Eyepieces for a Skywatcher 150 advice please?

[stephec]

I've recently got a second hand scope and at the moment am using the eyepieces that came with a Celestron Firstscope. 

 

I'm looking to get some new eps but was looking at around £50 for each one.

 

They'll be for all around observing, moon, planets, maybe some DSOs, I'm not really into any particular subject at the moment. 

 

I was looking at some older posts on here and decided on BST Starguiders in about four different sizes, something like 3mm, 5/8mm, 15mm, and 25mm.

 

Am I thinking along the right lines here or are there better alternatives, I don't mind spending the same on second hand if the right thing becomes available?

 

Edited to add: size I'm after is 1.25".

Edited November 13, 2022 by stephec

[wulfrun]

Which SW150 do you have? There are 2 different mirrors, a 1200mm (f/8) and a 750mm (f/5).

Amongst the BST range, the 18mm and 25mm are regarded as the weakest (I don’t speak from experience, only what I've seen written), so they may not play so nicely with the f/5 version. A generic 32mm Plössl would be cheaper for your lowest power/maximum FOV. If your version is the f/8, the 3.2mm BST is too short and even in the f/5 version you probably won't use it much. I wouldn't buy that unless I identified a real need.

OVL's Nirvana range are well regarded (I have the 16mm and really like it) for a step up but also about double the price each. Beyond that, you can pretty much pay whatever you have in your wallet!

[bosun21]

The eyepieces that come with a Celestron First scope are probably the worst you could use. They are Huygens and SR(Ramsden). The BST Starguider eyepieces would be a large step up in performance. What sizes (focal length) to recommend depends on what SW150 scope you actually have. Is it the 750mm f5 or the 1200mm f8?

[Astronomist]

in either version of the SW 150 the BST starguiders should be fine, I had the 5mm, 12mm, and 25mm  in my 10" F5 before I upgraded. they are good eyepieces but ,as Wulfrun says, I found the 25 showed a little aberration in the outer 20% or so of the field . I also have an SR 4mm similar to the ones that come with the firstscope. I get it out sometimes to make me appreciate my current eyepieces more.  

[stephec]

Thanks everyone, it's the f5 version. 

[stephec]

13 minutes ago, stargazer_3000 said:

in either version of the SW 150 the BST starguiders should be fine, I had the 5mm, 12mm, and 25mm  in my 10" F5 before I upgraded. they are good eyepieces but ,as Wulfrun says, I found the 25 showed a little aberration in the outer 20% or so of the field . I also have an SR 4mm similar to the ones that come with the firstscope. I get it out sometimes to make me appreciate my current eyepieces more.  

Trying to look at Jupiter a few nights ago with the SR4 was what prompted this post, I could see the colour bands but not focus sharply on them. 

[Alan64]

On 13/11/2022 at 11:57, stephec said:

Trying to look at Jupiter a few nights ago with the SR4 was what prompted this post, I could see the colour bands but not focus sharply on them. 

I have a 150mm f/5 Newtonian.  Is your telescope collimated?  It will need to be at the higher and highest powers.  Also, Jupiter through a 4mm, at 188x, can still be a bit bright, whitish, which can conceal the planet's features.  I use a variable-polariser, to dim the view a bit, then to see the planet's features more clearly....

[Padtwo]

As mentioned I would probably go with a 30 or 32mm plossl and although I've been tempted by the 3.2mm BST, having used the 5mm that would be enough for me (to my eyes there was a noticeable drop in clarity between 7mm and 5mm in a heritage 130p) so I would probably stay away from the 3.2.

If you were to go with a 5, 8, 12, and 30 or 32 that would give you 150x, 94x, 62.5x and either 23 or 25x. If you were to then add a 2x barlow at any point these would double up to 300x, 188x, 125x and 46 or 50x, which would be nice range of magnifications

[Padtwo]

Sorry, that's a 5, 8, 12 BST and a 30 or 32mm plossl

[stephec]

On 15/11/2022 at 06:52, Alan64 said:

I have a 150mm f/5 Newtonian.  Is your telescope collimated?  It will need to be at the higher and highest powers.  Also, Jupiter through a 4mm, at 188x, can still be a bit bright, whitish, which can conceal the planet's features.  I use a variable-polariser, to dim the view a bit, then to see the planet's features more clearly....

Thanks Alan, I'm familiar with polarising filters in photography, but would a standard moon filter do a similar job in this case? 

[Alan64]

9 hours ago, stephec said:

Thanks Alan, I'm familiar with polarising filters in photography, but would a standard moon filter do a similar job in this case? 

For fixed examples...

50% reduction: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/astro-essentials-125-nd96-0-3-filter.html

75% reduction:  https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/astro-essentials-125-nd96-0-6-filter.html

87.5% reduction: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/astro-essentials-nd96-0-9-1-25-moon-filter.html

All three may be had, if uncertain as to the one required.

Do you look upon a variable-polariser as being gimmicky?  I have, at times.

 

[Alan64]

This is my own variable-polariser...

What my eye saw with that one integrated, on Jupiter, and during a brief, clear window through our atmosphere.  I'll never forget, the festoons and whorls.