Tonight's observing session with my three telescopes.

[Guest]

I have just come in for a well earned tot of single malt after a great observing session.

Saturn and Jupiter with my C6, Equinox 80 mm and ST 120.

The eyepieces that I used for the planets were 4 & 7 mm Nirvana, 8 mm Monocentric and an 8.8 mm ES.

While the Monocentric has a very narrow field of view. It revealed super contrast on the planets with the C6 an 80 mm.

While the ST120 mm is not a planetary telescope. It did give a pleasing deep yellow view of Saturn with surprising contrast. Jupiter was washed out with too much violet across the whole disc.

I then proceeded to widefield, low power star gazing. Using a 22 mm Nagler and a 32 mm panaview. Very good views with both the 80 mm Equinox and ST 120. I looked at the double Cluster and M81 & M81. It must be a very good sky tonight.

The following is not for the purists. But I could not resist attaching my two inch diagonal to my Celestron C6. This gave me the opportunity to observe through the C6 with the 22 mm Nagler and the 32 mm Panaview eyepieces. I know that the C6 is not designed as a widefield scope. There are reasons such as distortion. But I felt that by using the two inch eyepieces, viewing just gave the C6 another dimension. Star fields were bright and a genuine feeling of low power wide field.

Wonder how many Celestron C6 owners have used two inch eyepieces on their telescope? It would be interesting to hear of your experiences.

Although 1.36° with the 32 mm on the C6 compared to 4.3° field of view with the 80 mm Equinox.

All in all an enjoyable session.

Edited October 3, 2021 by Guest
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[RobertI]

14 hours ago, Grumpy Martian said:

Wonder how many Celestron C6 owners have used two inch eyepieces on their telescope? It would be interesting to hear of your experiences.

I did the same last night with my 2” 38mm Panaview and C8 with 0.63 reducer - again not a usual combination as the SCT baffle restricts the field of view. It worked ok, a fair amount of distortion away from the middle but the Panaview seems to do this with any scope. Perhaps a bit extreme, but it worked!  

[John]

I tried my 13mm Ethos (not quite a 2 inch eyepiece but the size of one !) with a C5 once. The views were spectacular even if the combination looks a little comical

 

[Stu]

I’ve used 2” eyepieces in my OMC140 and OMC200, as well as C8 and C925 before. You eye is not that sensitive to vignetting so I found the views quite acceptable, and worthwhile to achieve a wide field of view. They will never be widefield instruments though, so often it is best just to stick to their strengths.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

 They will never be widefield instruments though, so often it is best just to stick to their strengths.

I agree. I have the 80 mm and ST 120 for wide field viewing. But if it's there to be done then have a peek.

Edited October 4, 2021 by Guest

[F15Rules]

Nice report, Martin 😊.

I know that there are "best practices" and "theoretical reasons" as to why using 2" eyepieces is sometimes not recommended, but at the end of the day, if you like what you see when using a particular combination, that is what really matters IMHO.

For example: some years ago I had a cheapish Moonfish clone 30mm UWA 2" eyepiece. I think it was my first 2", and I loved the views it gave me in a long focus achromat (not by any stretch a widefield scope!). The point is, compared to what I was used to, the 2" gave views that were a good deal wider than I was used to, with many more background stars visible.

Often, I think it is the context that using a low power 2" gives..your core object that you view in the centre of the field of view is better "framed"  by the wider field, and it doesn't really matter that much if the edges are a bit vignetted, or a little out of focus, or distorted..the centre will be sharp and the width of field will enhance the view..

Hope that makes sense.

Of course, if you really start to like such views, you might then begin to hanker after expensive, big beasties like Nagler 31mm, Ethos, Meade 30mm UWA etc! (In my own case I fell for a Celestron Axiom LX  31mm, weighing in at a cool 1.4kg!!😱😂😂). But the 82 deg views of the Cygnus starfields are jaw dropping!

Dave

Edited October 5, 2021 by F15Rules
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[Guest]

In my own case I fell for a Celestron Axiom LX  32mm, weighing in at a cool 1.4kg!!

I can imagine you'd have to wear steel toe cap boots for safety reasons when observing through the Axiom.

Just think if the Axion feel on your toes! Ouch!!

Lol.

[F15Rules]

It's certainly a big beast, Martin, and you need a strong 2" focuser to handle it. But honestly the views through it make it worth the rebalancing of the scope now and again..👍

Dave

[wookie1965]

Brilliant report been 3 weeks since I have been out rain again tonight 

Paul