What ep's do people recommend?

[billydean]

After some good guidance and alot of review reading I've decided to buy a skywatcher skyliner 150p.

Can anyone recommend what eye piece I should buy to go with this scope bare in mind I'm on a fairly tight buget.I was thinking 10mm plossl would this be suitable

[nightfisher]

If you want a plossl, try to find some Revelation plossll`s, they are very good for the money, there is a couple on uk astro buy sell

[billydean]

Can you recommend any other type of eye piece I should be looking at

[John]

The most popular ones which are a good step up from the ones that come with the scope are the BST Starguiders / Explorers which go for around £47 each. I don't know how that fits with your budget.

The Vixen NPL range are decent quality plossls at reasonable prices which are also somewhat better than the stock eyepieces:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html

[ronin]

Plossl's are reasonable, even very good, but they have variable eye relief and are not parfocal.

Possibly better in this respect are the BST Starguiders(£49) and the Celestron X-Cels.(£65)

The X-Cels have a slightly better selection of focal lengths at the lower end, but cost more.

X-Cels: 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 18, 25

Starguiders: 5, 8, 12, 15, 18, 25.

THere is a 2.3 in the X-Cels and if you look a 3.2 in the Starguiders - have ignored both for your scope.

There is another Skywatcher I have read of just forget what it is called.

[billydean]

After looking at your recommendations I think the vixen are more in my price range.After a quick read I'll be looking at a 30mm and a 10mm plus a barrlow lens

[Charic]

billydean.......Hi, Didn't Michael sing?....no that was Jean!. I'd recommend the 8mm BST Starguider from Alan at skies_unlimited, best £49 I've spent.

Having said that, If you buy that eyepiece and the Skyliner 150P from flo! our sponsor, with delivery, will set you back £255.oo. Now for an additional £31 and NO eyepiece, why not get the better 200P Skyliner and treat yourself to that eyepiece at a later date. The two supplied oculars work ok and will do you fine for now, with their 50°afov (apparent field of view) the 25mm being the better of the two, but I would seriously get something with a wider field of view, hence my suggestion of the 8mm with its 60° afov and good eye-relief, as your first upgrade against the supplied 10mm eyepiece.  Yes, 10° afov makes a  difference.

If you think you like the 150P you'll love the 200P. I know your watching a budget, but I wouldn't suggest the idea if it wasn't worth it. As already stated, Plossl eyepieces are a known standard in astronomy, but as the focal length reduces, so does the closeness to the eyepiece you have to get too, making it uncomfortable in use for some folk.

ronin.....3.2mm Starguider? haven't seen one yet? At present the 5mm is the lowest focal length in the BST Starguiders. The 5mm is special, in as-much as it gets used less than the others, i.e. on special nights when the conditions are perfect, I use it for the Moon. 8mm is the best option for the 200P. I have all six eyepieces, soley for the fact that at any stage of my observing, at least one of them will be suitable to frame the target I'm looking at. If I need wider then I jump to the 32mm Panaview or for even wider my binoculars?

[ronin]

The 3.2mm was I THINK advertised through 365Astronomy, heard about it 6-8 weeks ago and I decided to get one - I have 2 small ETX-70mm scopes that I thought it would be useful for.

It arrived and is certainly a BST Starguider/Explorer although all that is printed on the side is "ED 3.2". The 2 rings are a nice purple.

I checked Sky's the Limit and never appeared there and also checked the Barsta site and agian nothing there. Puzzling.

I also cannot see the same if I check the US for Astro-Tech Paradigms.

Just checked 365Astro (I can get it to display now) and I cannot see it there - I am sure that that is where I bought it from.

Possibly more use:#

Searched for "BST 3.2mm" and mostly turned up the planetary but then:

365Astro

Read what they say and it seems they are included with the "Planetary" eyepieces, and include this Starguider

So:- 365Astro, Catagories, Optical Accessories, 1.25" Eyepieces, Planetary Eyepieces.

Still unsure why I cannot see it elsewhere as in other retailers.

[Schorhr]

At f/8, the 66 degree eyepiece offered by skywatcher, TS and others do an excelent job. They are modified Plössl and come in the flavors 6, 9, 15 and 20mm, a UK store sells them for 27£ or so at ebay.

