I recently picked up a second hand 10mm TV Radian from a fellow SGLer and have finally managed to give it a proper outing.

I have been out a few times before now to try it out, but that was from my back garden and mostly curtailed work nights or nights when I have been concentrating on imaging. Last night however was a proper session with the 10'' Dob at a darker site (albeit still a 'school' night)

Also at the site was a C11 so I had something to compare to. My first few uses of the TV had been quite impressive, but not earth shatteringly so. Tonight was slightly different. My finding skills with the Dob are now much better, so after a few swaps with a 2'' 28mm eyepiece, I simply left the Radian in and managed a few objects without the need for changes.

No night of mine is complete without a good look at M13 at the moment, so this was the first target. The scope had been out for a bit, so fully cooled. The cluster was very nicely sized in the field of view, with enough space around it to give a really pleasant composition as well as enough space to allow decent viewing time before a move was needed, thanks to the decent width the EP gives. After a few moments, the individual stars resolved into pure pin-pricks within the cluster, like a frosty morning spider's web and the overall effect was the best I have seen of this object, and I have looked at it quite a bit! Some people came out from the dome where the C11 was and were commenting the view was actually brighter and clearer in the Dob, and I couldn't disagree.

Next were a couple of nearby nebulas, the ring, which was clearly visible, but still very small and then the dumbbell. This proved to be much more impressive and the ghostly egg timer was also nicely framed in the EP and gathered equally impressive comments from the people present. I certainly haven't seen it better than that in any scope/EP before.

A few doubles followed, the head of Delphinus (gamma I think) clearly seen as a very pretty little coloured pair, with the orange (dare I say a hint of gold) and blue partners clearly visible and pleasantly split. Albireo was very colourful and split as far apart as to almost make it look completely distinct from each other. I also saw a very nice one in Casseopia, with a tiny orange star next to a much brighter whiter neighbour, a very nice contrast and a great object for the EP to show off with.

All in all, a really impressive outing for this eyepiece, which has obviously been well looked after. This has put my mind at rest regarding second hand items, and thanks to Simonfromsussex for selling it to me and taking good care of it. The eye relief on this EP is perfect for me as a glasses wearer, and thanks to all here in this forum for such a wealth of information, without which I would never have acquired this lovely little eyepiece on my own and would have ended up with something inferior and almost certainly more expensive.