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Help i'm a Newbie!!!!!!!!


snowy1974

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Hello I recently bought a CELETRON Evolution 8 Telescope which comes with a 40mm and 13mm lense but would like to be able to see some planets like Saturn close up and see close up of the moon.

I use a program online which replicates the field of view you see I was looking at a celestron x-cel lx 2.3mm eyepiece and possibly a x5 barlow can you confirm I will see a clear image and what I would need to set up my camera  Canon eos 550d to take pictures.

 I would also like to get a video camera but would not know where to start.

what barlow lense would you recommend

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Hello I recently bought a CELETRON Evolution 8 Telescope which comes with a 40mm and 13mm lense but would like to be able to see some planets like Saturn close up and see close up of the moon.

I use a program online which replicates the field of view you see I was looking at a celestron x-cel lx 2.3mm eyepiece and possibly a x5 barlow can you confirm I will see a clear image and what I would need to set up my camera  Canon eos 550d to take pictures.

 I would also like to get a video camera but would not know where to start.

what barlow lense would you recommend

Welcome.  And congratulations on your new scope - it looks like a nice piece of kit.  Your telescope has a focal length of 2032 mm.  To calculate 'magnification, you divide the focal length of the scope by the focal length of the proposed eyepiece.  Your proposed 2.3 mm eyepiece would give a theoretical magnification of 883X.  BUT - I'm afraid things are not that simple.  Firstly there is the resolving power of the scope.  You can work out the theoretical maximum useful magnification - see http://www.rocketmime.com/astronomy/Telescope/MaximumMagnification.html  BUT - before that you are going to run up against the issue of 'seeing'.  I'm in the UK which is not blessed with the best seeing.  I also have an 8 inch Celestron SCT (an Edge HD 8).  My "smallest" eyepiece is 7mm focal length (giving a magnification of 2032/7 = 290X).  Most nights I cannot use it - the view deteriorates into un-focussable "gloop".  I've only been able to use the 7mm once in the last few months.  I tend to stick with my 18mm eyepiece (mag = 112X) or my 10mm (mag = 203X).  It is often the case that I see more detail on - say - Jupiter's surface with a sharp lower magnification view than with a blurry high mag one (at least that is my impression).   You will get really nice views of Jupiter at 200X magnification - the planet will not fill the field of view.  You will also find that with repeated viewing, you will be able to see more and more.  

You do not need high levels of magnification to get spectacular views of the moon. 

I have a small eyepiece collection.  I like using eyepieces which give a wider field of view than the standard plossls - I have a few of the Celestron Luminos range.  If I am honest, however, the eyepiece that I probably use the most is the 40mm one that came with the scope.  For things like the Orion Nebula, various galaxies and open clusters you don't need very much magnification at all.  What you are looking for is the ability of the scope to gather light - "light amplification" for want of a better term.

I hope that some of that is helpful.  I rambled on somewhat, didn't I? 

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With a 2.3 X-Cell you will see a blurred image, that will not remain stationary, it will bounce all over the place.

A 20mm should be OK for Jupiter and a 12mm for Saturn.

Forget a 5x barlow, too "coarse" for the scope, it would be useless with any eyepiece below 30mm and likly little use with a 30mm..

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Hi Snowy and welcome to SGL, if you have some dark skies out of Perth, then transport your scope there, to get the best out of your scope for observing or photography, dark skies are essential. To answer your various inquiries, you are best to post in the relevant sub sections of the forum for advice. If your intending to go down the Astrophotography route, then before you start, members will recommend you obtain a copy of "Making Every Photon Count"... http://www.skyatnightimages.co.uk the book most widely used by our forum imagers, enjoy your new scope :)

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hi and welcome to sgl. take the advice from above it is spot on.

                                                                                                    bob.

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Newbie? You have a $1,600 telescope.

I'm a newbie and my telescope was $250, and that was too expensive for me.

You must be rich.  :shocked: Lucky.

Hi yes splashed out so I would not need to buy another for a while. rather buy something goodish rather than splash out again

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Welcome.  And congratulations on your new scope - it looks like a nice piece of kit.  Your telescope has a focal length of 2032 mm.  To calculate 'magnification, you divide the focal length of the scope by the focal length of the proposed eyepiece.  Your proposed 2.3 mm eyepiece would give a theoretical magnification of 883X.  BUT - I'm afraid things are not that simple.  Firstly there is the resolving power of the scope.  You can work out the theoretical maximum useful magnification - see http://www.rocketmime.com/astronomy/Telescope/MaximumMagnification.html  BUT - before that you are going to run up against the issue of 'seeing'.  I'm in the UK which is not blessed with the best seeing.  I also have an 8 inch Celestron SCT (an Edge HD 8).  My "smallest" eyepiece is 7mm focal length (giving a magnification of 2032/7 = 290X).  Most nights I cannot use it - the view deteriorates into un-focussable "gloop".  I've only been able to use the 7mm once in the last few months.  I tend to stick with my 18mm eyepiece (mag = 112X) or my 10mm (mag = 203X).  It is often the case that I see more detail on - say - Jupiter's surface with a sharp lower magnification view than with a blurry high mag one (at least that is my impression).   You will get really nice views of Jupiter at 200X magnification - the planet will not fill the field of view.  You will also find that with repeated viewing, you will be able to see more and more.  

You do not need high levels of magnification to get spectacular views of the moon. 

I have a small eyepiece collection.  I like using eyepieces which give a wider field of view than the standard plossls - I have a few of the Celestron Luminos range.  If I am honest, however, the eyepiece that I probably use the most is the 40mm one that came with the scope.  For things like the Orion Nebula, various galaxies and open clusters you don't need very much magnification at all.  What you are looking for is the ability of the scope to gather light - "light amplification" for want of a better term.

I hope that some of that is helpful.  I rambled on somewhat, didn't I? 

many thanks for that info most useful. I live in Australia but was from UK so most nights are cloud free and if you get away from street lights the stars are bright most nights. Why is the smaller mm lense so much harder to focus and would buying a 2.3mm be a waste where I live. is having a barlow better than using a higher mag eye piece and if so is X 5 to hard to focus

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