What to use as my High Power option?

[pel]

Morning gents,

I've had some great views of Jupiter lately (when it has been clear) through my SW 200p and BST explorer 8mm, this gives me a magnification of x125 I believe. I'd like a larger more detailed image though and was looking at buying the 5mm BST, which would give me a magnification of x200 given the 200p's focal length of 1000.

I'm not sure whether the BST 5mm is the best option or if I should buy one of the Revelation x2 barlows. My priority is the clearest image possible and my secondary priority is the size of image. Would I get a comparatively clear image with a Barlow?

What do you think?

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[JonnyN]

How weird, I'm currently in exactly the same predicament! Just bought a 200p and looking at buying either the 5 or 8mm BST Eplorer and the 18mm, while contemplating a decent barlow. Would love to hear some answers to this.

[pel]

Great minds and all that :-)

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[Dude_with_the_tube]

in Uk the highest magnification realistically possible is at around 200-250 what means for 200p the lowest you can go is around 4-5mm EP.Again do not expect that you will be using that EP everytime you observe as it will heavily depend on weather and seeing conditions.I am personally not a great fan of barlows and a good quality barlow will cost you more than the BST Ep.

[Stargazer_00]

A 6mm bgo or bco from flo would work nicely here too but you'd have to nudge alot sure to the 50' afov

[Stu]

Hi Pel

Do you have the Explorer or Skyliner 200p dob?

If you have the Explorer, at 1000mm focal length then I would say either a 6mm or 5mm ep would be best. Quite possibly the 6mm as I often find magnification in the x160 to x180 range is best on Jupiter. x200 can be too much to bring out the low contrast features.

There is a 6mm in the Vixen NPL range which get good reviews on here though I haven't used one myself.

Stu

[pel]

Hi dude,

Yes I thought my maximum magnification would be x250. I could achieve x250 with a x2 Barlow and my 8mm, but my impression of barlows is that they would only degrade the image. The Barlow would be more useful though as I could use it with other ep's and also for my webcam imaging. I'm still leaning towards the 5mm though.

Cheers, Perry.

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[Stu]

6mm BGO/BCO is a good suggestion but eye relief gets tight on the shorter focal length orthos. I draw the line at 7mm for these myself so it's worth taking into account

Stu

[pel]

Thanks Stu.

Because I have the 25mm BST as well as the 8mm BST I think I would rather add to the collection. I have heard good things about the Vixens though.

Cheers, Perry.

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[pel]

Thanks again Stu.

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[pel]

SG00, I must admit I don't know what a 6mm BCO or a BGO is?

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[Stu]

Understood Perry. Do just consider the useful magnifications though, given the seeing conditions we often get. x250 will not get regular use I suspect. x200 would be useful on good nights, but as I said, x170 or 180 can be useful much of the time and gives good results on Jupiter.

Decisions, decisions :-)

Cheers,

Stu

[Stu]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-genuine-orthoscopic.html

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-classic-ortho-bco-eyepiece.html

These, nice and sharp orthos, great for planets

Stu

[Stargazer_00]

Also I think the barlow doesn't reduce image quality that much. I think the bigger issue is a 4mm is too short to be practical. A 6mm is probably better. my 5mm bst didn't see much use but I have a 4.7 es 82 on the post so I do value that magnification enough to upgrade it

[alan potts]

I my view I would go for something like a 6mm which will give you X166 at this Jupiter will still be crisp. I have a 190mm and though it is a different type of scope it has the same F/L, I tend to use either the 6mm Delos or the Meade 5.5mm UWA, I don't have my 5mm Radian with me at the moment so it is a long time since seeing Jupiter with it to remember what it is like.

Alan

[pel]

I took the plunge and went for the 5mm BST Explorer.

I really appreciate all of the advice and plan on buying a 6mm too now :-)

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[Stargazer_00]

Great hope its good for you!

[alan potts]

I think you will be happy with the BST but at X200 the image will be starting to soften a little, a 6mm will be better for crispness. But even if you don't get on with the BST there are always plenty of taker for a secondhand one.

Good luck and I hope you get some clear skys to see it as Jupiter is on it's way down now setting earlier every night, still enough time though.

Alan.

[Stargazer_00]

Saturn before you know it though

[Stu]

True, and on a good night Saturn seems to take power a bit better than Jupiter so you may get some good views with the BST.

Stu

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Funny, many people say 160 is best on Jupiter, whereas I like to use 203x, and 234x frequently, and even use 290x on good nights. I manage to eke out more detail at higher magnification. For Mars, I have gone to 338x, and even 406x.

I do tend to wait for fleeting moments of good seeing which occur even on nights of bad seeing

[Stu]

Mars definitely takes more, I agree. Often up at x276 when viewing that, would be over x300 with the mak.

[alan potts]

I find a Mars an annoying object to look at it needs a good deal of power and since I started Astronomy again never seems well placed. I was even thinking of one of TV's Mars filters to see if that would help, expensive if it don't though.

Maybe the LX is not much good on planets, it won't see the Pup either. I have to say I believe the 190mm M/N gives me better service. I am thinking of a 180mm Mac to go with it.

Alan