SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P (8″ Collapsible) Telescope

SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P is a great telescope for both beginners and experienced astronomers. It offers maximum aperture at this price range with a sturdy user-friendly mount. The collapsible tube is a great upgrade as it makes this heavy scope amazingly portable. Its high-quality optics make the observers joyful.

Advantages and Disadvantages of SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P

Advantages

• Collapsible ‘Flextube’ increases portability.
• The collimation is perfect.
• Easy to set up.
• The mount can move smoothly on both axes. 
• The Crayford focuser offers a smooth backlash-free motion.
• Large aperture at a low price.
• High-quality optics

Disadvantages

• Open tube reduces contrast and cannot be used for solar observation.
• Heavyweight and bulky in size.

Technical Specifications of SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P 

Optical Assembly

• Newtonian reflector with 203 mm aperture and a 1200 mm focal length making a focal ratio of  f/6. 
• Extendable optical tube.
• 2 ” Crayford single-speed focuser accepts 2 ” barrel eyepieces for wider views.
• Great optics.

Mount

• The sturdy wooden rocker-box has to be assembled by the user that takes a long time (around an hour)
• The altitude bearings are adjustable by twisting the handles.

Physical Appearance 

• The OTA is generally 9.375” in diameter, and 44 ” long. The length is 33 ” when collapsed. 
• The weight of the optical tube is 24 lbs 

Accessories of SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P 

• A 25 mm Plossl (48x) and a 10 mm Plossl (120x)
• 8 × 50 Right Angle Correct Image Finderscope 
• A dust cap with a removable secondary cap

What can you see with the SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P (8″ Collapsible) Telescope?

• The Moon and its craters.
• The phases of Mercury and Venus.
• Mars’ ice caps
• The moons of Jupiter, the Great Red Spot
• Saturn’s rings, the Cassini Division, the gap in the rings, and moons like Titan and Rhea.
• Uranus and Neptune with Triton.
• Nebula like M 42, globular cluster like M 13, double stars like Alberio and Saturn, etc.
• Brighter galaxies like M 51, M 33, M 104, M 64, M 31, and M 82.

Recommended Accessories 

• Vello T-Mount Lens to Nikon F-Mount Camera Lens Adapter
• Celestron SLR (35mm OR Digital) Camera Adapter for All Refractor and Reflector Telescopes which Accept 1.25″ Eyepieces – Requires Camera-Specific T-Mount Adapter
• Celestron NexImage 5 Solar System Imager (5MP)
• Sensei DOC-CK Deluxe Optics Care and Cleaning Kit
• Celestron Vibration Suppression Pads for Tripods
• Tele Vue Bandmate Nebustar Type II UHC Filter (2″)
• Celestron AstroMaster Accessory Kit (1.25″)
• Tele Vue Ethos 13mm Ultra Wide-Angle Eyepiece (1.25″/2″)
• A shroud 
• 2 x 1.25 ” Barlow lens/6mm Goldline 
• 15mm SVBONY wide-angle eyepiece
• A wide-angle 2 ” eyepiece 
• A nebula filter
•  Orion UltraBlock 

Astrophotography Example with SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P (8″ Collapsible)

Photo: Astrophotography with SkyWatcher 8 ″ Collapsible -The moon (Ref: Cloudy Nights)  

Photo: Astrophotography with SkyWatcher 8 ″ Collapsible -Saturn (Ref: Cloudy Nights)  

Photo: Astrophotography with SkyWatcher 8 ″ Collapsible -Venus (Ref: Cloudy Nights)  

Photo: Astrophotography with SkyWatcher 8 ″ Collapsible -Jupiter (Ref: Cloudy Nights)

Alternative Options To SkyWatcher FlexTube 200P

• Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P: Without GoTo or motors and affordable price.
• Apertura DT10: Well-designed bearing system but only one eyepiece.
• Apertura AD8 / Zhumell Z8 /Orion SkyLine 8: High-quality accessories.
• Celestron StarSense Explorer 8 ” Dobsonian: A lightweight base.
• Sky-Watcher 8” Classic Dobsonian: Lower price.
• Apertura DT8: Better altitude bearings.
• Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P: Smaller and full motorized GoTo operation.