Lens advice for a beginner...

[8007H]

Hi all,

Recently bought my first scope and had joy viewing Saturn on the first night, albeit extremely small.

I've got a Celestron AstroMaster 130 that came with a 10mm and a 20mm lens. I managed to get a small, clear view of Saturn using the 10mm and now really want to know where to go to with regards to an upgrade. I've heard TAL Barlow X2 being banded about and just wondered where to go to pick these things up? Or if I need a specific size/type for the model of telescope I'm using?

Please forgive any stupid questions, really new to all this so trying to understand threads about lenses and getting set up to take photographs is quite difficult when everyone is talking shop!!

Appreciate any feedback!!

Cheers,

Derek

[8007H]

Can anybody help?

[johninderby]

The TAL barlow is quite good but I believe every dealer in the UK is sold out at the moment.

Astroshop in Germany has them in stock though.

http://www.astroshop.eu/tal-x2-achromatic-barlow-lens--1-25--31-7mm-/p,22276

The 10mm eyepiece that comes with your scope isn't very good so it might be worth replacing that as well. The SW Super Plossls are quite good and not very expensive.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-sky-watcher-10mm-sp-series-super-plossl-eyepiece-1-25-inch-31-7mm-/p10662

John

EDIT: At the price of the SkyWatcher Super Plossls maybe just buy two of them instaed of a 10mm and the barlow.

[8007H]

The TAL barlow is quite good but I believe every dealer in the UK is sold out at the moment.

Astroshop in Germany has them in stock though.

http://www.astroshop.eu/tal-x2-achromatic-barlow-lens--1-25--31-7mm-/p,22276

The 10mm eyepiece that comes with your scope isn't very good so it might be worth replacing that as well. The SW Super Plossls are quite good and not very expensive.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-sky-watcher-10mm-sp-series-super-plossl-eyepiece-1-25-inch-31-7mm-/p10662

John

EDIT: At the price of the SkyWatcher Super Plossls maybe just buy two of them instaed of a 10mm and the barlow.

Cheers for that John. Will definitely be buying the 10mm SkyWatcher SP. When you say buy 2, do you mean as opposed to getting the Barlow lens and getting say a 20mm SP too??

[johninderby]

I was thinking of the 10mm and the 6.3mm eyepieces and perhaps getting the barlow later on.

The 20mm that comes wth the scope isn't that bad really so no hurry to replace it.

John

[8007H]

I was thinking of the 10mm and the 6.3mm eyepieces and perhaps getting the barlow later on.

The 20mm that comes wth the scope isn't that bad really so no hurry to replace it.

John

Brill, thanks very much for the advice.

[johncbradley1]

For a good Barlow I recommend this one http://harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/Revelation_Astro_2.5x_Barlow_Lens_1.25_.html

It's a 2.5x and well, if you read description you will see it has 3 elements which are usually found in the more expensive Barlows.

I have one and I can't fault it for £37

[8007H]

For a good Barlow I recommend this one http://harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/Revelation_Astro_2.5x_Barlow_Lens_1.25_.html

It's a 2.5x and well, if you read description you will see it has 3 elements which are usually found in the more expensive Barlows.

I have one and I can't fault it for £37

Added to the collection, cheers John!

[kenmyers]

If I were you I would get a good 6mm and a good 8mm, keep your 10mm and 20mm.