Buying an XT8 dob but no eyepiece, advice needed!

[oscillatewildly]

Hi everyone,

Complete newbie here but I have done quite a bit of reading so have some idea of what's going on. I'm trying to get a telescope as a gift for my husband - he's very keen to get into astronomy but has never had a telescope, so I'm getting this for him as a gift. I don't know if it helps, but we are keen birders and therefore lots of experience locating things with binoculars and terrestrial scopes. I can come out and ask what he wants as it's a gift, but I think he would very much like the challenge of having to navigate to and locate objects, and so I think a goto scope is unnecessary

After lots of research I have decided to go for the Orion Skyquest XT8 - it's a bit over my budget but I think worth the extra over the XT6, and I have found a secondhand one in near perfect condition.

The problem is that is doesn't have an eyepiece. From what I have been reading, the 25mm that it comes with is actually not a very widely used eyepiece though.

Therefore I would really, really love some advice as to whether I should go for this and purchase a separate eyepiece (as giving him the scope without the eyepiece would be a bit mean!)

Specifically:

- what would you recommend considering a tight budget?

- better to get 2 cheaper ones and have more potential or one better quality one?

I was possibly thinking about something like this:

http://goo.gl/0mlF2z

Although now getting pricey

....or should I just pay for a complete, new XT8 and let him get the upgrades (and pay for them ) as he wishes

Thanks everyone!
Emma

[oscillatewildly]

There is also this:

http://goo.gl/C9ogXa

Which looks like a good match for the recommendations here: 

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/57696-need-eyepiece-advice-orion-8-dob/

Thanks everyone, looking forward to hearing your opinions

[nmoushon]

Check out Cloudynights.com and their second hand EPs. If you are just starting out and on a tight budget I would suggest a couple cheaper EPs. You will be able to get more out of them. I would also suggest getting a 2x Barlow as this will effectively make a single EP into two EP. So if you get a 20mm and a 2x barlow you will have the mag of a 20mm EP and a 10mm EP. Not sure what your exact budget is but there are several cheap Plossl up there. Might have to wait to find some in your specific budget range but they come up very often. You can usualy get them for about $10-20 a piece depending on brand and mag.

[oscillatewildly]

Check out Cloudynights.com and their second hand EPs. If you are just starting out and on a tight budget I would suggest a couple cheaper EPs. You will be able to get more out of them. I would also suggest getting a 2x Barlow as this will effectively make a single EP into two EP. So if you get a 20mm and a 2x barlow you will have the mag of a 20mm EP and a 10mm EP. Not sure what your exact budget is but there are several cheap Plossl up there. Might have to wait to find some in your specific budget range but they come up very often. You can usualy get them for about $10-20 a piece depending on brand and mag.

Thanks. My budget is about $300, max $350, depending on whether or not I get roses on Sat

What other scopes would you recommend? I was reading that the Dobson would be a great first scope - I know he will get frustrated with something quite basic and that would need upgrading, and I know the reason he hasn't bought one before now is for feeling that he couldn't afford an adequate one

[ghostdance]

Assuming it's a good saving with the used XT8, I'd go for that and the 25mm, which is a useful eyepiece for wider field viewing. Easier also to find stuff with that, and star hop. Then you can add a higher mag like a 10mm a little later (plethora of choices, and don't neglect the used market).

Is the seller trustworthy (a store may have a limited warranty on used items for example)? Can you test drive the XT8 to check for any hidden problems? The XT6 was a great scope from what I've read, so I'd imagine the 8 is similar (I have a smaller Orion myself).

Hope you are both smitten by the stargazing bug. It's a beautiful creature to see, and will always show you something new...

[oscillatewildly]

Assuming it's a good saving with the used XT8, I'd go for that and the 25mm, which is a useful eyepiece for wider field viewing. Easier also to find stuff with that, and star hop. Then you can add a higher mag like a 10mm a little later (plethora of choices, and don't neglect the used market).

Is the seller trustworthy (a store may have a limited warranty on used items for example)? Can you test drive the XT8 to check for any hidden problems? The XT6 was a great scope from what I've read, so I'd imagine the 8 is similar (I have a smaller Orion myself).

Hope you are both smitten by the stargazing bug. It's a beautiful creature to see, and will always show you something new...

I wouldn't be able to test it as it's currently on ebay. Having looked at Cloudynights.com, it seems like I can get just as good a deal out there with the original eyepiece, something like $300 if I am really lucky.

Yes I can't wait to get into it! I know he's going to love it. We found Jupiter with our birding scope the other night and he's been out there again and again

[ronin]

The kit you supply a link to seems to say it has 2 eyepieces in it and other then the moon filter the rest is of little use.

You could get 2 additional eyepieces from Astronomics - the Astro Tech value ones - at $23 each, say the 25mm adn the 12mm - wuld ahve said 32mm and 12mm but the 32mm is not in stock.

Agena Astro do the GSO plossls at $31 to $36 each maybe 32mm and 12mm in those.

[ghostdance]

I agree with Ronin re the kit - I think there are few useful bits in a free case!

If you can source the XT8 from another seller ( I'm not necessarily against Ebay, I'll soon be selling a scope there myself) where you can see it or return if faulty, then that seems sensible. Must be difficult in the States because of the sheer size of the country...but of course there are superb online stores.

Keep us informed of your telescope 'journey' - you already have the

absolute necessities: a love, wonder and enthusiam for this beautiful universe we're so privileged to be a part of. On UK tv, they are showing a documentary about the Solar System as I write. I still cannot quite believe that in my lifetime I can see the surfaces of Mars and Titan as clearly as if I was standing there.

Happy wandering!

[oscillatewildly]

I agree with Ronin re the kit - I think there are few useful bits in a free case!

If you can source the XT8 from another seller ( I'm not necessarily against Ebay, I'll soon be selling a scope there myself) where you can see it or return if faulty, then that seems sensible. Must be difficult in the States because of the sheer size of the country...but of course there are superb online stores.

Keep us informed of your telescope 'journey' - you already have the

absolute necessities: a love, wonder and enthusiam for this beautiful universe we're so privileged to be a part of. On UK tv, they are showing a documentary about the Solar System as I write. I still cannot quite believe that in my lifetime I can see the surfaces of Mars and Titan as clearly as if I was standing there.

Happy wandering!

Thanks everyone for all your help. It's reassuring to know that there are some reasonably priced eyepieces out there. I would hate to get him this for him to not be able to upgrade. Thanks for all the input

[LMC]

Don't worry about getting a single fl eyepiece yet.

My advice (its free!), would be to get a decent zoom eyepiece in the 7mm - 21/24mm range and spend some time observing with that.

A zoom e.p. in that range will give you an excellent idea of whether you want to go up or down in magnification, or FoV and, if the eyepiece is good enough(Baader, Celestron, Orion) you may find yourself sticking with that!