First of all hello everyone!
Picked up my 8" Skywatcher Dob today and assembled in no more than 30mins. Very simple to assemble. The only things that disappointed me was that supposedly it should have included a rubber o-ring for the finder scope which it didnt, and locking screws for the pri mirror (I think) which were absent also. Also one of the blades on the spider was slightly bent which I was able to straighten up with slight pressure.
Also picked up some colour filters (red, yellow, orange, green), an Acute Imager and a 17mm and 40mm EP. There were no 2x barlows available, but I hope to get one this week when stock arrives.
After a quick and nervous collimation adjusting the pri mirror I was satisfied that the collimation was acceptable for first use and was ready to try out my new toy eagerly awaiting the cloud cover to clear up.
Soon as it got dark and the moon was clear of the tree in my back yard the viewing began.
Started with trying all different EP's(10mm, 17mm, 25mm, 40mm) and getting used to the rotation and slewing of the scope and mount.
WOW, staring at the moon in the 10mm eyepiece left me awestruck. I had no idea what to expect and I was simply amazed!
Then followed Mars, the Orion nebula and star clusters to the south. Wow!
A good 1-2 hour session before the clouds built up and I was very pleased.Cant wait for the 2x Barlow.
A few questions I have:
1) Has anyone tried the Acuter Imager? I tried it out but could never get a focused image. I was using the extender piece that came with it which may have been the problem(should have used the shorter piece).
Tip: Vista did not like running the software(PhotoLib2002) until I changed compatibility mode to Windows 98, then it worked without a hitch.
2) Should the Skywatcher Dob include locking screws on the pri mirror? All I have are 3 adjustable screws.
3) The allen key bolts on the sec. mirror were very tight and I was quite afraid to try and loosen them and try to improve the collimation.
Ive seen some people say do not touch the sec. mirror and only adjust the pri mirror. Is this true? If so why?
4) As the Dob is more so point and view, are there any recommended addons/finder accessories,mods etc?
Thanks!
