Inexpensive overview: 40mm/40° $14,49

[Schorhr]

I did a quick search here, I hope it is not redundant.

While waiting for my dobsonian, I found a ~$14 eyepiece on ebay (buy-it-now) from Hong Kong... For that price, I thought I'd give it a try!

You can find several on ebay, I got mine from "hnb-uk", titled "40mm 1.25" Telescope Eyepiece Lens Astronomy 40¡ã View".

With ~32.5x and a true field of 1.23° it's close at the maximum of what can be done with the 1.25" focuser on the 102/1300 Maksutov, so it was a nice addition to the current eyepieces.

I have no "professional" eyepieces to compare it to, and yes, it's a cheap one, but for the low price it really surprised me. Sadly, it's better then the kit EPs that usually come with the entry level telescopes. The one's that came with the 76/900 have a low transmission and are difficult to get a good view.

Subjectively I'dd say it has a little more then 40°, but perhaps that is due to the fact that the large focal length allows easier viewing (without having to "crawl into it" as with the 10 or 4mm EP). I even found it a bit better then the TS zoom (7-21mm) when it comes to viewing.

On the other hand, it does look like the cheap 40mm/46° Plössl but without the eye-cup (though the eye-cup would have helped to view with them a bit more comfortable), so maybee it is more then 40°... Perhaps I will check it somewhen later.

Too bad that they don't sell others in that price region.

So if anyone is looking fo a inexpensive gift for a nephew/niece or such, or to add to the usual 4/10/20/25 kit EPs, it is definitely not a waste of money. Even on the 76/300 it provided a clear image and the edges are not that much of a problem due to the comparably larger fov.