Televue Plossl for my 130P?

[RobertI]

Waiting for my over excited 4 year old to go to sleep, so am thinking about how to get the most out of my 130P for visual observing (in the event I may get out again!). I use the scope for clusters, doubles, brighter fuzzies and hopefully more lunar in the future. I have owned some Hyperions for a number of years and they have stood me in good stead, but the sharpness does drop off towards the outer 30% ish on the fast 130P, and in general I really do not know how good they are as I have never owned a ‘premium’ eyepiece to compare. 

 I guess I am interested to experience how having sharpness across the FOV improves the viewing experience (eg: viewing clusters) and whether doubles can be split better and lunar details are sharper by having improved sharpness and resolution on-axis. 

So I am wondering, would a Televue Plossl be a good way to test a premium eyepiece without spending a fortune? I hear the TV Plossls are good with faster scopes. I am thinking of the 8mm giving 81x. I realise the AFOV is only 50 degrees, but if it’s a top quality 50 degrees then perhaps its worth it?

Any advice appreciated. ?

I hear snoring from the little bed, my work here is done. ?

[John]

Hi Rob,

Preimum eyepieces such as Tele Vue, Pentax etc are great but don't deliver "a whole new world" of observing quality in reality. The gains are subtle and unless conditions are really good may not be noticable at all.

While the Hyperions are not that well corrected at the field edges in a scope such as an F/5, the central 60%-70% will be pretty sharp and contrasty. I doubt that you will see any difference from a Tele Vue plossl to a Hyperion in that respect and that is where the target will be during most of your viewing. In the central parts of the field of view, most eyepieces these days are pretty good performers to be honest with you.

And thats from someone who is a great fan of Tele Vue and Pentax eyepieces ! (but also trying to be realistic )

 

[Floater]

Rob, you won’t get better advice than the above from John.

Eyepieces and the choices thereof and therein have taken up many yards of threads on SGL ... and will continue to do that.

Don’t fall down the rabbit hole ... ??

[RobertI]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the honesty. In truth I do not do a huge amount of ‘critical observing’ so sounds like I am unlikely to see a difference. I just wanted to be sure that I was not missing out on something amazing but I think I have my answer. My two Hyperions and a set of fine tuning rings have been my tools for the best part of ten years so they must be doing something right! 

[Charic]

I've tried a few Plössls  in the past including  Tele Vue's  8 & 11 but found the eye relief to be uncomfortably short during the initial test, and  I don't recall they were even sharp to the edge on my f/6. But out of all the Plössls I've tried, I  ended up favouring the Revelation Astro's in the end, with their  52° afov and relative cheapness. Not sure how sharp to the edge they are, or would be on a faster scope, but its never bothered me, as I only view on axis.

That said, my Plössls are no longer required as essential  for viewing any more, sticking with my Starguiders for their comfort.

[jetstream]

We use an ES 82 6.7mm with excellent luck and for lunar its hard to best the flexibility of the Nagler 3-6mm zoom for this sharp telescope.  It is also a really good star splitter.