SW Explorer 200P Help

[hadyn42]

Hello Guys

Please could you recommend me a couple of additional eyepieces for my SW200p reflector? I have a 2.5mm and a 5mm Baarder hyperion, a Clestron 8mm and a 12mm and of course the supplied 26mm. The 2.5mm baader is not at all good with my scope, so I may sell it in the very near future.

I have been looking at the Celestron X-Cel LX ranger as they are in my price range at the moment. I do have a Powermate 2.5x to possibly go with the above mentioned eyepiece.

Please can someone suggest the two sizes of eyepieces that I could use for planet viewing?

Hope you all have a good nights viewing tonight as the sky's are reall clear here tonight.

Best regards, Hadyn - Isle of Man

[Aronnax]

I gather that your telescope is the 1000mm focal length SW200p. I think the main consideration is the maximum usable magnification that the skies support over the UK. I would consider 200x magnification a good 'normal' upper limit with the most exceptionally stable skies allowing you to push it up higher, in the region of 250x and even very rarely towards 300x

Your 2.5mm EP will give you a magnification of 400x. I would consider this too high to be usable, and it does not surprise me that you say this is not good with your scope.

So if you aim for something in the region of 180x - 200x as your 'everyday' planetary EP, then this would be an EP of 5.6mm - 5mm (I note you have a 5mm EP already). A 250x EP would be 4mm, which you could use to push it up on those still nights (and for completeness, 300x would be 3.3mm).

These figures aren't as high magnification as you'll see quoted in some places, but I think that the atmosphere in this part of the world is the limiting factor which gets forgotten, rather than the absolute ability of the equipment.

I personally would rather have a usable smaller view, than a large, but unrecognisable blob.

Those are my thoughts, which I hope you find useful. Now if you could send some of those clear skies to the mainland, that would be great

[SnakeyJ]

Hadyn,

Agree that the 2.5mm at x400 magnification is going to be optimistic for the 200P - though not entirely impossible in excellent conditions. Though most people seem to stop at 4mm with this scope (x250 magnification). The BST Explorer EP's seem to be very well rated and commonly used with this scope and give good FOV and eye relief without running to TV prices. The Explore Scientific range are also very well rated, though not on the cheap. I've got lots of cheap Possls, but my most used EP is the BH 8-24mm clickstop zoom - FOV is not great at 24mm (50 degrees), but more than adequate from 8-20mm and I find the convenience of the zoom more than makes up for this - I also got the BH zoom barlow at 2.25x and this works really well with the clickstop and also for planetary imaging. I'm currently looking for a good 32mm 2" SWA or if I can afford it a UWA with 70-82 degree AFOV, but otherwise have sufficient for current needs.

Jake

[bendiddley]

I have a SW 200p dobsonian and I have most of the x-cel LX range and they all perform very well indeed and I am very happy with them. For planetary viewing I use mostly the 5mm and sometimes the 7mm if the atmospheric turbulence is a bit much for it, but this doesn't happen too often and I much prefer the view from the 5mm. The moon is also excellent with with this eyepiece.

[hadyn42]

Happy Easter All

Thank you all very much indeed for your input into my eyepiece question.

Here's hoping for proper spring weather to come along and clear skies.

Kindest regards, Hadyn - IOM

[nephilim]

I've also got the 200p which at f5 is very picky when it comes to ep's (read that as- the more expensive the ep, the better it will preform ) I've heard good things about the BST ep's which at around £45-£50 arnt that bad, I use Meade 5000 HD-60's which at £86 each arn't cheap, I've used (not mine) ES 82deg eps & they are fantastic but you wont get any change out of £100 each (plus you really need to import them from the states) Unfortunately, the faster the scope, the more expensive the EP's.

Steve

[nephilim]

I've also got the 200p which at f5 is very picky when it comes to ep's (read that as- the more expensive the ep, the better it will preform ) I've heard good things about the BST ep's which at around £45-£50 arnt that bad, I use Meade 5000 HD-60's which at £86 each arn't cheap, I've used (not mine) ES 82deg eps & they are fantastic but you wont get any change out of £100 each (plus you really need to import them from the states) Unfortunately, the faster the scope, the more expensive the EP's.

Steve

Whoops, SnakeyJ mentioned most of the above....Note to self, read the whole thread!!

[Dave 2112]

I use a BST 8mm for planetary in my 200p, I like it and it works well with a 2 x barlow but the only thing I have to compare it to is the original 10mm that came with the scope. The BST was a big improvement, can't say if it would be worth getting though if you already have a celestron 8mm.

I might end up ditching the BST when my TV 7mm arrives though!

[spektrumdx8]

Another vote for the BST !, on recommendation from this forum,got the 8mm 18mm and 25mm- being parfocal I can swap lenses without drastic refocusing and the 200P seems perfectly matched with these lenses- am looking forward to getting a better quality barlow though as the one supplied with the 200P I feel is the weak link.

[MadAlbert]

Can't go wrong with the X-Cel EPs with a reasonable fov...

You can, of course, spiral quickly towards financial ruin, though! What's the budget?

[jasonp]

Where can one get the BSTs from ?

[Stargazer_00]

ebay mate, seller is Skys the Limit. The guy is Alan, hes from WGC.

I just checked and it appears none are listed at the moment. He must be out of stock

Here is his shop; he says balancing account, back in a day or two. So it's all down while theyhave an account freeze. It'll all be back shortly i guess.

http://stores.ebay.c...astroandoptical

[jasonp]

Thanks

[MikeWilson]

Hi Hadyn,

The BST's are really good value for the money, but I should say my only eyepiece is a Baader Click-Zoom (Mk III) and it's beautiful. I just wish it had a little wider view on the wide end, but it works very well with scopes even as fast as F/4 with a hint of coma on the edges. At F/5 it should be fine.

I found your thread after searching for "Isle of Man" on the forums; I'm over your way in a week and if you'd like to try the Baader Click-Zoom Mk III, let me know

Kind Regards,

Mike

[farunj]

Or else you could try the variable 7mm-21mm EP. You won't need to change EPs very often. 7mm will offer a fair magnification and 21mm will make finding stuff easier!