Wide angle eyepiece question

[Danny83uk]

31 minutes ago, Charic said:

My bad, i missed that!

The only other thing that's possible is to try and hide in the shadows, if there are any ( behind a shed for example or between buildings, but this further limits the view of the skyline)

I seems that shielding my eyes from direct street-lighting using shadows  or sitting inside my Dob-tent, I feel I can detect  some fainter  targets, mainly Stars, but M31 appears the same,  a patch?

Some folk have assured me that I would see a difference If I upgraded to a bigger scope under the same conditions, as per my garden. I don't want to proceed along those lines, until one day I can sit my scope next to an alternative and compare the two scopes, side by side. Then I could assure myself that its the right thing too do. I'm also sure these folk are not just saying that for the fun of it, they have trodden the same path and are only passing on their experiences.

I'll still have to test for my self.

Dont be, You wasnt to know and i dont expect you to trawl the convo to see it.

What you say is true ,in recent evenings ive moved round the side of the house mainly to get out the wind. But ive found it very dark and cosy there. Does limit my view to west,overhead, east. Im keen to see what the planets will look like after a years practice and experience viewing.(Got disheartened last year with one thing and another plus a newborn and gave up from april onwards)

[Charic]

.......Don't get  too disheartened, I think my scope went into hibernation early last Year too....... Its daylight till  very late  up here, especially during mid summer, and with the  bad weather since, I've  hardly had the time  or occasion to set up the scope ( its always set-up) I meant put it outside.

Even though our horizons maybe  limited  to our line of sight, observing straight up is often beneficial as the air column above us is less, and under the right conditions, provides  a better / steadier view through the atmosphere.

If you can't get outside to view, there's always Stellarium to learn, prepare and practice with......Its a Planetarium and its free too!

 

 

[Danny83uk]

1 hour ago, Charic said:

.......Don't get  too disheartened, I think my scope went into hibernation early last Year too....... Its daylight till  very late  up here, especially during mid summer, and with the  bad weather since, I've  hardly had the time  or occasion to set up the scope ( its always set-up) I meant put it outside.

Even though our horizons maybe  limited  to our line of sight, observing straight up is often beneficial as the air column above us is less, and under the right conditions, provides  a better / steadier view through the atmosphere.

If you can't get outside to view, there's always Stellarium to learn, prepare and practice with......Its a Planetarium and its free too!

 

 

Ive been using stellarium alot. My new goal is to look for the less standard stuff i view and look for double or different colour stars.

 

[Ricochet]

5 hours ago, Danny83uk said:

From the site it just links to the ebay sale. Do you have to email the order or is it phone only?

 

You email Alan telling him what you would like and asking for prices, he'll give you the options and you can then take it from there. Slightly more involved than just clicking on the ebay buy button but the service is still very quick. 

[Charic]

.......or ring him during the day, his number is on the bottom of the  link.

[Danny83uk]

Ill e-mail. With links i dont trust myself to get the right item if i call.

Thanks

 

[Charic]

.......choose whichever method is best for your needs. I have  phoned and only Alan  will handle your enquiry, If  he's unavailable, you will be advised?

Give the basic details about your set-up and he'll advise, not pressure you, and you wont be sent the wrong item if its not suitable, unless you know better and insist!

Hey!  Someone  here had  reported they  had  a better deal during their phone call, better than the advertised price, I suppose it depends on how his day has been! Always worth a try. you don't ask, you don't get! 

 

[Danny83uk]

On 24/01/2016 at 22:22, Charic said:

.......choose whichever method is best for your needs. I have  phoned and only Alan  will handle your enquiry, If  he's unavailable, you will be advised?

Give the basic details about your set-up and he'll advise, not pressure you, and you wont be sent the wrong item if its not suitable, unless you know better and insist!

Hey!  Someone  here had  reported they  had  a better deal during their phone call, better than the advertised price, I suppose it depends on how his day has been! Always worth a try. you don't ask, you don't get! 

 

So i can report that he's a very polite and helpful guy and has offered some advise on maybe getting the 8mm over the 5mm. He's also offered a service that i think is so original it verges on brilliant. As im now torn between the 5mm for that as close to 200x as is sensible and an 'expert' opinion on 8mm. He's offered if i buy both and use them to see which i prefer and then return the other. Now my question is should i just take the plunge and get all 3 that i had planned for my set. So 5mm, 8mm, and 15mm plus the 24mm maxvision i now have. I see you have a Sky-Watcher 'Skyliner' 200P f/6 Dobsonian. With the same EP This is likely to be my upgrade in a year or so would you say they are a good pairing?

[Charic]

For the Skyliner using my eyes, the Starguiders are perfect for my needs. A 6mm Eyepiece should better serve the Skyliner to achieve 200x power, but BST does not supply (at present ) a 6mm EP so I opted for the William Optics 6mm as my Primary EP to observe at 200x power, then my mind set changed, and now I'm not bothered what the power is as long as the image looks good. Its better to frame a subject and be happy with it than to worry to much about what power is best? Its the conditions that control what you see and a properly collimated scope helps. What I have found is that having several eyepieces, I have more options to frame these targets so they look their best.

The BST Starguiders have  always been my recommendation for a low cost upgrade, I highly regard them. especially on an f/6 telescope. A faster scope <f/6 may show issues at the field edges, but I run my scope smoothly and keep the targets centred all the time. The  BSTs 60°  afov helps, but I have discovered that those very expensive Tele Vue Delos could be the eyepieces for my next telescope, the 12", should this go ahead. Their afov is 72° so even wider than the BSTs. but fare more expensive. I have amassed two so far ( I missed another one, here in town, gutted, but no chance to properly test them yet ) I am totally a believer in that if my £49 EPs can do a great job, why do I need to spend over £270 for a better  eyepiece to probably see the same image ( although with a bit more space due to the wider field of view ) but my eyes are not as good as they used to be! My best eyepieces so far are my Starguiders for my needs now, and the faster scope that I intended to purchase may need the the premium eyepieces that I have started to collect?

I`m also playing with some Plossl eyepieces, and will decide on one set to keep. If the Delos do not improve much on my Skyliner, I could keep them until I obtain a  larger, faster scope, only then will  I probably see the benefits  of these eyepieces, otherwise I could still sell them on? I'm not sure I  need 72° afov for all  my views, framing is all I require!

My first BST was the 8mm then the 12mm. I like them all though, and those  two have had the most action. The 12mm  can be 2xBarlowed  to achieve the 200x.

The 8mm the 12mm Starguiders and a second hand Sky-watcher 32mm 70°afov Panaview  eyepiece would be a great start for anyone owning a Skyliner. 

I have just been out with my 10x50 Marines, as there are a few gaps in the Clouds!  Rain is on its way? The Moon looked ok, Jupiter and its  four Moons, and could not see M31 tonight ( clouds )  neither Catalina ( Moonlight?)  but alas, I'm not tempted to set-up the scope with the weather that's  arriving soon 

You won't be disappointed with the Starguiders on the Skyliner.