I'm confused! Do expensive eyepieces tease out more contrast?

[vlaiv]

2 hours ago, Ben the Ignorant said:

The 130/900 Sky-Watcher I got from Teleskop Service IS parabolic and it star tests perfectly, very sharp images and very straight Ronchi lines. The defocused diffraction patterns are truly identical on both sides of focus, and that's so rare I was baffled I paid so little for that optical tube. Sorry, I didn't take pictures of that because I didn't know I would have to show them. But the scope is so good I am making a thinner spider and a secondary holder that's not larger than the secondary mirror, unlike the stock arrangement.

Job is not finished, the collimation screws have to be installed, the long screws have to be shortened, paint is just a rough blackening to avoid reflections while testing, but the image has already proven to be more contrasty. I wouldn't be doing this if the scope wasn't worthy of the effort, no views of the major planets yet but it is a very, very sharp lunar telescope.

I have superglued O-rings around  the focusing wheels to get a little more leverage and better traction, again, I wouldn't be doing these refinements if the optics were not worth it. And to answer Ricochet's question, coma is negligible, barely there at low power and outside the field at high power, so not a problem at all.

Nice!

I remember how thick secondary support is on that scope.

[Ignoro]

I'm not an expert astronomer, but while fiddling with my scope in daytime I've realized that a 11mm Tv plossl shows so much better colors and contrast then Bst when observing anything terrestrial (upside down but still...) It's so sharp and lively, like new modern coated binos...

Also I get the best views of planets with the same eyepiece... 

I think it should have something to do with coating...? Or just the plossl design is sharper?

Edited June 15, 2019 by Ignoro

[John]

I observe the planets with excellent quality scopes and eyepieces but with their current positions, investing in being able to observe them from a somewhat further south location, even if temporarily, would make much more difference than the best optics available IMHO.

When the planets have been higher in the sky, the excellent quality optics have been able to "strut their stuff" so to speak. So I won't be getting good value from my current equipment investment again for a while yet

 

[Ben the Ignorant]

9 hours ago, vlaiv said:

I remember how thick secondary support is on that scope.

Just so everybody sees what we're talking about, this is the former spider.

Its legs took that gentle curve when I severed them with giant cutting pliers, it's aluminum so no big effort and the consistent curve is funny to look at. It's a very sturdy spider but the slimmer one improved contrast, that was clear at first sight when I looked at the shady areas in dark trees. It seems Sky-Watcher puts the same spider/secondary holder on f/7 and f/5 scopes but the f/7 can take a smaller one, so if you want more contrast with your scope, changing the spider might be a better choice than buying more expensive eyepieces.

The four small "L" holders are just stainless corners that costed one or two euros each. The longer part of the L was curved a bit with simple pliers, and the vanes are from an old fried electric transformer, its steel core was made up of piles of these thin steel blades. The hub is a plastic disk. Making the spider costed almost nothing, it's just that it takes a little daring and experience in metal crafts, besides that the only cost is time. 

[Mr niall]

On ‎14‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 11:12, Philip R said:

From my limited experience, my TeleVue Nagler zoom [@6mm] & 6mm Radian will out perform...

...these two cheap 6mm long eye relief/wide angle e/p's...

 

I am not saying that cheap e/p's are good or bad, but they do have pros & cons, i.e. quality of assembly/build, eye relief, coatings, etc.  

BTW - the images are not to scale.

I've got the one on the left of those two "cheap" EP's at the bottom. It is bad, trust me!

[JOC]

I haven't read through everything here, but a point I also read on SGL about Jupiter in particular is that it will always look somewhat fuzzy because what you look at is a big ball of swirly gas and not a solid lump of rock like the moon is.

