that came with the ota in the box and so far (touches wood) it has been fine... collimation does require to be fine tuned after each journey however, id suggest a laser collimator as its so easy and accurate. It takes me 30 seconds prior to observing to achieve perfect collimation. On the one occasion i forgot my hotech the view was lousy and i packed up after half an hour

[The_Kirbys]

however, id suggest a laser collimator as its so easy and accurate. It takes me 30 seconds prior to observing to achieve perfect collimation. On the one occasion i forgot my hotech the view was lousy and i packed up after half an hour

Um what is this new toy i no nothing about?

Sorry

[Vic&Al]

Couldnt agree more with Llamanut, a lazer colminator is a must buy for setting up your newtonian. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=HoTech_SCA_laser is alink to the one I bought but there are many on the market. I am fairly new myself and the few mins with the hotec before a viewing session makes all the difference. You may be quite suprised at how much the mirrors can move about no matter how gentle you are. Good luck and hope you get the weather.

[The_Kirbys]

Right chaps and chapesses...........

This new fandango tool, collmator, they range in price from 20 quid to the one you recommend £98!

Surely they all do the same thing?

Many Thanks

Clint

[yeti monster]

Ahhhh, a kebab to get your strength up to build the crate!

Yes, I did mean donner materials, La-Las in Rochdale, the lamb of god!

[Vic&Al]

Hi Clint,

Your right they all do do the same thing but the reason I went with that particular one is it self centers which is important to achieve accurate allignment, I cant comment on any others on the market but the self centering ability of this type makes sure its spot on.

[Capricorn]

As an addition to the other post. Find a club near you, ring them up and see if they are planning any evenings soon. Or ask if someone would give you a hand and show you what collimating a scope involves.

It sounds as if the whole area is new to you. It would be to me if I had a newtonian but I mainly have refractors.

If you transport the scope then it is very likely that owing to the trip the mirrors will go out of the present alignment. Collimating a scope is simply the action of tweeking the mirrors to get them back into alignment. Sounds easy

Actually they may be out of alignment now anyway. Scopes will drift out of alignment in normal use and it seems that people readjust their scopes at say 3-4 month intervals. Or when they feel like it or have a spare moment. (Clouds)

I gather that there are laser collimators and Cheshire collimators, some like one some the other.

From the other post if Hasting and Battle group is no longer around search fedastro.org.uk for societies in Sussex.

[RikM]

I have a 150P. A Cheshire eyepiece is great value for money and when you know how to use one properly you can achieve really excellent alignment of the optics. There are a few good 'how to' guides on this forum but it wasn't until Albedo0.39 actually walked me through it at SGL5 that I really got the hang of it. Now I regularly throw the scope in the car and it only takes a couple of minutes to put everything in order again when I get where I'm going.

I normally put the mount across the back seats and the OTA in the original box in the boot, but I have wrapped it in blankets when I needed more room for a tent etc. for camping and had no major problems.

Rik

[BAZ Senior]

Hi Kirbys,

I have transported my dob, wrapped in a double duvet, obtained for under a tenner from Tesco's. This seemed to do the trick, as I don't have the original box.

Regarding collimation, it seems daunting, but it's not to bad once you get going. There are some very good threads regarding collimation, Astro Baby's being one of the best.

Astro-Baby Astronomy Website

You will need some device to align the mirrors, if they are not collimated, it will make a difference to your view. Don't forget to let your scope cool down to ambient temp by placing it outside for around half an hour before you observe, as swirling air currents inside the tube will distort the image.

Personally I use a laser, and a Cheshire. The laser to line up the secondary mirror, and the Cheshire to align the primary.

[KingOfColly]

This taught me how to collimate

[Astro_Baby]

I only use a Chesire because I find it accurate to within reasonable limits and reliable. Lasers while in theory being very good tend to generate more quesries on help boards than anything else.

While the Hotech is a great product (and the one I would buy if I wanted a laser) like all lasers it cant handle secondary mirror alignment for which you need a Cheshire and/or a sight tube.

For all round simplicity a Cheshire is hard to beat. I have lost count of the number of cries for help on the forum which are centred (pardon the pun) on lasers.

Collimation for a fast refelector (yours by the way Mr Kirby IS a fast refelctor) is pretty essential to get the best from it but my advice would be to not get obsessive about it. Initially your going to have a steep enough learning curve getting the hang of the equatorial mount and a few other things without worrying overmuch about collimation.

Mine is usually bumped around to its observing site and also to Start PArties etc and its always pretty well accurate even without on site tweaking.

[Llamanaut]

Now dont quote me but i think the hotech can align the secondary as it shines the laser back through to the doughnut, i use nothing else and my 300 is spot on

[Hypernova]

I followed Astro_Baby's guide for collimation using a Cheshire and a colli-cap. I found it a real struggle first time I tried but I persevered and eventually succeeded in achieving collimation. And after a few times tweaking it I finally got the hang of it and can just turn a few knobs to get the donut perfectly centred in the crosshairs quickly and easily.

I guess when learning to collimate, just keep trying and you will get results. I properly collimated my scope a few weeks ago and finally got a clean split on Epsilon Lyrae for once

[TopHouse]

Now dont quote me but i think the hotech can align the secondary as it shines the laser back through to the doughnut, i use nothing else and my 300 is spot on

No pinpoint laser can 'acurately' align the secondary, I know of the 'glatter' laser that uses a hologram that can align secondary but that's about it in lasers. You need to accurately set secondary with a sight tube.

One day i'll get round to making that video of how lasers lie with secondary alignment but it will mean wrecking the coli on mine to demonstrate it.

If this cloud keeps up I might do it just to relieve the boredom!

[The_Kirbys]

Blimey oh reilly.......

Many Many thanks for all your help gang, its really appreciated.

This astro hobby is very difficult to understand but im sure its

will al sort its self out.

I need to walk before i can run and also learn to be happy with the kit i have got and enjoy.

Im just amazed at how much info there is out there.

Its great to see such a friendly forum that actively likes to help out with info and pointers

I will say this i think i managed to see Jupiter the other night

I have an app on my Iphone called Planets i pointed it at this bright light and it said, might be lying lol, jupiter!

Also had a veiw of the moon that got my heart racing and me leggin it upstairs to wake Kellie............but she is at Grandma,s

Once again thank you very much

Clint

[LukeSkywatcher]

Please remember.................if you are transporting your scope by car to ensure that it always wears a seatbelt.

[The_Kirbys]

Has it very own booster seat too:p