Advice on set up

[joey clewer]

Hi guys, so last night I managed to use my new telescope for the first time since getting it at Christmas. All I can say is my god I'm hooked I cut my gums on the moon first and then tried Jupiter and was so so happy when I found it. So my question is what could I get to get a better view of it my view I had was a pretty small one but I could make out the lines on the planet. I have a skywatcher 130 eq2 with a 2x Barlow eyepiece a super 10mm, and a wide angle eye relief piece. Can I get other eye pieces to improve my view? And which ones? 

 

Thanks 

 

joe

[happy-kat]

The more you observe the more you see. I smaller sharper image will resove more than a blurry bigger image.

Assuming your telescope is 650mm long the 10mm gives x65 so with your barlow you are getting x130.

If the telescope is f5 650/130 then might try a bst exporer/star guider 5mm about £50.00. The Moon will often take that but Jupiter may not depends on that night's observing clarity. But that would not give you any more than your 10mm with barlow so perhaps 8mm would be more flexible use with or without your barlow. Choosing another eyepiece size takes consideration.

[joey clewer]

Thank you for such a swift reply i have had a look and the telescope is 900mm the blerb on it was as follows 

• Magnifications (with optics supplied): x36, x72, x90, x180
• Highest Practical Power (Potential): x260
• Diameter of Primary Mirror: 130mm
• Telescope Focal Lengh: 900mm (f/6.92)
• Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm

i will have a look at this eye piece you selected 

 

thanks again

 

[ronin]

The scope is f/6.9, lets just go fo f/7 (makes life easier).

My preference is to aim for a magnification around the diameter so something around 130x. If you can borrow or use a Starguider at 5mm then try one out but it might be a little too much magnification. Suggest you ignore claims of what I suspect are 260x as a maximum.

Next, problem with planets is that you can end up with eyepieces in 1mm increments - sort of 5mm will not work, 6mm will not work but the 7mm delivers - and that can change night to night.

In sort of order of focal lengths you have:

5mm: BST Starguider (£49), Celestron X-Cel (£59), Altair Lightwave (£45) 180x

6mm: Altair Astro Lightwave (£45 at Rother Valley and Tring) 150x

7mm: Celestron X-Cel (£59) 128x

8mm: BST Starguider (£49) 112x

9mm: Celestron X-Cel (£59) 100x

For your scope I would be tempted by the 6mm Altair offering giving 150x but I equally feel the 8mm BST as a better all round option delivering 112x.

[happy-kat]

If you wear glasses you will probably find using a 8mm more comfortable (check what the eye relief is) and you keep the eye relief if a barlow is used. Generally the smaller the eyepiece the less eye relief there is.