Meade 8.8 UWA Eyeguard question

[Sooby]

Hello all

I am a newcomer to astronomy so please excuse my lack of knowledge.

I have just come back inside after a session with my 120mm F5 refractor.

I used my Meade 8.8mm UWA and I have a question about the eyeguard.

When I look through the eyepiece with the guard retracted I see the field of view is increased compared to when the eyeguard is 'deployed'.

This seems to be a bit odd to me as I assume the eyeguard should not interfere with the field of view under any circumstances.

Is the reduction in the FOV normal?

Thanks in advance.

[Wilso]

Hi John,

I don't own one of these eyepieces but it looks to be a twist up eye guard similar to my 22 nagler.
These are adjustable to make it more a comfortable viewing experience especially for people that wear glasses so as not to touch glass on glass.
Using the twist up eye guard will reduce the field of view, optimal viewing for that eyepiece seems to be with it wound in.
I sometimes forget mine has the twist up guard altogether .

Enjoy :thumbsup:

[Sooby]

Thanks Darren

[bytor666]

The 8.8mm Meade 4000 UWA does not have a twist up eye guard. It only has a rubber eye cup that folds down. All eyepieces with fold down rubber eye guards seem to give a more immersive view when they are folded down.

On the other hand, the 8.8mm Series 5000 Meade UWA does have a twist up eye cup, which negates the immersive sensation if you twist it upwards as the eye relief on it is already short.

Sooby, if yours is the 8.8mm Series 5000, (with the blue on the outer casing), leave it in the "down" position, it works the best this way.

Cheers!

[Sooby]

Thanks

It has a twist up eyeguard which I don't use these days.

[yoda776]

Hi Sooby,

I have this eyepiece in a set in the Meade 5000 series. From my experience loss of FOV is normal when the eyeguard is fully engaged. I usually let it out about halfway so I do not touch the glass and balance the loss of FOV. They are still very good eyepieces with the wide angle.

[Sooby]

Thanks Matt

I am enjoying the view through the eyepiece. :)

I'll experiement with the eyeguard position.