Dilemma on eyepieces - help wanted!

[CC Bear (Tim)]

Hello all,

I have a GSO 8 inch Dob.

I have just purchased a Baader Hyperion 17mm with the two sizing rings of 14 and 28mm, giving me basically 17, 13 and 11mm eyepieces for the price of 1 eyepiece. Using both rings together gets me close to 9mm, but I notice its not quite as clear near the edges as with just 1 ring.

The system though works beautifully, though a bit fiddly with the rings at night, but worth it.

I have a TMB 6mm which is fine, and a cheap Plossl 9mm but think I need something with a wider view around 8-9mm, as I think I would use it a lot for planets in Sydney - I've noticed already maybe 25% of the time the 6mm TMB is blurry (mag x 200).

My question/s is/are this. Should I :
a) get a Baader Hyperion 8mm and use the rings for the odd occassion its clear enough to use a 4-5mm equivalent
b) save money and get a TMB 8 or 9mm and forget about the 10% of times I could use 4-5mm eyepiece
c) get the TMB eyepiece and a 2x Barlow - I understand half the Barlow can be unscrewed to make it a 1.5 Barlow, giving me around 5mm
d) just get a 2x Barlow. If so, i can get 8.5mm with the 17mm Hyperion.
e) do nothing as the gap between the Hyperion 28mm ring @11mm and 6mm with the TMB is just not worth worrying about?

Also, can I use a 2x Barlow in conjunction with the tuning rings as well?? That would mean with the 17mm hyperion I could cover almost every contingency from 5.5mm up!!!

Finally, should I go a Barlow, whats the best value (budget limited to $100 or so) and should I go 2 inch or 1.25 inch? (the only 2 inch eyepieces I have are the 30mm GSO Superview 30mm, which I like, plus the 17mm Hyperion using the 2 inch component which gives me 21mm (not that great).

Appreciate any suggestions!

Cheers, Tim

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Tim,
I think the difference is probably too small to worry about, but having said that, I havean 8mm Baadar Planeterium eyepiece (actually all from 8 to 24) that I can let you look through, if you want to come up to the Mangrove Mountain (Pony Club) session this coming Saturday.
weather permitting.

I also have a lot of others (eg Nagler 9mm) that you can try in your own scope.

the location is in the sticky on top of the Star Parties forum.
Its not that far from you (I think) and its Free!

In relation to your other questions, I prefer not to use Barlows as the general rule is less glass is clearer seeing.

And I prefer 2 inch eyepieces for wider field as the general principle here is the more light it lets through the better.

In this area I also have some 2 inch eps you may like to try (27 Panoptic, 50 Vixen LV and a 30 Anteres.

(except for the televues they are all possible For Sales)

[CC Bear (Tim)]

Originally Posted by Allan_L

Tim,
I think the difference is probably too small to worry about, but having said that, I havean 8mm Baadar Planeterium eyepiece (actually all from 8 to 24) that I can let you look through, if you want to come up to the Mangrove Mountain (Pony Club) session this coming Saturday.
weather permitting.

I also have a lot of others (eg Nagler 9mm) that you can try in your own scope.

the location is in the sticky on top of the Star Parties forum.
Its not that far from you (I think) and its Free!

In relation to your other questions, I prefer not to use Barlows as the general rule is less glass is clearer seeing.

And I prefer 2 inch eyepieces for wider field as the general principle here is the more light it lets through the better.

In this area I also have some 2 inch eps you may like to try (27 Panoptic, 50 Vixen LV and a 30 Anteres.

(except for the televues they are all possible For Sales)

Hi Allan,

Many thanks for the reply - have 3 kids under 5 so unable to get away unfortunately for the next few years I feel!!! Will do one day in the future however, hear viewing is pretty good there.

Will take on board your Barlow advice and am tending to think maybe I wait for a while to see if/how much I get frustrated and if I do, go for a TMB 9mm unless I get lucky picking up a decently priced 2nd hand Hyperion 8mm........
Cheers, Tim

[sopticals (Stephen)]

Hi Tim,

If I were you I would definitely consider the GSO 2" ED Barlow (it comes with 1.25" adapter so can be used with all your oculars).( OK its a little more glass, but not that you would notice). The beauty of the barlow is that it affords you more generous eye relief than would a single eyepiece of equivalent focal length,and at the same time effectively doubles your eyepiece collection.

Stephen.

[CC Bear (Tim)]

Originally Posted by sopticals

Hi Tim,

If I were you I would definitely consider the GSO 2" ED Barlow (it comes with 1.25" adapter so can be used with all your oculars).( OK its a little more glass, but not that you would notice). The beauty of the barlow is that it affords you more generous eye relief than would a single eyepiece of equivalent focal length,and at the same time effectively doubles your eyepiece collection.

Stephen.

Thanks Stephen,

Maybe worth the punt as an intermediate step as I see they are reasonably priced at Andrews. If I don't like it/use it much, it won't be the end of the world!

I'm only just starting out at this, so this may sound a stupid question, but will I be able to use the Barlow while I have fine tuning rings in the hyperion 17mm? I presume so, but want to be sure!

Without the rings I'd get 8.5mm which is the mag I'm really looking for, but would be nice on the rare occassions viewing conditions are OK in Sydney to get above 200x mag by using the Barlow with the 28mm ring attached, giving me 5.4mm effectively (10.8mm with Barlow) with a nice wide FOV....and if I ever get to a dark site I could both rings and try for effectively 4.6mm (9.2mm with Barlow)!!!!

Cheers, Tim

[CC Bear (Tim)]

Looks like I can get a second hand Hyperion 8mm at a fair price. With the sizing rings I already have, I think I will bypass the Barlow now as I have no need and can cover all effective eyepieces sizes down to 4.3mm with both rings attached to the 8mm.

Very happy with my Hyperion 17mm and sizing rings - along with a TMB 6mm planetary (love that also), 30mm GSO Superview 2 inch and a DGM NPB Nebula filter think I'm right for a while!

Cheers to all....

[AstralTraveller (David)]

If you are after a planetary ep I think the University Optics orthoscopics are little-known gems. I have the 7 & 5mm HD. Mostly the 5mm is too short but the 7 eats plossls and Naglers for breakfast on planets. Of course the narrow field of view makes them less immersive for deep sky but that's why I have Naglers.