EP's best matched to my telescope

[dubyad40]

Having just read the fantastic post "Eyepieces - the very least you need" by Warthog I have gained so much knowledge and would just like opinions/directions on my assumptions. So, I now know my NexStar 5SE has a focal ratio of 10 and is considered a slow telescope and working on the information in Warthogs post if I wanted to cover most options my ideal EP set would be 7.5mm, 12.5mm, 20mm and 30mm. The first thing I asked myself is why did the scope come with a 25mm? but then I probably answered it in the same breath, it's a compromise.  I was interested that Warthog gave magnification for EP's depending on focal ratio but I couldn't work out the calc he used (math not my strongest point lol) so if anyone could help me out there I would be grateful. One last thing, if there is anyone out there with the same scope as me who has found the perfect EP set then please advise, it would be most welcome. Thanks.

[nightfisher]

Divide focal length of scope by size of ep

As you have a 25mm ep, i would be tempted with a 32mm plossl, skip the 20mm, its to close to the 25, maybe look at an 18mm plus a 9mm

[ronin]

If you went for the BST's then 8mm, 12mm, 18mm and 25mm

If the X-Cel's then 9mm, 12mm, 18mm and 25mm.

Plossl's a 10mm may be too short on the eye relief, so an 8mm would be "worse". Will say some have no problem, I take my glasses off and do not have a problem with an 8mm plossl, others do however.

I know I have repeated the 25mm but the FoV of the BST's and X-Cel's is such that they have the same resultant FoV as a 30mm plossl. You could leave that until last.

[dubyad40]

Thanks very much for your replies guys.

[YKSE]

I'd recommend you to take a good look at the second market here:

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?

Buying used EPs will save you hard-earned money in the long run.

[dubyad40]

Thank you YKSE, I had started to think that a good quality zoom EP might be an idea, say 8mm - 24mm. I am thinking this will give me 52x to 156x magnification which will allow me to explore near and far until I make up my mind where my main interest will be, ie planetary, deep space etc.  Any views anyone, would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[YKSE]

Thank you YKSE, I had started to think that a good quality zoom EP might be an idea, say 8mm - 24mm. I am thinking this will give me 52x to 156x magnification which will allow me to explore near and far until I make up my mind where my main interest will be, ie planetary, deep space etc.  Any views anyone, would be appreciated.  Thanks.

I have Baader Mark III zoom, it works very well in my f7.5 and F10 scopes, I used it mainly as solar viewing and alignment EPs. So the 8-24mm is very convenient.

As an observing EP, the Mark III zoom works very well in range between 8-20mm, better than BST starguider 8mm and 12mm I had at that time.

You can read site member's opinions here

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/167120-baader-hyperion-zoom-mkiii/

[dubyad40]

Thanks for the link YKSE, very interesting.