Need help with understanding eyepieces

[Mark-keller]

Hi all I have posted this on another room so sorry about that but I'm really confused about eyepiece,

I have a cpc 925 arriving tomorrow with a 40mm eyepiece now I was going to buy a good Barlow but a member here has advised me that I don't need one for my Veiwing with this scope,but has suggested I get some different eyepieces.

So am right in thinking that if I buy a Barlow then the planets and things I wish to view will be to close ?

[John]

In your other thread I've posted some links to beginners guides to eyepieces. It's worth making a little time to give these a read otherwise some of the responses you get might confuse things even more.

Here is another very useful basic introduction. It only takes 30 mins or so to read and will help

http://www.rocketroberts.com/astro/eyepiece_basics.htm

You really won't need a barlow lens with your 9.25" schmidt-cassegrain scope - it's focal length is long enough without !

[eriksters]

well from what i've read about the telescope in the past 5 minutes is that the maximum "useful" magnification is 555x.

the eyepiece that will be provided will only give 59x.

there is realy no point in buying souch an expensive scope if you don't use it at its fullest.

If i remember correctly, amateur astronomers say that the best picture you can get is at 50% of the max (555x) so i would probably get some smaller (in terms of focal length) eyepieces.

[John]

555x will almost never be useful because the atmospheric conditions just won't allow it.

Most astro observing is done at low to medium magnfications with higher powers (180x - 270x maybe with that scope) used on the Moon, double stars and the planets.

A scope is not all about magnification. Light gathering is it's primary function.

You really need a range of 3-4 eyepieces to give you low - medium - high - highest magnifications. You select the eyepiece to use based on the sort of target you are going to view and the observing conditions. .

[John]

Mr Spock (Michael) has experience with the same scope and his suggestions of useful eyepiece focal lengths and the magnification they give are very helpful:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/240510-best-eye-pieces-i-should-buy/?p=2609061

[faulksy]

when i had mine a 9mm was about the most powerful i could go. i found the bgos great or now the bco,s . ts h-rs were very good as well as you dont need premium eps at f10 . you will love it. look foward to your pics of it

[Mark-keller]

Thanks a lot guys I will defo read the links today and take all your advice thanks again it's much appreciated