Best eyepiece info

[forky141]

Hello everyone another beginner seeking wisdom and know how from experienced observers

I have been given a very nice Telescope from a family member with no info how to use with perseverance I have had some fantastic views  of the moon but my problem is the eyepiece what to use for say Mars Jupiter etc etc my scope is a Dobsonian any help is greatly appreciated 

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @forky141 and welcome to SGL. 

There is a brand called BST. I have never used them myself, but some SGL'ers swear by them... not at them!

Look out for @rwilkey postings. He knows his e/p's. 

[cletrac1922]

First of all welcome from Land Down Under

Normally SW dob comes with a 25mm and 10mm 1.25" eyepieces

Using a 2 X Barlow, will double the magnification of both your eyepieces

When doing presentations with Joeys, Cubs, Scouting movement, I use a 17mm wide angle  eyepiece

Celestron has a nice eyepiece package, which also includes filters and 2 X Barlow

This then brings us to solar viewing

The hard plastic cover, has a small detachable cap, and if sticky tape some Badder Visual Solar film, underside, than able to do solar observing

Caution

Leave spotting scope off when doing solar viewing

Talking of spotting scope, not sure if you have straight through or right angle spotting scope

Normally comes with a straight through one

The advantage of the right angle spotting scope, do not have to lay on the ground to align with the spotting scope

I also use a laser pointer, along the edge of the focuser, to aim my dob, where want to observe

Have enclose pic of my 10" dob, with right angle spotting scope

Happy viewing

John

 

[John]

Another vote for the BST Starguiders here. I have compared them to much, much more expensive eyepieces (eg: Tele Vue and Pentax) and they compare rather well. Comfortable to use in the shorter focal lengths as well and they have a field of view that is just that bit wider than a standard plossl. For the planets I would suggest the 5mm focal length for your scope which gives 150x magnification.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html

 

[domstar]

Welcome to the forum. There are all sorts of opinions on this forum but John (above) knows more than most of us put together so we are wise when we follow his advice.

[ronl]

I have been using BST Starguiders for a number of years now, and I personally think they are

best suited to me, I get superb views, they have a screw up eyecup, which you can use to get

to the comfort zone, as I call it, to be a reasonable eyepiece it has to feel right for you, I have 

tried different types, and makes, but for me, BST Starguiders are really good, and great value

for money, they are worth a try.

Clear Sky's.

[JOC]

The best advice I can give on viewing planets is the rein-in your expectations and before you even try look at the pictures on page one here:

Also, that the eyepieces you use on moon can all be used on the planets and that (somewhat counter intuitively) you might not find the highest magnification you own is the best to use for the planets.  Often I can make them bigger in the field of view, but they can actually be clearer (significantly clearer) at lower magnification.

In terms of which telescope you have if the focus wheel is just a single big black disk on each side with no fine adjustment its one of these: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ota.html  or if the focus wheel knob has a smaller bit in the centre which gives you fine control its one of these: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ds-ota.html the lovely sparkly paint that Skywatcher use is pretty unmistakable.

[Buzzard75]

There are lots of great eyepieces out there. As has already been suggested, 5mm or something very close to it would be a good place to start. I have a telescope with a focal length that's 1500mm and I typically use my 10mm for planets which would give the same magnification as a 5mm in your 750mm scope. You also want to consider field of view and eye relief when selecting an eyepiece. Plossl eyepieces tend to be very narrow and are most likely what came with the scope as they are the cheapest to manufacture. I personally find a field of view of about 68-72 to be the most comfortable and provide the best views. Wide enough to give you a good view of the sky, but not so wide that you can't take it all in. As for eye relief, the longer it is, the easier it will be to achieve a view. If it's too short, you may find you have to press in really close to the eyepiece and move your head around to locate the exit pupil. Longer eye relief is also better if you wear glasses. If I'm wearing mine instead of my contacts, I typically just remove them and focus for my uncorrected vision.

I have not tried BST so I can't speak to them. I can recommend Tele Vue and Explore Scientific though, as I have a good bit of experience with those personally. I have also looked through some nice Celestron eyepieces as well.

[Saganite]

I too have used the BST Starguiders in the past, and they are excellent value for money, fine eyepieces, and will get you into using that scope for very little cost. They appear quite regularly for sale, in used but excellent condition ,for about £35 each.

[rwilkey]

Hi Forky141, welcome from me too, as others have said the BST StarGuiders are the best way forward.  Also, remember that the planets will look the size of a pea in any telescope, as the article above 'What can I expect to see...?' suggests.  Good luck with your stargazing and above all, have fun!

[fiestazetecmk2]

Bst are fantastic eyepieces for the money.well worth a look .I've got a case full of them .I rate them highly. But we all see things differently. Hope this helps.

[DavidJM]

Another vote for BST's, can't fault them for the price

[Sunshine]

Welcome to SGL! enjoy the scope, its a nice one!

[AlexB67]

BST starguiders are hard to beat for the money, I have a few of them and still use them, I find they do well in contrast for the price too, compared to some my more expensive brethren for that matter. 

