Recommendation for Skyliner 200 Dob - Planetary Viewing

[Lazzy]

I'm only two weeks into my astronomy journey (early days) and already amazed at what I can see, and busy learning the night sky.

So far, Jupiter still keeps calling me back. Aside from the great planet and her moons, as a newbie, the difference in seeing from one minute to the next and day by day is amazing.

I guess the UK isn't great but last night I watched jupiter for about 90 minutes and, in patches, the seeing really was excellent. My 9mm eyepiece allows around x133 and I could easily make out the NEB and another couple further North, one extremely pale.

I don't know whether I can expect better things yet? I guess that I've been lucky so far, but think I will try and get a small mm eyepiece to tease out a little further detail on other lucky nights.

My main question, and the point for this post, is to ask advice on eyepiece. Now, appreciate this is a sticky area in terms of brands etc, but what mm would you recommend I look at for a step closer to Jupiter and later (December) for Saturn?

I currently have the two standard 10mm and 25mm, as well as a wide-field 25mm and a 9mm Antares orthoscopic.

[oldfruit]

Don`t know what the others would think but i would suggest a good 2x barlow. This will enable you to double the magnifications of all your eyepieces,

[John]

For Jupiter I reckon a 7mm is worth a go on good nights - Jupiter won't stand high magnifications as well as Saturn does though - I frequently find myself having to back off the power to get the best, although smaller, views. For Saturn, the moon and double stars you may find a 5mm eyepiece worthwhile.

The TMB / TS Planetaries are pretty good value and have both the above focal length's in their range.

[NGC 1502]

Hi Lazzy. For me I'd much rather have a smaller and sharper view than bigger

but fuzzier. A sharp view of Jupiter at 133x is a great sight. Perhaps a 7mm

is a worthwhile step to give 171x. Some would say go higher, but of course

what suits one person doesn't suit another.

Don't know if you have a local club, but one of the many advantages is to try

other folks kit before spending your money.

Best regards, Ed.

Well, 2 of us typing at once, another vote for a 7mm !!

[Jdavies]

I mostly use either two eyepieces. a good 25mm and a good 6mm eyepiece. the 6mm gives stunning views of juipiter. Wouldn't recomend a barlow lense they reck the image qualty and make the imager dimmer and harder to focus.

Skywatcher

Explorer 200p

EQ5 mount

25mm

10mm

6mm

[Skybrowser]

I always prefer a very sharp focus on a smaller magnification than struggling to see through a pinhole in the high mag eyepiece. To get the planet a bit smaller but in good detail works better for me. Personal choice I suppose.

Try a low mag eyepiece like a 32mm and trawl the sky directly above...great views.

[twotter]

In my Skyliner 200 I tend to use my 9mm EP on Jupiter. Anything more and the image gets too washed out, though that may be down to the quality of my 2x barlow.

Although I'm asking Santa for a 8-24mm zoom, I have been thinking about a Televue 8mm plossl, or maybe a Baader 8mm Hyperion, or maybe a TMB clone, or maybe an ED Explorer, or...well you get the picture

[Lazzy]

Thanks guys!

Think my question was really about whether I should get a barlow or not - think I'd rather get further EPs than barlow up