Baader Morpheus 76° Wide-field Eyepieces

[Grant_FLO]

The new Baader Morpheus eyepieces are creating quite a stir!

They are scheduled for launch September but we have a set here for assessment and have just finished photographing them for our website (including a 360º tour)
 


Baader have a reputation for clever design (please see our website for features and specification) but what most impresses us is the thought and enthusiasm that has gone into the viewing experience. Baader clearly don’t want their Morpheus range to be just another super-wide-angle eyepiece. In particular, they have concluded the subjective 'spacewalk' feeling is not only a function of field of view. Some wide-field eyepieces, they say, with fields of 82 degrees fail to deliver the same viewing experience as others with similar fields, or even some with smaller fields! Eye-relief (and the related large eye lens size) and ease of viewing (a combination of long eye relief and control of aberrations) also play a part. With this in mind Baader have designed the Morpheus series. They are confident they will offer a more 'immersive' viewing experience than any other SWA eyepiece, and even some UWA models.

[DRT]

I need to un-subsrcibe from these announcements - it's all just too tempting!

Those belt pouches are a stroke of genius.

[John]

They look lovely in that photo

I agree with Baader, large eye lenses and comfortable eye relief create the feel of immersiveness just as much, if not more, than a very large apparent field of view. 76 degrees is an interesting AFoV becuse it straddles what has traditionally been known as the "wide angle" and "ultra wide angle" niches. Smart move by Baader I think as they could gain custom from those who have decided that they are more comfortable with ~68-70 degree fields

They also seem to be challenging the Tele Vue Delos head on with their choice of focal lengths but are available for around £100 less apiece. If they perform as well as the early reports suggest they could fly off FLO's stock shelves

[John]

.....76 degrees is an interesting AFoV becuse it straddles what has traditionally been known as the "wide angle" and "ultra wide angle" niches. Smart move by Baader I think as they could gain custom from those who have decided that they are more comfortable with ~68-70 degree fields

I've just noticed that Baader themselves (or FLO maybe ?) have now coined the phase "Super Wide Angle" for the Morpheus range

[FLO]

I've just noticed that Baader themselves (or FLO maybe ?) have now coined the phase "Super Wide Angle" for the Morpheus range

That was me, I have always referred to eyepieces with around 70-degrees FOV as Super-Wide-Angle (about the widest our eyes can see in one view, without tilting our neck to peer into the edges) and 80+ degrees Ultra-Wide-Angle. I admit I was in a quandary when 100-degree eyepieces were released and I am really not sure what to call the ES 120-degree eyepiece... 

Personally, I favour SWA eyepieces. It just makes sense (to me) to use an eyepiece that places all the available light in a field that most closely matches our eye. But perhaps I am being old-fashioned and need to revise my designations.... Or drop them altogether. 

Steve

[Dude_with_the_tube]

looks nice and 169 a piece is not a bank breaker.Very tempted but will need a pair for binos and then there are De-Lites too....

[FLO]

I don't think visual astronomers have ever had it this good. large aperture Dobsonians and remarkably good eyepieces at affordable prices. Now if we could just persuade the government to turn off the streetlights around midnight-3am. Oops! Strayed into politics! 

Steve

[Stu]

They look fantastic I must say , very tempting! Very similar weights too so it makes keeping scope balance much easier, parfocal too.

Looking forward to John's review!

[cotterless45]

Very tempting indeed ! Good name. Are we expecting Neo and Trinity !

Nicko.

[damnut]

Hmm, did not get on with the Hyperions, so need to be convinced.

[spaceboy]

They sure are some bold claims to be making that stars remain pinpoint across the entire FOV even in fast scopes. My understanding was that coma is produced by the scope and not the eyepiece so unless each ep has a coma corrector built in 

[John]

They sure are some bold claims to be making that they remain pinpoint across the entire FOV even in fast scopes. My understanding was that coma is produced by the scope and not the eyepiece 

The eyepieces can't cure that. If they are well corrected you get a chance to see the coma though !. Unless you use a coma corrector, that is.

Coma and astigmatism are often mixed up in reports on performance though. Sometimes you are seeing a bit of both which makes it challenging to work out whats going on

[spaceboy]

Do you see my point though John ? There are those who have the understanding of coma and those who see irritatingly shaped stars at the edges think it is all down to the ep and want to remedy them. Seeing such marketing may have one thinking that these ep's will be the answer to that only to be rather disappointed.

[John]

Do you see my point though John ? There are those who have the understanding of coma and those who see irritatingly shaped stars at the edges think it is all down to the ep and want to remedy them. Seeing such marketing may have one thinking that these ep's will be the answer to that only to be rather disappointed.

Yes, I see your point.

Lets hope the Morpeus eyepieces live up to their billing.

[Stu]

I'm interested in how they handle or correct field curvature in faster refractors. I see this evident in plenty of premium ultra wide field eyepieces so it would be good if these do as they say and correct for it.

[RikM]

Very interesting range. Why 12.5 and 14 mm?

[russ.will]

You see Televue? THAT's how you do a dual 1.25/2" barrel and NO undercut.

Russell

[Macavity]

Very interesting range. Why 12.5 and 14 mm?

Certainly an interesting departure from the previous

(vaguely) Fibonacci 5, 8, 13, 21 of the Hyperions. 

If you want a ratio of 1.4 you could omit the 14mm.

(Or maybe a useful "gap filler" like the Hype 17mm?)

[eyepod]

Loving that "360 tour" is the plan to have one of those for everything you sell? that would be nice 

Jason

[DragosN]

Indeed, very tempting. I just wait for the first reviews. Only that the 12,5 mm it's a little odd, between 9 and 14. Maybe 11, or 11.5 could be better.

[bish]

Looks very interesting. Can't wait for some reports.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very interesting development (but not for my bank balance)

[FLO]

Baader have made a small change to the fluorescent paint on their Baader Morpheus eyepieces. It now responds far more quickly so if you lose it in the dark you only need to shine a torch to activate the paint. Apparently around three 2-3 seconds of torch-light is enough

[FLO]

Baader have made a small change to the fluorescent paint on their Baader Morpheus eyepieces. It now responds far more quickly so if you lose it in the dark you only need to shine a torch to activate the paint. Apparently around three 2-3 seconds of torch-light is enough

Here is the official update from Baader regarding the new more effective luminous paint: 

Compared to the first mini-series of Morpheus-eyepieces, the "glow in the dark" effect has been largely intensified on the production units. A short lightstroke with a flashlight will have the main letters shine for up to three minutes in bright illuminescence. Hence - even in total darkness - Morpheus-eyepieces can be easily identified when lost on the ground. This property results in a markedly bright yellowish glow during the day. 

And here is a Baader stock photo showing the text in normal light: 

[FLO]

ETA is 5-10 days