What is a planetary eyepiece?

[F15Rules]

I've read with great interest all the differing and very thought provoking opinions on this thread. It's clear that Eyepieces are of themselves objects that create a lot of interest, debate and activity - just look at the For Sale forums here, on UK Astro etc etc and note how many of the transactions relate to EPs. I myself have currently half a dozen up for sale - in some cases EPs that I only bought a few months ago, thinking they were and "upgrade" or "better", or somehow improving my "collection".

I haven't been fortunate enough to use the really top end EPs such as Zeiss, Pentax, Ethos etc, but I have used and owned some good makes such as Baader, TMB, Televue etc and although these EPs are clearly (on a good night) better than the stock Skywatchers, Meade 4000s etc, the difference visually is often small on an average night, so that you can spend double on a new EP and not get anything like double the performance...maybe 5-10% at best.

Also, the sheer time spent getting lots of different EPs out for a session, checking which is which, alternating between 2" and 1.25" etc means that in an average 1-2 hour session I found I was often only "at the EP" - which after all is the point of our hobby! - for perhaps only 45-50minutes.

I've therefore decided to concentrate on fewer EPs but to get to know better the ones I keep. And I have just bought a new MkIII Hyperion zoom 8-24mm click stop which gives me a minimum 5 EPs in one, on the basis that I will spend less time faffing around switching different EPs in and out, and more time looking at the objects "up there!"

Of course the other vital consideration, I believe, is to buy the very best optics on the scope that you can afford. The best EP will not perform in a poor optical tube, but the best optical tube can bring the very best out of even a modest Eyepiece.

I suspect that many of us will continue our relentless quest for Eyepiece perfection, but as Ben said in one of his posts, given our very average skies here in the UK, maybe we would all be better off honing our actual observing skills, regardless of the variety of Eyepieces we use. I have definitely noticed that after about an hour outside, and after at least 10-15 solid minutes of looking closely at an object, for instance a planet, I see much more with ANY eyepiece than when I first look at it.

And this past week I have managed three clear nights - if only I could do this every week!

Dave

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Oh no now this thread has got me thinking just orderd three radians about an hour ago was it the right choice ? .

You will love them on planets!

I have had a few orthos, and HATED their tiny eye relief. Yes they are theoretically sharp, but if the eye relief means you constantly bang your specs (I have quite a strong cylindrical aberration in my eyes) against the scope so the image dances all over the place, it is of little use.

For those without specs, I do not doubt Zeiss Abbe Orthos, or monocentrics are the way to go, provided your tracking is good. Regarding Naglers, my 22 seems tack sharp, but I do not have a short FL one which i could use on planets.

As said above, seeing is often (like yesterday) the spoil-sport, and the view through my Radian was no better than that through any cheap Kelner (but with better eye relief: at least I can see that the seeing is crud in comfort:rolleyes:)

Have fun with those radians!

Cheers

Michael