BST StarGuiders

[TheWelshMagician]

I'm new to sky watching, I have a Skywatcher 200p and I've posted on here before and looked through other posts and everyone is talking about the BST StarGuiders. Where is the best place to get them from (links would be great) and what are the best ones to get?

[TheWelshMagician]

Sorry meant to say its a Skywatcher explorer 200p and my budget is around £200

[Stephen]

Either email the seller directly (website here http://www.skysthelimit.org.uk/ ) or get them from his eBay account

This guide is definitely worth a read to which focal lengths - http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/43171-eyepieces-the-very-least-you-need/

Also in addition to the above guide I loved my 32mm Skywatcher Panaview in the 200P

[Reeny]

From Skys The Limit

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Skys-the-Limit-Astro-and-Optical/BST-Starguider-ED-/_i.html?_fsub=2568750014&_sid=53377064&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

Edit - You just beat me to it

[jnb]

On a related question I want to upgrade the stock eyepieces I have and was trying to decide between the BST and Celestron X-Cel LX, basically because that's at the budget point I have for this scope. The question is which to get, is there any practical difference between them. What I want is an improvement in quality and FOV without going silly for the cheap scope I have or buying something that won't be up to use in a better scope in future.

[Stephen]

On a related question I want to upgrade the stock eyepieces I have and was trying to decide between the BST and Celestron X-Cel LX, basically because that's at the budget point I have for this scope. The question is which to get, is there any practical difference between them. What I want is an improvement in quality and FOV without going silly for the cheap scope I have or buying something that won't be up to use in a better scope in future.

The LX's are better (IMHO) contrast, clarity and view.

However the BST's are cheaper and not to be sniffed at, bang for buck there is a reason they are recommended lots.

Not a great answer I know, but if you can get to a local meet or a star party having a look through them would be the best bet - what works for one person (eyepiece wise) does not always work for others

[ronl]

I use BST StarGuider eyepieces and they suit me perfectly, but as Steven said,

they may not suit everyone, but they are very good value, you have to pay more

for anything better, I have the set except for the 25mm, like Steven I have the 32mm

SW Panaview, which is a 2" eyepiece, that also is very good, and value for money.

The 12mm and 18mm are very good for starters but it depends what you intend to

observe, the 5mm needs good viewing to get the best out of it.

[rory]

For my tuppence worth , I found the 18mm the pick of the bunch , that gives x66 in your dob .

That would be my first buy personally . I used the 12mm a lot too . They are all great though .

It's one eyepiece that we can actually get cheaper here in the uk than the yanks can buy them for in the U.S in all but name anyway.

[ronin]

There appears no real difference between the X-Cel's and the BST. You will find that about half the people prefer one and half prefer the other.

The real difference is the available focal lengths at the shorter end:-

BST = 5mm, 8mm, 12mm

X-Cels = 5mm, 7mm, 9mm, 12mm.

A slightly finer selection range if you are concerned about magnification.

I think the X-Cels claim 1mm more eye relief, but it is that close that you likely could not tell.

If it was the BST's then that is 4 of them and 5mm, 8mm, 15mm and 25mm, should cover 98-100% of situations.

If X-Cels that is 3 of those so possibly 7mm, 12mm and 25mm - actually not an easy choice in these, the BST's seem to fall better.

If magnification was required (Mars and Saturn are making an appearance) then in the X-Cels 5mm, 9mm and 25mm instead of the previous options.

For some reason the BST's are easier to select.

[KevUU]

Yes, there's a lot of support on here for the BSTs

I bought the 12mm and 8mm for my 200p, and would have bought the 25mm if I didn't already have something different in that ballpark (I still might replace it with a BST, to be honest).

If it's any help I posted a review of the BST a while ago and there are various helpful comments from other people there which may help you decide what to get: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/183444-impressions-of-a-bst-starguider/