Skyliner 150p

[Spod!]

Hi all,

Been reading around this forum for a couple days now and decided to register.

Just got a new Skyliner 150p after so many years (last telescope I had was when I was just a kid!). Gave it a whirl yesterday, pointed it at Jupiter as any closer planet was a bit too low and couldn't get a clear view. Needless to say I was impressed with the quality of it! I then got thinking "would be good if it was a slightly larger image", and so I was wondering if anyone can recommend a good Barlow Lens to use with this telescope?

Thanks all!

[Xiionn]

For use with the standard eyepeices that came with the scope? If so, i would consider buying a decent high power EP instead. Even a decent barlow used with the standard EPs isnt going to be great! What EPs have you got, a 10mm and 20mm type thing?

[ronin]

Skyliner 150 says it is a 1200mm focal length and f/7.84, also says you should have a 10mm and a 25mm.

The 10mm will give 120x which is I suggest pretty good for Jupiter, assuming that the fianl image is good.

So a little difficult.

Assuming you have a 10mm then try an 8mm, plossl (around £30) or something like the BST 8mm £49. Will say I am thinking in 2mm steps.

Then the next option is something like the WO 6mm SPL (planetary) think they are £79.

There are the Celestron X-Cels which come out in 9mm and 7mm.

In the plossl line 365Astro do GSO plossls at £28, Skys the Limit do a range at £24 (their premium plossls).

Skys the Limit also are the ones that sell the BST's.

365 Astro also do a range of planetary eyepieces under the Lacetera brand, at £38.50.

Assuming that you have a 10mm then you are looking at an 8mm as a first step, that would produce 150x.

A 6mm will produce 200x and you may find the jump in magnification, 8mm to 6mm, too big.

I would not consider a 5mm eyepiece as being of any use.

[Spod!]

Thanks for the info, thats correct the 150p comes with 10mm and 25mm. So would you recommend getting better eye pieces first?

[Xiionn]

Definately. Ronin pretty much summed up your options with eyepeices! If its planetary viewing you are after, then you really want a decent EP. I would be leaning you towards either the Baader BCO (Baader classic orthoscopic) line, which get good reviews and there is a 6mm EP, The BST eyepeices are well known to be excellent. I have the 12mm, they do a 5mm and an 8mm...but if you have a 10 and want significantly more mag, then you wont be happy with an 8mm. I have a 6mm on my older 60mm refractor and its good even with the barlow on it. My 150 refractor would probably look awful with that mag.

[Spod!]

Sounds good, appreciate the advice. I presume the eyepieces in question are the ones below? I will probably take your advice and go for the 6mm.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-classic-ortho-bco-eyepiece.html

[Xiionn]

That's the one. You might want to check eye reliefs on any EP if you wear glasses though, before i foget to mention it!

[Astro Imp]

That's the one. You might want to check eye reliefs on any EP if you wear glasses though, before i foget to mention it!

I have just been reading this thread and eye relief came straight to mind. To explain for any newcomers eye relief is the distance behind the eye lens the eyepiece produces an image. Plossls although good eyepieces do suffer with short eye relief at shorter focal lengths. You can reckon that the eye relief is about 65/70% of the focal length of the eyepiece. For those of us who need to use glasses about 12mm/14mm is the least relief we need, preferably a bit more.

[Spod!]

Decided to go for the 6mm, its getting delivered in a few days!

In the mean time I decided to attach my Canon 1200D to my new scope and grab a shot of the moon tonight. Turned out decent for my first attempt at astrophotography!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xtf1/t31.0-8/11161714_10153098314083889_851193629024706945_o.jpg

[Dave In Vermont]

Great image, Spod!, And Alan has hit the nail on the head regards eye-relief. For high-magnification of planters in my 127mm F/9.3 refractor, I am partial to orthoscopic EP's. To my eye, they have the best ability to eek out that extra bit of contrast. But you pay for that with having to have the lens almost on your eyeball! It takes some getting used to.

Clear & Sharp Skies,

Dave

[Spod!]

So, my 6mm eyepiece came today and was looking forward to tonight to give it a shot... Only to find there isnt a single bit of clear sky at the minute, and weekend forcast is more of the same! Oh well, guess i'll have to wait and see what Monday is like!

[Xiionn]

Let me know how the 5mm is, I'm looking at one myself. Id be pretty interested to find out how easy it is to use, and how you find the comfort and eyerelief.

[Spod!]

I finally had a chance to try out the 6mm Baader eyepiece tonight (albeit only about half an hour till the clouds started rolling in). Impressed with the quality so far, Jupiter was clearer again! The image is still quite small though, am i able to get a larger image through the use of a Barlow with this EP too? (Sorry, kind of a newbie when it comes to this!)

Took a couple more photos with my 1200D tonight too... The second one was the best i could get (again, new when it comes to this!)

http://i.imgur.com/Lfrwsvk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XSd9Pjy.jpg

[Dom1961]

A higher mag will require very stable conditions and the object in the view will move out of the eyepiece very quickly, also you'll start sacrificing the image quality for the size after a point