Beginners Eyepiece Advice please! - Celestron Nexstar 127 stl

[paul1610]

Hi All,

New member and a virgin stargazer having taken delivery of my 127 stl this week - love it already and huge first-time excitement upon the view of Jupiter and its moons on my first view - even before setting-up the goto! Already really excited and feel myself getting bitten by the bug

Am thinking about my first EP investment already having identified that the 25mm supplied with the scope isn't too bad but the 10mm leaves much to be desired.

Mine is I'm sure a simple question and one that I am sure all beginners have asked themselves - is it better to invest in an EP set (ie the Revelation set that is much acclaimed on SGL), or maybe just purchase a couple of individual eyepieces?

Also if (as I suspect) the advice is to invest in just a couple of commonly-used pieces, I was thinking maybe something like an 8mm and a 32mm + Barlo (to effectively give me the 16mm).

Blimey - I sound a bit like I kinda know half of what I'm talking about but believe me I seriously dont!

All help and advice appreciated!

Paul.

[thudbruiser]

Hi Paul, I have a celestron 127 mak and have recently bought a couple of Baader Hyperions (24mm and 17mm) although quite expensive I can thoroughly recommend them, the views are excellant

Dave

[Capricorn]

If you go for a set then pick one that does not have many short focal length eyepieces. As your scope is 1500mm FL then a 7.5mm eyepiece will give 200x and that is all you will need or in many instances can use.

I prefer individual eyepieces and would consider the BST's in 8mm, 12mm and the 25mm. Although if you say the 25mm you have is OK then 8mm, 12mm and either the 15mm or 18mm.

[paul1610]

Thanks for the advice. Would you suggest a barlow too? Seems a good piece of kit to have, or just go for the EP's?

[MorningMajor]

I would always go for individual EP's - the sets normally include filters and a case and other peripherals that you don't need and also usually double up on an EP you already have - they may look like a bargain but in the end you get what you pay for

[sticks]

I have a MAK 127 and bought BSTs 25mm 15mm 8mm - simply brilliant - brings the scope to life. Don't worry that they cost only £41 each - under different brand names they are nearly twice the price. You will never use the ones that came with the scope again....

[paul1610]

Thanks to all for the advice! Have already been sussing-out a few brands and thanks Capricorn and Sticksfor your recommendations on the BST's. Think that's what I'm gonna opt for.

Only had the scope for couple of days so far and having 3 and 6 year-old boys have really only ventured as far as the moon so far, but already hooked! Definitely bitten by the bug

Great forum and thanks again for your advice.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Bang for buck, i feel you cant go wrong with the Vixen NPL range of EP's. I use them in all my scopes and they deliver sharp,contrasty images.

£30(ish) a pop............so no more expensive then lesser quality bog standard Plossl's.................but much better quality.

[paul1610]

Yea I was also considering the Vixen NPL's.

Any views on how these compare with the BST's?

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yea I was also considering the Vixen NPL's.

Any views on how these compare with the BST's?

Ive never used a BST but they are highly regarded as one of the best.

[Karen]

The BST have better eye relief and a wider field of view than the NPLs which are a plossl design

[nightfisher]

Hi Paul, the BST`s are well worth the money, i would suggest a 32mm like a GSO or vixen plossl, then a 20mm bst and a maybe a 8 or 9mm bst

[M4lcs67]

I have a 127 SLT and I agree with the comments about the Baader Hyperions. I just took delivery of the 24mm one last week and due to the weather I haven't had much time with it, but what little time I have had has been excellent.

After much research and deliberation I went for the 24mm to start with (I will be getting the 8mm when funds allow).

I reviewed it a few days ago, so if you scroll down a little you will be able to see my take on the Hyperion 24mm.

Also if you are looking for a barlow then I would recommend the Celestron Ultima 2x. It is a good quality piece of kit.

I do agree with your comments about the 9mm stock ep that comes with the 127 SLT being a bit rubbish. Logic would have suggested that I should have replaced that first, but I wanted a low power wide fov to start with. I will be getting the 8mm later. At £92 a go cannot afford it right now.

[Karen]

I have a Skywatcher version of the Nexstar 127 and speaking from experience the eyepiece I use most is 13mm for planets and only reducing to 10mm or less when the the seeing allows, which is not that often.

A 32mm Plossl is good as anything on these 'scopes for galaxies, nebula, star clusters etc.

[Dunkster]

Hi Paul - whether you'll see much through the 9mm will as much up to conditions as anything else, or at least, that's my (limited) experience. I think I have the knack for picking nights of poor seeing or something

I have a 15mm BST explorer and the views of Jupiter (for example) have always been pleasing. I've yet to decide whether I'll go for a shorter focal length BST or something else, but they are highly regarded round these parts for the price.

[paul1610]

Thanks to all for the great advice, going to invest in the BST's after careful consideration.

What would you recommend for planetary detail given the suitability for viewing that we ha e, 8, 10 or 12? For example for showing Jupiter bands? I accept there's going to be a compromise here.

[sticks]

There is no 10mm BST unfortunately so its 15mm 12mm or 8mm. I have the 15mm and 8mm. You need very good seeing for the 8mm, but it just seems sensible to have a "high power" EP for when the conditions allow. If your seeing is usually good then go 15/8 if not then go with the 12mm.

[paul1610]

Thanks so much to everyone for all your invaluable advice - really appreciated!

Have today treated myself to a 25mm, 18mm and 12mm BST as my 1st EP investment - can't wait for them to arrive!

Hope they're good and again thanks for the advice everyone.

Paul.

[sticks]

Once you've used those new EPs you wont be able to resist the 8mm - if only for the moon - spectacular.

[rwilkey]

As said above, the BST's are cracking ep's. But on the Barlow front don't worry about one yet, your scope already has a long focal length, you don't need to add to it, which is all a Barlow does, just get some decent ep's as suggested here, that's all you will need. Most people spend time trying to reduce the focal length of these type of scopes.

[sticks]

Right on rwilkey!

[paul1610]

Thanks Sticks & RWilkey for that reassurance - planning to get out there over the weekend (skies permitting) and give them a run!

Sticks - you're convincing me to splash-out on the 8mm now.. lol