#1  
Old 18-04-2017, 01:41 PM
AEAJR (Ed)
Registered User

AEAJR is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 372
Cool How many eyepieces do you need?

I am two years into this hobby. And, like many others I have been learning about and upgrading and accumulating stuff. Among these are eyepieces.

How many do you have? Are you happy with the mix?

What is your plan for eyepieces? Let me share some of my journey and see how this maps to yours.



I have a total of 21 eyepieces, 8 are actively used and 13 in the "not currently used" box. About 12 of those came with scopes. I actually had 5 more but they departed with scopes I have given away.

Having handled a bunch of different sizes, types and qualities and brands what this has done for me is given me enough background to appreciate what I have and to feel that I now have the mix I want.

I think I have just about hit my optimum mix on eyepieces now that I added the Baader Hyperion Zoom to the kit and filled in a gap with the Meade 5.5. I Really don't need anymore.

I have 3 active scopes:
  • Orion XT8i - 1200 mm FL
  • ETX 80 - 400 mm FL
  • ETX 125 - 1900 mm FL

For each scope I have:

One or two low power/wide angle matched to each scope

For XT8i it is 2" 70 degree 38 and 25 mm.
For ETX 80 and ETX 125 it is a 32 mm plossl

For all scopes - I like my 8-24 zoom eyepieces for the midrange. I often barlow the zoom for high mag. (love the zoom)

For XT8i mostly - I have 3 82 degree, 8.8, 6.7, 5.5 mm, because of the manual tracking.

My ETX scopes are Goto with tracking so I really don't need the wide high power eyepieces. Zooms work fine.

So a kit of 5-6 plus a barlow will now meet all needs for any scope and often I only use 1 wide, the zoom and a barlow for the evening.



So, where are you in your eyepiece journey? Have you reached a great mix or do you feel you need to add something else? If so, what are you planning to buy and why?

Last edited by AEAJR; 18-04-2017 at 06:59 PM. Reason: correctd some typos and phrasing issues.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 18-04-2017, 06:44 PM
Rodstar's Avatar
Rodstar (Rod)
The Glenfallus

Rodstar is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Coast, NSW
Posts: 2,702
Hi Ed, sounds like you have accumulated quite a collection of eyepieces already in your 2 short years!

A lot of experienced observers will tend to spend most of their observing time in a session using one or two premium eyepieces suited to the conditions. The sweet spot is often around about 4mm exit pupil, so for me with my current scope, the most used EP is the 20mm Nagler T5 (exit pupil of 4mm without Paracorr, 3.5mm with Paracorr).

If the budget for premium eyepieces is limited, then in addition to the 4mm exit pupil EP, you might get a premium eyepiece at about 2- 2.5mm (in my case that is a 13mm Ethos) and another between 5-6mm (for me, a 31mm Nagler). I am currently planning to sell my 20 Nagler in favour of a 21 Ethos to really smash that sweet spot!

I have heard others talk in terms an array built around exit pupils of 1mm/3mm/5mm as an alternative.

Buying and discussing EPs is part of the fun of observing. The truth is that most of us end up with many more than three premium EPs. It is nice to have options for moments of really good seeing, or just comparing the same object through a range of difference EPs to appreciate different features.

If I can add any light to your thinking it would probably be to sell most of your current entry level eyepieces and pool the money together to get a few top shelf ones. Hope that helps.

Cheers!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 18-04-2017, 07:45 PM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
I use just 4 eyepieces in my 18" F5.58 Dob.
Using the Paracorr II my effective focal length is 2935mm
so:
Nagler31T5 gives 95x @ 4.8mm exit pupil
Ethos 21 gives 140x @ 3.25mm
Ethos 13 gives 226x @ 2.00mm
Ethos 8 gives 367x @ 1.25mm

My maximum True Field is 1º using the N31T5 without the Paracorr, 82x @ 5.6mm exit pupil. These seem to work well.

I recently sold off lots and lots of eyepieces leaving just these four and some bino-pairs which I use with the 5" refractor...
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 18-04-2017, 09:30 PM
gaseous's Avatar
gaseous (Patrick)
Registered User

gaseous is offline
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 782
I read your Jupiter observing notes with interest Ed, as I too was getting probably my best-ever view also using a barlowed Baader zoom, at around the 240x mark proving the best blend of magnification and clarity. The Baader is probably my most-used EP, followed by an ES 30mm 82°. I have a cheap 6mm Skywatcher, an ES 4.7mm & 11mm 82°, and a 42mm GSO superview, but these tend to take a back seat to the Baader and the 30mm ES. I don't know how you can deal with 20+ eyepieces - that would drive me bonkers. Even having 8 regularly used ones seems a lot, but if you've got 3 scopes I can probably see the reasoning.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 18-04-2017, 09:54 PM
croweater (Richard)
Don't Panic!

croweater is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mount Gambier, South Australia
Posts: 529
Hi Ed, I use a 32mm TV plossl, 13mm Nagler T6, 11mm TV plossl and an old 2x Ultima barlow. Now I have a Baader zoom and seem to use that most and the T6 sometimes. They both barlow well. Cheers Richard
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 20-04-2017, 05:48 PM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
Registered User

Tropo-Bob is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Cairns
Posts: 1,584
During my time in Astronomy, I have accumulated on average just over one EP per year, however, I started in 1965!

Just when I think I have enough, something new is invented.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 22-04-2017, 04:29 PM
yoda776 (Matt)
Registered User

yoda776 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 277
I have about 25-30 eyepieces. Really depends on what i am viewing and also which scope. For a while i sat with meade hd60s and still have the 12mm, 20mm and 26mm. The ones i use the most now are televue 32mm plossl, ethos 3.7, 13 & 17mm. I also use meade uwa 14 & 18mm and the neade 26mm to start with aligning.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 23-04-2017, 01:38 PM
wavelandscott's Avatar
wavelandscott (Scott)
Plays well with others!

wavelandscott is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Ridgefield CT USA
Posts: 3,487
Even if you do not choose to buy any Televue eyepieces, I have found the advice of Al Nagler to be of value and has improved my understanding of how to pick an eyepiece. I would encourage you to visit http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=154
The Televue web page and read from the "advice" pages...it will be time well spent.

Clear Dark Skies to you,
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 10:12 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement