Eyepiece Purchasing Help

[Paulo83]

Hi there,

I recently purchased a Skyliner 200P and am currently using the supplied 25mm and 10mm eyepieces. I also bought myself a 1.25" 2x Barlow lens to go with it. I realise that the eyepieces supplied are probably not that good so I am looking to upgrade and add different focal lengths to add to my magnification selection. I am very new to astronomy so my use of the telescope is really just observing Jupiter, the moon, a few of the notable stars, especially double stars and such objects as the Andromeda Galaxy. Viewing conditions from my garden are far from ideal due to light pollution.

I am just looking for some decent eyepieces which will improve my viewing and enhance the experience. My budget is adjustable but I probably want to cap it at somewhere between £70-80 per eyepiece. 

Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[wookie1965]

Do you wear glasses if so the BST starguider get great feed back on here and also the x-cels but before you do that if you havnt already read these

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/43171-eyepieces-the-very-least-you-need/

http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm

Loads of good information.

[Paulo83]

Do you wear glasses if so the BST starguider get great feed back on here and also the x-cels but before you do that if you havnt already read these

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/43171-eyepieces-the-very-least-you-need/

http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm

Loads of good information.

Some great information. Thanks for sharing. Have a much better idea now of which eyepieces to go for.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

£70-80 per eyepiece makes the Maxvision range an option:

http://www.explorescientific.de/eyepieces-c-8964.html?page=2&sort=1a

The shortest focal length available is 16mm, so if you are after higher powers then look at the BSTs or X-Cel LX as already mentioned.

However if you are after mid and low power eps then you will struggle to beat the Maxvisions within your budget. They are essentially 'unbadged' Meade 5000 Series eyepieces which were sold for considerably more.

[Charic]

Paulo83........Hi, same telescope here. I went (on advice from SGL) and purchased an 8mm BST Starguider. It cost me £49 from skies_unlimited, Its a very good lens. The Moon is just awesome, and I can see the cloud belts on Jupiter (not seen the GRS yet?) I've probably spent more times using that lens, after sighting straight from the finder-scope.  I've since purchased the 18mm and secured a 25mm at a great second hand price. I only need the 5, 12 and 15mm to complete the BST set, and something in the 32/42mm range for DSO's. This Week, a second hand Revelation Astro 2.5x Barlow arrived, ( Mint! condition and only 1 Month old?)  Un-tested as yet due to bad weather, but its decision time? If my 8mm Barlow's well enough for me, then I wont need the 5mm and will get the 12mm BST.

That will give me a BST set of 8, 12, 18 & 25mm. 4 lenses and the 2.5x Barlow will give me 8 magnifications from between 375x - 48x  (375x will probably be too much but 250x from the 12mm will be fine? If I need a 5mm I can just Barlow the original SW 10mm.

The Andromeda M31 is just a small hazy patch through this scope with the 8mm or the 18mm from my garden (light pollution) However, using the 25mm at my dark sky site, I cant get the whole object in view! From the dark site i can see the nebulosity, frikin amazing! It was another Wow! moment. That's why I want a 32mm being the practical limits for my scope/pupil size, or the 42mm because I can!,  and,  I'm not the only one to look through this telescope. If I lose a mm of exit pupil for being wider than my pupil size, I don't think my old eyes will worry to much.

[nicks90]

charic - dont bother with a 40mm, its not worth it if its a 1.25" ep. Biggest field of view you can get in that size ep is a 32mm, so any larger and you may be decreasing the mag but you wont actually be seeing any additional sky.

[Charic]

nick90.........Yeah, that is my understanding of the 32mm limit. The 40+ would be a 2" and I wont be Barlowing. I'm just needing something, preferable in the 1.25" to encompass M31 and Pleiades.

[Paulo83]

Thanks for the help folks.

I've decided to purchase an 8mm and an 18mm BST Starguider. They should do me fine for the time being. I'll look at adding more in the near future, possibly a 12mm BST if these impress me enough.

[Paulo83]

I ordered my two "Starguider" eyepieces on Thursday, they were sent by first class post (free of charge) and I received them on Saturday morning. Amazingly quick so close to Christmas!

I do really like the look and feel of them. They have a good weight to them, look robust and I like the detachable rubber around the lens, which you can take off or leave on depending on comfort. They seem to be far superior to the eyepieces which were supplied with my telescope.

Only one problem - I haven't had chance to observe with them yet because of the cloudy nights. Will update once I get them outside, which will hopefully be tomorrow night!

[ronin]

May sound odd, but what detachable rubber around the lens?

I have the set and the top section can be swrewed up and down but doesn't detach.

Slightly curious what you have.

[cussine]

It can be prized off, I made the same mistake before I realised it could be raised by screwing

[hobsey]

Slightly curious what you have.

Or what you have done to make it come off.

[Caldwell14]

Another vote for BST Starguider. Tremendous value for money.

[Paulo83]

It can be prized off, I made the same mistake before I realised it could be raised by screwing

JimW

I've just realised the same. I didn't realise they screwed up and down. You can prise the rubber off, but now I'm guessing you're not really meant to??

[ronin]

Another vote for BST Starguider. Tremendous value for money.

They work better if the rubber top is left on and the whole section is screwed up and down to het the optimum eye relief position.

I know the bit can be stiff.

I really asked in case the BST Wide Angles were the actual eyepiece purchased, they appear to have a "normal" rubber eye cup attached.

[ronin]

No, it is meant to be there.

Put it back,

Take a firm grip on the main body and grip and twist the rubber eyepiece bit and it will unwind.

