Eyepieces for 8" dob

[JOC]

Tigaroo - I hope you enjoy using your new kit.  Don't forget you will also be able to use the x2 Barlow on your existing EP's.  I find it amazing and humbling that you have enjoyed the sky for the last X number of years using just the Ep's that came with the telescope.  Reading SGL, I think I and many others can learn a lot from that - I bet you know loads more about the night sky than I do.

[Tigaroo]

Thank you Joc , that's lovely !  

Yes, I've had a 2x Barlow all those years too ? 

I'm learning more about the universe all the time , well aren't we all with the acceleration of technology , it's just fascinating and mind boggling! And whenever I think about the sheer mind blowing distance of the objects I'm viewing , I never cease to be amazed by just what I can see through a metal tube with a little mirror and an eyepiece ....sheer joy !  

[Tigaroo]

Apologies to one and all , my beautiful new kit has arrived ....which pretty much means cloudy skies for the foreseeable future , particularly in Norfolk , U.K. !! ?

[Charic]

24 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

Apologies to one and all , my beautiful new kit has arrived ....which pretty much means cloudy skies for the foreseeable future , particularly in Norfolk , U.K. !! ?

Just like Christmas. 

I seem to be settled with my collection (actually selling a few at present) but whats listed works well for me on the f/6. Still need to test the BCO's but happy with everything else.

[Louis D]

7 hours ago, Tigaroo said:

although I've now started wearing vari-focal's I still look though scope without , I guess this might change soon and therefore have more of an impact on eye relief. The joys of aging!

If you decide to use eyeglasses at the eyepiece, I highly recommend using single focal length lenses that correct for infinity focus.  That way, you'll have your astigmatism (if it exists, see below) corrected, you'll be able to see the stars naked eye to point your scope, you can hand off the eyepiece view to another person and they should be able to see a focused image (assuming they see sharply to infinity), and the entire field of view in the eyepiece can be brought to focus at once.  Vari-focals do exactly what they say, bring your vision to various focus points.  That's not desirable at the eyepiece where there is only one focus point for the entire field of view.  With VFs, only one part of the FOV will be in focus, so the rest will be out of focus.  You'll have to either refocus or move your head to point your eyeglasses at a different point in the FOV to see the entire FOV sharply.

From another post of mine responding to a question about eyeglasses and eyepieces:

Check your CYL (cylinder) correction on your eyeglass prescription.  That's a measure of your astigmatism which can't be focused out at the eyepiece like near or far sightedness.  If it is more than 0.5, you'll probably want to wear eyeglasses when viewing at lower powers.  If it's above 2, you'll probably want to wear eyeglasses with practically all your eyepieces.  Tele Vue's DIOPTRX page has some nice charts explaining all this.  Without eyeglasses or a DIOPTRX, folks with strong astigmatism will never be able to see pinpoint stars.

[Tigaroo]

Umm, I don't think I have astigmatism , just normal age related degeneration ...so until a month or so ago I was only using reading specs, before that I had never worn glasses. I've only just made switch to vari's as my I was getting less than sharp vision at the 2ft to 8ft sort of range , my distance vision is pretty okay ....I seem fine at the eyepiece without specs , tho I haven't actually tried with! As you say, I imagine vari's at an eyepiece would be diabolical ! I'm hoping I can continue happily without for some time ! But that information is very useful .

[John]

9 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

Umm, I don't think I have astigmatism , just normal age related degeneration ...so until a month or so ago I was only using reading specs, before that I had never worn glasses. I've only just made switch to vari's as my I was getting less than sharp vision at the 2ft to 8ft sort of range , my distance vision is pretty okay ....I seem fine at the eyepiece without specs , tho I haven't actually tried with! As you say, I imagine vari's at an eyepiece would be diabolical ! I'm hoping I can continue happily without for some time ! But that information is very useful .

Sounds like my situation. I don't use glasses to view through the eyepiece but I have to put them on to read the star atlas !. Slightly annoying but no more than that

 

[Tigaroo]

Haha!! Exactly that John! The specs are on and off to look at charts or stellarium , very frustrating ....getting old that is ? 

[Tigaroo]

19 hours ago, Charic said:

What about some low powered binoculars, you'll be blown even further. Stargazing this way is mind blowing, especially at a darker site.  At my darker site, its difficult to see the main constellations on a Moonless night, due to the fact I can see thousands (give or take one or two) more stars! My first to grab are the 8x40s 

I'm coming up to Dunbar for a day or two next month , I hope those Scottish skies won't dissapoint me , I've never seen anything like you describe from my location! Will definitely pack the binoculars, maybe a telescope too! 

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, Tigaroo said:

Haha!! Exactly that John! The specs are on and off to look at charts or stellarium , very frustrating ....getting old that is ? 

Some folks keep readers dangling around their neck while others pop them up onto the top of their head when not using them at the eyepiece.  I believe there have been threads on this subject either here or on Cloudy Nights.

[Charic]

I've been meaning to visit Dunbar for a few Years, meet up with a friend who grew up there, its about 4-5 Hours drive for me. Were planning to fish there?

