PanaView 2" 32mm, thank you FLO...

[eyepod]

For a while now I've been looking for a new eyepiece. I wanted something wide angle for my 200p Dob to help locate those difficult to find DSO's. Just had a look on FLO's clearance section and bagged a customer return 32mm 2" Panaview for £59.

Hopefully I've made the right choice...?

and the weather looks good for the next few weeks....

happy days

Jason

[John]

You will really love the views through that one Jason especially as the nights start getting darker again

[Charic]

Under the right conditions the Panaview is a nice EP. It's more apparent from a darker sky, the darker the better. Its fairly big too.

I chose the 32mm to best see M31, and from my darker site, just perfect.

[rwilkey]

Hi Jason, you have made a great choice there and what a price!  The PanaView 32mm works very well with the 200P, you will love it.

[hgjevans]

Just had a look on FLO's clearance section and bagged a customer return 32mm 2" Panaview for £59.

Well, that settled an argument I'd been having with my wallet all yesterday afternoon, since I saw the advert.  In truth, I think I was losing the argument - a bit too much light pollution here, and I'm not sure I'd really get the benefit of it. Hope it works for you though.

[i consoled myself by starting another argument, and this time I won. I've just ordered the pair of 15x70 binoculars I've wanted for a while.     ]

[Charic]

Its a pity you lost out.

The Panaview works well from my location as a wide view EP, even with some street lighting, , but like everything else, given the right conditions and darker skies, its so much better.

My first look at M31 Andromeda was pants visually, but the fact I could just see a dirty smudge meant something. Then I visited a darker site, and the stock 25mm was now, too narrow. The 60°25mm BST improved things, but still not wide enough. I wonder what 82°and above would offer but the 70° Panaview is a good EP.

I wonder how many folk are losing out on the potential/abilitiy of their scopes, simply due to the conditions alone. My scope is ok from my garden, so much better away from home, but obviously a transport issue for some folk.

[John]

Its a pity you lost out.

My first look at M31 Andromeda was pants visually, but the fact I could just see a dirty smudge meant something. Then I visited a darker site, and the stock 25mm was now, too narrow. The 60°25mm BST improved things, but still not wide enough. I wonder what 82°and above would offer but the 70° Panaview is a good EP.

Even with my 31mm Nagler and my 663mm focal length ED102 refractor I can't quite fit the whole of M31 in the field of view. That combination gives a 3.8 degree wide chunk of sky - nearly 8x the diameter of the full moon.

[Charic]

Absolutely John. I believed the hype about how good this 8" telescope is , and its capabilities, but I was a little dismayed when M31 came into view, considering its a naked eye target for some folk! But at the right place, time and conditions, no wonder its very popular telescope, and yes, Im sure a bigger fov could be an asset, to squeeze in a little more. Maybe on my next scope? I hope to view through the 10"/12" this Year. Then further decide my actions.

Apart from weather related and just poor seeing conditions, oh! and daylight here at 2230 BST, I think I have a great system, just the image scale of what Im looking at is small.

[John]

M31 is naked eye for me on a decent night but I don't find it the most interesting galaxy to observe even with my 12" dob. The best view I've actually had of it and it's companions was with my 102mm F/6.5 refractor and the Nagler under a really dark sky. Some say big binoculars show better views than scopes of M31.

M81 and M82, M51 and the Leo Triplets are more interesting galaxies to observe IMHO. I found Markarian's Chain of galaxies in Virgo at the SGL star party in March. 10+ galaxies in the same field of view takes some beating

None of the above are huge objects individually (apart from the Chain) so you can use, say, 150x - 200x to examine individual galaxies in detail.

[bingevader]

Splendid purchase at a great price!

You will not be disappointed.

[eyepod]

Well, that settled an argument I'd been having with my wallet all yesterday afternoon

Yes, I've been there a few times, I blame that "clearance" area on FLO's website do not go browsing on there after a few glasses of wine and the credit card within easy reach.!

Thanks for your comments everyone, looking forward to using this eyepiece

Jason