[wesdon1]

On 15/06/2019 at 10:53, Ricochet said:

Better quality eyepieces do give better views but more expensive eyepieces are not necessarily better quality. Baader Classic Orthos, for example, give high quality views at the expense of field of view and eye relief whilst still being at the cheaper end of the market. Double the price and you can buy Vixen SLVs which add decent eye relief to high quality views or you can buy Baader Hyperions which give decent eye relief and wider views at the expense of image quality.

Moving on to your current situation, the biggest issue you will have at the moment is how low Jupiter is in the sky. In future years when it is higher, you will get better views with the same equipment.

The second issue is that I believe all of the 130/900 Newtonians on the market have spherical mirrors, which will limit their sharpness. I think that a 3.6mm eyepiece will be producing a magnification beyond the capabilities of this telescope regardless of whether it is good or not. The 10mm supplied with these telescopes (assuming Synta 10mm MA) is usually regarded as not being a great performer and could be replaced with a better eyepiece, however, I would not invest too much into eyepieces for this scope. It is probably better to buy eyepieces suited for your next telescope instead.

Hi Ricochet. Thank you for your very good advice. I wasn't aware that Jupiter will climb higher above horizon in future years? I was of the assumption that it would always be at the same declination, and so i would only ever get my best views around 3-4am when it's about as high as it will get, like I've been doing since i started out in December last year. So at least i have a lot to look forward to, as i will also by then own much better equipment. Saturn has been such a let-down for me, i would like to add, for very similar reasons. It's just so small with my equipment! I can't even split it's rings! lol So with the knowledge you have so kindly shared with me, i can now plan for the future and i'm very excited at the prospect of getting Saturn and Jupiter higher up in sky, with much better equipment! I can't wait for winter to come around again as well cos i really miss M42 Orion Neb. which was my first Neb i found/saw and i found it such a buzz, even though it was little more than a little grey fuzzy patch! lol So much to look forward to! That's why i'm now obsessed with this hobby because there's always more to see and better seeing to be had with the things already seen! Amazing!

[wesdon1]

Thank you to all who contributed to my question. I've read all contributions and will learn from all the great advice and comments. Now all we need is for these damn low pressure weather systems to sod off! lol

[Stu]

47 minutes ago, wesdon1 said:

Hi Ricochet. Thank you for your very good advice. I wasn't aware that Jupiter will climb higher above horizon in future years? I was of the assumption that it would always be at the same declination, and so i would only ever get my best views around 3-4am when it's about as high as it will get, like I've been doing since i started out in December last year. So at least i have a lot to look forward to, as i will also by then own much better equipment. Saturn has been such a let-down for me, i would like to add, for very similar reasons. It's just so small with my equipment! I can't even split it's rings! lol So with the knowledge you have so kindly shared with me, i can now plan for the future and i'm very excited at the prospect of getting Saturn and Jupiter higher up in sky, with much better equipment! I can't wait for winter to come around again as well cos i really miss M42 Orion Neb. which was my first Neb i found/saw and i found it such a buzz, even though it was little more than a little grey fuzzy patch! lol So much to look forward to! That's why i'm now obsessed with this hobby because there's always more to see and better seeing to be had with the things already seen! Amazing!

Hang around until 2024, Jupiter at 60 degrees altitude then!

[Rob]

Really looking forward to Jupiter 2024!.. good old days. for those that have not witnessed the Planets high in the sky, its a real treat. So over the next 3 years get your kit together!

Rob

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, Rob said:

Really looking forward to Jupiter 2024!.. good old days. for those that have not witnessed the Planets high in the sky, its a real treat. So over the next 3 years get your kit together!

Rob

Just hope my eyes hang out till then 😜

Will sit in a darkened room for the next few years 🤣🤣

[Louis D]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Hang around until 2024, Jupiter at 60 degrees altitude then!

Wow!  For me, it will go from 37 degrees altitude today to 80 degrees altitude, and in the winter when the bugs won't be biting all night!  We're also getting a total solar eclipse in April of 2024 as well!  Should be an excellent year for astronomy.

