Eyepieces - the very least you need.

[slothead]

This seems like a GREAT thread, and I have just started reading it!!  I have two scopes (1) Celestron 6" AVX Refractor, and (2) Orion ED80T CF, so my EP kit will range from 6 to about 25 (along with a 2X Barlow) if I understand correctly.  I bought a set of Celestron EPs recently and envelop this range so I think I am good to go.

Thanks Warthog!

[Optimust]

Ok, cheers Charic. Yeah I've read that about the Barlow lens. I am a complete novice but I'm hoping I'll stick with this hobby..pretty sure I will if I can achieve good results eventually. So any advice is welcome. I've got a Skywatcher Heritage 130mm. Not bad for my price range at the minute. And how do you measure your pupil size?

[rpg850]

A Zoom lens and basic plossls are all I've needed so far. I purchased a Celestron XCEL LX 9mm EP, and wasn't too impressed...

[mikeDnight]

If I was buying on a shoe string budget I'd like just three eyepieces and if I'm allowed I'd also buy a X2 Barlow lens. The eyepieces I'd most likely choose for myself would be Rank Kellners (RKE's), often called reverse Kellners, or Abbé orthoscopics, both produced by Edmund optical. The focal lengths of the eyepieces would be 28mm - the 28mm RKE is a superb low power eyepiece with good eye relief. Then I'd choose the 12mm and the 8mm RKE's or similar focal length Ortho's. These could then be barlowed to give me reasonable high powers while maintaining eye relief. I'd choose the RKE's over the orthos, as despite having a relatively narrow field of I think 40°, they give truly pure, crystal clear views. I doubt anyone could look through a 28mm RKE and not be impressed.

Mike

[Stropper]

Really useful post thanks. As always once you know the thinking it all becomes very much clearer.

[Browny]

Great post. Gives me plenty to think about.

[PeterW]

Don't feel the need to buy every focal length, there is not much difference between them. I used to run with 3.... 20something, 13 and 5mm, sometimes dropped an 8mm in. If these >82deg johnnies are going cheap I might be tempted to get one or two. However For the dark stuff I now just use my special eyepiece.... one eyepiece to rule them all.

Cheers

PEterW

[damnut]

Glad you are back in the saddle warthog. I cannot remember how many people I have recommended your guide to.

[The Warthog]

Glad you are back in the saddle warthog. I cannot remember how many people I have recommended your guide to.

That's very generous of you, Damian. We got whacked by snow and cold in late January and February, and went 46 days without going above zero, with temperatures sometimes as low as -25, so what with the constant cloud I've hardly been outside except to take the dog for a pee. However, we are being promised the start of above zero temps, and once the 40cm of snow in my back yard melts, I'll think about putting my scopes on the lawn. After all this time, I have some refurbishing to do. The sky in my location allows only for planets, and things like double stars and brighter clusters, but I will try to get away to some better locations, which we have aplenty in Canada.

[damnut]

Hi Warthog,

Frequent visitor to Toronto, last time I was there in march it was -23, but beaten by jasper a couple of years ago with -52!!. At least around Niagara you have the vineyards..

I know what you mean about light pollution, even on the outskirts of the city you are lucky to see the stars....

Best Regards

[tomo1515]

Thanks, been a great help.

[Mark-keller]

So if money wasn't really a object what eyepeice make would be the best available in your Opinion ?

[Mark-keller]

Great post very informative, I have Celestron cpc 925 with a altz goto mount I will be Veiwing both dso & planetary so in your opinion if I had say £200 per eyepiece to spend which eyepieces would you recommend please ?

[Roysten]

A great thread! Some great advice that it looks like has helped hundreds of people since started back in 2009! Thankyou Warthog, I hope your health continues to improve improves.

I've read several pages of this but nowhere near all so I'll apologise now if this has been asked and answered before.

I've got a SW Explorer with it's standard 10 and 25mm EP plus 2x Barlow. I'm thinking of getting a new eyepiece in the coming months in the 7-8mm range based on the advice of the first page.

I've read that upgrading the scope is often a better options than spending >£100 on a new eyepiece And also that a plossl is a good bet for a beginners reflector like mine.

Therefore what is an appropriate type, reasonable price and make for a 7-8mm eyepiece for that quality of scope?

Thanks.

[Golfey]

Many thanks Warthog for the original post, very helpful to a beginner like me.

Having read many of the posts I am going to limit my initial (!) EP collection to two (8mm/18mm) plus the two basics with the scope (Heritage 130p).

Unsure about the barlow - need some more research, also for the best EP for an F5 (though need to allow for an upgrade if this takes off)

Cheers

Golfey

[bomberbaz]

Many thanks Warthog for the original post, very helpful to a beginner like me.

Having read many of the posts I am going to limit my initial (!) EP collection to two (8mm/18mm) plus the two basics with the scope (Heritage 130p).

Unsure about the barlow - need some more research, also for the best EP for an F5 (though need to allow for an upgrade if this takes off)

Cheers

Golfey

You may find the celestron x-cel 18mm and 12mm with a 2x barlow and good setup. That would take you from x41 mag to x125 with 60 and 80 something inbetween plus the x-cel are hard to beat for price & are a very good budget ended eyepiece, highly thought of. ( I still have one in my case). The 8/18 would be a little to close for effective barlowing of the 18mm. On subject of barlows i use one all the time and they are a great tool for maximising available resources. 

