Best e/p for planets?

[Yidoboy]

I currently have a 150mm Skywatcher Explorer and would like to know the best e/p i need for planetary viewing?

I have just ordered a Philips SPC800 webcam (flashed and adapted courtesy of Morgans Computers). Some one has mentioned an 8mm would be best but what sort of money should I be looking at and what type is best?

Again, I appreciate all your help and advice.

Thanks

[dc509]

What's your budget?

PS - like the sound of a 150m scope! Must be a nightmare to lift, though!

[Yidoboy]

Good spot! I've added another 'm'.....makes it seem somewhat more realistic!

I could probably stretch to £70-80 maybe a ton?

[perrin6]

TMB clones are recommended on here a lot. Probably between an 8mm (150X) to 6mm (200X). You dont need to spend a great deal because the 150mm explorer has a long focal ratio. They retail for about £36 new.

[brianb]

It's very hard to beat the Baader Genuine Orthos for planetary work, at any price and they're lower mid range. If you really must have more eye relief then try the Televue Radian ... not in the BGO league for transmission or contrast, but then few eyepieces are, except for monocentrics which don't seem to be available any more.

[jumpclone]

interesting topic, i only have the standard ep's that came with my scope, plus 2 extra i bought 6.3mm / 7.5 , just plossl, so ur saying if i upgrade to a decent named make, i can expect better viewing? as im real into planetary viewing myself

[russ]

Probably best you let us know a likely budget.

Also, how do you get on with the 6.3mm Plossl for comfort? Do you find it an easy eyepiece to use for longer periods? Do you find the eye relief a problem? The answer to this will have an impact on what to recommend, especially something like the Baader Ortho.

[jumpclone]

well i don't really want to spend more than £100 on a decent ep, the 6.3mm has a very small hole for a viewer, bit of a squint looking through it, hard to blumming get something focused /and kept insidce the field of view before it races out again, i got a 25mm here, real wide viewing lense compared to the 6.3mm like 6 times the width of it, would nice to have a more powerfuly lense with wider viewing lense really,

[John]

This thread may get a little confused if we don't watch it !. Yidoboy has a Skywatcher 150 Explorer but we don't know the focal ratio (it will be either F/5 - the P or F/8 - the PL). Jumpclone definately has an F/8 150.

While the type / brands of eyepiece described are relevent to both scopes, the appropriate focal lengths to look for will depend on the focal length of the scope. The 8mm and 6mm mentioned would be fine in the F/8 but an F/5 will need 5mm and 3.75mm to achieve the same magnifications.

[russ]

Excellent Jumpclone, that really gives a good idea of what will suit you. Can safely rule out the Baader Genuine Orthoscopic. It's viewing characteristics are near the same as the plossl...only with an even smaller field of view. Some people love the Orthos and some hate them. They are Marmite of the astro world.

Your criteria have TV Radian written all over it but your budget firmly rules it out as new purchase. But a secondhand version would be within reach (just) and definitely worth seeking out.

But as already mentioned in the thread, another good option is the TMB Planetary. Near same specs as the Radian but not quite as sharp or well corrected. But less than a third of the cost. You could even buy two, a 6mm giving 200x and an 8mm giving 150x. Two excellent magnifications that could be used most nights.

[russ]

This thread may get a little confused if we don't watch it !. Yidoboy has a Skywatcher 150 Explorer but we don't know the focal ratio (it will be either F/5 - the P or F/8 - the PL). Jumpclone definately has an F/8 150.

While the type / brands of eyepiece described are relevent to both scopes, the appropriate focal lengths to look for will depend on the focal length of the scope. The 8mm and 6mm mentioned would be fine in the F/8 but an F/5 will need 5mm and 3.75mm to achieve the same magnifications.

Ah yes, you are right John. I hadn't noticed it was advice for two. Have modified my previous post to reflect.

[jumpclone]

Thanks for the reply Russ, will look into that EP now.

edit:

had a look around for the tmb, couple places i tried had 0 stock, although i did find on ebay - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TMB-6mm-Premium-Planetary-Eyepiece-1-25-Fitting-/250626969882#ht_1107wt_905

Focal Lengths available: 2.5mm, 3.2mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 6mm and 9mm

looks a lot better compared to the pinhole viewing i got on the plossl...

