sensible eyepiece for moon and planets

[michael23]

Just wondering and getting ideas really as I only have 2 eyepieces, the standard one supplied with scopes a series 4000 I think and a 6mm (unbranded I think) which was sold to me with the scope, but the latter even on the moon is not brilliant at all, really hard to focus with that one too, so perhaps the magnification is way too much for the scope, even on the moon. 

[ronin]

Give us a clue - what is the scope ? :grin:

[LukeSkywatcher]

Give us a clue - what is the scope ? :grin:

I think the clue is in " series 4000". That's Meade if i am am not mistaking. Mind you, it doesnt tell us the specs/brand of the scope etc. IIRC, Meade in Europe is branded as Bresser, so it could be either.............or none of the above. The make is not important (so i'll hush up on that). Its the specs we need here.

[ronin]

The Series 4000 are often the Meade Plossls but still no idea on the scope, Meade's can range from 14" goto or ETX 70 goto?

Assume Michael has written the post and simply forgotten to mention the scope, after he knows what it is. :rolleyes:

These things happen.

Just waiting now for details to arrive. :grin:

Thoughts are that 6mm is often a good planet/moon eyepiece, so that makes it curious about the scope and why the poor performance.

[LukeSkywatcher]

The Series 4000 are often the Meade Plossls but still no idea on the scope, Meade's can range from 14" goto or ETX 70 goto?

Assume Michael has written the post and simply forgotten to mention the scope, after he knows what it is. :rolleyes:

These things happen.

Just waiting now for details to arrive. :grin:

Thoughts are that 6mm is often a good planet/moon eyepiece, so that makes it curious about the scope and why the poor performance.

Without knowing the specs of the scope, would it be flippant to think/suggest that pretty much any EP around 6-8mm would be fine for observing the Moon?. I mean its so close to us and 8mm of any branded EP works for me in any brand/size telescope. It boils down to budget and also i guess eye relief.

[michael23]

Ooops   It is a meade lxd 55 8" sct. 

[ronin]

I wouldn't go less then a 12mm or 15mm for that size a scope.

6mm will be too much magnification.

[michael23]

Here is a pic, the standard eyepiece is just a meade super plossel

20150206_223256 by scilly puffin, on Flickr

[ronin]

Yep, Meade 26mm plossl, Meade supplied plossl's in sort of bit odd focal lengths at times.

Normal supplied items were 26mm and 9mm. :eek:

Other one looks like a reply just made about a Skywatcher UWA.

Same shape, same focal length, same UWA, same band at the top.

Still think it is too much magnification for the LXD :grin:

If the plossl is good then get GSO/Revelation plossls at say 12mm and 15mm.

GSO=Revelation and they made the Meade plossl's, well they printed Meade on the side. :rolleyes:

[Charic]

The Meade LXD55 manual suggests down to 4mm eyepiece? ( F-812 f/4 203mm ) It also suggests on page 15 that there is an Eyepiece Calc, in the utilities menu, try this and see what it recommends?

[John]

If it's an 8" F/10 SCT then the 6mm eyepiece (which is not a bad one actually) gives 333x magnfication which is going to be too much power most of the time, even on the Moon. I'd suggest something around 8mm (250x) might prove more satisfactory more often. I had my best ever views of Saturn using a Celestron 8" SCT and an 8mm Tele Vue plossl a few years ago

[michael23]

Yes its the 8" f10 sct. Thanks for the replies, I see telescope house has the revelation set on offer for £100. I shall see what money I can save.

[Charic]

.... I chose the wrong spec from the  manual!  

A 10 mm  (giving 200X ) or just either side  should be fine. As John points out, this can be exceeded.

[John]

If the budget is tight I'd buy single eyepieces rather than a set. The 26mm and 6mm you have are decent, you just need, say, 3 more to create a set. You could get a 15mm, 12mm and 9mm GSO/SPL plossls from the Astroboot website for just £40 delivered. That would give you magnifications of: 77x, 133x, 167x, 222x and 333x with your current eyepieces.  Here is a link to Astroboot:

http://www.astroboot.co.uk/AstroBoot

[michael23]

.... I chose the wrong spec from the  manual!  

A 10 mm  (giving 200X ) or just either side  should be fine. As John points out, this can be exceeded.

Thank you.

If the budget is tight I'd buy single eyepieces rather than a set. The 26mm and 6mm you have are decent, you just need, say, 3 more to create a set. You could get a 15mm, 12mm and 9mm GSO/SPL plossls from the Astroboot website for just £40 delivered. That would give you magnifications of: 77x, 133x, 167x, 222x and 333x with your current eyepieces.  Here is a link to Astroboot:

http://www.astroboot.co.uk/AstroBoot

Thanks John,I shall consider that option.