Celestron NexStar 4 (XLT) SE - eye piece

[starfish_001]

I am interested in better views of the planets. The 4Se comes with a 25 mm eye piece. I think I need:

A 16 mm and a 8 mm or perhaps a zoom or perhaps a kit

Revelation Photo-Visual Eyepiece Kit

Reading around

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/131383-nexstar-4se-buying-eyepieces-but-do-i-need-filters.html

Robins Eyepiece Guide

Comparison: 8-24mm Zoom Eyepieces from Celestron, Meade, Tele Vue and Vixen

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/80772-eyepieces-very-least-you-need.html

Celestron 8-24mm Zoom Eyepiece 1.25"

http://stargazerslounge.com/discussions-eyepieces/131324-year-bargain-eyepiece.html

1.25" Eyepieces

From my research the best options appear to be

• 8mm TMB Designed Planetary (£36), an 18mm BST Explorer (£38), maybe later 32mm Meade Plossl (£42)
  
• Celestron 8-24mm Zoom (£85)
  

I have a web cam that I will use for imaging looks like this can be attached to the Celestron. I like th idea of a zoom as it is easy to flip betweens zooms.

Any advice appreciated

[Capricorn]

The 8mm would give 162x, I tend to be conservative on what a scope will give and think that maybe you will not get conditions good enough or this all that often.

If you were thinking of an 8mm then why not the 8mm BST to match the 18mm BST? Not sure if they are parfocal but getting 3 eyepieces of 3 different makes it is a certainty that they will not be.

The TMB II's do not go up to "long" focal lengths - don't think they do an 18mm offering. So a pair of them is not possible, unless you get the clones of them.

[Ags]

I use a 9mm and 6mm TMB, but my eyes prefer a larger scale - others with sharper eyes might find the same view mushy. With my eyes, i use the 6mm a lot, giving 220x. Jupiter was awesome tonight.

You can get my TMB clones (TS Planetary) in 15, 20 and 25mm focal lengths.

[starfish_001]

What do people think of zooms?

From what I understand a F/13 scope is reasonable y un-demanding on eye pieces as I don't know what level of 9 , 12 , 10, 18 that I prefer I thought a zoom might be a good first step ?

[Scosmico]

These are my eyepieces for the 4se.

[starfish_001]

These are my eyepieces for the 4se.

Thanks is the 9 mm ok .... or is it pushing things

[starfish_001]

I like the idea of a zoom any views on the Celestron or perhaps Meade Series 4000 Zoom Eyepiece

[Ags]

I find the 9mm usable on almost any night with my 4SE but at the moment I am always using the 6mm to view Jupiter, and the 17mm to view the moon.

I have heard the zooms are not that good but have not tried them myself.