New 14" Skywatcher Synscan

[Revs]

Grat's Stu. What a monster

It's good to see someone next to it, too, to get some perspective of size. I think a 12" would be my limit for transporting.

Enjoy!

[bish]

I want one. Look forward to your report.

[Moonshane]

this looks a cracking scope! your son looks like he's 'getting a bit bored now dad'.

I agree it's annoying that almost all of the lower profile crayfords seem to need extension but that's better than the other way round I s'pose. BUT at the price, they could supply something free that would cost them pennies at cost!

I'm starting the think about saving for a 16" home made dob. I'd need to make it 'orion optics uk' or 'obsession' style though to get it out of the house!

[Albireo380]

Interesting that Rosco72 needs an extension tube to get to focus with the 14" Flextube. I initially thought the same when i tried to focus on an object aboyt half a mile away, but under clear skies tonight I got focus with a 30mm KK, a 20mmKK, a 20mm meade series 4000 & a 16mm Nagler. Nice views of M13 and Jupiter were achieved.

I had worried about focus, and the focuser has only 4cm range of movement, so some EPs probably wont achieve focus. A small 30mm extension tube might be useful with this 'scope.

Tom

[barkis]

Congratulations on your new acquisition, it looks superb, and will no doubt perform superbly too. A lot of pleasurable nights await you, and I'm sure your reports will make envious reading.

Ron.

[Jdavies]

I like your telescope

[Rossco72]

You need to collimate each time if it's more than just widefield casual (32-40mm EP) use, but it's pretty fast with a laser once you've done it the first time

Focus with the Celestron EP's and the Meade 5000 series we had at SSP it was fine every time, so why don't the Naglers, or do you think this is just the 14" version problem?

The manual...well, I didn't get to look at it much as it got drowned first night at SSP, but I agree, having now reviewed three skywatcher products, the manuals could maybe do with "some" work

The base collapse on the 14" is tidy though...the 12" is a PITA with regard to that

After some clear skies, the following seems to be the case:

the couple of 1.25" EP's i have come to focus without an extension tube, my 2" EP's came to focus with a WO 2" extension tube inserted.

The base collapse and re-build took no longer than puting together an EQ mount and Tripod etc.

The tracking was ok but the GOTO was pretty hopeless. HOWEVER, I wasn't perhaps on the most level of ground and I would want to check this over a few sessions.

[Albireo380]

Stuart, what did your base collapse consist of? Did you undo the 8 bolts holding the sides of the Dob "box" onto the base, and lift this off as one unit, or did you dismantle the Dob box completely?

I struggle to get the assembled base unit into the back of my Vauxhall Zafira, so some disassembly may be a good move.

Let us know what you did.

Thanks

Tom

[NickH]

GOTO hopeless is a worry as the one I have is perfect...and SSP attendees will testify to that, we were hammering it that night with 270 degree slews and it was bang on...apart from solar system objects which were out by a few degrees

tracking bang on too...held jupiter in a 5X AE imagemate and 9mm ep for 16 minutes and most objects in a 16mm ep for 3 hours..

[NickH]

I also spoke to a chap today who as an EQ3-2 which wont track on RA axis, keeps jumping...unlike others with a known issue in DEC

hmmm

[GazOC]

"Jealous" isn't the word!!! I'm sure you'll iron out the problems Stuart.

[GazOC]

...apart from solar system objects which were out by a few degrees

The GOTO on my EQ6 has always been flakey on the Moon and planets. The lunar/ solar tracking seems a bit off as well.

[Rossco72]

Stuart, what did your base collapse consist of? Did you undo the 8 bolts holding the sides of the Dob "box" onto the base, and lift this off as one unit, or did you dismantle the Dob box completely?

I struggle to get the assembled base unit into the back of my Vauxhall Zafira, so some disassembly may be a good move.

Let us know what you did.

Thanks

Tom

Tom, I took all 3 sides off the base and got everything into my fiancees Peugeot 308 with the back seats down.

[Rossco72]

Tracking of stars once adjusted into the EP was ok, Jupiter was poor at higher powers as it still passed through the narrow field of view in a minute or so, obviously better than a simple manual dob but not as good as I was hoping for. However I have also been wondering if balance is an issue, I am generally using heavy Nagler and Ethos EP's, but surely the dual encoaders should just apply more correction to offset this?

