Best eyepiece for skywatcher 130eq

[Tangohotel]

I have just got a skywatcher 130eq second hand. It came with just a x2 Barlow. So we could use it I bought a x20 eyepiece. I can see craters on the moon, but what would people recommend to get the best magnification from this telescope. Thanks

[JOC]

It says variously online that 'As a rule of thumb, a telescope’s maximum useful magnification is 50 times its aperture in inches (or twice its aperture in millimeters).'

So your scope has a 5" apperture or 130mm so that give x250 or x260 

Your Focal length is 900mm so if you are using your 20mm EP that gives x45 magnification.  If you use the 20mm EP plus x2 barlow that five x90 magnification.

With my scope the apperture is 8" - thus a theoretical max mag of x400 under ideal conditons.  and a 1200mm focal length.  HOWEVER, the seeing in the UK if that's where you are tends to not be exceptional and personally find that I can't push my own scope much beyond a 5-4mm EP which is giving me  x240 - x300 - way below the theoretical max magnification.  So on that basis I tend to think that you might find you are best at around half the theorectical maximum, which is about x130 which is about a 7mm Eyepiece.

Others with the scope might be able to advise better, but the above is based is on the figures and my own experience with my larger scope. 

Also, check this thread out so you have good expectations - look a the pictures on page one:

 

[Tangohotel]

Thanks, that is very helpful, I am new to using a telescope and know the one I have is a beginner scope and I'm not going to see loads but it is good to have some idea of what will give me the highest practical magnification. Would you recommend a moon filter to help with contrast too? Thanks

[Tangohotel]

Forgot to ask also, would a 7mm Plossl eye piece or just a 7mm eyepiece.

I am very ignorant, my background is electron microscopes, the other extreme!

Thanks again for any help

[JOC]

1 hour ago, Tangohotel said:

7mm Plossl eye piece or just a 7mm eyepiece.

I don't know a huge amount about EP design, but any 7mm eyepiece (EP) in your scope will give the same level of magnification.  'Plossl', I believe, refers to the internal design of the Eyepiece and I get the impression is a good standard beginners eyepiece.  As with any design of EP there will be good ones and bad ones depending on manufacturer.  BST branded eyepieces around £45-£55 a pop are often recommended at our level of expertise.  Some designs of EP will give a wider field of view like my own Mopheus EP's which are way beyond my level of expertise (and really my pocket! and my amount of use!!), but I like the view they give - a wider field of view means you have more time for the stars to cross the field of view at any magnification before you have to nudge the scope to keep up with the earth rotation, but with a wider field of view sometimes the quality is not as good closer to the edge of the view - again it depends on the brand and the EP design.  The other thing with EP's is something called 'eye relief' this is how close you need to hold your eye to the top of the EP to get a good view.  I wear specs and find that I get on better longer eye relief - around 20mm is best for me.  I once owned a Teleview plossl - considered the best of the manufacturers, but couldn't get on with the very limited eye relief and sold it.  BST's are considered good all rounders in this area too.

[JOC]

Moon filters, many people like them to reduce the glare, but I've never needed one and much prefer my view of the moon just as it comes.

[Kyle Allen]

I assume you have the 130P with 650mm focal length and you bought a 32mm plossl eyepiece giving you 20x magnification. Is that right?

If so, you will need a short focal length eyepiece to achieve high magnification or you could use a longer focal length eyepiece with your 2x Barlow lens. The BST StarGuider eyepieces are good value for money and comfortable to use. The 8mm will give you 81x on its own (good for small/bright deep sky objects) or 162x if you use it with your Barlow lens, which is ideal for the moon and planets. You could also consider getting the 5mm but you may be pushing the limits of your scope, or the atmosphere, if you Barlow it!

[Karan05]

How do you find GSO barlow.. i bought for my celestron 130eq but it makes my 20mm hazy when using... Is celestron Omni better than GSO ???

Edited July 20, 2020 by Karan05

[Second Time Around]

3 minutes ago, Karan05 said:

How do you find GSO barlow.. i bought for my celestron 130eq but it makes my 20mm hazy when using... Is celestron Omni better than GSO ???

In the UK this is sold under the Revelation label. I was looking myself a week or so ago and nobody actually had it in stock even if their website said they did.

[John]

The Celestron Omni 2x barlow might be made by GSO as well. It certainly looks very much like a GSO product, except for the colour scheme.

 

[Second Time Around]

49 minutes ago, John said:

The Celestron Omni 2x barlow might be made by GSO as well. It certainly looks very much like a GSO product, except for the colour scheme.

 

Unfortunately, the Celestron Omni doesn't seem to offer the option of 1.5x as well as 2x.  That's what I was after myself.

TS Optics in Germany has their own version of the dual power Barlow, but the postage cost is high.

56 minutes ago, Karan05 said:

How do you find GSO barlow.. i bought for my celestron 130eq but it makes my 20mm hazy when using... Is celestron Omni better than GSO ???

In the UK this is sold under the Revelation label. I was looking myself a week or so ago and nobody actually had it in stock even if their website said they did.

[John]

Does the nose piece of the Omni 2x not unscrew then ?

I thought it did.

 

[Second Time Around]

9 minutes ago, John said:

Does the nose piece of the Omni 2x not unscrew then ?

I thought it did.

 

It might do.  It's just not mentioned in the blurb.

Has anyone got it and can try? Cheers.

[Second Time Around]

I've just bought a used Revelation 1.5/2x off UK Astro Buy and Sell.  

The 1.5x plus my 8-24 zoom will give me a very handy 67x-200x on my 8-inch Dob, and slightly more on my 10-inch with a coma corrector.