My First Televue Eyepiece

[Littleguy80]

Since starting this hobby with the arrival of my first telescope on Christmas 2016, I’ve tried quite a few different eyepiece ranges. Starting with the SkyWatcher stock eyepieces, moving onto BST Starguiders, BGOs, ES68, Celestron Plossl, APM HDC, Lunt XWA, Meade RG Ortho, Circle T Ortho and ES82. However, I never went down the Televue route. The price has always put me off. My research always led me to conclude that I could get very close to Televue performance for significantly less cost. I have looked through Panoptics and Naglers in other people’s scopes and thought the views were good. 

Today my first Televue eyepiece arrived in the form a 25mm Plossl. The primary goal of this eyepiece is to give me better views of the Horsehead. I’ve seen it in my ES82 30mm but it’s hard to get Alnitak out of the FOV and it’s low magnification. The 25mm Televue Plossl was recommended by @jetstream and others as the eyepiece of choice for this purpose. I have a few other targets in mind to test it with. It will give a nice big exit pupil for using with filters. I have no grumbles on the cost with it coming in at £54 with postage secondhand.

I’m looking forward to giving it a try. I don’t think this will be my last Televue eyepiece either. I quite fancy trying Nagler 3-6mm zoom at some point. I’ll post some first impressions when it gets first light. 

[Alan White]

Nice first TV purchase, my one was a 20mm Plossl.
It is a slippery and expensive slope you have placed yourself upon ?

[Saganite]

Congratulations Neil, but mind the slope ! 

Strangely, I have never  owned the TV 25mm but it will be superb if the others are anything to go by.

[Space Hopper]

The finest consumer eyepieces available imho.

Congratulations on your first purchase.

[niallk]

Nice I've a pair of 15mm TV plossls for BV-ing.

My first was a 13T6 Nagler - it's a little beaut.

[Floater]

And now the miasma of green and black begins its grativational dance with you ... ?

Be strong, Littleguy. Be strong. ?

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

My first TeleVue e/p was the 15mm Plossl that came supplied with the 'Ranger' (I think TV shipped the 20mm by default) and within a fortnight purchased the 8mm Plossl, during the summer/autumn of 1998. The rest is history...

• 2000 - 6mm Radian
• 2002 - 3-6mm Nagler zoom
• 2017/18 - 13mm Nagler/Type 1 & 13mm Plossl (both via the SGL classifieds).
• 2018 - 13mm Nagler/Type 6

The gaps in the years were filled by Meade, Circle-T, etc...

 

[scarp15]

Nice eyepiece Neil, the four glass element design, would be feasible for exploring, experimenting to detect (and making comparisons with your similar focal length e.p's) other nebulae structures to. Removing some glare out of the field, I think (not sure, I may have in my notes somewhere?) detecting the brighter part of the (IC 405) Flaming Star perhaps and galaxies to such as Merope's Ghost. I have also used mine on the Little Veil in Cygnus. The topic has highlighted that I should also get some renewed exploring with this. 

[laudropb]

Snap Neil. The 25 mm plossl was my first Televue ep too. I am sure you will like it.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice one. I also have a 25mm Plossl from TV, and used it initially for H-alpha solar viewing (since replaced by a Vixen 25mm Ortho in my Solar Spectrum set-up, and a WO Zoom-II 7.5-22.5 mm in the Coronado 60mm). I still use it quite a bit in outreach and in my flip-mirror to find and centre objects when imaging. Very nice and comfy EP. 

[Ullomat]

Frankly, I never had a TeleVue Plössl. But if it is as good as the other TeleVue EP's, it will not disappoint.

cs,

Uli

 

[John]

Nice acquisition Neil

My first 1.25 inch eyepieces were Tele Vue plossls. I bought them new back in the late 1980's. They were the older "smooth side" type and I went for the 7.4mm, 13mm and 21mm.

