The night the Terminagler was terminated

[swamp thing]

The date of the murder of my 31mm T5 Nagler was Friday the 24th of October. The place, the SWSP. The perpetrator of this heinous crime against eyepieces was a certain 21mm Ethos. 

I had been quite happy observing the veil with my beloved Nagler and O-III filter in my 20" Dob when a person who will remain nameless (CALVIN AKA ESTWING ) came wandering  over all innocently holding an eyepiece in his hand. He smiled knowingly and asked if I'd like to try his 21mm Ethos on the veil. I didn't see the danger and foolishly agreed to put his harmless looking piece of glass in my Dob. Calvin said very little as I went about removing the O-III filter from my Nagler, and he even helped me fit it on his Ethos. I popped it in the focuser and BANG  . This wasn't in the script, my jaw fell limp, hitting the floor with a decided thump. The Nagler  had just been handed a severe body blow and was reeling from the shock. 

Now, I've called the view with the 31mm Nagler and O-III photographic, and I will say the views through the Ethos aren't photographic....... Put simply, they're better. You are there, in space with the veil spread out in front of you. It gives the  same incredible detail as I have seen  in my 20mm Nagler but on a scale you have to see to believe. Its shocking how good this object looks. 

His job nearly done Calvin took his ethos away, and my Nagler breathed a heavy sigh of relief, as I carried on observing some other objects and recovering from the shock of what just happened. Little did I know he would be back.......

M42 cleared the trees and made its way up into the sky. I could hear it gently calling out for the 20" Dobs first look at it. I was swinging the Dob into position when who should appear......Yeah Calvin with his ethos. "Wanna try this again?" he laughed. Foolishly I agreed.

We screwed a UHC filter in, and I popped it in the focuser. Errr.......err......err Dunno what to say. Ive been observing a long time and nothing prepared me for this view. I can't even begin to describe the detail, the giant field of the ethos is alight with glowing gas. You can not only actually see where the trapezium stars are blowing the gas away from around them but it feels like you could fall in there. Its the sheer scale the ethos and the 3D effect it gives that is mind blowing. Trying other eyepieces was pointless the 31mm was stone dead. The comparison was a no brainer. The 21mm ethos had murdered it.

We even tried Cals 13mm ethos......nah. that went straight back in the case, relegated as not even worthy of taking on the big 21mm here. In my 20" Dob the 21mm ethos would quite simply murder any eyepiece on these objects. As my mind starts to now wander as to what it could achieve on objects like the Omega, the Lagoon and others, I believe the big Nagler is finished.

My 31mm T5 now sits cold and dead in my eyepiece case. Terminated.

[bingevader]

Excellent! Just pop it in the post, I'll be happy to take it off your hands. 

[Scooot]

I was only wondering today what ethos I'd get if I was going to get one. I'm beginning to wish I hadn't read this. -

Great write up!

[RikM]

My condolences to your wallet Steve 

[Astro Imp]

What a sad end to a faithful servant 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I tried Olly's 13mm ethos against my 12T4. The latter only survived due to longer eye relief. A narrow escape for my entire Nagler set.

[DirkSteele]

The 21mm Ethos had the same impact on me.  Remarkable EP.  Truly the crown jewel in the wide field universe.

[Scott]

It was this very same Calvin estwing that showed me what I'd been missing when he popped one of his ethos eps into (either simonfromessex or rustysplits) 14 or 16" dob at herstmonseaux a cuople of years ago. I'm sure he does it on purpose

[Daniel-K]

not only did it kill steve 31 its completely made me rethink. i was using cals 13ethos and after i thought i'll pop in the 12mm T4    its rendered it useless. steves reaction to the veil was a belter language that can not be put here but im sure the residents in cardiff could here the profanities

[estwing]

Haha just think last week I thought about getting a 31 nag...I kid you not folks it was simply the best night with a scope mine and Steve's dobs pointed up and the photons didn't stand a chance...we live for views like that...crackin read mate!

[swamp thing]

I tried Olly's 13mm ethos against my 12T4. The latter only survived due to longer eye relief. A narrow escape for my entire Nagler set.

My 12mm T4 is safe. The 13mm ethos just doesn't have the same effect on me as this 21mm has........luckily

[Adrian]

Thank goodness for that: From the title I thought you'd dropped it! 

I intend to never look through a 100 degree eyepiece...ever 

[happy-kat]

Really enjoyed the read

[Scooot]

I wonder how it compares with the 26mm nagler? The field stops almost the same so I presume the FOV is about the same. Presumably contrast would be better because of the magnification, and the exit pupil would be a bit smaller as well. I'd guess the 21mm ethos is better but by how much? Is there a thread comparing them does anyone know.

