seeing stuff - but bigger! Is a Barlow the best option?

[lulu57]

OK...I don't care if I sound stupid...as long as I don't end up wasting my money.

So here goes.

To celebrate turning 41, I have purchased a Celestron 4se, and I am having a very jolly time looking at stuff. I have a 25mm or 1.25 inch eye piece.

I would like to see the stuff - but bigger(!)

Is a Barlow the best option? And I'm assuming I would have to buy a 1.25 inch Barlow to match my eyepiece????

I would also like to look at the moon without my eyes watering...what's the best kind of filter?

And how come there's a zillion ways of cleaning the lens? Should I be getting a blowy-brush thingy, or a squirt-it-on-and-wipe-it-off bottle of fluid?

This is basic stuff, but like Winnie the Pooh, I am a bear of little brain.

Ta

Lulu

[John]

Hi Lulu,

A 2x barlow lens would double the magification that your 25mm eyepiece gives - most barlow lenses are the same fitting as your eyepiece - 1.25" inch. A good make that does not cost too much is TAL (made in Russia as it happens). The TAL 2x Barlow costs £29.00 I seem to remember.

You can get moon filters which will reduce the brightness of the moon for about £10.

It's best not to touch the lenses of scopes so a blower brush is best I find - manually operated rather than CO2 powered so no chance of anything getting squirted on the lens.

These accessories can all be got from First Light Optics (FLO as we call them) and other astro eqeuipment dealers as well.

John

[lulu57]

Thanks very much for the straight-up reply.

BTW, when people speak of the Televue Ethos in hushed reverential tones, is it well-deserved? And would such a pearl be wasted on a 4se?

Ta

Lulu

(love to Incontinentia and Bigus)

[Merlin66]

Yes! Is the honest answer. Plossl's etc are certainly good enough.

[John]

The Tele Vue Ethos is pretty much the ultimate eyepiece on the market today - the 13mm costs about £360 new I think.

Your scope, like all of it's design (a cassegrain) has a long focal length so you don't need to spend huge amounts on eyepieces to get good performance.

The Ethos would be superb of course, as it is in practically all scopes, but personally I would spend the money on a larger scope - which you might decide you want if the hobby really "bites".

John

[lulu57]

Well....I would have been nuts to spend more on an eyepiece than on the actual telescope (but I have done dafter things).

Will go with the Barlow idea.

Ta very much.

[John]

Well....I would have been nuts to spend more on an eyepiece than on the actual telescope (but I have done dafter things).

You would not be the 1st to have done this - my eyepieces are worth about twice what my scopes are

But there's really no need .... I'm just an eyepiece-junkie !!

John

[Zaphod_B]

Hi Lulu

Celestron make a "Moon" filter which transmits less light through to the eyepiece and so it isn't as bright and glary when you look at it. It transmits only about 10% (thus blocking out about 90%) and is labelled "MOON" in large letters. eBay have a Moon Filter (18% transmission) for sale (currently at £3.99 + p&p) > see this LINK.

When jahmanson says that a 2x Barlow doubles your magnification, he means that it behaves as a 12.5mm EP (when used with a 25mm EP). The smaler the focal length of the EP, the higher the magnification.

A couple of EP's and a 2x Barlow and you have a good range of magnifications.

The NexStar 4SE is a good starter scope. I wouldn't however go spending huge amounts on eyepieces (like the Celestron Ultima range at £150+). You can get decent EP's for your scope for between £20 and £30 brand new - such as the Celestron Omni range.

Again eBay usually has some good bargains, like this 9mm Plossl EP (for £4.99 inc p&p) > see this LINK.

Hope this helps

Zaph

[lulu57]

The Ethos would be superb of course, as it is in practically all scopes, but personally I would spend the money on a larger scope - which you might decide you want if the hobby really "bites".

John

Would have liked to have bought a bigger scope to begin with, but I have no garage and limited storage space. My 4se sits, ready-assembled, in the corner of the dining room, ready to be whipped out under a clear sky.

Also, I tried lifting a 6se in the showroom...it must have been quite funny to watch. When you're caggy, you have to keep things small and simple.

As for the beautiful Meade Lightbridge I saw...well, dream on!

Ta for all the super advice, everyone. Think I might go for the Barlow and a 9mm eye piece.

Lulu