New eyepieces 8)

[Davi5678 (Dave)]

Postman came today with a box for me!

Inside:
- one Explore Scientific 100 degree 20mm
- one Pentax SMC XF Zoom 19.5 - 6.5mm
- one Takahashi MC LE 5mm

Now I have to try and patiently wait for the clouds to f/off so I can use them.

Hoping for a mind blowing revelation in quality compared to my Bintel 26mm and 15mm plossls, should get the most out of my 8" dob, magnification range from 60x - 240x.

Next on the shopping list will be some filters to help with light pollution, and most likely a WO Binoviewer.

Will put a first light report as soon as the clouds clear...

[erick (Eric)]

Bring 'em to Snake Valley next weekend so we can drool over them!

ps. do you have a brick to put on the end of the dob for when you put the ES in the focusser!

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Grats on your new eyepieces =).

I'm also waiting on an eyepiece myself.
30mm Explore Scientific 82 degree N2.

The last time the postman came by he dropped a:
6.7 mm Explore Scientific 82 degree N2
14 mm Explore Scientific 82 degree N2
32 mm GSO Plossl - Which turned out to be uncomfortable, picky eye position and generally rubbish performance at f/5 (My new dob also came with a 26 mm plossl. This was also rubbish.

An eyepatch so I can be a pirate. I meant, so I can look in the eyepiece for extended periods without getting tired.
Astrozap light shroud
2 rolls of protostar flocking paper.

I'm still thinking of a coma corrector like a paracorr type 1 but with the release of the GSO CC I might grab that since I can source it locally and cheaper.

Next postman after next will be delivering a new focuser and a RACI viewfinder. Maybe a 2 inch UHC filter.


Hope you can give us a first light report on the ES 20 100* when you get a chance

[Davi5678 (Dave)]

Got a brief test in tonight but it was horribly windy and lots of cloud, got about 10 minutes with the ES 20mm and about 1 minute with the Pentax zoom at Saturn before the weather deteriorated.

Hmmm. Have to reserve judgement due to the conditions. Also my only comparison is to the Bintel plossls.

First impression of the ES is that it's almost too much eyepiece, not sure if there is a technical explanation but my pupil felt like a goose being prepared for foie gras!

This is not entirely a good thing, but it may take some adjustment, had to move my head around to scan the entire view, maybe I'll get used to it.
That said, the Orion nebula was nice, I wanted to do a side by side with my old 26mm but those damn clouds foiled me.
There certainly was more of it at 20mm then what I've been able to see in the 26mm and it was crisper, but I think I'm being robbed by suburban light pollution.

A brief break in the clouds brought out Saturn, so I quickly switched to the Pentax, lined her up, and fought with drifting clouds. Sliding the zoom up put a smile on my face, had to adjust focus slightly as I moved up and at 6.5 the seeing was to poor but I have the feeling this one is going to get a lot of use.
Contrast seemed good but it was the briefest of first impressions and Saturn was low on the horizon so I'm looking forward to what this can do.

Will update again when the weather improves...

[The_bluester (Paul)]

I know that feeling Dave, I bought an 11mm T6 Nagler during the week and have managed about 1 minute of low on the horizon views of Saturn between and through clouds before being foiled by dew on the corrector plate just as the coud cleared (I guess next on my list will have to be a heater belt) That and hazy views of the Orion nebula for the same reasons.

I am heading to the ASV Messier star party tomorrow night and hoping for clear weather so I can really test it out in a decently dark sky site. it is not too bad where I am but certainly not what I would describe as a dark sky. I miss the sky where I grew up. Halfway between Echuca and Rochester in Victoria so 13KM from a smallish town and 17 from a moderately large town, on a little used back road with skies that were inky black compared to Kilmore.

[Liz]

Oooh, some nice goodies there Dave!!! I still have 3 Eps I havent been able to test run, and have almost forgotton I have them.
Good luck with the weather!!
I have a 4.7mm Explore Scientific 82 dg which I quite like.