2" eyepiece conundrum

[mikey2000]

I've got a Skywatcher 150PDS coming for christmas (lucky me!)  One interesting feature is the 2" eyepiece holder.   I was offered a decent price on a Panaview 32mm (70 degree aFOV) 2" eyepiece and treated myself.  I think I'm going to enjoy the wide view!

The scope arrived and I had to check inside the box to make sure all was OK.   I found a 2" 28mm (aFOC 56 degree) included in the package.

 

I entered the EP details into stellarium and they both give very similar magnification.  The Panaview seems like a much wider view though.

Conundrum:  Should I keep the panaview and maybe sell/park/store the 28mm?  Go back to the shop and exchange the Panaview for a different EP?

 

maybe the panaview is really nice quality though?  Would I regret exchanging it when compared to the 28mm 'kit' eyepiece?  If I keep both, I suspect one or the other will just sit in a drawer. (Probably  the 28mm...)

 

I had a browse around and it seems 2" EPs are all pretty low magnification.  Am I missing something?  Maybe I could ebay/sell the 28mm 2" and get a nice mid range 1.25" 10-15mm sort of thing.

 

Other factors:  I wear glasses (but can view without if necessary)  I also have 6mm and 40mm 1.25" EPs already and a 1.25" 2x barlow.  (All of them cost around £20-£30 each).  For viewing, I like looking at everthing I can get my eyes on (moon, planets, clusters, hopefully some more galaxies soon but probably in too polluted an area to see any nebula.)

 

Any ideas or suggestions would be welcomed by this relative newcomer!

[Mr Spock]

The 32mm will give you nice wide views - x23 and 3°. Great for looking at the Pleiades, M42 etc.

2" eyepieces are only for wide views as they have a larger field stop than 1.25". Higher magnifications are always 1.25" as they don't need the larger, more expensive 2" size.

I'd suggest a good quality 8mm. This will give you x94, which is just right for galaxies, though they are not going to be anything other than a faint smudge in a 150. Combined with the x2 barlow it gives x188 which is ideal for planets and The Moon.

[John]

The Panaview will be a better corrected eyepiece than the stock 28mm and it does show a larger field of view (ie: more sky). You will probably find that the 28mm simply does not get used.

The Panaview will show more sky than your 1.25" 40mm eyepiece as well and it will be a more effective deep sky eyepiece in your F/5 newtonian too.

A couple of mid range eyepieces such as a 15mm and an 8mm would complete a useful set and these can be 1.25" because the 2" format offers no advantages in those focal lengths.

[rockystar]

I wouldn't sell the 28mm, even if it does stay stuck in a drawer, because if you ever decide you want to sell the scope (upgrade) you'll want to offer the stock eyepieces in the deal.

[mikey2000]

Thanks for the advice.  I had a growing suspicion that 2" and high-magnification don't go together.  Also, rockystar - that sounds like excellent advice!

 

I think the panaview is going to get worn out! Or like DSLRs - good lenses last forever while cameras come and go.  Just switch 'camera' for 'telescope'.   The 28mm will get a brief use then get carefully packed.

 

I have a 10mm and 25mm that came with my 130P so they will go when I sell that scope.  Using Stellarium, the magnifcation from my 25mm isn't significantly different from the 32mm panaview.  I hardly use the 25mm at the moment, preferring the wider view of the 40mm.   So I won't miss the 25mm.   I'll see how I go with the 32mm then a big gap to the 6mm.  I might feel the urge to fill the gap though!

[John]

32mm (23x) to 6mm (125x) is quite a big gap !. There are plenty of objects that benefit from medium magnifications, especially if you observe under slightly light polluted skies. 

[mikey2000]

Yes it's a big gap!    I see lots of sets that include 6 and 12mm eyepieces.     12mm seems to be a popular length .  I'm beginning to imagine a wide-ish view long eye relief 12mm in my future somewhere...

[Dave In Vermont]

I have the SW 28mm 2" 56° that comes with. And a 2" 32mm 70°, which is likely the same as the one you went for. I have kept both. The SW 28mm seems to be a Kellner, while those 32mm 70°'s appear to be Erfles. Nice eyepiece.

A good higher power would be my next acquisition if I was in your shoes, too.

Enjoy -

Dave

[SonnyE]

Is it possible to have too many eyepieces?

I don't think so. Even though I very rarely use mine at all.

I'd suggest a Barlow's or two to up the Anty multiplying your eyepieces.

[Bart]

I have many eyepieces but lately only use 2 or 3 really. I tend to use more when I'm observing planets when I'm trying to squeeze a bit more detail out. Mostly use mag 90 or 140 when deep sky observing. 

[Dave In Vermont]

On the subject of eyepieces, allow me to give you diagram of the various varieties & configurations. Worthy of printing-out and putting on a wall.

Dave

 

 

[mikey2000]

Dave - that's a lot of detail!  What does the graph mean?

[YKSE]

You can read details in the original post here:

http://www.quadibloc.com/science/opt04.htm

[Charic]

K E E P  T H E  P A N A V I E W

I bought the Panaview to observe M31 Andromeda,  also can be used to scan the skies as a finder scope, and its my preferred  low powered wide angle  eyepiece. 

Its a keeper, but if you find you don't use it that often, you could sell it on in future. My Skywatcher  Skyliner  came with a 10mm & 25mm. The 25mm 1.25" was not wide enough to view M31 from a darker site,  the  SW25mm is still usable,  though I  would use my BST in preference to the SW for the afov difference.

Its the 10mm I would change.

I opted for the 8mm Starguider, if you want a similar field of view+ try/get a Delos,  the  target  image is the same size  only more space around the target, given the BST is only  60° afov .

[Dave In Vermont]

That 32mm 70° "Panaview" is sold under many names (this is known as 'branding') by many companies. I bought that one, and it's bigger cousin - 38mm, and they are often sold as a set of 3: 26mm, 32mm, & 38mm. All 3 have a 70° FOV. I like them very much. Mine are called 'SWA' for Super Wide-Angle. Mine came from University Optics in Ann Arbor, Michigan - USA. They're also sold here by Orion, the US Orion, not to be confused with the UK Orion.

And a 'thank you!' to you, YKSE, for adding the link to the eyepiece-chart I posted. I should have done so myself.

Part-time numbskull me,

Dave

[mikey2000]

My dilemma is solved.    I'll keep the panaview and store the 'kit' eyepiece for if/when I sell the telescope on. 

 

Thanks all!  I'm presented with a new challenge now but that's a topic for another thread I think :-)