newbie needs advice

[brantuk]

@Ryan

"The problem I find is not the eyepieces for viewing Saturn but not having a motorised mount makes it harder to get Saturn in view for a reasonable length of time, you have to keep adjusting the scope but it is still worth it."

You need to "polar align" the equatorial mount first. Then you'll only need to track with the RA slo mo cable (with odd tweaks on dec) - much easier. Just point the mount magnetic north then set the altitude scale to your lattitude for a quick and rough PA.

[themos]

See that 5 in the f/5? That tells you the range of eyepiece focal lengths you can use. Multiply it by 7 and you get the lowest magnification eyepiece usable (x16) , a 35mm. Divide it by 2 and you get the highest usable magnification (x228), a 2.5 mm. That would only be usable on the one best night in a year, most nights, on that telescope, you would not use anything above (x100), a 5mm.

I get the magnification numbers by multiplying 114 times 5 and dividing by the eyepiece focal length, as others have said.

I would suggest you first get a decent Barlow lens. Maybe something like this:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher ED Deluxe 2x two-inch Barlow Lens

The ones supplied with starter scopes are usually not up to scratch. You might find that the view through a better barlow and your 10mm is a lot better. See if you can find a 2.5x Barlow, they can be very useful and will give you that extra magnification, taking you close to the practical limit of your scope. Later on you can look for a 7mm eyepiece, an orthoscopic design perhaps.

[themos]

Actually, that specific barlow is not good for your scope as it is 2-inch barrel, my mistake.

[liphook]

thanks for the advice so far guys, its been real helpful and im learning already, for instance i now know that plossl is a lens type and not the make, also the recomended stellarium is proving very useful.

i have seen two skywatcher plossls for sale, are these any good or are they the same as what comes standard with the scope?

[sunshine185]

If you are looking on Ebay then they could be anything. Probably the best cheap plossls to buy are the vixen range available from FLO. £30 will get you an ep that is highly regarded by many.

[liphook]

If you are looking on Ebay then they could be anything. Probably the best cheap plossls to buy are the vixen range available from FLO. £30 will get you an ep that is highly regarded by many.

what is flo?

the lens is from the buy and sell link posted by someone earlier, they are listed as plossl and i mailed to ask the make and he replied skywatcher

[sunshine185]

FLO, first light optics. Highly regarded by many, they are the forums sponsor. BTW how much was the plossls you were looking at?

[sunshine185]

First Light Optics - Vixen NPL eyepieces

[rwilkey]

I would recommend the Vixen Plossl's, good price, or stick to recognised brands, the Bresser are starter ep's despite what the advert says, no step up from what you already have.

[liphook]

FLO, first light optics. Highly regarded by many, they are the forums sponsor. BTW how much was the plossls you were looking at?

£15 each but would do the two for £30

[liphook]

i will upgrade my barlow too, seen a meade one which im presuming is a good make, but also this one

Revelation Astro 5x Barlow Lens

is this better than a 2x barlow? will it times the magnification by 5? or will this not work with my scope

[AWR]

A 5x barlow will be too much for most visual applications. (Planetary imagers use them more often). A good quality 2x is more useful.

Meade are usually good. You should consider TAL barlows if you can find one. They're good quality and good value.

The £15 plossls sound no better than what came with your scope. As as been said, Vixen are MUCH better.

Andrew