Sky-Watcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian

[starscy]

Would this be a good telescope for grab and go? Does anyone have more information about its focuser?

[bish]

Should be good for a grab n go. My 150p was very portable except for messing around with the EQ3, which you wont have to worry about. Although no doubt people using an EQ6 would see the EQ3 as grab n go.

[starscy]

What type and size is the focuser?

[NGC 1502]

I think I'd contact SGLs sponsors, First Light Optics. They sell this scope

and will know exactly what focuser is currently supplied. Great value for

money at £179.

Regards, Ed.

[starscy]

I never seem to get an answer quickly from the forum sponsors, so I will wait for one here instead.

[iamjulian]

They answer the phones, but they seem to be too busy for email sometimes. Just my impression from personal experience.

According to Astronomia, it is a 2" focuser with a 1.25" adapter. And it is rack and pinion type.

[sixela]

All the ones I've seen shipped in 2009 had a Crayford focuser, even though most of the photos on the sales literature still have the old R&P.

In the CN review here the focuser is also mentioned as being a Crayford one.

[FLO]

... it is a 2" focuser with a 1.25" adapter. And it is rack and pinion type.

It is not Rack & Pinion. Sixela is right, the Skyliner 150p is fitted with a 2-inch Crayford focuser with the usual 1.25-inch adapter.

HTH,

Steve

[FLO]

Would this be a good telescope for grab and go? ...

If you can store it in a shed or garage where it will always be at ambient temperature then yes, it would make a good grab-and-go telescope. If it must be stored indoors then you will need to take it outside and allow up to around one hour for its mirror to cool down before use.

HTH,

Steve

[sixela]

If you don't have a fan, but adapting a fan to blow on the back of the primary mirror doesn't take that much effort, and I find that these are usually ready to "go" after 20-25 minutes once you've done that. But yes, it isn't grab and go the way an 80-90mm refractor can be.

[starscy]

How portable is this dobsonian? Can it be carried out assembled or optical tube and base separately?

[NGC 1502]

If you are reasonably fit, a 150p dob can be carried with tube and mount

together as a unit. But if you have any stairs to negotiate, then I would

separate tube & mount.

Grab & go ? I think it is. Put it out to cool, go back indoors to get your

extra layers on, find your eyepiece box etc, by the time you are back outside

the scope will be ok for low power use while you wait for full cooldown.

As mentioned above, the following would be a good idea, if poss :-

Storing the scope in an unheated place, or adding a fan for the primary

would make it even more grab & go.

HTH, Ed.

[CGolder]

Just to chuck something else in there u will probably find the 8" is just as grab and go as the 6" but is better value (nearly the same price). the scopes have the same footprint and tube length and only a slight increase in weight.

I had the 6". I thought it was a super scope but its a bit of a misfit, 2 more inches gives that extra performance with little extra cost or wieght, or go down to a heritage 130p losing 1" and gaining masses of portability.

[starscy]

How do you use the a Heritage 130P? Do you put in on a table? It does not sound very practical.

[CGolder]

I guess it depends if you have a garden table

[sixela]

How do you use the a Heritage 130P? Do you put in on a table?

Or a ledge that's already there where you observe, or a crate, or...

Yes, it's not very practical if you compare that to a 150mm Dob. You basically need two things that look like a chair, one for you and one for the scope, and the one for the scope needs to be stable. On a 6" f/8 Dob you just need a chair for you.

On the other hand once you do have a setup that is comfortable with a 130mm Heritage, the eyepiece height changes a lot less, while 6" Dobs will have you standing but bent, sitting and crouched depending on what exactly you are observing.

I've been known to observe seated on the ground with tabletop scopes (they're actually quite comfortable that way). But only in summer, and not in my Sunday suit .

[bcfcciderhead]

I have the 200p dob i find it very easy as a grab and go scope, the site i observe at is about a 2 mile drive, i put the dob base in the boot (ford mondeo) and ota on the back seat, put it in the car about an hour before i go to aid in cooling, and it's only a 2min set up time, but to be honest i think any bigger then the 200p would not be a grab and go