Recommendations on EP and filters

[Chris16373]

After a week (well, actually 4 days of clear skies) of playing with my scope

and observing the moon and especially Saturn I am really hooked on the

whole sky-gazing .

Now I wonder if I can get better views (or larger) by using different EP's

or a Barlow-lens. Of course I know a little bit of it, but there are so many...

Can you give me some advice on usefull EP's and wether to get a Barlow

or not and what kind of filters are really useful?

Of course i have to consider a budget, knowing that my scope costed me

around €145,- (some 128 pounds) including moonfilter - so I don't want to

spend €200,- on EP's

[ajg]

Well the maximum useful magnification you're likely to get out of that scope is 225x, so the 10mm with a 2x barlow isn't that far short of the limit at 200x. You don't want anything stronger than a 2x barlowed 9mm.

Have a look at Sky's the Limit - Alan does some nice stuff at very good prices. Specifically, check the BST Explorer, and the "TMB Designed" wide-angle planetary eyepieces.

[Chris16373]

Thanks for the input! Very interesting link to EP's and more. Also a very nice link in

your sig.

[david o]

Chris,

For the ins 'n' outs of choosing EPs, you might find these posts : "Eyepieces - the very least you need" and "Understanding and choosing eyepieces" a help in guiding you through the basics.

I'd be tempted not to buy anything for now, just use what came with the 'scope. With eyepiece time under your belt you'll know what needs replacing or if there's a "gap" that needs filling.

HTH

[Chris16373]

You're probably right, thanks.

It's a beginner's disease, i reckon.... try to get a larger view and better and ....

As I understand now, with a Barlow right now I get a 10mm from the 20, which I already have

and a 5 mm from the 10, which is probably fairly useless for my scope...

If I don't have the facts straight, please correct me :-)

I already read the "very least"-thread and thanks for the other link!

[stick]

Hi mate.

I have to agree with ajg.

I recently bought two new BST Explorer ED eyepieces

from Alan at Sky's the limit.

The service was brilliant. Ordered on the Friday

and were delivered on Saturday.

Give him a ring and tell him your set up and he'll give

you the right advice.

As for the BSTs you will be suprised how much better

they are than your stock eps.

I got a 5mm and a 15mm. They are so much clearer and

brighter. They also have a 60 deg FOV and great eye

relief. About £40 each so relatively affordable as well up

to some you can get.

If you go for a Barlow just remember that this will be a

"weak link" and will reduce the quality of better eps to a

certain degree.

Hope this helps.

Stick

[Chris16373]

Ok, thanks...so those BST will be a good investment.

But like David O says : get to know the way around for now

and then later decide to which ones (and of course in 2 months

it's going to be Father's Day - what else will they have to give

me then ).

Looks like tonight is coming an end to a 5-day-clear-sky-period so I have plenty of time to read up on my new hobby.

Thanks all!

[Chris16373]

I've sent an email to Sky's the limit with my specs and wishes and kindly asked him for advice.

See what the outcome will be....

[Chris16373]

After a while gathering information (and money ) I finally ordered something.

A while back I emailed Alan back and forth and yesterday finally

sent him a final mail full of questions.

I've decided to order the 7-21 mm Zoom EP he has and take

the Buy-and-Try-service for the BST 5mm and the TMB-designed

6mm he has.

Got the invoice today and paid it, so now I'll be, as I told Alan,

waiting by the mailbox...

When I have them and got First Light with them I'll post the

experiences with them and which one I'll keep....

[Chris16373]

A bit late, but because of weather and of the late and little darkness

I've only had tonight my very first light with the new EP's. I've tried them two

times before but that was both times like 15 minutes or so....

I've decided to keep both of the EP's in stead of returning one and I have the

zoom-EP so that's 3 new playthings

The zoompiece is really great quality and very handy....very sharp image and

it's usefull to "zoom in" without swapping EP's.

Tonight I tried it just to look around, nothing at particular and be amazed at

what there is to see and how clear it can be (in contrast to the standard EP's).

The first 2 attempts were with Saturn and I tried the BST and the TMB as well

and I was very,very satisfied with the view I got then.

Now when it was dark enough, Saturn had eluded me behind our hedge,or

it is time to cut the hedge....

Of course, if it was me I would be looking at Saturn if it was the size of the moon ,

but with this scope and these EP's it is very satisfying.

Anyway, I had a great night (1,5 hours and just now the clouds started

rolling in) and I also tracked (with the eyes and/or bins) 5 satellites and I had

3 times a very fast object flashing through the FOV in the scope...

Next time I'll start to expand my list of DSO's seen (only 3 so far) but

then it has to be darker (and again : during a workweek it'll be too late

to be outside once it's a bit dark).

All and all : very satisfied with the EP's and also with Alan's service!

[david o]

I'm glad that you finally got first light and that the EPs suit you.

Be warned ! You've begun the slide down the slippery slope into ocularholism

Then will come the horrors of aperture fever

[Chris16373]

Haha yeah that;s kind of true I'm afraid...

Soon I will be joining a group and saying : Hello, my name is Christian and I'm a junkie...

[david o]

...

Soon I will be joining a group and saying : Hello, my name is Christian and I'm a junkie...

Aahhh ...

So you saw that thread ...