Explore Scientific 14mm 100 Degree

[Lorne]

     I got the ES14 100 3 weeks ago and due to clouds and my shifts it got its first light last night in a short - unforecast clear spell. I got about 45 minutes in my garden where I get to see a feint stripe of Milky Way. I rolled the Dob out of the garage and set up - unpowered to save time. My garden faces SSW ish so straight above me was the Summer Triangle. First off was M57, I liked this as I was getting to see the greeny blue ring a decent size and still get a good background of stars. Next I went to M27, not so much a Dumbbell shape in my not fully dark sky but still a decent sized fuzzy which I cant wait to see when I get the scope to a darker site. I then swung the 'scope to Albireo, then to the zenith for Mu Cephei - the Garnet Star, not to test the EP, but just because they are always nice to look at. 

     Next in my short session was M13 and M92. These were sitting more over the light polluted area of sky but still both globs were resolved easily - again both decent sized in the EP.  

     I wrapped up the session with M31, no dust lane visible from my garden but M32 and M110 both showing in the FOV with a bit of eye movement.

     Whilst rolling the 'scope back into the garage, I looked up and saw the double cluster could be observed between my, and my neighbours house and.... WHAT A VIEW! both clusters filled the EP from edge to edge, it felt like I was in between them.

     To finalise, I have had sessions when the only EP used has been my 28mm SW Nirvana, I never felt the need to swap during the evening, well, this EP has the same effect, though probably more comfortable to use. I just cant wait to use it to it's full potential and get it to darker skies. 

     To finalise further   I always regarded my 28mm Nirvana as "a keeper" but I'm seriously tempted to swap it out for the ES 20mm 100* as I got a look through one at one of our group's sessions (thanks Stev74) and the FOV is not too much less, but with the benefits of a darker background. decisions decisions!!!

     Anyway, enough rambling. Thanks for reading.

L.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Lovely first light report. Glad your new EP performs so well

[John]

Nice review !

Having owned the ES 100 / 20mm for a while I can see the attraction - it's a cracking eyepiece as well

[Adrian Condon]

Hi,

I have an ES 14mm 100 FOV eyepiece...... Brilliant!

I used it at the September Galloway star party. Great views of the Milky Way and also used it with my Baader Herschel Wedge, the sharpest of the Sun was amazing.

At Galloway, Steve (Steve74), used his ES eyepiece with a Skywatcher OIII filter to view the Veil Nebula. We got a goodish view of the nebula, both east and west, but I went and got my new ES OIII 2" filter and we tested that out on his ES eyepiece and 12" DOB.  The difference in performance was interesting, the ES Filter was definitely  better, in the opinion of the 4 people who viewed it. We viewed a number of nebulae and the ES OIII performed best on all.

Incidentally, I made sure I got my filter back from Steve, he was tempted to swap the filters over!!!!

Trust we can do more tests with Steve at the Autumn Galloway Party in mid-November, with other narrowband filters.

Cheers

Adrian

[Damo636]

Nice report Lorne, the 14mm ES 100° is a fabulous eyepiece!

[laudropb]

Very nice report. Sounds like a good eyepiece. Thanks for posting.

[Chris]

Nice report, I had exactly the same feeling of being between the double cluster when I had my 20mm ES100 and C8 Edge. You look left to see one cluster and right to see the other.