[Mark at Beaufort]

4 minutes ago, Louis D said:

Wow!  For me, it will go from 37 degrees altitude today to 80 degrees altitude, and in the winter when the bugs won't be biting all night!  We're also getting a total solar eclipse in April of 2024 as well!  Should be an excellent year for astronomy.

Sounds great. I am hoping to visit for 2024 Eclipse. I will need advice on the best location in Texas. Although I should start a separate thread for this.

[Stu]

I did this graph a little while ago which might be interesting.

[John]

2027-28 looks to be a good period

 

[Podgebag]

I've got the same scope (£80 off fleabay) and with the stock 10mm I've seen one, smudgy band on Jupiter. Using a BST Starguider 8mm I can get two bands, but my mind has transposed this to looking at the top of a flat headed screw.

I think from a guide on eyepieces on this site, the recommended high mag eyepiece for the 130/900 is 5mm. 

Does the OP have the motor for this scope? This may ease long term viewing, providing it doesn't induce the wobbles that getting anywhere near the near scope does on the EQ2 mount. I've not been able to verify this yet, but hopefully it does!

[Louis D]

6 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Sounds great. I am hoping to visit for 2024 Eclipse. I will need advice on the best location in Texas. Although I should start a separate thread for this.

I plan to head to somewhere in the circled region, preferably the further southwest the better to avoid clouds (more desert-like climate) and crowds (from Austin and San Antonio).  Perhaps close to Uvalde, TX (the light blue dot west of SA) to stay close to the center line.  There's also Eagle Pass (the orange dot near Mexican border) which would be the driest place to observe from, but crime tends be quite high that close to Mexico.  You're probably fine there during the day, but I wouldn't stay there overnight.

Be aware it is already hot in south central Texas in early April, so dress appropriately.  I would recommend booking a place to stay as early as possible.  I booked my hotel in Nebraska for the 2017 eclipse 6 months early, and still had to drive 100 miles to my observing area because everything closer was already booked solid or priced at over $600/night by that time.  SA is close to the best viewing area and has plenty of hotel rooms, just plan on the roads being jam packed the morning of the eclipse because that part of Texas is way more populous than central Nebraska was for me in 2017.

You could try up north and east, but the possibility of clouds or even storms is much higher up toward the Waco to DFW to Tyler triangle in April, and it only gets worse north and east of Texas in early April.  There are more roads, but there are more people as well up that way.

[wesdon1]

19 hours ago, Stu said:

Hang around until 2024, Jupiter at 60 degrees altitude then!

Oh wow 60 degrees! That will be awesome! I'm still no expert but i assume the viewing at that height ( with decent seeing ) will be brilliant!? Goodness me i'll most likely own about as expensive equipment as i'm ever going to own by 2024 so that combined with the height above horizon will be something else! 

[knobby]

15 hours ago, Podgebag said:

I've got the same scope (£80 off fleabay) and with the stock 10mm I've seen one, smudgy band on Jupiter. Using a BST Starguider 8mm I can get two bands, but my mind has transposed this to looking at the top of a flat headed screw.

I think from a guide on eyepieces on this site, the recommended high mag eyepiece for the 130/900 is 5mm. 

Does the OP have the motor for this scope? This may ease long term viewing, providing it doesn't induce the wobbles that getting anywhere near the near scope does on the EQ2 mount. I've not been able to verify this yet, but hopefully it does!

Great 1st post, and welcome to SGL

[Podgebag]

Thanks!

I've picked up quite a bit on here, although I did it after buying my first scope rather than before, gah.

The eyepiece guide is here. Add key scope attributes and the calculations into a spreadsheet (Google Sheets is free) and you can check your recommended eyepieces for any scope. Reading up on exit pupil (min of 1mm depending on age and eyesight) and power per inch (around 30 for average viewing conditions) will help too. Bear in mind I'm only quoting what I've read so far, so apologies if this isn't right. 

Edited June 25, 2019 by Podgebag