[ronin]

Back to the original, the NPL's are a good plossl but as said you lose the consistancy of eye relief, not a great problem, however some find that  on ones like the 30mm you have to hold you head well off the eyepiece and so it moves relative to the view. Also do you wear glasses? If so the 10mm may not give sufficent eyerelief.  They are also not parfocal which I find is very useful to have - personel choice.

Bet you never thought picking an eyepiece could be so much trouble. :grin:

[billydean]

I did contemplate the 200p but to be honest I'm trying to get the boss on board with the idea about me spending that kind of money on a scope.I totally agree for the extra money I'll get a better scope.

Is the 150p worth it?

How much difference in size is the 150p to the 200p as for transport because I'm manly back garden observing but will drive 5 /10 mins away and have to carry 100m or so for nearly total dark skys

[billydean]

Totally agree ronin there so many to choose from its a bit confussing for a begginer like me.I appreciate all the advice given by everyone but it still a hard decision[emoji16].

[ronin]

Part of the problem is that you will spend a lot on extras after getting the scope, believe me twice as much on eyepieces then the scope cost is very common, three times is equally common and having an eyepiece (one) that is more then the scope cost is not uncommon either.

Look at it this way, I have the set of BST's there are 6 in the set and at £49 each that is as close as dammit to £300. Now the BST's are a nice set to have, they perform well and cover about all options, Add in a collimator, say £30 and you are now close to £350 on inexpensive bits that do not even include a scope. :eek:

My other eyepieces are the TV plossl's. There are 7 in that set (1.25") and they are about an average of £80 each. Getting the idea that the scope is the "inexpensive" part. :rolleyes:

Where are you? There are clubs around that you could be pointed at to visit, many will be holding open nights about now - addit to the signature/profile. Useful to see the scopes before commiting yourself. Some people find scopes are bigger then they expect, others find they are smaller then they expect. I fall into the latter - upset someone once by saying that their 6" was a nice small convenient size. It was an 8" and they were not happy. :grin:

[billydean]

Ha ha I'm living in Aberdare, South Wales I think the closest group is in Usk or maybe Cardiff.Look like I'll be taking nice to the wife to let me spend more than we agreed.

Now I've been guided to roughly which eps to go for I'm now back to the decision of 150p or 200p.Everytime I settle for the 150p somebody or something turns my head towards 200p.

total beginner living in Aberdare South Wales

[John]

Back to the original, the NPL's are a good plossl but as said you lose the consistancy of eye relief, not a great problem, however some find that  on ones like the 30mm you have to hold you head well off the eyepiece and so it moves relative to the view. Also do you wear glasses? If so the 10mm may not give sufficent eyerelief.  They are also not parfocal which I find is very useful to have - personel choice.

Bet you never thought picking an eyepiece could be so much trouble. :grin:

The longer focal length Vixen NPL's have twist up eye cups so that you can find the correct eye placement and maintain it, even with the 30mm. If you wear glasses you have the eye cup (which is the whole top section of the eyepiece) in the lower position, otherwise generally the higher position works best.

[dick_dangerous]

I use a 150P because I'm a wee slip of a lad and worried that I wouldn't be able to lift the 200P. I regret nothing! Most of my observing is done in a park just down the road from me so I wheel my gear down there on a carp trolley - it's about a half mile trundle and well worth it, very easy too. Whether to get the 200P rather than the 150P? Well, that's one of those 65 million dollar questions (Actually about a £75 question). More aperture = more light capturing ability = better views, but you have to trade off with considerations such as portability. And do those 2 extra inches make all that much difference? Especially if the 'scope's heavier and you're less inclined to schlepp it out for viewing?

My 150P will show the rings of Saturn (With Cassini Division), cloud bands and GRS on Jupiter, ice caps on Mars (At opposition), countless DSOs, including fairly faint galaxies, all within Greater London. When I get it out to a dark site (And it fits nicely in a small hire car, along with assorted other holiday gubbins) I can see even more - the view I got of the Whirlpool Galaxy was frankly breath-taking. Even from London I've skirted the horizon and picked up those low down globulars in Sagittarius and the infamously elusive M6 and M7. It'll show the Ring nebula as an actual ring, it'll resolve out some of the stars in some of the globular clusters and I've even gone roaming through the Virgo Cluster in what are very trying conditions. So the 150P does perform admirably, and I don't regret that decision at all!

