eyepieces help :)

[ShootingStar]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone could help!

I've just bought a telescope, completey new to astronomy and would like to know if it is worth me buying some new eyepieces and which mm would be best for my crappy 700, 60mm refractor telescope? I'd be happy to spend upto 100 quid, but would it make a difference to my viewing if the telescope is rubbish and I have nice eyepieces?

Or......should I just save up for a brilliant telescope?!

HELP!!!! Thanks in advance

[yeti monster]

No doubt quality eyepieces would improve the views from your scope, and you can always keep them when you move up to a larger/better scope anyway.

How atrocious are the current views?

[Chris H]

Probably better to get a bigger scope. A bigger scope will always show you more than better eyepieces on a smaller scope.

What type of scope do you currently have?

[astropete]

60mm lens at 700mm f/l, dont buy expensive eyepices, there are some good bargains on a well known computer shop. i would say a 12.5mm a 20mm and a 25mm will give good results, you will see the larger craters of the moon, the phases of venus and the moons of jupiter (as points of light), if you go sun spotting, BE VERY CAREFULL DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN VIA YOUR SCOPE, also if you have a sun filter that screws into any eyepice, BIN IT it will fail and you WILL be blinded. what type of mount is the scope on, a wobbly one will let you see nothing and give you a head ache. to be honest i would try for a better scope, but even i started with a tasco 60mm x 700mm and that scope was the starting point for me, and ive never looked back.

[ShootingStar]

Thanks for your replies

My telescope is an Atlas Explorer 607AZ2 which I got from ebay, I cant find it anywhere on the web but it looks exactly the same as a Sky-Watcher Mercury 607 with the same spec.

It has an Alt-Azimuth Mount and 8mm, 20mm eyepieces plus a 2x Barlow.

So far I've only managed to see one star as the sky has been so cloudy

[AndyH]

Might as well use the scope you have. Should give you nice views. I use a 60mm refractor a lot of the time. Can't be bothered lugging out the bigger stuff. Amazing what you can see with 60mm!!

If you want to spend up to £100 on good quality eyepieces, I'd do the following.

Your scope: 60mm, focal length of 700mm. As previously mentioned, no need for expensive eyepieces. As it's an alt/az mount, wider field eyepieces would be best.

The ones provided including the barlow may not be very good.

1/ 25mm eyepiece=28x , 10mm ep = 70x , 6mm ep = 117x

Magnification is calculated by dividing the scopes foacal length by the eyepieces FL.

FLO(click on the banner at top of page) sell a 26,10 and 6mm skywatcher plossl for £20 each. The 6mm has a very small eyelens, but is useable. There are easier to use 6mm eyepieces out there, but it depends if you want to spend more.

To save even more dosh, you could buy 2nd hand. Try looking on the for sale ads on this site or U.K. Astronomy Buy & Sell

Cheers,

Andy.

ps: Download stellarium free software, to see what's up in the sky. A guide book like 'turn left at orion' or a guide like this Bright Objects Chart & Night Vision Torch Gift Set :: Astronomy Software & Charts :: Altair Astro . I have the set of these guides. Highly recommended. You don't need a telrad finder to use them.

[glowjet]

Hi Beccy,

I still have my little 70mm 600fl Cat reflector I purchased a few years ago, it came with mediocre ep`s, so I upgraded to plossls and a 6mm and 9mm orthoscopic, the latter should give you sharp views of the planets and moon and they can be bought 2nd hand at quite reasonable prices if you shop around, I still have the ep`s to-day, so they will come in useful if and when you change your scope.

John

[LukeSkywatcher]

60mm refractor scopes are not to be scoffed at. They are very usable. As stated above...........the eyepieces that come with the scope may not be much use (they never usually are) but you certainly dont need to buy expensive eyepieces to replace them.

There will be a marked improvement in the quality of your views if you invest in a couple of cheap/middle of the road Plossl's and you can use them also with any future scope upgrade.

