janoskiss
24-02-2006, 02:04 AM
I got the binoviewer and the 19mm Panoptics out again tonight (Pan no longer for sale).
I got the best views of Saturn ever, even though seeing was mediocre. Two eyes show so much more for my brain it is amazing. Cassini was impossible not to see at all times. And the rings showed more structure and texture still. Banding on the planet was just as obvious, and intricate details in shadows and the gap between the ring and planet that normally require a lot of patience to see in cyclops mode, were all very easy. I was viewing through the 2" 2x barlow, which would give about 2.8x I figure, so about 175x magnification (felt like a lot more).
All this is despite the obvious degradation of the image through the binos (when viewed with one eye). There is less contrast, brightness, sharpness. In the right ocular only there is a reflection that can be distracting. I can only imagine how good top shelf binoviewers would be.
I spent longer than last time matching the focus in the left and right oculars accurately. This can be quite tedious especially when the seeing is not good, but once it's done it results in a big improvement. It is a pain when you want to change eyepieces. Maybe just one set of EPs and a range of barlows is the way to go.
Also looked at Orion, star clusters in Canis Major, and clusters and nebulae in Carina with and without DGM nebula filter. Very nice and nebulae especially have a very float-in-space feel through the BV.
Checked out the Meade 5000 14mm Plossl too, which arrived today, thanks Joe! Very sharp, up there with my 15mm Televue on axis, and the wide FOV is very nice. Definitely sharper and more contrasty than the 13mm Stratus (which I'm beginning to suspect is more like 15mm). But I don't think it will work that well in the binoviewer, because I'm not too keen on the ergonomics. The much simpler fixed rubber eyecup of the TV 15mm plossl seems much better suited. But I won't know for sure till I try a pair.
I got the best views of Saturn ever, even though seeing was mediocre. Two eyes show so much more for my brain it is amazing. Cassini was impossible not to see at all times. And the rings showed more structure and texture still. Banding on the planet was just as obvious, and intricate details in shadows and the gap between the ring and planet that normally require a lot of patience to see in cyclops mode, were all very easy. I was viewing through the 2" 2x barlow, which would give about 2.8x I figure, so about 175x magnification (felt like a lot more).
All this is despite the obvious degradation of the image through the binos (when viewed with one eye). There is less contrast, brightness, sharpness. In the right ocular only there is a reflection that can be distracting. I can only imagine how good top shelf binoviewers would be.
I spent longer than last time matching the focus in the left and right oculars accurately. This can be quite tedious especially when the seeing is not good, but once it's done it results in a big improvement. It is a pain when you want to change eyepieces. Maybe just one set of EPs and a range of barlows is the way to go.
Also looked at Orion, star clusters in Canis Major, and clusters and nebulae in Carina with and without DGM nebula filter. Very nice and nebulae especially have a very float-in-space feel through the BV.
Checked out the Meade 5000 14mm Plossl too, which arrived today, thanks Joe! Very sharp, up there with my 15mm Televue on axis, and the wide FOV is very nice. Definitely sharper and more contrasty than the 13mm Stratus (which I'm beginning to suspect is more like 15mm). But I don't think it will work that well in the binoviewer, because I'm not too keen on the ergonomics. The much simpler fixed rubber eyecup of the TV 15mm plossl seems much better suited. But I won't know for sure till I try a pair.