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Magnifications


miguel87

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I like to keep eyepieces to a minimum so not to waste money. I have a tal barlow which I could praise all day long, Barlows are good for soooo many reasons. I also have a 30mm 20mm and 6mm. My question is, do I need a magnification between 167 and 333?

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IMHO NO.

However, you already have the possibility.

Unscrew the lens element from your Barlow and screw it directly into the 6mm EP, this will give you approx 3.75 or 266x .

You can also play with your other EPs in this manner.

A 2x Barlow lens element will give around 1.6 when you just use the element.

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I'd say not.



In the UK, I find that 150x is about the max I can use with any scope due to the seeing - and it's more like 125x most of the time.



Unless you observe from a very good, dark sky site the higher mags will only be useful on nights of exceptional seeing.



So if you want a minimalist eyepiece collection for cost, or other, reasons then I wouldn't bother with high mag eyepieces that will only be usable on a handful of nights in the year.

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Thanks very much chaps. Very intrigued with the Barlow options. Is the element the bit that comes off the bottom of the Barlow then. Yes j have just discovered it threads beautifully into my ep's! I love this website.

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I'd say not.

In the UK, I find that 150x is about the max I can use with any scope due to the seeing - and it's more like 125x most of the time.

Unless you observe from a very good, dark sky site the higher mags will only be useful on nights of exceptional seeing.

So if you want a minimalist eyepiece collection for cost, or other, reasons then I wouldn't bother with high mag eyepieces that will only be usable on a handful of nights in the year.

I think from the heavily polluted air of the Southeast/London area this is likely to be more the norm than our clearer skies up't North  :grin:

I find the average for me is just short of 189 with a my 8mm and this gets used as much as I can get away with it.

only problem with this is it needs a good hour at least for the tube to cool enough.

Regards you question, use the barlowe as suggested, the versatility is excellent.

steve

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I like to keep eyepieces to a minimum so not to waste money. I have a tal barlow which I could praise all day long, Barlows are good for soooo many reasons. I also have a 30mm 20mm and 6mm. My question is, do I need a magnification between 167 and 333? 

Your money is never wasted, its just in a deposit based asset   :smiley:

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I do observe double stars and planets a lot and therefore feel more closely packed eyepieces at the 'top end' is essential. I summarised my view in this thread http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/188794-eyepiece-groups/

The only eyepiece I have added since this is a 40mm Televue Widefield but I have also sold the Ethos and bought a 12mm Nagler T2.

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I do observe double stars and planets a lot and therefore feel more closely packed eyepieces at the 'top end' is essential. I summarised my view in this thread http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/188794-eyepiece-groups/

The only eyepiece I have added since this is a 40mm Televue Widefield but I have also sold the Ethos and bought a 12mm Nagler T2.

I must post up my version of this to also show off, erm I mean explain   :grin:  what my setup is and what they are used for.

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Very high mag is OK as a stunt but does it really reveal more detail? Try readng distant text in the daytime at high and then higher powers. It is a great revealer of the truth. To make the test more exacting read the letters of the text backwards to see if you are anticipating the result.

Olly

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Your 167 magnification will do everything you want it to do - but It's always nice to find the limits.

I think a 5mm will give you 200x on the 200P Explorer.

I have the 200P dob and successfully use the following combinations around 200x magnification when the seeing conditions allow.

- 165x via 16mm MaxVision and Barlow = 68 degree / used 95% of the time / good on Jupiter and Mars

- 200x via 6mm TV Delos, there is no way to underestimate this eyepiece, = 70o of top drawer goodness, used 80% of the time.

- 240x via 11mm Explore Scientific 82o and Barlow = lunar, double stars, jupiter moon transits and GRS, used 40% of the time.

- 290x via 9mm plossl and Barlow, only 52o - I normally have quick look, then drop back to the wider 11mm or 6mm EP's, the 9mm is used <5% of the time.

The skies must be darker up here in the back gardens of Northumberland.

The biggest problem I have now is the summer heat haze dissapating from the buildings in the street.

Good weather conditions on a cool winter evening will allow 200x mag to be used on most nights.

When I hit the limit, I can drop down to the next eyepiece and enjoy the view at 20% less magnification.

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Magnification is a personal thing and as said is down to seeing. Most of the time I will stay around the X170 mark but some targets ask for and can handle more, Saturn and Mars, the former can handle it and the latter needs it.

Myself I would have an option of 200-240, in the right conditions your scope can take it with ease, a short zoom would be fantastic or a 5mm - 4.5mm eyepiece.

Alan.

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