I have a Celestron scope (and Celestron Plossl EP kit which i bought seperatly) and a SkyWatcher scope (that came with a 10mm and 25mm Plossl EP) and i have to say that the SkyWatcher Plossl's are much better then the Celestrons.

Basically what i am saying is that there are good cheap Plossl eyepieces out there (SkyWatcher). Also i just bought a TAL 2x barlow lens and it really is money well spent. It runs rings around the Barlow lens i got in my EP kit. I think the TAL 2X costs £30.

[ShootingStar]

Thanks everyone, I really do appeciate the time you've taken to post replies

I've taken all your advice on board and I'm going to buy a set of middle of the road plossl eyepieces, that should keep me going until I save up for a better telescope.

BTW, the clouds were clear for a while earlier and I was sooo excited about seeing the moon! I couldn't believe the detail it was gorgeous!

[yeti monster]

i just bought a TAL 2x barlow lens and it really is money well spent. It runs rings around the Barlow lens i got in my EP kit. I think the TAL 2X costs £30.

I'm looking forward to trying my new TAL 2x, coupled with the 5mm Hyprerion I bought off Eagle Sam and the UWANs from Mr. Wu. The cheapo Barlows I've been struggling with up to now, are just a complete waste of time.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Thanks everyone, I really do appeciate the time you've taken to post replies

I've taken all your advice on board and I'm going to buy a set of middle of the road plossl eyepieces, that should keep me going until I save up for a better telescope.

BTW, the clouds were clear for a while earlier and I was sooo excited about seeing the moon! I couldn't believe the detail it was gorgeous!

You could do a lot worse then buying an EP kit for a couple of hundred pound (about £150). Good selection of Plossls and a Barlow. If in the future you decide to sell the kit..............they really do hold their value (give or take).

[insomnia]

But then that £150 would get a good sized newt or dob with a couple ep's included. thus opening up the sky to more viewing possibilities.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm looking forward to trying my new TAL 2x, coupled with the 5mm Hyprerion I bought off Eagle Sam and the UWANs from Mr. Wu. The cheapo Barlows I've been struggling with up to now, are just a complete waste of time.

YM i have a Celestron 2X that came in my EP kit. With it my views are/were blurred and darker then expected. I very rarely if ever use it.

The TAL 2X is far better. Views are crisp and bright.

[LukeSkywatcher]

But then that £150 would get a good sized newt or dob with a couple ep's included. thus opening up the sky to more viewing possibilities.

True.

Why spend £150 on an EP kit to use with a 60mm scope when for the same cash you can buy a much better scope with a couple of better EPs.

I stand corrected.

[AndyH]

Nah;)

Spend the £60 on 3 eyepieces and a guide and put your current scope to use.

Plenty of time in the future for a scope upgrade. If you do, then you'll be more experienced and appreciate the bigger scope more.

:)Andy.

[david o]

Good call Andy.

[dully]

Hi there, ive got the same telescope that you have and it is brand new. I am selling it for £50. I have got 1 in stock, but if i get a good response then i can get some more. Brand new!! check out my add on gumtree. the reference is 62849237. If u want it u can come down or i can post it to you for £60.

[great_bear]

a SkyWatcher scope (that came with a 10mm and 25mm Plossl EP)

Are they Plossls?

If they're the standard "Super 10" and "Super 25" Sky-Watcher eyepieces with the plastic barrels, then they're MAs not Plossls.

[bombassa]

Are they Plossls?

If they're the standard "Super 10" and "Super 25" Sky-Watcher eyepieces with the plastic barrels, then they're MAs not Plossls.

Ah I was wondering why there wasn't so much diffence between the 'super 10' and the plastic kellners from my toyscope. Thanks for clearing that up.

[stevirobbo]

if you go sun spotting, BE VERY CAREFULL DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN VIA YOUR SCOPE, also if you have a sun filter that screws into any eyepice, BIN IT it will fail and you WILL be blinded. .

Being new to astromony and telescopes etc am I to believe you can see the sun at night? or is this for daytime viewing?

I have no clue as to what you see as I have never looked through a telescope before so complete novice