Eyepiece purchase advise

[Bluemoon]

I have been looking at getting an a decent eyepiece around 12mm - 17mm I think as that is in-between what I already own. I have been looking at the televue Nagler range & also the Skywatcher Nirvana UWA. I would say my budget is around £220. Just not sure what to go for, I think a filter would help when viewing nebulas so could be worth going for a cheaper option and a filter.

I haven't got the most powerful scope but would like to improve my viewing experience with a decent eyepiece and also view more of the objects out there.

Thanks

Ben

[nightfisher]

as your scope has a faily high f ratio you might be better just getting a televue plossl and saving some cash

[Mr Spock]

A 17mm would be about the right magnification for DSOs, but a 17mm Nagler will set you back £295.

Another option would be a 19mm Axiom. That would give you a 1° field and costs £234.

If you didn't mind dropping down to a 65° fov eyepiece, the Vixen LVW 17mm is £199 and a lot more comfortable to look through.

[sixela]

Right now, and certainly in an SCT, you can't beat an Explore Scientific 82° eyepiece; they're on sale until the end of February.

At OPT they're $100 up to the 14mm. Of course there's shipping, 4.2% import duties, VAT etc. but it's still a killer price. They're the next generation of what used to be identical to the Meade 5000 UWAs.

Explore Scientific 82° Water Proof Series Products - OPT Telescopes

Other dealers have similar prices (less than the official "on sale" list price). List of possible sources at:

Explore Scientific - Eyepieces

As for filters, if you don't have a premium UHC filter, get one. The trouble is that ideally, if you have wide field eyepieces above 18mm in 2" format, you want a 2" version (assuming you have a 2" diagonal).

The two best ones I've come across are Lumicon UHC and Omega Optical NPB (I prefer the Omega Optical but getting it delivered fast takes a lot of luck), with the Orion Ultrablock a close third (the place we order the last one from is Optique Unterlinden from France, who's got good prices on them).

[Moonshane]

I don't disagree with the other suggestions - all good. you could buy a cheap plossl with your scope for now, say a 15mm e.g. http://stargazerslounge.com/sponsor-announcements-offers/121166-celestron-omni-plossl-eyepiece-promotion.html, then wait for a used 13mm or 16mm Nagler which would be under budget and maybe leave enough for a filter too?

[Moonshane]

ps, another option is the 19mm Panoptic

[Moonshane]

can you tell I only have eyes for 'Vue.

[Bluemoon]

Yes you do seem to like them:)

As I'm not really clued up on eyepieces & not heard anything bad about televue, to be honest. I want to get a better view of DSO's that is my main aim.

[Moonshane]

BTW can your scope take 2" eyepieces?

I find the best general view of DSOs is at about 100x-125x. most will fit in this field but there's the odd one that won't. your scope has a similar focal length (1500mm) to my two dobs (they are 1600mm). my most used eyepieces are my 12.5mm Baader Genuine Ortho for planets and doubles and then my 13mm Ethos. My Ethos gives 123x in my scope and a 0.80

In your scope to roughly match this (and assuming you won't get a 13mm Ethos) a 16mm T5 Nagler would seem spot on. it gives magnification of 94x and a field of 0.84. That would be my suggestion anyway. It's a lot to spend on one eyepiece but worth it in my opinion in the long run, especially is you can pick one up used.

[Moonshane]

BTW, I take it from your SGL name and your location you are a man after my own heart (i.e. a City fan?)

[Bluemoon]

My scope takes 1.25, I looked at the Ethos & then stopped quickly, great eyepiece but wow bit costly.

Like the sound of the 16mm T5 Nagler, been impressed with my 6mm Baader once I got used to it & that wasnt that cheap for a first purchase so don't mind spending a bit if it's worth it. The plossl eyepieces would be good I'm sure but I'm after a wider field of view & the Vixen LVW seem to be good.

Yes you guessed correctly

[John]

Why not consider a William Optics UWAN 16mm (or the Skywatcher Nirvana version which is the same thing) as you were in your original post ?. I owned a 16mm UWAN and really liked it. I rather foolishly decided that I must have a Nagler 16mm so I sold the UWAN and added a significant chunk of cash to get the Nagler. Now the Nagler is a great eyepice but, I really could not notice any difference in the views that the 16mm UWAN gave plus the UWAN had a bit more eye relief than the Nagler so was a little more comfortable to view through. I was using quite fast scopes then - with your relatively slow scope I really can't see what the additional investment in the Nagler 16mm will give you ....... apart from the kudos of owning a Nagler I suppose

[Moonshane]

This is a very good call from John and confirms my 'snowblindness' for Televue. Others have said the same.

[Bluemoon]

That is good advice John, wasn't sure how the two compared and from what you have said there is little difference. I would have thought the magnification would be around the same as the Nagler.

Would be able to look at a filter if I went for the UWAN, could be the fact of owning a Nagler is good but if the UWAN will do the job at my level of experience may be sound advice. Are they far better than a plossl ?

Ben

[John]

Would be able to look at a filter if I went for the UWAN, could be the fact of owning a Nagler is good but if the UWAN will do the job at my level of experience may be sound advice. Are the far better than a plossl ?....

Regardless of your level of experience Ben, the UWAN / Nirvana's are a significant step up from a plossl

BTW, the new price of the 16mm Type 5 Nagler is £250 wheras the 16mm UWAN is £156. That's quite a difference.

[Bluemoon]

There is rather a big cost difference between the two and if there isn't a vast difference in performance it is alot to spend I agree.

Suppose it's a case of thinking if it costs more therefore it must be better but having read what you have said John the nirvana should do the job.

[sixela]

Regardless of your level of experience Ben, the UWAN / Nirvana's are a significant step up from a plossl

BTW, the new price of the 16mm Type 5 Nagler is £250 wheras the 16mm UWAN is £156. That's quite a difference.

And $100 (plus VAT and import duties) for an Explore Scientific 14mm N2 82° series is even less . I personally prefer them to the UWAN (I like the 28mm except for its eyedish, but I find there's more edge of field astigmatism in the 16mm, and the coatings on the ES are better if you look from the eye side into a capped eyepiece).