Maximum Magnification

[skywalker]

I have an EXPLORER 150 and just wondered what its maximum usable magnification would is?

[Badgerjc]

I would say 300x mag would be the highest you could go!! Depending on the seeing that is!!

[supernova]

Hi skywalker try this I cant open it but give it a go :D

Bernie.

http://www.nightskies.net/scope_calc/

[plasma.d00d]

Hi skywalker try this I cant open it but give it a go :D

Bernie.

http://www.nightskies.net/scope_calc/

This should be the working link ... http://www.nightskies.net/scopetest/scopecalc/index.html

[skywalker]

Great thanks. Would it be possible to reach that level of magnification without a barlow?

[John]

Great thanks. Would it be possible to reach that level of magnification without a barlow?

Explorer 150 F5 (I'm assuming it's the F5 version) = 750mm focal length.

To get 300x magnification you will need a 2.5mm focal length eyepiece which are hard to come by. Instead I'd suggest a 5mm eyepiece and a 2x barlow lens which will have the same result.

TBH you won't find you can use 300x very often - the sky conditions in the UK are not really good enough that often. You will see just as much detail on planets at 200x - just on a smaller scale

Think of your scope as a light gathering instrument rather than a magnifiying one - the most satisfying views are often had a much lower powers IMHO

John

[skywalker]

Many thanks.