Meade #140 2x APO Advice Please

[pat]

I'm thinking on buying this barlow. Does the bottom unscrew so that you can screw it on an eyepiece. If so about what magification would it add? Pat

[DirkSteele]

The EP is placed in the open end of the barlow lens, much as an EP would be placed into the focuser of your telescope. The 2x of the Apo means that it increases the focal length of your scope by two times and hence will double the magnification of any eyepiece you use with it.

I am unfamiliar with this particular model so will defer to other SGL members to opine on its quality.

[RichieP]

Yes you can unscrew the Barlow lens from its tube and screw it directly into the eyepiece if you want. I am not sure what increase in magnification you get doing it like that though.

[glowjet]

The Meade # 140 x2 APO Barlow is a good quality optic. I had one at one of these some time ago, but did not unscrew any part of it to use it. As you have not stated what scope you have, you may be interested to know that if you are using a diagonal, inserting the barlow before the diagonal will give you 50% more magnification

[RichieP]

Moving the barlow further away from the eyepiece will increase the barlow effect i.e. increase the magnification, moving it closer will reduce the magnifcation. I believe that is how zoom eyepieces work, with a built in barlow element that moves in and out.

I seem to remember reading that a x2 barlow screwed directly into the eyepice brings it down to somewhere in the region of x1.25 to x1.5

Richard