I'll add, since your telescope is f/5 you'll not get the best detail near the edges of the view, for best results, as you'll find out over time, try to keep the planets in view about 2/3 from the centre, or  1/3 way from the edge. Also give a telescope that size at least around 20 - 30 minutes to settle for high magnification viewing when taking it outdoors from a warm house.  I learned that the hard way when I started, everything was a blurry getting a new eyepiece, because I didn't let the scope settle long enough.  ?

Have fun ?

[Donkeiller]

I started with BSTs and they are good, but the lenses kept coming loose.

it was irritating tightening them up on a regular basis.

I now use Celestron Excel LXs. A little more expensive, but just as good a view as the BSTs, but better build quality.

PS avoid the 5mm Excel. I’ve gone back to. BST 5mm, which I glued the lenses in?

[fiestazetecmk2]

I've never had an issue with any of my bst eyepieces. Haven't heard of this issue before .???.has anyone else. 

[rwilkey]

15 hours ago, Donkeiller said:

I started with BSTs and they are good, but the lenses kept coming loose.

it was irritating tightening them up on a regular basis.

I have never come across this issue either and I am very surprised as the ep's in my collection seem rock solid and well built.

[Chaza]

On 27/02/2019 at 16:45, ronl said:

I have been using BST Starguiders for a number of years now, and I personally think they are

best suited to me, I get superb views, they have a screw up eyecup, which you can use to get

to the comfort zone, as I call it, to be a reasonable eyepiece it has to feel right for you, I have 

tried different types, and makes, but for me, BST Starguiders are really good, and great value

for money, they are worth a try.

Clear Sky's.

Hi 

I have read about eye peices but I don't seem to get it. My telescope  has 100 mm aperture, its about 24 inches long, i  have 2 barlows, 3.3 ,2. My lenses are  25,12.5,4 mm. 

What combination should I use to see, let's say  saturn.

Thanks, I don't get it.

 

[John]

18 minutes ago, Chaza said:

Hi 

I have read about eye peices but I don't seem to get it. My telescope  has 100 mm aperture, its about 24 inches long, i  have 2 barlows, 3.3 ,2. My lenses are  25,12.5,4 mm. 

What combination should I use to see, let's say  saturn.

Thanks, I don't get it.

 

Does your telescope have the focal length marked on it ? (thats not the same as the physical length of the tube).

If you can say what make and model it is then that would help.

To work out how much magnification each eyepiece gives and the effect that the barlows have, we need to know the focal length of the scope.

[JOC]

I would start with just the 25mm eyepiece and no Barlow.  In fact don't even bother with messing around with the Barlows until you have seen Saturn clearly in all the stand alone Eyepieces.  I expect the Barlows have been sold to you with wild promises of better magnification and you may not ever use them.  Once you can see Saturn at 25mm you can try the 12.5 and then finally the 4mm if the view is clear.

[Chaza]

19 minutes ago, John said:

Does your telescope have the focal length marked on it ? (thats not the same as the physical length of the tube).

If you can say what make and model it is then that would help.

To work out how much magnification each eyepiece gives and the effect that the barlows have, we need to know the focal length of the scope.

It is 80 mm fl

[Chaza]

20 minutes ago, JOC said:

I would start with just the 25mm eyepiece and no Barlow.  In fact don't even bother with messing around with the Barlows until you have seen Saturn clearly in all the stand alone Eyepieces.  I expect the Barlows have been sold to you with wild promises of better magnification and you may not ever use them.  Once you can see Saturn at 25mm you can try the 12.5 and then finally the 4mm if the view is clear.

Can explain why 25 mm first, is the bigger number better magnification. As for the barlows, don't they double the magnification as they say.

[RT65CB-SWL]

13 hours ago, Chaza said:

Hi 

I have read about eye peices but I don't seem to get it. My telescope  has 100 mm aperture, I have 2 barlows, 3.3 ,2. My lenses are  25,12.5,4 mm. 

What combination should I use to see, let's say  saturn.

Thanks, I don't get it.

 

Hi! ...are there any letters before the numbers on your eyepieces...? (see below) - assuming your 'scope focal length is 800mm, using the e/p with the highest number, (low magnification), working down to the lowest number, (high magnification)... i.e. 25mm (32x) ---> 12.5mm (64x) ---> 4mm (200x)

• PL = Plossl [1]
• OR = Orthoscopic or Ortho [1]
• WA = wide angle [1]
• UWA = ultra wide angle [1]
• K = Kellner [2]  
• H= Huygens [2]
• SR = Symetrical Ramsden [2]
• RKE = a modifed type of Kellner [3] - used to come supplied with the Edmund Scientific 'AstroScan' telescope.
• some older types, not shown, no longer produced [4] - occasionally come up for sale secondhand or auction.
• the exotic names of some eyepiece types, not shown, given by some brands [4], often have wider fields of view, more glass elements, coatings, etc.

 

 

[1] ...Plossl's and Ortho's are the most popular and affordable types available - good to average eye relief.

[2] ...available, but you would be better off buying a Plossl or Ortho.

[3] ...still available, [apparently], via Edmund Scientific - good to average eye relief too. 

[4] ...to many to list/name here.

 

 

The Edmund Scientific 'AstroScan' telescope ---> 
 

[Chaza]

I think it's h, why should I start high, and what are the barlows for then.

Thanks

[John]

13 minutes ago, Chaza said:

It is 80 mm fl

I don't know any scopes with an 80mm focal length. 800mm perhaps ?