8" Dob ep's and Barlow

[Mr Moff]

Hey guys,I'm just getting ready to pick up some eye pieces and a Barlow and some other bits.

I've been browsing round on FLO for a couple of days trying to take it all in,and I was wondering if you could help me with this.

Which ep's are the best quality for performance for an 8" Dob around the £70 mark?

I've been looking at the William optics SPL range and the Celestron x-cell range.Which is the best of the 2 or is there something better that I haven't spotted?

The other question is with the Barlow.Most of them are out of stock so the one I'm looking at is the Skywatcher ED delux at £58.

Again is this a good quality Barlow or is there something better there up to say around £60?

The scope is hopefully going to arrive today.

Almost forgot,my goals are to see our own planets and some DSO.I'm quite interested in all of it really.

Regards.

Danny.

[Capricorn]

At £70 the X-Cel's have a good reputation and reports. At f/6 I would say 7mm, 9mm and 25mm in time.

Both the 7mm (171x) should work almost all the time, but a little less magnification is often a good idea, hence the 9mm (133x). The 25mm eventually is for the wider views.

Barlow wise no idea, the Tal always gets recommended, if I recall the SW ED Delux also gets good mentions. If you get a 2x and it is good then the eyepiece selection should change. 12mm and 18mm giving a 6mm and 9mm with the barlow, and 12mm and 18 without. Reasonable spread.

Alternatives:

TMB planetary's at Skys the Limit £47

BST/Skyguider at Skys the Limit. £39

Meade Super Plossl's at Telescope House I think. Bit more then X-Cel's I believe.

[Tribal-Wolf]

I can recommend the BST 8mm as I have just bought one for my 8" Dob, I intend to buy the rest too as I like it a lot. The tal barlow is also good, just bought one from FLO.

[SHUTTLE ATLANTIS]

next on my wish list from flo tal 2x barlow and scope n skies a nice gso 32mm super plossel ep, and ebay skys the limit astro optical a 8mm bst explorer duel starglider ep

[murgen]

Not that i have any, or any experience either, i'm just jumping in here gathering info for "soon", but presumably your Barlow has got to be as good a quality, or better than the eyepieces you choose?

Is the Tal 2x good enough to go with the X-Cells or would it be sensible to save up and match them with the X-Cell Barlow?

Again, just speculating (and assuming funds were not an issue), but would a decent 5mm (for example) knock spots off a Barlowed 10mm?

Obvious questions i suspect, but it is nice to hear what people find in practice.

[rwilkey]

Hi Mr Moff, the SW 2" ED Barlow is a good one, good quality all round, can be used with 2" or 1.25" ep's.

[Mr Moff]

Thanks for the replies.An SW Barlow it is then.

Murgen that's a great question that I was wondering about as well.I'm assuming that a good eye piece is only as good as the Barlow being used,but I don't know for sure.

Is this the case?

Danny.