Ostara Plossl "High Quality" Ostara Eyepieces and Case

[blackwoodproject]

Hey all... new member, just got my first telescope for Christmas and (once we've got some clear nights here!) hope to be doing some star and planet gazing with my new Sky Watcher Sky Hawk 1145PM.  I know it's hardly top of the range but I did ask for a starter scope to get me going in the first instance!

Although the scope came with a couple of eyepieces and a 2x Barlow I would like to get a set of eyepieces, mainly for planetary viewing - looking online I saw the following but can't find any reviews online:

 http://www.ukhobbystore.co.uk/eyepieces-/164-quality-2x-barlow-lens-ostara-achromatic-eyepiece.html

I've found some discussions on here that talk about Ostara being a cheap and cheerful clone brand so wondered if the set at UK Hobby Store is really the bargain it's made out to be.  My budget's limited and I'd ideally like a good value set that does the job rather than one with all the bells and whistles.  Can anyone recommend the Ostara set or suggest something similar?

Many thanks!  Here's hoping for lots of clear skies in 2014!

[Beulah]

There is information about Ostara in this thread...

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/159908-who-are-ostara/

[ronin]

You may have to consider better then plossl's.

From what I can read the scope is 114mm dia and 500mm focal length.

Now one retailers say f/5 and another f/4, whereas it comes out at f/4.4 more or less.

So it is fast and therefore plossl's may be beyond their limit.

As to how good, cannot really tell. They will be a Chinese plossl that is badged as Ostara and no idea who made them initially.

If they are actual Ostara then they are a big reduction, Ostara plossl'a sold by Optical Hardware are £35 a piece.

OptHW

Two thoughts come to mind:

If it looks to good to be true it probably is, and,

Check on UKHobbyStore, they may be a seller that once they have your money you don't get the goods and it is a fight to get your money back. I have heard of them from somewhere.

I see Bristol Cameras sell an Ostara plossl kit, but different focal lengths.

Apparentlly they came up on SGL 18 months ago, SGL_Ostara, opinion appears to be they are possibly UO eyepieces (United Optics) branded as Ostara and reasonable. That appears to be the best guess anyway.

[inedible_hulk]

To be honest mate I doubt you'll use most of them. I'm guessing your scope came with the stock 25mm and 10mm eyepieces? As you have a Barlow, I'd suggest keeping the 25mm, its usually ok, and getting two more eyepieces to complement it. The BST explorers come highly recommended and you could get two within your budget. There's a handy guide to eyepieces in Getting Started General Advice. It's well worth a read before you part with any cash. I'd also suggest you get a feel for what you have first

[rwilkey]

To say they have a RRP of £324.91 and sell them for £99.95, someone somewhere has got to be kidding.  I wouldn't touch them, I would go for the Revelation set which has had good reviews hereabouts, link here: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/eyepiece-sets/revelation-photo-visual-eyepiece-kit.html

[triton1]

+1 for the bst explorer(star guider)

[cussine]

Another +1 for bst

JimW

[blackwoodproject]

Thanks for all the advice guys... will have another look at the Revelation set (which isn't so far out of my budget).  Was out last night and got to see Jupiter (and all four moons for the first time) and I'm looking forward to getting some better results with a better range of eyepieces (and some clearer weather of course).