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32mm eyepiece?

DazC

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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Just tossing in a general comment here:

How well different objects appear in your scope depends largely (apart from "seeing" conditions) on the focal length of the scope.

Refractors generally have long tubes and focal lengths (900mm+). This type of scope is ideal for observing planets. I find with this type of scope that the best magnification to be had is with a 8-10mm EP (9mm is bang on for me).

Reflector/SCT scopes tend to have shorter tubes and shorter focal lengths (450-650mm). This type of scope is better for observing fainter objects then planets (such as Nebulae,galaxies). When observing these objects you really dont want too high of a magnification because the objects are very large in size in the FOV of the scope(at high magnifications) ,so you want to take a step back and appreciate the views more.

I find that an EP of say 12-15 (maybe even 20mm) is great for this.

The beauty of a 30-32mm EP is that no matter what type of scope you have, it allows you to see a pretty good patch of the sky under low magnification and you can slowly scan around the night sky and when you hit upon something of interest you will detect it and know something is there and then you can increase the magnification (by inserting a higher powered EP accordingly) until you get the view you want.

I love my 30mm EP (Vixen NPL). I used to have a 32mm GSO (it was my favourite EP........til i dropped it). I'd spend hours taking a casual stroll around the universe with it and when i detected a "faint fuzzy", i'd stop and increase the magnification and be rewarded with lovely views of nebulae and galaxies.

What's my point?

Everyone who uses manual scopes (or maybe even has a manual scope in their collection but mainly uses "Go-To") really should have a low powered EP such as a 30-32mm EP.

For myself and this hobby, a low power 30-32mm EP really is the work horse of my EP collection.

Even now that i am using a "Go-To" system, i still love the wide FOV that such an EP gives.

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Catweazel

Catweazel

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Thanks very much for that Paul. That is what I was hoping to hear, as it seemed to make sense re other things I had read. I also read a lot of opinion about 5mm EP's being best to get close ups on planets, but with a 1000mm 120 refractor (scope is f8.33), you think 10mm would be high powered enough then? I guess that if I get a 32mm & 2x barlow, I could always use the barlow with the 10mm and find out that way :D

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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Thanks very much for that Paul. That is what I was hoping to hear, as it seemed to make sense re other things I had read. I also read a lot of opinion about 5mm EP's being best to get close ups on planets, but with a 1000mm 120 refractor (scope is f8.33), you think 10mm would be high powered enough then? I guess that if I get a 32mm & 2x barlow, I could always use the barlow with the 10mm and find out that way :D

In my opinion................a refractor of focal length 1000mm and aperture of 120mm, in conjunction with a 10 mm EP is brilliant for planets.

You can even push the boat out and go for 8mm EP.

My main refractor is only 90mm aperture (f11) and the views were amazing.

On the same scope i would never dip below 6mm, and that was reserved for the moon on nights of exceptional "seeing".

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Nastyness

Nastyness

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I love my 30mm EP (Vixen NPL). I used to have a 32mm GSO (it was my favourite EP........til i dropped it).

Just ordered myself the 30mm Vixen NPL...it was a toss up between that and the 32mm GSO. Having used both, which would you say if your preferred?

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  • 3 months later...
LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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I finally went for the GSO 32mm.

Absolutely amazing, i don't regret it one bit.

A good quality ep.

D.C

I think you made the right choice. As much as i love the NPL's (and i DO love them), i have to say that the 32mm GSO is the best "widefield" EP i have ever used. Mine came as part of the Celestron Eye-opener EP kit.

To me it just feels like when you look into it that you are sucked into the cosmos and there is nothing else around you. Its very immersive. I dont get that same feeling/experience with the 30mm NPL.

I dropped my 32mm and cracked the lens and thats when i changed to the NPL's because i wanted something similar (30-32mm,1.25" and 50 degree AFOV) and bought one second hand from a fellow SGL member.

The 32mm really is the "work horse" in an EP collection. Its fantastic for scanning the skies until you come across something of interest and then you slowly change the EP's and increase the magnification til you are on the money. Its even lovely to use while observing planets such as Jupiter because its a nice wide view and you get all 4 moons in the same FOV and its very relaxing just to be immersed in that view.

Sorry...................i waffle, but its only because of my fondness for the 32mm GSO.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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Just ordered myself the 30mm Vixen NPL...it was a toss up between that and the 32mm GSO. Having used both, which would you say if your preferred?

The 30mm NPL (all NPL's for that matter) give better contrast. The views are even slightly sharper then with the GSO. Fantastic EP. As i explained above, my reason for preferring the 32mm GSO over the 30mm NPL is simply because i dont (in my mind) get the same immersive feeling/experience as i did with the GSO.

Now i only have the 30mm NPL, it has become my "work horse" and i wouldnt be without it.

In summary:

You really can not and will not go wrong with either EP.

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c3po

c3po

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I'm again having to hold a hand up for the GSO Revelation 32mm. Without a doubt, it is the most used plossl in my ep box, simply great for scanning about trying to locate targets before dropping to a higher mag, and then there's using the 32mm to view the Globular clusters and, of course, Pleiades.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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I'm again having to hold a hand up for the GSO Revelation 32mm. Without a doubt, it is the most used plossl in my ep box, simply great for scanning about trying to locate targets before dropping to a higher mag, and then there's using the 32mm to view the Globular clusters and, of course, Pleiades.

Its a great EP,aint it.

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tjr

tjr

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Another vote here for the GSO 32mm. I was um-ing and ah-ing over this and the 30mm NPL a while ago, but the lower magnification and slightly wider FOV of the GSO swung it for me. it's a great EP for 'sweeping the skies' without breaking the bank, plus it gives great sharp views.

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David JM

David JM

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I have a 32mm in the Revelation astro set I bought after I purchased my 'scope, a NexStar 4SE. I've not yet seen a 40mm 1.25" eyepiece.

I use the 32mm to get M81 & M82 in the same FOV and to take pics with a Canon PowerShot A40 of the sun and moon. I find it offers about the same FOV as when I put my Canon EOS500D at prime focus.

The focal length of the 4SE is 1320mm, f ratio of 13, magnification with a 32mm eyepiece 41 1/4.

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