Skywatcher 130p lens advice

[Mog]

Hello, my brother has recently purchased a skywatcher 130p goto telescope, as he is new to starrgazing and wanted an easy to use introduction to telescopes. So far he has been using the lenses supplied with the telescope. I was looking to buy him 1 or 2 new lenses, preferably ones that would increase the zoom or magnification of the objects. However, I'm aware that lenses can be extremely costly, and so I was wondering if you had any advice on the best ones I can obtain for around £40? Do any exist for that price?

[Charic]

Try Astroboot?

For value, there are two eyepieces on there, a 9mm and a 12mm, search for GSO, and you will find them. Their actually Revelation Astro eyepieces, but they are good. Either one for £15 may better the quality of the supplied 10mm eyepiece you have, or buy both, I have some of them

Failing that search for a second hand BST Starguider. They too are good and very comfortable in use. They are new for £49, cheaper, second,  if  any are available?

The scope you mention is capable of producing 130x power/magnification?

You divide the telescopes focal length by the eyepiece in use to obtain the magnification. 

If the scope in question has a 650mm focal length, then a 5mm eyepiece should be the smallest focal length eyepiece to obtain 130x

There are so many permutations!

Welcome to the SGL 

[Andy Mitchell]

You can get a 5mm BST starguider for £49 and they are really good for the money. Will give a wider apparant view than the current eyepieces, a nice sharp image, and you don't have to almost touch your eyeball on the lens to use it, as you often have to with cheaper short focal length eyepieces. Just about everyone on here reckons they are fantastic.

That would give 130x magnification. If your brother owns a 2x barlow, he can double that up to 260x which is the rule of thumb limit to how high you should go on that scope in perfect seeing conditions. If he doesn't own a 2x barlow, that could be his birthday present

[inedible_hulk]

I found my 5mm BST didn't get much use in my 130P, but the 8mm has. The following thread on selecting eyepieces from the beginners section is well worth a read: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/43171-eyepieces-the-very-least-you-need/ [emoji4]

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[Mog]

Thank you all, this has been incredibly helpful. I am a complete novice and so you're helping me understand. Yes, that's the scope he's got, and the lenses you have all suggested seem to give him a little more reach without going overboard (and pushing the telescope beyond its capabilities). I heard that the stock lenses supplied with the telescope aren't bad, but that the telescope is capable of greater magnification, and so I thought this would be something that might give him a little wow factor perhaps.

[Mog]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-eyepieces/skywatcher-sp-plossl-eyepieces.html

Aeajr, is there a step up from the 6.3 mm plossl one you suggested (linked above)? As in, one that gives that level of magnification, but a higher quality eyepiece? Perhaps I am better to get just one eyepiece, so anything around £30-40 that performs the same? Or will the one suggested be sufficient for his needs, and for his telescope?

[ecuador]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-eyepieces/skywatcher-sp-plossl-eyepieces.html

Aeajr, is there a step up from the 6.3 mm plossl one you suggested (linked above)? As in, one that gives that level of magnification, but a higher quality eyepiece? Perhaps I am better to get just one eyepiece, so anything around £30-40 that performs the same? Or will the one suggested be sufficient for his needs, and for his telescope?

The small focal length plossl eyepieces are not comfortable to use, you have to stick your eye on the lens and they don't give a wide enough field. I think a nicer eyepiece would be something like a TMB planetary (I think Skywatcher's new UWA line is of similar design) or a Skywatcher ultrawide. And of course the aforementioned BST explorers.