Celestron omni plossl lens

[Gregor108]

I recently ordered a celestron astromaster 30eq. I have ordered an omni plossl 32mm and a barlow 2x lens to go with it. Are there any other lens that you recommend for good planetary viewing ?

Also what is a good lens for the likes of arcturus or betelgeuse and far away viewing?

The astromaster comes with a 10mm and 20mm eyepiece.

This is my first space telescope and I am struggling choosing lenses.

Thankyou

[Waddensky]

The two eyepieces the scope comes with are basic, but good enough to get you started. I always recommend to start with the supplied eyepieces and add more after you've built some experience and have discovered what is important to you (magnification, eye relief, field of view, ...) 

Unfortunately, the 130EQ isn't the best telescope out there and probably* comes with a spherical mirror, which makes high-power viewing (such as planets) difficult or not possible at all. If you're not able to cancel your order, try to aim it at Saturn for example (visible from 11 PM) and use the 20 mm eyepiece without a barlow and see how it looks. You should be able to discern the rings (although they're almost edge on currently!). If the view is acceptable, try the 10mm eyepiece to magnify a bit more. The barlow is probably too much for the scope.

Stars like Arcturus and Betelgeuse are always pinpoints in a telescope, so the magnification doesn't matter. Use the eyepiece that gives you the nicest view. I always enjoy stars in a low power eyepiece that also shows a few surrounding stars in the field.

* Celestron gives ambiguous information about the optics, which is strange.

Edited September 3 by Waddensky

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @Gregor108 and welcome to SGL. 

For ‘high power’ planetary viewing, I use either the TeleVue Nagler 3-6mm zoom or the Svbony SV215 3-8mm zoom.

The TeleVue costs about three to four times that of the Svbony. I have no regrets buying either.

[Gonariu]

1 hour ago, Waddensky said:

Unfortunately, the 130EQ isn't the best telescope out there and probably* comes with a spherical mirror, which makes high-power viewing (such as planets) difficult or not possible at all.

If so, I am surprised by Celestron's way of doing things, which, by putting a spherical mirror in a Newtonian 130/650, offers an entry-level instrument unusable at high magnifications; a neophyte instead wants to see a bit of everything. It takes a long time to make a name for yourself, on the contrary, very little to burn it!

[Louis D]

If you can keep the planet perfectly centered, it is possible to make out some planetary features even with a spherical primary.  I was able to verify this with one of those Celestron FirstScope 76mm  f/4 starter Dobs at a star party a few years back.  I could just make out Jupiter's main bands and Galilean moons, but not much else.  The outer 50% of the field was just plain blurry regardless of eyepiece.

The owner of it had several setup on a folding buffet table for the general public to try their hand at using.  Being an experienced amateur, I was the only one having any luck even aiming it without the aid of an RDF (none had any).  The owner told me he picks them up used at thrift shops for $10 to $20, and even that is probably overpaying for them.