What eyepiece should i buy?

[wendell100]

I recently purchased the A Sky Watcher Skyliner 8inch with a 1200mm focal length and I want a new eyepiece. I want an eyepiece that is under 100usd that is good for deep sky viewing. The eyepiece should be around 12mm and have a wide field of view, but this is optional. Any advise  (:

[SonnyE]

Things to take a look at:

http://www.telescope.com/catalog/search.cmd?form_state=searchForm&siteCode=US&keyword=Eyepiece+sets

 

Now, I don't do a lot of visual observing myself, I prefer EAA and Astrophotography. But I do have a good handful of eyepieces for the occasional use. I would recommend as wide of a field of view as your budget can manage. I have a 70 degree I really enjoy.

[rockystar]

see if you can pick one of these up second hand: http://explorescientificusa.com/collections/82-series-eyepiece

not as wide a fov (but that comes at a price):

http://agenaastro.com/celestron-12mm-x-cel-lx-eyepiece-93424.html

[cloudsweeper]

12mm gives a mag of x100.  I would suggest 24mm, 32mm, or 40mm, giving x50, x37.5, and x30.  These figures provide higher "exit pupils" necessary for faint objects.

Doug.

[mikeyj1]

For $100 I would look at either celestron lx or bst star guider, both are wide angle, good range of fl and well rated

[Knighty2112]

Yeah, for DS0's I would go with either a 32mm or 25mm EP. 

[Yamez]

I recently purchased the baader Hyperion 17mm, gives a lovely field of view and the optics are very clear and good quality. It's beautiful for deep sky viewing with my current scope (SW 130p) as I've seen many faint objects such as the blinking planetary, many other galaxies and nebula. It's quite low powered but paired up with a Barlow you can see object such as m57 a lot clearer. Hope this helps

[wendell100]

what is the best of these http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Explore-Scientific-Bresser-70-Degree-Series-25mm-Eyepiece-2-Barrel-Multicoated-/161974588992?hash=item25b6701640:g:HxoAAOSwx-9Wu6O5  or http://agenaastro.com/celestron-12mm-x-cel-lx-eyepiece-93424.html or http://www.365astronomy.com/8mm-BST-Explorer-ED-Eyepiece.html?

 

[F15Rules]

1 hour ago, wendell100 said:

what is the best of these http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Explore-Scientific-Bresser-70-Degree-Series-25mm-Eyepiece-2-Barrel-Multicoated-/161974588992?hash=item25b6701640:g:HxoAAOSwx-9Wu6O5  or http://agenaastro.com/celestron-12mm-x-cel-lx-eyepiece-93424.html or http://www.365astronomy.com/8mm-BST-Explorer-ED-Eyepiece.html?

 

I'd avoid the Bresser 70 as it will be quite soft at the edges and there are better choices for your scope.

The BST is 8mm, so not a wide true field eyepiece. The Celestron Xcel Lx is similar to the BST but your link is to the 12mm so that will show more actual sky than the 8mm.

This one is better than all of the above if you can stretch your budget to $129... http://agenaastro.com/explore-scientific-68-deg-series-argon-purged-eyepiece-16mm.html

 

Dave

[wendell100]

36 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

I'd avoid the Bresser 70 as it will be quite soft at the edges and there are better choices for your scope.

The BST is 8mm, so not a wide true field eyepiece. The Celestron Xcel Lx is similar to the BST but your link is to the 12mm so that will show more actual sky than the 8mm.

This one is better than all of the above if you can stretch your budget to $129... http://agenaastro.com/explore-scientific-68-deg-series-argon-purged-eyepiece-16mm.html

 

Dave

How soft is the edges on the Bresser and what is soft edges?

[SonnyE]

This might be a good read for you:

http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm

Personally, I got a fairly inexpensive kit that had two eyepieces, and a shorty 2X Barlow. Because I didn't really know what I might like.

I figure the Barlow would double my use of what eyepieces I'd have or might acquire. I added a 3x Barlow to the mix, thinking I could stack them anyway, additionally multiplying my modest hoard. And it did pay off one Summers eve 2015 when showing the family Saturn. The excitement topped when the girls saw Saturn live for the first time ever.

I will say that stacking Barlows does dim down the object. But in the case of Saturn, it is pretty bright anyway.

[John]

30 minutes ago, wendell100 said:

How soft is the edges on the Bresser and what is soft edges?

The Bresser 70 degree range are OK in slowish scopes such as F/10's but are not well corrected enough to show sharp stars across the field of view in your F/5.9 dobsonian. The BST Starguiders, Maxvision SWA and Explore Scientific 68 degree series are much better bets for such a scope.

 

[wendell100]

58 minutes ago, SonnyE said:

This might be a good read for you:

http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm

Personally, I got a fairly inexpensive kit that had two eyepieces, and a shorty 2X Barlow. Because I didn't really know what I might like.

I figure the Barlow would double my use of what eyepieces I'd have or might acquire. I added a 3x Barlow to the mix, thinking I could stack them anyway, additionally multiplying my modest hoard. And it did pay off one Summers eve 2015 when showing the family Saturn. The excitement topped when the girls saw Saturn live for the first time ever.

I will say that stacking Barlows does dim down the object. But in the case of Saturn, it is pretty bright anyway.

thanks for showing me the http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm website it really helped and I have chosen  The BST Explorer ED. (:

[Vicky050373]

22 hours ago, wendell100 said:

thanks for showing me the http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm website it really helped and I have chosen  The BST Explorer ED. (:

I have the full range of BST Explore EPs and find then an excellent EP in all of my scopes, which range from an f6 refractor to f10 SCT. For lower magnification wider field viewing I have the 32mm Skywatcher Panaview which I picked up second hand, it is a lovely solid EP and I would recommend this if you can take a 2" fitting.

