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.