Deadlake

How many 2 to 2.4 mm EP’s out there? Ok Barlow it is then.😀

The cost of a 130mm F6 lens cell is £3799, so for almost 100x the price you get...

You need a filter wheel more then me...

Using the spreadsheet on 30/31mm 2" EP's, FL = 900 m and F6 gives: 1 Brand Model Type FL Diam. AFOV Price Exit Pupil Eye Relief Calc.FieldStop Celestron Luminos UltraWideField 31 2.00 82 $ 269.95 5.2 27.0 44.4 TeleVue Nagler5 UltraWideField 31 2.00 82 $ 666.00 5.2 19.0 44.4 Antares W70 Wide-Field 31 2.00 72 $ 97.46 5.2 16.0 39.0 Baader Planetarium Hyperion Aspheric Wide-Field 31 2.00 72 $ 209.99 5.2 18.0 39.0 Explore Scientific 3" Series Hyperwide field 30 3.00 100 $ 999.99 5.0 17.0 52.4 Explore Scientific 82 Series UltraWideField 30 2.00 82 $ 369.99 5.0 21.0 42.9 OpticStar (Opticstar Brand) XL Ultra Wide Angle UltraWideField 30 2.00 82 $ 336.25 5.0 21.0 42.9 Astromania UltraWide 80 UltraWideField 30 2.00 80 $ 90.89 5.0 16.0 41.9 KnightOwl (may not be available) Ultra-Wide UltraWideField 30 2.00 80 $ 74.95 5.0 28.0 41.9 Moonfish Ultra Wide UltraWideField 30 2.00 80 $ 145.00 5.0 22.0 41.9 Olivon Superwide ED UltraWideField 30 2.00 80 $ 147.00 5.0 16.0 41.9 Altair Astro (UK) UltraFlat Wide-Field 30 2.00 70 $ 219.70 5.0 22.0 36.7 APM Ultra Flat Field Wide-Field 30 2.00 70 $ 229.00 5.0 22.0 36.7 Explore Scientific (Bresser) 70° Series Wide-Field 30 2.00 70 $ 119.99 5.0 ? 36.7 GSO (Guan Sheng Optical) Superview Wide-Field 30 2.00 70 $ 64.95 5.0 22.0 36.7 Pentax SMC-XW Wide-Field 30 2.00 70 $ 369.95 5.0 20.0 36.7 Telescope Service UFL General Use 30 2.00 69 $ 120.32 5.0 16.7 36.1 OVL (First Light Optics) Aero ED Wide-Field 30 2.00 68 $ 117.81 5.0 16.7 35.6 Skywatcher Aero ED Wide-Field 30 2.00 68 $ 131.25 5.0 16.7 35.6 Telescope Service Wide Angle Wide-Field 30 2.00 68 $ 92.34 5.0 ? 35.6 TPO (from OPT) SuperView (Erfle) Wide-Field 30 2.00 68 $ 64.95 5.0 20.0 35.6 Vixen NLVW Wide-Field 30 2.00 65 $ 219.00 5.0 22.4 34.0 Kitakaru RPL General Use 30 2.00 62 $ 115.99 5.0 15.0 32.5 Sterling (Smart Astronomy) Plossl Plossl 30 2.00 55 $ 79.95 5.0 18.0 28.8 Choice seems to revolve around AFOV and exit pull, given most pupil relief is over 20 mm. Trawling the CN threads and the 31 mm Nagler seems a default in each EP storage box, why does it @Johnjustify almost double the price of the other premium EP's around 30mm? The ones that jump out to me are: Televue Nagler 31 Explorer Scientific 82 Series APM UUF TS UFL The Pentax and Vixen are good, but are reportedly behind the others.

Lack of humidity is the bonus.

It took some time, but Rome can be built, I have one end of the spectrum covered!

That would make sense, trying to get ahead as 130/F6 is in transit, and given the shipping times I’m planning ahead. But would make sense to go with a 30 mm EP and then see how I get on with both.

