Need help - low power eyepiece

[dweller25]

Hello,

I am looking for pointers for a low power, wide field eyepice for both a 4" F8 refractor and a 8" F8 reflector.

I currently have an old Celestron silvertop 26mm plossl but would like to go lower power than this and wider fieldm of view.

I wear specs and hate kidney beaning so bearing that in mind does anyone have any suggestion for an eyepiece up to £100.

Thanks in advance.

[brianb]

Do you have a 2" focuser? If so try the Antares W70 34mm. If not you are going to be fairly severely limited by the diameter of the focuser, a 32mm Plossl will show as much as you can get but bearing in mind you're already using a 26mm Plossl a 40mm Plossl would be a better choice. The Meade series 4000 or equivalent from Celestron (Omni) would be fine.

[dweller25]

Hello Brian,

Thanks for that.

Both systems are 1.25".

I was thinking about a 32mm Televue Plossl.

Any thoughts ??

[brianb]

Both systems are 1.25".

I was thinking about a 32mm Televue Plossl.

Any thoughts ??

Should be fine ... but I'd still suggest that 40mm would be a better option as the lower power gives more contrast ... the apparent field, limited by the field stop which is limited by the focuser diameter, will be smaller than the 32mm (more of a "drinking straw" effect) but the actual field on the sky will be the same.

Televue eyepieces tend to have a distinctive "warm toned" image - some people like this, others don't, the ones who don't call it "coffee staining" - if you're not familiar with this, it would be a good idea to try before parting with money. The Meade & Celestron EPs have a neutral colour balance, there is a small disadvantage with this when using cheap short focus refractors as chromatic aberration ("blue fringing") is more obvious.

[Bigwings]

I use a Skywatcher SP 40mm with my 8" SCT and I love it. Ok I know 2003fl scopes aint that fussy but for under £40 it spends a lot of time on the scope

[John]

The Tele Vue 40mm Plossl was specifically designed with spectacle wearers in mind as the blurb on the Tele Vue website explains:

Tele Vue Optics Article Page

John

[dweller25]

Thanks for all the replies.

The 40mm TV plossl looks like a winner - and I do like TV plossls.

[Merlin66]

I like TV Plossl's as well. The TV 32mm is regularly in use, but I didn't go for the TV 40mm due to the FOV.

At low magnification a generic 40mm ( I have a 40mm plossl no-name - Red V???) works well on SCT's etc.

Double check before you buy....