Orion SPX

[Fay]

Well I got my Orion 200 F4.5 SPX today. Bit taken aback by the size. It is in the living room where I have been giving it glances all night!

Have put the guide rings & plate on & tried the WO ZS66 in them.
Have not tried it on the mount, as it has been quite windy outside & I am not that familiar with its size & weight to rush outside & set it up. Can imagine it falling to the ground. I will do it tomorrow & take my time. Have been very busy all day today, anyway, so a bit tired.
Will post a picture when set up.

Then....................hope to get some galaxies!!!!!!!

[Tony G]

Good Luck Fay.

We wait in anticipation. 

Tony G

[Mike]

Take some pictures Fay.

[RobertM]

That's great Fay, hope you didn't stay up too long admiring it ! Of course having bought a new scope we'll be expecting Thunder and rain for the next few weeks but I'll forgive you

I'm looking forward to that first light image so I hope we don't have to wait too long.

Robert

[Fay]

I hope so too Robert. The fly in the ointment may be if I have to collimate straight away!!!!! Would not like to loosen the wrong screws!!!!!!!

[Tony G]

The fly in the ointment

Fay,

I had a spider in mine, which eventually led to the scope coming apart to retrieve the little blighter, which didn't go down to well with the collimation of the scope when re-assembled. Still Robert sorted that for me last night.
Thanks again Robert.
Good luck Fay, and hope you don't have to do any collimating.

Tony G

[Mike]

......we'll be expecting Thunder and rain for the next few weeks .......

...and indeed we have RAIIINNN !!!!

[Fay]

I have set the Orion up, in the living room, but it looks like my 2 Skywatcher weights are not heavy enough.

The scope is top heavy, to the left, at the moment, with finderscope & WO fixed on. I will move it back in the cradle and rotate the tube to the right a bit.

[Fay]

Ok, I have moved the tube quite low in the cradle & turned it to the right a bit & it seems ok. The finder scope & focuser are now on the right.

It is ok without the WO on top, but they are quite heavy little scopes & make a bit of difference to the overall weight.

Have moved it with the handcontrol.

[Fay]

Details: Orion 200 SPX F4.5, Hi Lux reflectivity coating, larger primary mirror, precision 10: 1 reduction drive focuser.
Well, set up in living room yesterday, but balancing was a problem. Setup again in garden, today, & thanks to invaluable advice from Robert, to put the focuser underneath pointing to the weights, it has balanced with all equipment & cables on.

Guess which picture shows a near disaster..........................not too good an idea to set up under a tree......................good job cover was on............oh the air was bluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue!!!!!

[JohnP]

Oooooo... nice & shiney - I think you should get yourself a white camera though so all the colours match

It looks like you have taken the safety screw for the weights off so you can push them down a little further? If this is so I would highly recommending putting it back & buying yourself another (or larger weight) - The last thing you want in the depths of night is a weight falling off & either doing serious damage to you or your scope as it whizzes around the mount...! I can imagine what you said about the bird poop...

Can't wait to see your first light - setup looks very pro. RU going to consider a more permanent setup now - looks like it could be hard work taking this lot up & down all the time?

John

[Fay]

You have got good eyes John, regarding the weight safety screw. Yes, I will have to do something about it, it made a differeence.

Regarding putting it up & taking down, I have not been spoilt & am getting well trained in the job!!!!!!!

Where can I pick up another weight? It would be a bit expensive to send through the post? I do have some lightweight one's Tony gave me, they are for the WO when it is on the mount on it's own. A couple of them may do the trick.

[JohnP]

Yes - I think they would work OK - just try it & see - It doesn't look like it needs much extra. Other thing is perhaps contact telescope house or Bern - you could always go & pick one up. Leaving the safety screw off is a definite N0-NO!!!

John

[Fay]

will sort that John. Telescope house would be good, as I can pick it up. I wonder if they do  lighter one's

[JohnP]

You can pick up from Bern as well & he is a lot closer.....