Which eye pieces

[Jimmy Rocket]

Hi all,

Got myself a Skywatcher 127 Mak last year but with one thing and another I haven't really used it in anger.

Question is what's the highest usable eye piece I could used with this scope? Here's what I have, 6mm, 9mm, 10mm, 15mm 20mm and a 25mm. I also have a 2x Barlow.

Just been doing some finder scope/main scope alignment on distant daylight objects and the 6mm is quite a dark image? Is this to powerful for my scope due to not getting enough light in the primary lense ?

[Louis D]

About 8mm in my experience.  That yields a 0.6mm exit pupil (assuming an actual 118mm aperture) which is right at my limit with floaters. YMMV

[Alan64]

Hi,

I have an ES 127/1900 Maksutov; same as the Bresser sold in Europe.  What I like about it is that I can insert what is considered a lower-power eyepiece for most telescopes, and I'm there, at a medium or high power.  I doubt if I'd need a barlow with it, but I expect I will try, and max out the aperture.

As you go up in power, the image will darken, but 127mm of aperture is ample in its own right, and for observing a wide range of objects.

Your Maksutov has a focal-length of 1500mm...

1500mm ÷ 6mm = 250x, and reasonable to expect a decent image on occasion.  The main troubles are the atmosphere and keeping the object in view.  Patience is key, and in waiting for the seeing to steady, then to see what few have ever seen.

You won't break the telescope in pushing up the power.  With my own, I plan on using my 4mm, which will give me a power of 475x, but only on very few objects, just for fun.  

For peace of mind, you'll want to ensure that the telescope is collimated, spot on, and that the optics of the telescope, also the eyepieces and optical accessories, were made well at the factory.  The latter may be ascertained simply by conducting star-tests.  Once you know that those are at least acceptable, then the atmosphere is the only other worry.

A go-to, or motorised-only, mount is a great help in keeping the objects in view at the higher powers.  

Lastly, if you haven't already, you'll want a dew-shield to protect the meniscus, there at the front end, from dew, dirt and pollen.  The shield will also serve to block out natural(the Moon) and artificial sources of stray light, all whilst attempting to observe the dimmer of objects.

My Maksutov...

[Jimmy Rocket]

I have a 9mm so that should be X166 magnification as my focal length is 1500 if my calculations are correct ?

[Jimmy Rocket]

Here's mine

[Alan64]

That's a perfect, proper finder-scope, and the mount is a go-to.  I'm in the process in cobbling one together for my own, and from this 70mm f/4 achromat...

As it arrived, it was only a 30mm, but I now have it opened up to 70mm, and as it should've been from the factory.

I can't use a go-to myself, as I have far too many trees.

[Jimmy Rocket]

16 minutes ago, Alan64 said:

That's a perfect, proper finder-scope, and the mount is a go-to.  I'm in the process in cobbling one together for my own, and from this 70mm f/4 achromat...

As it arrived, it was only a 30mm, but I now have it opened up to 70mm, and as it should've been from the factory.

I can't use a go-to myself, as I have far too many trees.

Let us know how you get on with that conversion.

I am waiting for a good clear night as I now live in a very light free location with a good view of the sky. Approx 180 degrees from east to west and 90degrees up, alas nothing of the northern sky due to an oak tree lol

Also just added the Skywatcher WiFi adapter as it's so much easier to align the goto set up with the app.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Jimmy Rocket

[Alan64]

At the higher powers, there are those who prefer observing just a single object, the one they were after.  Then, others like a bit of real-estate surrounding the object, at times encompassing two to three objects within the view, but that requires wide-angle eyepieces, and up to 70° or more.

Another, and most pleasant aspect of our telescopes is that they do not require corrective, therefore costly eyepieces.  I can use quite inexpensive eyepieces with my own, wide-angle ones even, and for a good viewing.  This 10mm 70° won't work with my 150/750 Newtonian, too narrow a view, and to where I thought it was assembled incorrectly.  I almost took it apart.  Fortunately, I finally used it with my 90/900 and 70/900 achromats, and discovered it was not defective after all; reasonably-sharp, wide views through both telescopes...

I've had that one for many years, and it will work great with my Maksutov, once I get round to it.

[Jimmy Rocket]

I have two oe Skywatcher supplied ep's the rest are svbony 66 degree ultrawide angle ep's 

Edited May 7, 2021 by Jimmy Rocket

[Alan64]

Yes, those at right are at 66°, and should play well with a/the Maksutov.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Alan64