3x or 5x Barlow

[NickRose2006]

I'm wanting to get a barlow for Christmas but don't know which size to go with. Other then the normal thing of make sure you get a top of the line barlow, what size is good. I'll be using it on both my Celestron SP-C6 and Nextstar 8SE imaging of Jupiter and other planets. Is the 5x to much for both scopes compared to 3x?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I'm wanting to get a barlow for Christmas but don't know which size to go with. Other then the normal thing of make sure you get a top of the line barlow, what size is good. I'll be using it on both my Celestron SP-C6 and Nextstar 8SE imaging of Jupiter and other planets. Is the 5x to much for both scopes compared to 3x?

I use either a 2x or a 3x to reach F/20 or F/30 when imaging with my C8. F/50 would be way over the top. I think the sweet spot for my SPC900 is at F/25, so I am leaning towards a 2.5x TV PowerMate. My Meade TeleXtenders are great for planetary imaging, they are now sold as Bresser SA-Barlow. On Jupiter and Saturn I favour the 2x, on Mars the 3x.

[Demonperformer]

I recently posted a similar enquiry [http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-lunar/157899-f50-too-much.html] and got the answer that 5x would be too much for an f/10 scope.