Quality dilemma.

[The Titan Calibos]

AC710 1.25" Supreme 2x APO photovisual from astro engineering vs meade 4000 2xbarlow.

After reading a few threads about viewing planets, i am wondering about investing in the Ac710 barlow whilst i already own the meade 4000 2x barlow already.

Will i notice much difference when viewing through the new vs the old or am i just wasting my money??

[The Titan Calibos]

AC710 1.25" Supreme 2x APO photovisual from astro engineering vs meade 4000 2xbarlow.

After reading a few threads about viewing planets, i am wondering about investing in the Ac710 barlow whilst i already own the meade 4000 2x barlow already.

Will i notice much difference when viewing through the new vs the old or am i just wasting my money??

http://www.astro-engineering.com/prod/telescope-accessories/barlow/supreme/AC710.html is the web link for the new barlow/

[rowan46]

haven't used either but the new (relatively) kids on the block are tele-exdenders designed by televue but there are a couple of knock offs which are almost as good by all accounts. They don't change the eye relief like barlows but they do double the magnification then get out of the way by all accounts.so if you just want to double your power this may be the one to go for

http://www.optical-systems.com/bresser-sabarlow-lens-317mm125-p-23505.html

[ronin]

From your signature you have the 4000 set of plossl's, buying a £100 barlow is not going to make them perform better. The optical path is just going to be barlow then plossl. In the extreme paint the top lens of the plossl opaque black, put expensive barlow in then put in plossl. Bet you still see nothing , ie it has not improved anything . Extreme way of putting it but simple to get across.

All you will be guaranteed to "see" is a bigger image.

If I said buy better eyepieces how would it go down ?

You have a nice biggish scope and are what I think are plossls that Meade gave as standard items with their scopes, I have a few Meade 4000's and they all came with the Meade scopes, usually 26mm and 9mm. They are decent but it is a case that there are better. I have BST's and TV plossl's and an asssortment of others, WO SWANS, Antares, TMB's and others. My 4000 plossls I tend to give away when someone needs an eyepiece.

[part timer]

Being totalsy honest, there are better ways to spend your money.

Your crrent barlow is ok and you have long focal length telescope in your sig.

This will help you get higher powers with the eypieces you have already.

For planetary work, it is more important to have a range of mid to high power eyepices which enables you to adapt to our unstable atmospheric conditions. Also in an LX 200 you need to collimate (or at least check collimation) each time you observe, as this has a large effect on how much detail you will see.

Some people prefer not to use a barlow at all ( i prefer a barlow with shorter focal length eyepieces as it pushes the eyerelief out a bit more).

As your telescope tracks the planet the field of view width is not really important (for planets) . However it is true that some more expensive eyepieces can show you more detail in good atmospheric conditions.

Another trick which works very well in many telescopes is to track the planet for a while and get best focus, then switch of the drives and let the planet drift. often the micro vibrations of the drives disapear and you can often be suprised how much difference it can make!

The main thing is to have decent eyepices. the ones you have are OK and will give good views but they can be improved upon without spending too much money

[Donkeiller]

I can thoroughly recommend the AC710. I use it as a x2, x1.5 (with lens unscrewed) and as a extension tube (without lens). The "twist-lock" holds EPs securely and centrally. Mind you i wouldn't pay £100- I got it for £60 at an Astrofest event in London.