[Davey-T]

I purchased 31mm T5 many years ago and more recently 21mm Ethos, but still can't bring myself to sell the 31mm, sort of attached to it now

Dave

[John]

Great report Steve

Once you have experienced something like that it sticks in your mind and is hard to shake off

I purchased 31mm T5 many years ago and more recently 21mm Ethos, but still can't bring myself to sell the 31mm, sort of attached to it now

Dave

Yes, thats exactly my situation. I thought the 31mm Nagler would be come redundant but I still really enjoy using it. It frames the Veil complex better with my ED102 Vixen than the 21mm Ethos does.

Both pretty impressive eyepieces.

[Stu]

Great read Steve, I'd love to view the Veil through a really decent sized scope.

I'm the same as Dave though. I have both 21 and 31 and can't get rid of the 31, there are times when that little extra fov is worth it, but I agree, the 21 is a corker!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[swamp thing]

I wonder how it compares with the 26mm nagler? The field stops almost the same so I presume the FOV is about the same. Presumably contrast would be better because of the magnification, and the exit pupil would be a bit smaller as well. I'd guess the 21mm ethos is better but by how much? Is there a thread comparing them does anyone know.

Ive used the 26mm Nagler a few times and its a truly lovely eyepiece but it doesn't compare to this.  Its the way the ethos just pushes you inside an object like you are actually there is just breathtaking.  The Nagler whilst superb just can't do this.

[m.tweedy]

Ive used the 26mm Nagler a few times and its a truly lovely eyepiece but it doesn't compare to this.  Its the way the ethos just pushes you inside an object like you are actually there is just breathtaking.  The Nagler whilst superb just can't do this.

The E21 seems to get better the more you use it. Clarity, contrast, lack of scatter and relaxing "into" it. I have had mine since they came out and probably now just starting to see its full capabilities. Have you tried looking all the way across its field of view-wow. It covers everything from galaxies to nebulae (both types) with ease.

Yes it is my favourite eyepiece.

[KevUU]

The view of the veil was utterly breathtaking, I couldn't believe it. It was the first time I'd seen the Veil (or any other of this sort of wide nebula) and it was just phenomenal. Despite my lack of knowledge/experience, when Steve swapped the Ethos out and put his Nagler in the difference was very obvious - don't get me wrong it was still a stonking view, but nowhere near as immersive as the Ethos.

Very odd to see someone so upset at having seen such a wonderful view Steve, but one someone explained the cost involved I understood the annoyance!

I was still well chuffed with the view of the Veil from my own scope later on, but I won't soon forget the view through the big blue circus cannon :-)

[uhb1966]

Omg ... an eyepiece that has the price of 50 percent of my gear!!!

[nicoscy]

I have both the E21 and N31. The N31 is a finder eyepiece in my Dob or when there is an object that I need better framing, but the E21 is simply a stunner.

The N31 yields 1.74 degrees TFOV and the E21 1.5 degrees TFOV, but the N31 is nearly at the limit of my exit pupil. In a few years I guess I may part with it unless it suits another telescope at the time.

Before you sell the N31, do consider if the extra FOV of the N31 may come in handy for some objects. I know, it is mostly a sentimental issue with the N31 and I am in the same quandary myself, but like you, I have *issues* letting go of this eyepiece.

[alan potts]

I was even thinking of getting rid of mine because I rarely use it, I think it was Calvin or may be John that said in a thread the 21mm would be superb in the 18 inch when I get it, that was the only thing that stopped me selling it. After your report I have to have a look, don't I ?

[nicoscy]

The higher the focal length, the less of a difference in focal length arises between the two eyepieces, but the 21E provides a more useful exit pupil overall due to higher magnification.

In my OO12" it's a difference of 0.25 degrees TFOV. In the ST120 it is 0.47 degrees and in the upcoming Moonraker 60 it will be 0.79 degrees.

On a 18" (don't know the FL so I will assume for argument's sake f4.5) the difference is 0.17 degrees TFOV (1.19 Vs 1.02) but the N31 gives 6.89mm exit pupil Vs 4.67 for the E21

Damn! This discussion is making me re-evaluate the need for a N31!!!!! I KNOW I don't need it "really" but I have an issue letting go of anything which is green colour and looks like a grenade!

[swamp thing]

I was even thinking of getting rid of mine because I rarely use it, I think it was Calvin or may be John that said in a thread the 21mm would be superb in the 18 inch when I get it, that was the only thing that stopped me selling it. After your report I have to have a look, don't I ?

No mate, sell it to me