I’d always use a 30 mm, however estimating effects of light pollution is trial and error so maybe safest approach.

I have a 40 mm televue possel at present being used in a vixen SD103S F7.7 Hoping with a 2” EP I can see more, more opportunities for better framing.

Tempted by the Pentax, what am I giving up over the 41 mm panoptic?

Maybe I should try the 30 mm first, is the APM based on the paragon design? http://apm-telescopes-englisch.shopgate.com/item/333631373637

Backyard Bortle 4 (whatever that means) 20.5 SQM. What point do you think the cut off is for my light polluted sky.

Maybe for some in really dark skies... 😀

I’m looking for a 2” wide field eyepiece around 40mm. Searching the forums apart from the obvious 41 mm panoptic, the 40 mm paragon comes up. The paragon was discontinued some time ago however clones where made of it. Are any of these paragon clones still be made? What other EP’s should I look at apart from the 41 mm panoptic? I have seen Masuyama Ultra-Premium, however don’t like fast scopes. Telescope 130 mm / F6. Backyard Bortle 4 (whatever that means) 20.5 SQM Thanks

For 2” filters anyone use a filter wheel like this: 2” filter wheel the cost and dew pros make this the best approach to me.

@JeremyS Obvious one, a green paint job?? 😀 or do you mean something else? 😀

43 mm aperture in 2” diagonal ( I do have a T2 but no use for an EP where field stop > 33 mm). Question is no point in larger diagonal aperture if scope can only illuminate 44 mm?

The true field of view that will be seen through a telescope depends on the focal length of the telescope and the aperture of the field stop in the eyepiece. A 2-inch barrel size eyepiece can have a field stop diameter of up to ~45 mm. The aperture of the field stop will need to be illuminated? If so if the maximum Illumination is 44 mm not much point going for a diagonal larger then the illumination circle, or it does not work like that?

Price increase due to Brexit. I did speak to Rupert about this (concerned prices going up) and he thought at that time B2B would not be impacted. Now this seems to of changed and so not just the pandemic. For instance due to Brexit all goods into the UK can be hit with a VAT deposit needing to be lodged, another cost.

Any news on Takahashi, Vixen, Televue and Baader price increases at all?

That is why I've limited myself too a 130 mm scope, due to mounting/unmounting all the time and need to move around the garden all the time to get around neighbours trees. What we are getting too is a case with a dehumidifier, maybe over kill, however given the cost of a scope maybe not. I wonder what @jetstream does, ice on the scope going into the case and out of it? 😀

Look at the US. In the 1980's they had capacity to make ED glass, in fact that is where Astro physics got their first batches from. An accountant worked out to maximise returns the glass foundry smelters should be shut down and the palladium stripped out to be sold off. This was a short term win, just mean the US cannot fabricate ED glass and has to import from Japan. Good or bad on you view on economics and supply chains. LZOS still make glass for the Russian military primary, consumers get it as it's an advert for LZOS to win big deals from the scientific community.

If this is down to shipping costs going up by x8 to x10, is Tak and Vixen going to put their prices?

I have a APM 130mm/ F6 on order. I choose the F6 for NV usage, however after doing some more research F6 is quite good for being used as a visual rich wide field scope. The only disadvantage for visual of a fast scope is magnification for planetary observing, however I have some high power EP's to get around that, you could also use a Barlow as well for this. I did see this when I was looking: https://www.365astronomy.com/sharpstar-121sdq-121mm-f-5.6-quintuplet-apochromatic-refractor-telescope.html its also here in the EU but more expensive: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p11518_TS-Optics-121SDQ-Apo-121-mm-f-5-6-Quintuplet-Flatfield-Apo.html My reservation was would the vendor star test or bench test it and no reviews around. However great value for what it is.

I’ve dealt with Astrograph. Marcus Ludes at APM recommend him, and @GavStar as well. If you ask Rupert he would star test the scope before shipping... Note: Chinese New Year for another week.