Some Help Needed on Eyepeices

[sevs23]

Hi there.

I'm currently using a Skywatcher Skymax 150 and am looking for two eyepieces one to increase magnification and one for a lagrer low power FOV.

I have a two BST Explorers - 12mm & 25mm, with also a 17mm Skywatcher plossl.

Would a midrange i.e 15mm or 18mm BST or similar help with viewing planets - I am finding that the 12mm causing too much blurring on Jupiter?

Secondly, for low power, are there any recommendations on a wide FOV eyepiece to complement my Skymax 150 - the BST is 60deg, would something like a WO SWAN (at 70 or 72 deg for 25 or 32mm) be an imporvement in terms of FOV.

Price is a consideration but will be looking up to 90-100 per eyepiece.

Thxs

[perrin6]

Blurring of Jupiter is probably caused by atmospheric conditions not being steady enough and perhaps the scope not being left to cool down to nightime temperatures.

[ronin]

As the scope is 1800mm FL for anything that approcaches a wide field of view you are looking at the 80 and 100 degree eyepieces. Thes may have edge problems.

A 32m plossl will give a FoV of 0.924 ged, the problem being that SWANS tend to stop around 25mm. So yes they are wide views but the magnification owing to the smaller focal length negates that. This the consequence of a 1800mm scope at f/12.

The 25mm BST will have 0.833 deg view, a WO SWAN (20mm)will be 0.755 (less then the 32 plossl and BST). WO SWANS come in 9, 15 and 20mm focal lengths. Ultima may be better.

I think that you are going to have to consider the higher eyepieces.

The 15mm (120x) and 18mm (100x) BST's should be better for planets as it sounds as if you are magnifing the atmospheric turbulance as well.

[sevs23]

Thxs ronin. I have a 32mm sw plossl but I think this is a smaller FOV than the BST.

Other than the Ultima's, are there any other low power wide field eyepieces for the Mak 150?

Thxs

[sevs23]

I've noticed the WO SWANs go up to 40 mm - 32mm & 40mm - I'm assuming then both would be more suitable? I've tried the EP Calc downloaded from here and the 40mm gives a TFOV of 1.6deg, the 33mm gives 1.32deg.

Would there be a big difference between these two and are they suitable for a 150mm MAK?

[John]

I think the 32mm and 40mm WO Swans are 2" eyepieces so you will need a 2" diagonal to use them.