In terms of EPs, I'm putting together a collection of BSTs. They're really nice, and they enhance the view nicely over the supplied EPs - the 8mm BST will resolve the outer parts of M13, the 10mm kit lens won't, for example. I have an 8mm, 15mm and 25mm which cover most bases, although when Jupiter comes back in to view early next year I'll invest in a 5mm too. I've also got a UHC filter which works wonders on emission and planetary nebulae.

Those are my experiences with the 150P!

DD

[Pete Presland]

My other eyepieces are the TV plossl's. There are 7 in that set (1.25") and they are about an average of £80 each. Getting the idea that the scope is the "inexpensive" part. :rolleyes:

i am glad you mentioned the TV plossl's the best value eyepiece i have used!

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Hi billy dean I'm in exactly the same boat as you and have been posting the same questions over the past two weeks. I'm going for the 200p because I want to observe the solar system. Will probably get BST EPs based on recommendations and reading. Have a look at my questions and answers. ASTRO ADAM. Has given me some good advice and pointers. It would be worth following some of his threads as well.

Good look with the decision making.

[billydean]

The boss and myself have come to sort of compromise if I make the 200p a Xmas prezzie then I can have it.It does mean waiting untill end of November(early Xmas I'm my book lol) .I know it along wait but I happy to wait and add to it as I go along.

This is my final decision ha ha ha

total beginner living in Aberdare South Wales

[Charic]

Almost four Months to try and locate one in use, and speaking with the owner, ask as many questions as you can. There's so many experienced users on here, that have been afforded the ability to try other lenses and telescopes, and from that, their decisions are simple. I've only had a Brass telescope, from a Book club I believe, about 20 Years ago.......total pants it was, just a good ornament. then last year I got interested in actually going all the way and buying a proper telescope. I bought the Celestron 127EQ  Powerseeker from a fellow North of nowhere, and  just  a little further North of Inverness, even the Satnav had problems locating him?  I was happy with what I saw  and received in the deal about £40 worth of the very books I would have bought next.  I think total outlay was £80 or a little less maybe £70!  Did I say proper telescope? Unfortunately, this telescope was not for me, although I learnt a lot about Equatorial Mounts and setting up ( I learn't fast).  You still may even change your mind about the 200P. There's always something better or desirable according to so-and-so. To try something first has to be the way, for total satisfaction. 

[ronin]

If stuck in the mean time get out and work out the constellations and the main stars in each.

Also work out how to get from one to another and which stars point to things of interest.

There are 4 things that the stars in the Plough point to, just one happens to be Polaris, work out the other 3.

Then do the same for Casseiopia and when it arrives Orion.

There are so many "pointers" that it will take a while, especially with the weather we have.

Also take at look at what there is to look at, Messiers are the "normal" one, but Messier galaxies, or planetary nebula, double stars, carbon stars. Keep a short list of 5 or 10 of each. Then when you get the scope you have something to try and find.

Which reminds me - these things up there do not centre themselves in the scope just for you. Actually they tend to hid, often behind clouds and the moon. The first eyepiece should therefore be a nice wide 30mm or 32mm plossl. Nothing fancy just get used to finding the objects.

[stevend]

After some good guidance and alot of review reading I've decided to buy a skywatcher skyliner 150p.

Can anyone recommend what eye piece I should buy to go with this scope bare in mind I'm on a fairly tight buget.

None. A really good piece of advice I regularly see on SGL is that you should use your scope for a month before buying anything, I totally agree with that and it helped me.

First get used to your scope and have a think about what you really need to get as you use it. That will give you an idea as to what to buy first, especially as you are on a tight budget. Also keep an eye on the classifieds as astronomers look after their kit so there are bargains to be had.

fwiw, I use the BSTs and find them excellent value.

[billydean]

At the moment I'm using a celestron first scope that I bought for my son to just look about with so to speak.This scope as you may know is limited but I'm still enjoying the what it can do.Patience is a virtue

total beginner living in Aberdare South Wales

[rwilkey]

Hi Billydean, just curious, is that the Sgyd Yr Eira (Fall of Snow) in the South Brecons on your avatar?  Also I would recommend, along with others, the BST Explorers/StarGuiders, they are very good value for money in my view here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=bst+explorers+starguiders&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=bst+explorer&_sacat=0

[billydean]

Yes rwilkey

total beginner living in Aberdare South Wales