Some questions about my SkyWatcher Explorer 200

[Andrew*]

My new scope's a beauty, and I almost successfully collimated it just now, but a few questions have arisen:

1. I need the right allen keys for collimation of the primary. 3/32" works great for the secondary, but 7/64" is too small for the primary. I didn't have a 2.5mm (the next size up) to try, but I think this would be perfect. I just don't see why one would be an imperial measurement and the other metric.

2. It's clear why the cover of the open tube has a hole off centre, but I can't work out for the life of me why it has a "mock" hole on the opposite side. If this was a real hole, it would be ideal as a hartman mask, but since it's covered, it's totally pointless. Is there a reason why the thing is there?

3. When trying to find an object in an area of sky with few bright stars, I find navigation with the 9x50 very difficult. How would you advise I attach an RDF? Is this sturdy enough for the job? http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/finder/universal-finder-mounting-plate/universal.html

I know it's not the norm to ask three questions at once, but I don't want to clog up the place with 3 new posts. Hope you can help me out here!

Cheers a lot.

Andrew

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

1. All the screws are metric, so you should get some proper Allen keys , the ones that look like screwdrivers are best - see Magicians post from a week or two back.

2. No idea, seems silly to me too.

3. Looks like it will work fine.

Captain Chaos

[macusermike]

Hi my Skywatcher 250 has a lens cover the same. Its not a "mock" hole it is actually a holder for the removable cover. You push it over the holder so it doesn't get lost out in the field. My skywatcher was already collimated when I bought it. Straight out of the box and into the garden. I must have been lucky? ;-)

[Andrew*]

Hi my Skywatcher 250 has a lens cover the same. Its not a "mock" hole it is actually a holder for the removable cover. You push it over the holder so it doesn't get lost out in the field. My skywatcher was already collimated when I bought it. Straight out of the box and into the garden. I must have been lucky? ;-)

Thanks mike. It's still annoying!

[proflight2000]

hey thats lucky astro, i nearly used mine to put the eyepiece into...only joking, but great question, i was wondering what that hole was for, good for helping to get the front cover off though.

[The Warthog]

Hi my Skywatcher 250 has a lens cover the same. Its not a "mock" hole it is actually a holder for the removable cover. You push it over the holder so it doesn't get lost out in the field. My skywatcher was already collimated when I bought it. Straight out of the box and into the garden. I must have been lucky? ;-)

Give the man a prize! I figured it was there to give you some purchase to remove the cover, as the other one just comes off and leaves the cover on the scope. :insects1: I shall have to remember to put the cover on the holder in future!