[Albireo380]

Thanks Stuart. I can (just) get the base into the back of my Zafira, but only resting on its front. If upright, the base unit height (80cm) is 2cm more than the rear door of the Zafira (drat). I will try loading it as a unit a couple of times and see how it goes (although it is very heavy and cumbersome), but may fall back to your solution.

Re tracking, I found that the tracking was good at x100 for 20mins, then I started noticing a bit of drift.

The GOTO seemed reasonably accurate (but I had the base level within one degree as it was on my decking). I could GOTO to Jupiter from M13 on Friday evening and at x100 (16mm Nagler) with 0.82 degrees tFOV, Jupiter was in the FOV when slewing ceased - not central, but there.

I suspect having the base absolutely level and starting alignment with the OTA absolutely horizontal and pointing as close to North as possible is needed for reasonable GOTO accuracy. So out at a dark sky site, choosing the spot for the base to sit and ensuring it is level may be crucial.

Regards

Tom

[Moonshane]

I suspect having the base absolutely level and starting alignment with the OTA absolutely horizontal and pointing as close to North as possible is needed for reasonable GOTO accuracy. So out at a dark sky site, choosing the spot for the base to sit and ensuring it is level may be crucial.

Regards

Tom

sounds like a first mod! why not make a base board, slightly wider (by an inch or two) with adjustable feet, and get one of those mini spirit levels or sink a bubble level into it?

[Albireo380]

sounds like a first mod! why not make a base board, slightly wider (by an inch or two) with adjustable feet, and get one of those mini spirit levels or sink a bubble level into it?

Good idea Moonshane, I will scout around and see where I can get the parts.

Tom

[Moonshane]

you'd get a bubble level from astroboot for a couple of quid and the rest from a timber merchant. 3/4 inch ply and some threaded inserts/bolts from a timber merchant.

[NickH]

Tracking of stars once adjusted into the EP was ok, Jupiter was poor at higher powers as it still passed through the narrow field of view in a minute or so, obviously better than a simple manual dob but not as good as I was hoping for. However I have also been wondering if balance is an issue, I am generally using heavy Nagler and Ethos EP's, but surely the dual encoaders should just apply more correction to offset this?

Tested it with the Meade 5000 and it was fine, and also with a Celestron 16mm plossl on a 5X AE imagemate and again fine, nothing heavier though

[shaunster]

Like Nick says the GoTo on the 12 version is brilliant, and tracking is also spot on and I have never levelled the scope.

I found the instruction manual pretty well covered everything maybe the 14 requires more put together? My tube came ready assembled I did not have to mess with the mirrors?

As for your eyepeices my 31mm nagler comes to focus fine without an extenstion tube but this is in the 12" version.

I dont think balance is an issue, I have my 13mm ethos with the 2x telextender in and it holds for more than 1 minuite although i rarely use that combination due to seeing, With the 13ethos in its keeps objects in the FoV for a long time - basically they dont seem to move.

Your choice of alignment stars has a big effect on goto accuracy I have found when using my EQ6 or the goto dobs.

Im sure once you sorted these small problems out that scope will be a cracker.

[titanikk]

Hello nice compliments too little beast I am undecided between the 14 or 16 inches when weighing ote? and the base?

[Albireo380]

Hello nice compliments too little beast I am undecided between the 14 or 16 inches when weighing ote? and the base?

The base for the 14" is about 26Kgs, the OTA is about 18Kgs. The handles for carrying the base are on either side, so not well situated for a single person, more suited to being carried by two.

Tom

[titanikk]

Thanks tom of information, I thought more about the OTA only 26 pounds, the 6 EQ with weights weighs more, and the diameter of the OTA and 50 cm I think. Who knows when they will weigh ote of 16, maybe 32 33 pounds what do you think?

[perrin6]

I'm starting the think about saving for a 16" home made dob. I'd need to make it 'orion optics uk' or 'obsession' style though to get it out of the house!

Shane - I recommend the Kriege & berry book which tells you how to build an obsession-style scope (like I did), plus lots of other practical advise incl. how to make a mirror-cell, Amazon link below:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dobsonian-Telescope-Practical-Building-Telescopes/dp/0943396557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287524038&sr=1-1

Alan

[Damien]

So jealous, what a great scope. good luck with it!!!