Got my Dob, but where now with eyepieces?

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by TimboS

Further, ignoring price for just a moment:

If I want good eye relief and am willing to accept the standard 52 degree field of view or therabouts, what make and type of EP would be considered the "bees knees" ? (Recall I have a 10" Dob)

Conversely, if I want wide FOV (say 68 deg) and am not too worried about eye relief, what is considered to be "best" make and type ?

If eye relief is your main criteria and you want the Bees Knees I would suggest that you try the Pentax XW line of eyepieces...good eye relief and approx. 70 degrees field of view...outstanding eyepieces. I have 2 a 7 and 10 mm and they are very good in my dobs. It is hard to fault either one in my opinion.

If you don't need/want that much eye relief, you can maximize FOV with the Televue line either the Naglers or Ethos...but neither will have as much eye relief. Again they are fabulous eyepieces...I have some Naglers and Panoptics and they too are very good in my dobs.

I would highly recommend that you try some of these TVs or Pentax before you buy them. They are both expensive but worth it in my opinion.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by wavelandscott

I would highly recommend that you try some of these TVs or Pentax before you buy them. They are both expensive but worth it in my opinion.

This needs to be reiterated and emphasised!

You will read around general nagler hysteria in some places. What isnt immediately obvious from online research is that every one of them has differing characteristics and trade offs.

Not one of them is perfect in every respect and when you're spending that kind of coin you dont want to get inadvertently stuck with the wrong set of compromises that goes against your likes and viewing comfort.

[dannat (Daniel)]

Tim, if you want reasonably priced ep try looking for a william optics spl, the 3mm is not great but the 6mm & 12mm are good for the price.
I have the 6mm. Fairly sharp views, 20mm er & about 62 deg fov ( bit more than a plossl). You should try before you buy though. Andrews comm have the ep's new i think for $129

In the longer lengths (20-32) i would buy a TV plossl, fov is not great but still excellent value

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by Starkler

This needs to be reiterated and emphasised!

You will read around general nagler hysteria in some places. What isnt immediately obvious from online research is that every one of them has differing characteristics and trade offs.

Not one of them is perfect in every respect and when you're spending that kind of coin you dont want to get inadvertently stuck with the wrong set of compromises that goes against your likes and viewing comfort.

Great comments and in line with the suggestion I was trying to make...no eyepiece is perfect...get enough eyepiece time to understand your needs/wants, try some and then buy...the right choice for you will not be found on a forum post but decided with your own eye(s) and may be different than other people.

[Greenswale (Wren)]

I have an 8" F6 Newtonian on a dobsonian base, with 32mm TeleVue, 10mm and 7mm Pentax XW eyepieces. Let me add in that I am >60, and just 18 months into this obsession.

The main reasons for choosing these eyepieces are quality of image, field of view, and eye relief. I considered field of view quite important, to reduce the amount of nudging required to keep an object in view, and eye relief important for comfort and ease of use. I do not like a narrow field of view.

The TeleVue does not match the Pentaxes with edge of field of view 'sea gulls' being quite obvious. It is a very good eyepiece for getting onto a target and gives acceptable wide field views, and is great value for the price. The future will see a similar focal length, wider field of view, high quality replacement.

Pentaxes are absolutely delightful. To my eyes they are just magic, and it is pretty cool to actually be able to 'look around' in the eyepiece to take in the full view. As I move to higher magnification work, introduction of a high quality barlow or another Pentax will be the go.........!

My brief experience has shown that high end eyepieces are absolutely worth having, but there is the cost issue! It is also worth understanding that one tends to grow into observing, and with the experience gained, good decisions can be made about equipment; and with improving equipment, more discovery and subsequent enjoyment results.


Wren

[TimboS (Tim)]

All good comments.

Of late my attention has been brought to Siebert eyepieces.

Checking out their website I note some interesting things.

I'm wondering at this time however about a Power Mag Wheel Barlow and one eyepiece rather than simply buying mutiple eyepieces.

My thinking is to buy a single 2" EP, and use the above Barlow to provide medium and high powers, thereby replacing the need for other EP (at this time). Although, of the power wheel options, one is a 2x, 3x and 4x combination, but 4x ?! Wow. Granted, 2" is not necessary for high powers, but I really like my eye relief.

I've checked into price, performance and availability of Vixen LVM versus Hyperions versus Stratus versus Televue, etc. So much to consider !

Does anyone have any feedback on the Siebert power wheel Barlow ?

Thanks,

Tim

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Originally Posted by astroron

In your light polluted back yard you could build a surround, out of say tarp or hessian or some other material to cut down the light intruding on your space.
Filters are no good for galaxies, UHC would be the best filter to use, I often use it in moonlight to some good effect.
Don't let your location spoil your interest in the hobbie, try to use your imagination to make the situation better
I know of people who observe from the middle of Chicago and do some reasonable work.
When you then go out to a dark sky site you will appreciate your efforts more
Last but not least go to an observing night with other observers and get some first hand advice.

Gday Tim to 2nd what Ron has said - don't give up
I live about 6km from Sydney CBD, have lots of glow from various street lights, neighbours with yard lights that should be confined to sports grounds and to top things off, the South/South-Eastern part of my sky is awash from Sydney Airport
But I've learned to adapt...a beach umbrella here, screen there and it's surprising how much a difference it does make.
Have also learned heaps by joining an astro club and getting first-hand advice at dark site gatherings

[TimboS (Tim)]

Wow, it sounds like two things are prevalent in astronomy. First, that alot of people have bad viewing from their house, and secondly, many people give up because of it. Well, at least that's what I am inferring from the advice given so far. Some things however just make your resolve stronger, and this is one of those cases for me. I think that I couldn't be bothered with using tents or domes or the likes - I think I'll just drive away from all that as per advice given a while ago ! Seems logical. And, all the while I've been on this forum, the viewing has been absolutely *nothing* like it was the week leading up to actually buying my scope. Can't help but "see" the irony in that !

It's funny, all the while I am stuck inside because I can't be outside with the scope, I am reading up on what I would buy next.... Seems like an 10" LX90 or 8" LX200, but that'll be a short while away yet since I have to figure out what to do with the eyepieces for my Dob.

The chap that sold me the scope has viewing nights at his place and I think I'll call up to see if I can book in to have a look at some of his Siebert stuff. It seems a little odd however that these EP are claimed to perform really well in comparison to TeleVue gear, but the price is much much less. I read, repeatedly, that as a general rule the more you pay the better the optics, so what about Siebert gear ? Are they really a bargain, or again a case of you get what you pay for meaning Vixen LVW will be much better, etc? Anyone care to comment?