First BST eyepiece

[watersblue]

I am just about to upgrade to a bst eyepiece and would like a bit of advice, please. I have the sw 10mm and 25mm stock ep's and a 32mm Meade. I also have a 2x Seben barlow which is decent. What ep should I get? I'd quite like something around the 7/8mm, but is this sensible now that Saturn and Jupiter are far from ideal targets at the moment? Should I just get a replacement 10 or 25 and get rid of the stock ones? Should I get something 'in-between'?

Thanks.

steve

[Helite]

When I started upgrading my eyepieces I went for the "in-between" sizes first to give myself a larger range. The standard supplied eyepieces may not be great but they are usable. My first eyepiece was the 15mm Vixen NPL, I was delighted with it.

[Schorhr]

UWA eyepieces for 30-40€, just received my 6mm, great for the price, also compared to the tmb/hr planetary.

I use my 6mm and 20mm uwa/erfle at f/5 and find the field sharpness still acceptable, with 650mm focal length the moon fits into the 6mm, very nice, though my 8mm hr planetary is nice too and the outer field is sharper at f/5.

The uwa are available in 6, 9; 15 and 20mm, the 6mm should have a similar visible field as the super 10mm but much nicer eye relief and stunning wide angle. Great and inexpensive way to upgrade or complete your set. Barlowed 20mm works well too.

[HIP3802]

As always, it depends on what you want to see! I have a good selection of BST's and hope the following may be of use: The 25, 18 and 12mm BST's are very nice eyepieces. When barlowed (x2), of course, they would give you respectively 12.5, 9 and 6mm. The 25 & 18mm come into their own when looking at open clusters and some DSO's. As they are both fairly wide-field they can also help when searching the skies. The 12 is a good 'standard' piece which, with a decent barlow lens can give very nice planetary detail. The 8 & 5mm BST's are more specificly suited to planetary work.

I hope this helps.

Martin

[wookie1965]

As HIP3802 said the 8 and 5 mm are more suited to planetary, i have the 8mm and Saturn in that is a great view even better Barlowed im going to get the 5mm.

[ronin]

There isn't a 10mm so it is either 8mm or 12mm.

In the 200P the 12mm should be a nice medium power option, gives ~85x

As Saturn and Jupiter are not really relevant at present you can see how you get on and then get the 8mm in a few months for when Jupiter climbs up. Jupiter at 120x is good.

Really depends if you could see Saturn fairly good soon or if you want to wait a year and a bit.

I would guess that replacing the stock items is the best way to go - reality is they are just not good, just not necessarily in one immediate go.

[cotterless45]

With the scopes that you have I'd start off with the superb 25 and 12 mm. This'll give you x48 for searching around and x100 for galaxies and nebulae.

You'll need x150 minimum for planets and the 8mm flat field from Alan is up to the job and designed for Dob use. You'll be at your limit at 7mm so far as getting decent views in super seeing conditions.

The planets are going for a dip next year so I wouldn't be banking on great results there.

Nick.

[watersblue]

Okay, thanks for that everyone. I'll probably go for the 18mm first.m

[AlexB67]

You'll be happy with it no doubt, especially since you got the 200P, a bit slower scope to what I have, they should perform very well across the field of view. Even at f/5 personally I have no complaints in that regard. I have the 15mm and 8mm, love them both, though it is said by many that the longer focal length ones get a bit softer like the 18 and 25mm. In any case they'll all perform well no doubt and will be a step up over the stock eyepieces.

The Vixen NPL from FLO similarly priced at the longer focal lengths would be a good alternatives also, smaller FOV at 50, cheaper below 25mm and shorter eye relief for the shorter focal lengths, but claimed to have a slightly crisper/sharper image, not that I can say form experience as far as the Vixen goes. I never tried them.

Note also there is the BST ED starguider, and the other BSTs, I presume you were referring to the former type, there are some differences, the former being slightly more expensive.

[todd8137]

Start from the top i would not bother with the stock they usually"ok"start from the top and work your way down i should have done that i have about 10 eps ,i gave the stock ones away

over the next couple of years i imagine your collection will grow

pat

[bingevader]

The stock 25mm isn't that bad really.

As Helite said get an EP or 2 that you don't have the focal length for already.

I think the 18mm would be a good choice as you can barlow it to 9mm for the planets too.

(I'd keep the stock eps, in case you ever decide to upgrade/regrade your 'scope)

Cheers

[Mzungu]

I'd say fuill in the gaps and get a 15 or 18. Given your barlow, I'd say 15mm as you also get 7.5mm and it fills a gap. Its a lovely EP.

[Mattscar]

My first BST was the 18mm. That way I had something nice inbetween the 25 and 10, then when barlowed it could replace the stock 10mm as I didn't get on with that EP very well.

Matt

[LeeB]

I use the 18mm a lot its a cracking piece of glass. seems to work in all my scopes, from f4.8 newts to f11 fracs

[Cartman]

Is a barlowed 18 mm BST as good as a 9 mm BST, or is there a viewable difference? Provided that one uses a decent barlow offcourse.

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[Donkeiller]

Can't go wrong with BST/Starguider EPs- available from "Skies the Limit" (no affiliation). I also find the Celestron Xcel-LX range very good. Have a mix of both these makes. Great improvement on "standard" EPs that often come bundled with 'scopes'. Why would anyone pay megabucks for EPs?

[ronl]

I have the 18mm Starguider and use the Revelation Astro 2.5x Barlow

and find it very good, the stock Barlow you get with your kit is to put it

mildly, poor, the Revelation is also good value for money, there are

better I suppose but you have to pay a great deal more, have a look.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/revelation-astro.html

[ktdelain]

Hi,

hopefully just a quick question that kinda flows from this topic - I wanted to get another EP and after reading half the SGL forums had settled on the 18mm BST and a Revelation Astro 2.5x Barlow as a good start, but just wondered if it would be better to get a 2" Barlow, like this one maybe http://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/Revelation_ED_2x_Barlow_2_.html#aBC010 as the other eyepiece that came with my scope is a 2" 28mm one.

are there any issues using a 2" barlow for 1 1/4" eyepieces? and if it is better to get a 2" barlow, which one (budget £50max!)

doh! so that was 3 quick questions!

[Schorhr]

Two UWA eyepieces instead, 25£/32€ each incl. Shipping ;-)

[Cartman]

are there any issues using a 2" barlow for 1 1/4" eyepieces?

I'd like to know that too. How about a 2" Barlow, then a 2" to 1,25" adapter, and then a 1,25mm EP. Would that work?

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[Schorhr]

There's no reason why you could not use a 1.25" eyepiece in a 2" barlow with an adapter, though as the 2" barlow is more expensive it only makes sense if you have two or more excelent 2" eyepieces already.

Else another one or two small eyepieces would be cheaper and provide overall best contrast.

[Cartman]

Does a Barlow affect the AFOV? E.g. in combo with A 82° EP, do you keep the full AFOV or will it get narrower?

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[Schorhr]

The Barlow will change the focal length of the telescope/lightbeam, and the eyepiece will work as usual. Only if you'd tinker and fit a 2" eyepiece on a 1,25 barlow or focuser, it may crop the field.

[Russe]

I second the 8mm and 15mm BST explorer EP's. it's a lot of bang for your buck. By far better than all these eyepiece sets available from celestron...

[Meissa]

I have an 8mm BST and I use it most of the time on DSOs, so far my favourite EP.