My skies are darker on the Moonless nights, an area known as Lochindorb is my favoured site, no lights for miles!

Some guys here (SGL) recently visited the Isle of Skye, I'm about the same latitude. I'm thinking they'll return one day, after the results of their last trip.

[LukeSkywatcher]

On 18/03/2017 at 10:37, Tigaroo said:

Just treated myself to a set of 5 1.25 Plossl's , so will finally have a full range of ep's after managing for 12 years with the supplied 25mm and 10mm and 2x Barlow that came with both my scopes! Looking forward to clear skies to start trying them out. I have a new 4" cassegrain on eq mount and an 8" Dobsonian , I've been wondering what advantage there would be in getting any 2" EP's for the dob and if so what powers ? Or save up for a Hyperion zoom? 

WOW!!!!!!!!.

Talk about making/getting the most out of what you have. Well done to you.

I think i went 12 weeks with the stock EP's (Kellner 10mm and 20mm) that were supplied with my 1st scope, before i upgraded.

Enjoy.

[Tigaroo]

12 minutes ago, Charic said:

I've been meaning to visit Dunbar for a few Years, meet up with a friend who grew up there, its about 4-5 Hours drive for me. Were planning to fish there?

 

I'm up for a family wedding in Edinburgh , first visit north of the border for this sassenach! Guess I'll be back though ! 

[LukeSkywatcher]

On 18/03/2017 at 16:23, Tigaroo said:

thanks ! Yes , I have the 32mm and a set of coloured filters to try too....so rain rain go away!  

Sounds like you bought the Celestron "Eye Opener" kit?.

That was my 1st upgrade. I still have most of the EP's. The 4mm is pretty impossible to use. The 32mm is my favourite EP ever used. The rest in between really are quite good to be honest (its why i still have them). Coloured filters are something which i never found to be of any use. The 2x barlow also isnt something i was fond of..........but it works.

Hyperion zoom.......i love mine. I bought it for one reason.......to cut down on the amount of gear i have to carry outside (i'm in a wheelchair). It serves me very well, but is a luxury for most more than a necessity.

 

[Tigaroo]

Hi Paul, it is Celestron kit but I think they have changed some of the powers , 6mm ,8mm, 13mm, 17mm and 32mm so fit nicely around my old 10mm and 25mm ! I will definitely give the filters a try on Jupiter and Saturn and of course the moon , I love lunar observing so looking forward to the higher powers for that ...and also getting the 32mm in use on the dso's ...but doing lots of reading and research until the weather improves here !! 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Ive worn glasses for reading,tv,computer,driving for about 15 yrs now. I have never found the need for them when observing. It was only less then a year ago that i was told that i had an ever so slight astigmatism in my left eye. Nothing to worry about, i was told, because its almost non-existent. Optician put it down to age (i'll be 43yrs young on Sunday).

[Tigaroo]

Happy Birthday young 'un , I've got nine years on you ! ??

[LukeSkywatcher]

20 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

Hi Paul, it is Celestron kit but I think they have changed some of the powers , 6mm ,8mm, 13mm, 17mm and 32mm so fit nicely around my old 10mm and 25mm ! I will definitely give the filters a try on Jupiter and Saturn and of course the moon , I love lunar observing so looking forward to the higher powers for that ...and also getting the 32mm in use on the dso's ...but doing lots of reading and research until the weather improves here !! 

Oh ok..........yes, the kit has changed a bit since i bought one back in 2007. Mine (i THINK) came with: 4,8,10,20,32mm eyepieces,Moon filter (Good, but i never found i needed it), 2x barlow, coloured filters.

Nice to see that Celestron have listened to customers and done away with the 4mm, and also expanded the range from what it was. 

6,8,13,17,32mm is a really nice range to have. Probably all you will ever need............but we all know this is just the start and not the end of your eyepiece collection. I will have to have a look at the new kit. Im curious about the exact specs of the kit. I HOPE they have kept the same 32mm eyepiece.

6mm with your 8" scope will be brilliant for observing the Moon. You will feel like you are orbiting the Lunar surface from a couple of hundred miles above. 8mm will be brilliant for observing the planets (Jupiter and Saturn). 13,17mm will be great for clusters and such. The 32mm will be brilliant for scanning the night sky in general while looking for anything that may catch your attention and then you can change over to a higher magnification to "zoom" in on that target.

[LukeSkywatcher]

3 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

Happy Birthday young 'un , I've got nine years on you ! ??

Ta very much. Now i have to go do the math........43+9=??

LOL.

[Tigaroo]

Got to say the eye pieces and Barlow in look and feel alone seem far superior in quality to the ones supplied with my telescopes , but the proof of the pudding ..... and yes 52 years young ! 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Ive just had a look at the newer version of the Eye Opener kit. Looks identical to what i bought. Celestron have just re-hashed the range of EP's a bit and took out what doesnt work (4mm) and included more sensible bits 13,17mm (widened the range magnification). Nice to see they have kept the 32mm the same. 

One other thing i notice is that the EP's now have a FOV or AFOV of 52 degrees. Mine were/are 50 degrees. Small increase, but every little helps. Price is still about the same as was.

I really think you will enjoy the new kit.