[Yidoboy]

Jahmanson - Sorry, I have the f5 Skywatcher 150mm. Standard e/p at the moment but I am really interested in astrophotography. I have just ordered the Philips webcam and now need to update my e/p to get a decent picture quality with some serious detail.

Budget wise I have about £70-£100 to spend.

[russ]

Hi Yidoboy,

Probably the same applies to yourself really. The Baader Genuine Orthoscopic is a top draw planetary eyepiece but with the F5 version of the Explorer 150 you will need to either get a very short focal length eyepiece, such as a 4mm or possibly a 3.5mm. Or perhaps better still, buy an 8mm and a decent barlow.

The Ortho will perhaps not be a pleasant experience at 3-4mm range. I like Orthos but cannot tolerate lower than 6mm.

But something like a 4mm TMB Planetary will still have plenty of eye relief, so will be comfortable to use. The image will be sharp and reasonably well corrected in an F5. Plus it's well priced.

[John]

You probably already know this, but you don't need to use an eyepiece with the webcam - it replaces the eyepiece. You will need a decent barlow lens to boost the image scale though - something like a 4x or 5x would be useful. Otherwise the planets will look tiny !.

[russ]

You probably already know this, but you don't need to use an eyepiece with the webcam - it replaces the eyepiece. You will need a decent barlow lens to boost the image scale though - something like a 4x or 5x would be useful. Otherwise the planets will look tiny !.

Oh right, so we are talking about an eyepiece to use with the webcam rather than an eyepiece to compliment the webcam for some visual work?

[Taff]

Hi' with my scope viewing the planets i use a 10mm EP.On a steady night i use a 7.5mm EP.Mark

[perrin6]

Jahmanson - Sorry, I have the f5 Skywatcher 150mm. Standard e/p at the moment but I am really interested in astrophotography. I have just ordered the Philips webcam and now need to update my e/p to get a decent picture quality with some serious detail.

Budget wise I have about £70-£100 to spend.

Oops ! - sorry, the magnifications I qouted for 8mm & 6mm were wrong then. You need a 5mm (150X) or perhaps 4mm (187X) or a barlow.

[John]

Oh right, so we are talking about an eyepiece to use with the webcam rather than an eyepiece to compliment the webcam for some visual work?

I maybe misinterpreting this Russ:

"I have just ordered the Philips webcam and now need to update my e/p to get a decent picture quality with some serious detail."

[Yidoboy]

No you're right Jahmanson. Again! I now know that i need a decent Barlow to use with the Webcam but would still like a decent e/p to compliment the webcam when not in use.....

[John]

No you're right Jahmanson. Again! I now know that i need a decent Barlow to use with the Webcam but would still like a decent e/p to compliment the webcam when not in use.....

In that case I second Russ's recommendations above

[russ]

Thanks for the reply Russ, will look into that EP now.

edit:

had a look around for the tmb, couple places i tried had 0 stock, although i did find on ebay - TMB 6mm Premium Planetary Eyepiece (1.25" Fitting) on eBay (end time 28-Feb-11 13:18:14 GMT)

Focal Lengths available: 2.5mm, 3.2mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 6mm and 9mm

looks a lot better compared to the pinhole viewing i got on the plossl...

Yes, that will be spot on. It's a little more than the usual source for TMB Planetary, Skies Unlimited sell their one for £38 delivered. But he won't be back until March. Plus the one you have linked too is an original TMB Planetary Series II, rather than a clone.

[Yidoboy]

Ok I may have another stupid question....

I have just received my Philips webcam (flashed) and apparently installed it onto my laptop. The problem is that my laptop doesn't seem to be able to find it and there is no power going to the webcam???

When I plug the webcam into the laptop it turns on and off within a second. I have tried to look for it in my 'installed' items but it isn't there...am I being really stupid and missing something very obvious here?

[jumpclone]

Have u installed the spc900 drivers? SPC900NC/00 Philips Webcam SPC900NC VGA CCD with Pixel Plus - Philips Support

[Yidoboy]

I've done that now but there is still no power going to the webcam and it is not showing anywhere on my laptop.

I'm getting frustrated now as I thought it would be simple to install.

The light is not on, the usb connection is not registering on my laptop and if I search for the camera from the start up menu is is not showing up?????

All I've got is a logo for 'camera properties' in the task bar area. Am I missing a really big on/off switch somewhere?!