Edited May 31, 2015 by bomberbaz

[Golfey]

Thanks for the advice Bomberbaz.

The 18/12 combination makes sense.

Unsure the budget will stretch to Xcells at the moment as I don't want to go to far until I know the kit is going to be well used.

Just bought a used Vixen 8mm NPL for under £20 to see what the difference is with a better lens.

That's it EP wise for now - need to do some viewing - now where did I put the cloudzaway spray??

[bomberbaz]

Unsure the budget will stretch to Xcells at the moment as I don't want to go to far until I know the kit is going to be well used.

Get yourself on UK astrobuyandsell, there are always x-cels for sale on there due to people uprading, picked one up myself recently for 40 quid. Of course this is if anf when you want to upgrade. 

Tht sid, if you like the NPL eyepieces, then they are new from £35 at FLO. A 30 & 20 barlowed would go great with the 8 you just bought. 30,20,15,10 and 8 (4 barlowed gives you x165) and I would say bases covered. Reasonable barlows can be got for about £30.

Anyway, once te bug bites, come back and tell me when ur wallets empty 

[Gutross]

Very nice thank you, seems i impulse bought an astromaster kit that works just perfectly with the scope i have!

[staffop]

Spent an eternity researching this when i first received my new scope and plumped for the baader hyperion zoom. I've been very impressed on the limited exposure it's had, but just wish there were less clouds so i could get out more!

[Doober97]

hello fellow stargazers!

I hope I am in the right area here as this is the first time I have posted in stargazers lounge. I have gotten back into the joys of astronomy over the past year using an explorer 130p. On my Birthday in june i was then brought a 200p dobsonian.. and wow what an upgrade! i decided however to go and buy myself a new eyepiece. i searched the internet for days and found an Antares Speers-Waler 7.5mm in like new condition for £65 and when reading on forums this was a steal as it is around £170 new. so i made the purchase and it turned up a few days, it looks in perfect condition, the ebayer sold other astronomy items and 100% positive feedback. from what i had read an ep, especially one of this level would be a vast upgrade over the standard ep that came with the scope. i tested out the new ep and while i did appreciate the 82 degree FOV that is very nice, i could not see no other differences? in fact the 10mm ep, may actually look a little clearer than the Speers Waler... ive looked the ep over and it seems immaculate. i just wondered what your thoughts on the matter are, it doesnt seem like the ep is damaged because it still gives a loovely clear image, but no clearer than the supplied cheapo 10mm.

thankyou, happy start hunting! 

[Charic]

I've not heard many folk come back and say their upgraded EP is worse than the supplied 10mm. I for one,  have not yet tried, seen or handled any Antares  EPs?

If the seeing conditions are good, and the collimation of your scope  is good ( a guide here http://www.astro-baby.com/collimation/astro%20babys%20collimation%20guide.htm) then there is an issue with the chosen EP. You say it looks perfect, but that alone is not enough? some eyepieces just don't work for some individuals, whereas their favoured by others.

Ask yourself why did the seller sell? a bargain maybe, although they may not have paid £170 to start with? Perhaps it did not suit them either.

You have to have them, but eyepieces can mess you around until you try them, eventually  finding the right one that suits.

My EPs for my eyes, work very well on the  200P Skyliner. I favour the 60° Starguiders.

Edited September 6, 2015 by Charic

[Doober97]

thanks for the reply Charic, yes it looks in perfect condition, but yes i was not able to tell the difference between this and the standard ep, however i do love the larger FOV. i shall check out the starguiders for my next purchase in the future. what would you say the maximum zoom would be for my 200p on a clear night (as in milky way is visible). because i would like to get a high power ep for planetary viewing but not sure what would be the limit. thanks

[Charic]

The Skyliner 200P f/6 comfortably works at 200x so a 6mm eyepiece works for me, and is a good starting point, practical and achievable. The WO 6mm SPL is a liitle less afov than a Starguider. My 5mm works well on the Moon so does the 3.2mm!

I have the 6mm SPL as I can't get the 6mm Starguider yet?

Try the 8mm Starguider or the 12mm, compare them, Barlow them, both very good.

For my darker site, the 2" 70° afov 32mm Panaview is my choice, great on M31 from a dark Moonless night?

[John]

The only Speers-Waler eyepiece I've owned was the 24mm which had a 67 degree field of view. It was quite good in the F/10 scope I had at the time but showed plenty of edge distortion when I got an F/6.5 scope. It was quite inexpensive though.

I wonder if the lenses of your SW 7.5 need a clean - did the previous owner smoke for example ?.

The shorter focal length SW's have good reputations generally although Antares changed the specs of them quite often, ie: there were also 7mm and 7.4mm's in the series and some had 70 degree AFoV's wheras others had 82 degrees.

They tend to need more inwards focuser movement than other eyepiece types which can cause issues if you don't have that amount of travel available with your focuser. Otherwise it should be a sound buy for £65 I'd have thought

The name comes from Glen Speers who founded and owns Antares and the 2nd part is Wide Angle Long Eye Relief although not all of them had particularly long eye relief !