Need advice on choosing eyepieces for 18" skywatcher

[estwing]

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/228371-the-night-the-terminagler-was-terminated/?hl=+31mm%20+terminagler.....................pleaseread this thread all the way through it might save you $$$$$..

[faulksy]

I'm thinking of getting a nexus so wasn't planning on relying on a finder scope that much. Worth considering though. Thanks.

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nexus is the way to go, brilliant brilliant piece of kit. as stu says from a dark site turned down its ace, ask estwing and swampthing.

[raanany]

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/228371-the-night-the-terminagler-was-terminated/?hl=+31mm%20+terminagler.....................pleaseread this thread all the way through it might save you $$$$$..

Thanks Calvin (and swamp thing) for looking this up and sharing. Took me a while to read and it was very educating.

I'm less inclined to get the 31nag now.

Wish I could experiment with them. Unfortunately, I don't get many opportunities to buy these. In Israel I can't even buy them. Nobody sells TV and even if they did they'd cost 30-40% more. I prefer buying new (gave up fighting this sickness) and I don't travel to the U.S. often enough. My next business trip is in a week and I was hoping to get everything there during that trip.

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I posted this question in others forums as we'll. This one was by far the most active discussion.

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[Ags]

Thanks Alan

I'm willing to pay for the right stuff. Been waiting so long for this.

Reading all this I'm closing in on the following list:

6 ethos when I'm at my nearby desert

10 ethos when I'm not...

21 ethos because it's a must

31 nagler for very big objects (I must see Andromeda)

Paracorr

Lawyer - if my wife opens the credit card bill before I get to destroy it

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Just to be clear, you will never see Andromeda properly with an 18" scope - it provides far too much magnification. Even the 31 Nagler is going to provide 60x magnification and a field of view barely over a degree, while Andromeda spans eight degrees. For Andromeda you are better off with a dark site and a pair of low-power binoculars.

[Stu]

Agreed on most points, although it's only just over three degrees rather than eight.

A nice wide field scope and 31 Nagler does a pretty good job on it too

[Ags]

Oops you are right... I was thinking of moon diameters not degrees.

[jetstream]

As far as Andromeda goes both low power widefields and higher mag EP's do a great job IMHO - the higher mag will bring out the dust lanes better than very low power in my scopes, with the 21E,17E and LZ being the winners overall. The LZ really shows great lane contrast, perhaps the best and at highish mag.

[alan potts]

AGS,

I was very pleased with the view of M31 in my 70 X 10.5 bins though with my gear it can't be beat in the M/N 190mm with either the 31mm Nagler or 35mm Panoptic, really does jump out at you on those dark nights in late Summer when the moon hides.

Sorry we are a little off topic but it very true what AGS pointed out though I will have a look with 18 inch, without Paracorr I can get about 1.45 degrees at X48. which is widefield compared to the LX 12 inch.

Alan.

[scarp15]

Whilst I would expect that the paracorr would be used extensively, to enable the 21E to perform at a slightly lower magnification / wider field, switching to an extension tube might serve well for Andromeda and the Veil for example.  Therefore concerning Veil, Crescent, also consider including a 2" i.e. lumicon OIII filter.

Potentially a cracking scope and forth coming set of e.p's, is a shroud relevant, though expect your climate will be dry, observing away from light domes? Would be good to learn of your account and perhaps a comprehensive review when applicable. 

[raanany]

Whilst I would expect that the paracorr would be used extensively, to enable the 21E to perform at a slightly lower magnification / wider field, switching to an extension tube might serve well for Andromeda and the Veil for example.  Therefore concerning Veil, Crescent, also consider including a 2" i.e. lumicon OIII filter.

Potentially a cracking scope and forth coming set of e.p's, is a shroud relevant, though expect your climate will be dry, observing away from light domes? Would be good to learn of your account and perhaps a comprehensive review when applicable. 

Thanks for the tips scrap15. Could you please elaborate on the extension tube? Thought I already mastered the theoretical basics but apparently I haven't yet.

As for a comprehensive report - In several weeks when I have the scope and eyepieces, I'll be happy to share my findings. Note however that they'd be of limited value since I haven't ever had a decent scope to compare this with. As a kid I had a department-store toy of a scope which hardly showed anything even when pointed at the moon. Other later causal experiences were very short and with mediocre equipment/seeing.

[Dinosour23]

If you're in Jerusalem feel free to use my EPs and Apo refractor anytime but you gotta let me look through that 18 incher !

[raanany]

Dinosour23 - I might just do that :-)

[alan potts]

Looks like you have found a helpful person living not so far away, I have not travelled extensively in your country but I do remember the air being very dry and I imagine the views away from large cities are stunning without LP to annoy one. I think it was one of the most orginised places I have ever been, I loved the watering system for the plants and shrubs, I could do with one here when it's dry, which is not that often of late.

Good luck with your purchases.

alan

[raanany]

Thanks Alan. That's kind of you to say.