I was pretty naive back then and thought they were going to show me things that my other eyepieces could not

Of course they didn't but they did show the same things more nicely. Like a fool I traded them for other eyepieces and ended up on a several year long merry-go-round trying lots of inferior eyepieces and gradually realising what it was that the Tele Vue ones did actually offer

Found my way back to Tele Vue plossls eventually and probably appreciated them more the second time around. Of all the others I tried I think the Celestron Ultimas / Orion Ultrascopics were the only ones that equalled the Tele Vue quality of view.

 

 

 

[Littleguy80]

Thank you, John! I’m really looking forward to some clear skies for my first Televue experience. Although I’ve looked through TV EPs before it’s not the same as testing with your own scope on targets you know well. I’ve read enough to know that TV are innovators and many of the cheaper eyepieces that I’ve enjoyed simply wouldn’t exist without their TV predecessors. 

It’s interesting to hear how you missed your original TV Plossl’s. I still have my BST Starguiders which I haven’t used in some time now. I quite fancy getting them out now to try against my newer eyepieces. I wonder how much difference I will see! I’ve learnt a lot about astronomy in the last couple of years or so but recognising the various aberrations that come from an eyepiece is not something I’ve grasped yet. 

[John]

I've often found this webpage useful when trying to understand eyepiece and scope aberrations:

http://umich.edu/~lowbrows/reflections/2007/dscobel.27.html

A few years back I briefly compared an 8mm BST Explorer with my 8mm Ethos. Apart from the field of view (obviously) there was not a lot of difference to be honest, at least on the targets that I observed on that occasion. The Ethos costs over 10x as much to buy new. Makes you think !

 

[iPeace]

7 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

recognising the various aberrations that come from an eyepiece is not something I’ve grasped yet. 

Me neither. I've sort of given up. Not a total lack of interest, mind you, nor for lack of trying and comparing some really nice ones - just a general feeling that I'm better off simply enjoying the view.

[John]

1 minute ago, iPeace said:

.... a general feeling that I'm better off simply enjoying the view.

Me too, these days

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, iPeace said:

Me neither. I've sort of given up. Not a total lack of interest, mind you, nor for lack of trying and comparing some really nice ones - just a general feeling that I'm better off simply enjoying the view.

When I was starting out, I didn't notice aberrations either.  I was too thrilled with the views.  Later, I became a perfectionist when I started noticing issues with the field of view.  I haven't stopped trying to perfect my views.  In hindsight, ignorance is bliss, especially on the wallet. ?

[John]

17 minutes ago, Louis D said:

... Later, I became a perfectionist when I started noticing issues with the field of view.  I haven't stopped trying to perfect my views.  In hindsight, ignorance is bliss, especially on the wallet. ?

I think I've been through that and come out the other side. Maybe iPeace / Mike has as well ?

 

[Louis D]

My first Televue was my 2x 1.25" barlow quickly followed by the 27mm Panoptic.  Next was the Panoptic Barlow Interface.  Eventually, I picked up the 10mm Delos, 17mm/12mm/22mm Nagler T4s (in that order).  They are definitely quality articles that have driven the state of optical design forward.  One nice thing about them is that if you buy them used, you can certainly get your money back later when you sell them.

[Paul73]

I think that I did it all the wrong way round. Bought a second hand Parracor first. Seemed like a good deal and I knew I’d get a bigger scope one day.......  then most of the Delos range and an Ethos 21mm. Then a Panoptic. And finally the Plossls. I’ve still got them and the Parracor (except the 25mm which went to a new home earlier this week). The others have all gone to good homes to pay for the odd little emergency when monetary demand has outstripped demand. Or, when I’ve needed a bigger scope...

Paul

[Littleguy80]

9 hours ago, John said:

I've often found this webpage useful when trying to understand eyepiece and scope aberrations:

http://umich.edu/~lowbrows/reflections/2007/dscobel.27.html

A few years back I briefly compared an 8mm BST Explorer with my 8mm Ethos. Apart from the field of view (obviously) there was not a lot of difference to be honest, at least on the targets that I observed on that occasion. The Ethos costs over 10x as much to buy new. Makes you think !

