Help choosing eyepieces

[legoalan]

Hi everyone, I have just picked up my new Skywatcher 250PX last night and I have to say, it's a BEAST in every single way .

However, it only comes with a 25mm eyepiece and x3 barlow, so I'm thinking of expanding my eyepiece collection. I am currently looking at the Vixen NPL series of eyepieces and I am thinking of getting the 15mm eyepiece first (as my budget only allows for an eyepiece + the rigel quikfinder I am also about the purchase). Is this a sensible choice or have I not got any idea what I'm doing (highly likely). Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. should I consider 2" eyepieces instead of 1.25" eyepieces as I will mainly be hunting for DSOs and was wondering if that mattered at all

Thanks

[Gunnar]

Hi Legoalan!

Dont now your budget, but i can recommend the Baader Hyperion 8-24 Zoom, i like this zoom. By it and then you have all eypieces from 8-24mm in one.

First Light Optics - Baader Hyperion Zoom Eyepiece

regards

Gunnar

[CGolder]

Hello,

I would say get a few fixed eyepeices, rather than a zoom, a zoom is ok but its not a replacement for fixed length eyepeices, read some reviews, try to get a long to a astro club and try some out, if you like one look to get some of the same

Hope that helps

[twotter]

The 250PX is an F5 scope I believe. You may need to be a bit careful with your choice of EP. There is another thread going on regarding the 13mm Hyperion in an F5 and it doesn't look as though they're well suited.

I say that as a Hyperion fan (with an F6 scope)

[DOBBY]

skywatcher panaview 26mm & 32mm are worth a look at (work ok in my F4.5 Dob) ...GSO / Revellation do a similar range for less cash...but I've not tried those. If at all possible...try before you buy

[Bender]

As was pointed out above a F5 scope will put a few demands on your eyepieces.

I found 13mm together with a 2" 26-35mm ep my most used once on my 250PX.

A s/h Nagler 13mm would be probably your safest bet. Sharp to the edge in fast scopes and the big fov makes life easier with a dob.

[Doug]

Hi

Congraulations on picking a fine scope this will do you for many years and will save you upgrading ( well maybe):-) You now have a fine scope and as time goes on you will upgrade bits and pieces IMHO get the best eyepieces you can ,if it means waiting a few months then wait the skies do get good and dark until the end of September / October so save a bit and get a Televue Panoptic or if you can a Nagler just like Bender recommended and again will save you money in the future good eyepieces if looked after will last for decades

all the best

Doug

Essex UK

[legoalan]

Thanks for all the useful advices, you guys are awesome I will keep a lookout for second hand Televue eyepiece.

However, I was wondering if the type of eyepieces i.e. 1.25" and 2" make a difference or not and if so, what are the differences? Also, what do you guys think of the GSO eyepieces

GSO GSO 32mm Super Plossl eyepiece

and the Revelations eyepieces

Telescope House Revelation Eyepieces

Judging by the lack of mentioning the Vixen NPL eyepieces I'm assuming that they wont be up to the job?

[John]

The 2" eyepieces can provide a wider field of view than the 1.25" equivalents because their barrel is that much wider.

The GSO plossls are good eyepieces. The GSO 2" eyepieces on that Telescope House webpage are not great in fast scopes like the 250PX - they are around the lowest cost 2" eyepieces though. If your budget is tight I would stick with standard field of view eyepieces like the GSO plossls. The Vixen NPL's are not bad low cost eyepieces but I think the GSO plossls are just as good, maybe a bit better. Eyepieces like the ones discussed above will be a bit of an improvement over the ones that come as standard with the scope and will keep you going for a while so that you can decide if you wish to invest more in eyepieces in due course. The Revelation eyepiece set includes GSO plossls.

[legoalan]

Thanks Jahmanson, appreciate the help

I did a bit more looking around websites and found this set of GSO Plossls ScopeTeknix 8 part eyepiece and accessory kit by GSO and was wondering if these are decent and would anyone reccomend them, or should I just wait and save up more for the Revelation eyepiece set First Light Optics - Revelation Photo-Visual Eyepiece kit ?

[crazyjedi]

I rather like the Pentax XW in a 10mm 14mm or 20mm in the 1.25" apparently the 30mm in a 2" barrel is awesome too. They're quite pricey though. The TV EP's are very good too (also pricey) The second hand market is sometimes a great place to grab a bargain. Good luck!