If you do not wear glasses then it needs to be rotated out to place your eye at the most comfortable position.

Well thats the theory.

[cussine]

I've just realised the same. I didn't realise they screwed up and down. You can prise the rubber off, but now I'm guessing you're not really meant to??

Guess so

[Paulo83]

No, it is meant to be there.

Put it back,

Take a firm grip on the main body and grip and twist the rubber eyepiece bit and it will unwind.

If you do not wear glasses then it needs to be rotated out to place your eye at the most comfortable position.

Well thats the theory.

Like I said, I didn't realise they were meant to be screwed up and down. Now I do. The rubber stays on now!

Thanks for your help.

[ronin]

Just as long as the top section rotates up and down that's how it should be, can be stiff at times especially the first time.

I simply had a horrible idea you had bought Starguiders and by some error received the Wide Angles.

It was that one line saying "the rubber cap you can take off or leave on", that made me think "What?"

Half the What was is there a rubber cap that can be removed ? So I checked.

Glad you happened to throw that in or else you may have eventually decided they were not as good as many say.

Just hope Alan from Sky the Limit isn't reading this. :eek:

[Paulo83]

Just as long as the top section rotates up and down that's how it should be, can be stiff at times especially the first time.

I simply had a horrible idea you had bought Starguiders and by some error received the Wide Angles.

It was that one line saying "the rubber cap you can take off or leave on", that made me think "What?"

Half the What was is there a rubber cap that can be removed ? So I checked.

Glad you happened to throw that in or else you may have eventually decided they were not as good as many say.

Just hope Alan from Sky the Limit isn't reading this. :eek:

Well I did start trying to screw them at first, but like you say, they were stiff so there was no movement. So I twisted them and the rubber came up so I thought they were detachable. Now I'm glad I decided to post an update about them as I now know they screw up and down, and I've tested them so I know they definitely do!

Thanks for your help mate. Really appreciated!

[Charic]

Well I did start trying to screw them at first, but like you say, they were stiff so there was no movement. So I twisted them and the rubber came up so I thought they were detachable. Now I'm glad I decided to post an update about them as I now know they screw up and down, and I've tested them so I know they definitely do!

Thanks for your help mate. Really appreciated!

We've all done that     I shared my concern on another thread. The rubber eye cap just went round and round or pulled off. Its not until you give the barrel a good grip, does it loosen, then the eye cap can be raised or lowered by the screwing action. Its  a manufacturing issue. But not a problem. Its just that the rubber initially slides on the barrel  due to the tightness  of the barrel. But once  released, all good to go.  In fact, removing the rubber, then gripping around the eye glass loosened it for me. They haven't locked or tightened up  since, and O dont expect they will.  Like I said, its a manufacturing issue or a giant lobster on quality control ?

[Paulo83]

We've all done that     I shared my concern on another thread. The rubber eye cap just went round and round or pulled off. Its not until you give the barrel a good grip, does it loosen, then the eye cap can be raised or lowered by the screwing action. Its  a manufacturing issue. But not a problem. Its just that the rubber initially slides on the barrel  due to the tightness  of the barrel. But once  released, all good to go.  In fact, removing the rubber, then gripping around the eye glass loosened it for me. They haven't locked or tightened up  since, and O dont expect they will.  Like I said, its a manufacturing issue or a giant lobster on quality control ?

I had to take the rubber off one to loosen the barrel. The other unscrewed once I gripped it tightly. I wouldn't really say it's an issue with manufacturing or quality control. Just the way they are initially assembled. I think it may help if there was a little instruction note included stating that they are meant to screw up and down and the barrel may be tight on first use.

Minor issue, but like I said, they look good quality pieces, especially for the price. Had everything set to go tonight to try the new eyepieces, and it damn well clouded over! So frustrating.

[Charic]

........The mention of a  manufacturing issue is my own description as to  what / whoever tightens the barrel, does so,  just a  little bit to tight, I didn't mean to imply there was any fault.  I've already spoken with Alan on the issue, and  literally said what you implied, with references to a little instruction. 

[Paulo83]

........The mention of a  manufacturing issue is my own description as to  what / whoever tightens the barrel, does so,  just a  little bit to tight, I didn't mean to imply there was any fault.  I've already spoken with Alan on the issue, and  literally said what you implied, with references to a little instruction. 

That would make perfect sense.

I managed to get out tonight briefly after midnight. The sky cleared but it was far from good viewing conditions with the moon being so bright. Just had a quick look at Jupiter and the moon through both eyepieces on their own and with the 2x Barlow. I liked what I seen and the detail brought up on the moon was impressive, even if it was so bright. I will be able tell more on a good viewing night.

Right now I just need to thaw myself out! It's damn cold, even wearing thermals.

[Charic]

That would make perfect sense.

I managed to get out tonight briefly after midnight. The sky cleared but it was far from good viewing conditions with the moon being so bright. Just had a quick look at Jupiter and the moon through both eyepieces on their own and with the 2x Barlow. I liked what I seen and the detail brought up on the moon was impressive, even if it was so bright. I will be able tell more on a good viewing night.

Right now I just need to thaw myself out! It's damn cold, even wearing thermals.

........Its possible to leave the dust cover on the telescope, but remove the one small circular cap that's in-built into the dust cover. There's one cap  that doesn't come off (looks like a cap) that is a  mount  where you store the cap that you've just removed ( if you follow that) This will reduce the Moons glare somewhat (if you don't have a Moon filter)  but that also reduces  the aperture of the telescope accordingly, Not that the Moon is going to disappear from view. try it!