I'm sure you won't have any regrets with the BST's. They are such a lovely comfortable EPs

[Charic]

Also check out the Paradigm here..... http://www.scopecity.com/detail.cfm?ProductID=9149&pn=Astro-Tech 12mm 1.25 inch Paradigm Dual ED Eyepiece+Astro-Tech+ATPARA12&sc=Eyepieces&tc=Accessories

Its a fine eyepiece, similar, if not identical in construction to my BST Starguider, and a 12mm eyepiece has a sweet spot on the 1200-f/6 Skyliner, plus if/when Barlowed x2 gives you 200x power, another good match for the Skyliner.

I also share the same views ( excuse the pun - intentional )  with  Vicky050373  as you will see from our signatures, there are many similarities in the EP department. The BST's are good quality eyepieces,  and  in the UK for us locals,  their the cheapest brand (  Eight from my last count? ) of the same design pattern, so I'm led to believe.
As for the 32mm 70° Panaview, if you can get one of these, big smiles!

Also note,  I have  collected three Delos EPs, and in comparison with my BST's, the Delois just have a wider field of view,  with  my eyes seeing  the same image quality ( viewed from my present surroundings ) though  this may differ when viewed from a darker site, but this quality and  expense  is not essential on a Skyliner 200P when the Starguider/Explorer or any one of the other ED eyepieces do such a great job.

[wendell100]

1 hour ago, Charic said:

Also check out the Paradigm here..... http://www.scopecity.com/detail.cfm?ProductID=9149&pn=Astro-Tech 12mm 1.25 inch Paradigm Dual ED Eyepiece+Astro-Tech+ATPARA12&sc=Eyepieces&tc=Accessories

Its a fine eyepiece, similar, if not identical in construction to my BST Starguider, and a 12mm eyepiece has a sweet spot on the 1200-f/6 Skyliner, plus if/when Barlowed x2 gives you 200x power, another good match for the Skyliner.

I also share the same views ( excuse the pun - intentional )  with  Vicky050373  as you will see from our signatures, there are many similarities in the EP department. The BST's are good quality eyepieces,  and  in the UK for us locals,  their the cheapest brand (  Eight from my last count? ) of the same design pattern, so I'm led to believe.
As for the 32mm 70° Panaview, if you can get one of these, big smiles!

Also note,  I have  collected three Delos EPs, and in comparison with my BST's, the Delois just have a wider field of view,  with  my eyes seeing  the same image quality ( viewed from my present surroundings ) though  this may differ when viewed from a darker site, but this quality and  expense  is not essential on a Skyliner 200P when the Starguider/Explorer or any one of the other ED eyepieces do such a great job.

Thanks for the info (:

 

[wendell100]

1 hour ago, Vicky050373 said:

I have the full range of BST Explore EPs and find then an excellent EP in all of my scopes, which range from an f6 refractor to f10 SCT. For lower magnification wider field viewing I have the 32mm Skywatcher Panaview which I picked up second hand, it is a lovely solid EP and I would recommend this of you can take a 2" fitting.

I'm sure you won't have any regrets with the BST's. They are such a lovely comfortable EPs

thanks and what were you trying to say here (  it is a lovely solid EP and I would recommend this of you can take a 2" fitting. )?

[Vicky050373]

3 minutes ago, wendell100 said:

thanks and what were you trying to say here (  it is a lovely solid EP and I would recommend this of you can take a 2" fitting. )?

The BST Explorer EPs are a 1.25" fitting, however the Skywatcher Panaview range are a 2" fitting. As far as I'm aware, the Skyliners come with a 1.25" focuser as standard and I wasn't sure whether this could be upgraded to a 2". Maybe another member will be able to confirm if this is possible. However, if you are sticking to the BST Explorers or similar then you will be fine with the standard 1.25" fitting. Hope this clarifies my previous comment.

[wendell100]

49 minutes ago, Vicky050373 said:

The BST Explorer EPs are a 1.25" fitting, however the Skywatcher Panaview range are a 2" fitting. As far as I'm aware, the Skyliners come with a 1.25" focuser as standard and I wasn't sure whether this could be upgraded to a 2". Maybe another member will be able to confirm if this is possible. However, if you are sticking to the BST Explorers or similar then you will be fine with the standard 1.25" fitting. Hope this clarifies my previous comment.

The Skyliner has a 2inch fitting with a 1.25inch adapter. (: 

[John]

The scope should have both a 2" adapter and a 1.25" adapter. They are used separately rather than at the same time.

 

[wendell100]

3 minutes ago, John said:

The scope should have both a 2" adapter and a 1.25" adapter. They are used separately rather than at the same time.

 

What are you trying to say?

[John]

32 minutes ago, wendell100 said:

What are you trying to say?

I was just pointing out that your scope comes equipped with adapters for both 2" and 1.25" eyepieces and I thought I'd better add that those adapters need to be used separately rather than together. When used at the same time (ie: 2" in first and then the 1.25" into that) you can't bring 1.25" eyepieces to focus.

Apologies if you already know all this - just trying to help

 

[wendell100]

4 minutes ago, John said:

I was just pointing out that your scope comes equipped with adapters for both 2" and 1.25" eyepieces and I thought I'd better add that those adapters need to be used separately rather than together. When used at the same time (ie: 2" in first and then the 1.25" into that) you can't bring 1.25" eyepieces to focus.

Apologies if you already know all this - just trying to help

 

OK yes I know that by trial and error but thanks for the thought.