I just ordered one of these:

[great_bear]

Yes, I was going on these photos:

http://www.365astronomy.com/images/94303_eyepiecefilterk_large.gif

- and

http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/images/antaresx2barlow.jpg

- which makes both look identical to the Barlow in the Revelation Eyepiece kit as seen here:

http://cdn.skyatnightmagazine.com/sites/default/files/review/Revelation_main.png

If so, then it's likely to be the "standard" 1.25" 2x Barlow as made by Guan Sheng Optical (GSO). I believe that the standard "Orion Shorty" used to be this model too - although the latest incarnation looks a little different. Even though the front end can be unscrewed to be a ~1.5x Barlow, this is often not mentioned when it is rebranded.

Some people get on with it.

Like yourself, I did not.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Ah well, its ordered now. I'll have another go with it. I'd say to be honest it was user fault when i first tried a barlow. I had only bought my 90EQ scope a few weeks before and was still just trying to get to grips with it.

If i am honest, it was the depths of winter and observing planets through a double glazed window is not the best idea in the world.

Maybe things will be different this time because i rarely observe through a window now and if i do it isnt planets i observe. Most other objects dont seem to mind being observed through windows, planets hate it.

[great_bear]

Most other objects dont seem to mind being observed through windows, planets hate it.

Yes, they're particularly vain those planets

[LukeSkywatcher]

Credit where credit is due.

Over the weekend i ordered an 1.5-2x Antares Barlow from scopesnskies.

They emailed me first thing monday morn to say they cant process my order. This is because my credit card is not registered with "Sagepay".

fine.............

I paid by paypal with the same credit card.

Within an hour i got another email from them saying that my order had been processed and posted.

Good stuff.

I know that scopesnskies has had some bad press over the last few months but i really just want to give them a thumbs up here.

[Stu]

That's good to hear. Not ordered much from them but never had a problem myself

[TheThing]

Good stuff Paul. I've always had brilliant service from Scope'n'Skies.

[LukeSkywatcher]

My barlow arrived today. An amazing thing happened in transit between the UK and Ireland:

My Antares 2X transformed into a Revelation Astro 2x. The invoice even says Antares on it.

Go figure.

[great_bear]

This is fairly normal for Scopes 'n' Skies (yes, really!)

[LukeSkywatcher]

And to add insult to injury (not really), i didnt even get a box with it. But i am now the proud owner of a small sheet of bubble wrap. Should give me hours of fun over the weekend while i wait for someone to invent a filter that lets me see through thick cloud.

[great_bear]

They probably sent the Revelation one because (as I mentioned earlier) it's the same unit as the Antares - just with different writing on it.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yep indeed its identical. I kind of like the Antares logo though.LOL

[haitch]

And to add insult to injury (not really), i didnt even get a box with it. But i am now the proud owner of a small sheet of bubble wrap. Should give me hours of fun over the weekend while i wait for someone to invent a filter that lets me see through thick cloud.

Sounds like they could be splitting EP sets (the cases sometimes end up on Astroboot)

[LukeSkywatcher]

Sounds like they could be splitting EP sets (the cases sometimes end up on Astroboot)

Thats what i thought. It does have the dust caps though which is good.