 

That was a good read, John. Thank you. 

Field curvature stood as something I’ve noticed. I guess that’s to be expected in an F4.7 dob? I’ve also noticed distortion at the edge of the field when observing planets. 

The other odd aberration I’ve noticed is an old reflection with my Lunt XWA 9mm when looking at bright objects e.g. the planets. I tend to prefer my 9mm BGO for planetary as a result. 

[iPeace]

6 hours ago, John said:

I think I've been through that and come out the other side. Maybe iPeace / Mike has as well ?

 

I was a perfectionist BEFORE I noticed any sort of issues...indeed before looking through my first eyepiece. I did extensive research before my first purchases, which led me to start off well into green lettering. Had lots of fun going nuts and trying allsorts. Sure, there were differences, but the Night Of Perfect Conditions on which it would really matter never came - just fleeting glimpses, outstanding semi-moments captured as single frames and stored somewhere in the grey matter - though I suspect mine looks more like the inside of a potato. I digress. The point is that the viewing conditions have made far more difference than the kit I was using.

I've certainly paid attention - well enough to notice that a pre-owned Plössl actually had a bit of glass inserted the wrong way round, but that, I guess, is the only true 'issue' I have encountered. The sensible conclusion is that most decent eyepieces get the business done on most nights.

Not that I'll ever be sensible. Still too many eyepieces, and still inclined to indulge in collecting and OCD. But no longer wondering whether I've got what I should be using. And ever more content when the view is good.

[Paz]

10 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

Thank you, John! I’m really looking forward to some clear skies for my first Televue experience. Although I’ve looked through TV EPs before it’s not the same as testing with your own scope on targets you know well. I’ve read enough to know that TV are innovators and many of the cheaper eyepieces that I’ve enjoyed simply wouldn’t exist without their TV predecessors. 

It’s interesting to hear how you missed your original TV Plossl’s. I still have my BST Starguiders which I haven’t used in some time now. I quite fancy getting them out now to try against my newer eyepieces. I wonder how much difference I will see! I’ve learnt a lot about astronomy in the last couple of years or so but recognising the various aberrations that come from an eyepiece is not something I’ve grasped yet.

I notice aberrations having slowly got to know about them over time and I spent a lot of time reading up and agonising about eyepieces in the past.

I settled on Delos and Naglers and am very happy. I have since then pretty much "retired" from the eyepiece circuit.

[rwilkey]

My first Tele Vue was the 32mm plossl and I still love it, however, it did start me on the green & black route which I have not regretted after I bought a 'job-lot' of Nags & Pans on eBay, since then any of my purchases have been second-hand and I pay around half-price, will not consider anything above this.  Plossl's quite often come up second-hand, so welcome to the club!

[AlexB67]

On 09/03/2019 at 09:25, Paz said:

I notice aberrations having slowly got to know about them over time and I spent a lot of time reading up and agonising about eyepieces in the past.

I settled on Delos and Naglers and am very happy. I have since then pretty much "retired" from the eyepiece circuit.

 

The problem is once you know about them and see them, they'll they never go away ? thanks to my friendly F4.7 ratio. Years ago I dabbled with the idea of coma corrector, I never did, Edge to edge my Delos 14mm is still very decent in that telescope. Once you look through an eyepiece where astigmatism is pretty much eliminated and the remainder is coma, it is not at all bad IMO, I can live with it. I did stay away from the extra wide angle eyepieces. The Delos 72 degree is the max FOV eyepiece I have.  I stopped collecting for many years now, but now on the lookout for a 5mm to replace my dead 5mm BGO, but that's for another thread,  

Neil, congrats on your plossl, I looked through a 25mm TV in Ireland last year  under cracking dark skies, very nice. I never owned one.