I would've got a 32mm and a 2x 1.25" barlow, instead of the 6.5mm.. but there's extra cost in getting the barlow.
I use my 25mm and 15mm plossls the most out of my 4, especially when viewing the moon and globular clusters. For open clusters i'll use the 25mm and 32mm, depending on the size of it.
You'll be very pleased anyway Frosty and Mint, a great scope! Easy enough to put the base together, and remember to keep the foam moulds that hold the OTA during shipping.. I use these when transpoting the dob in the car, and also use 1 on the trolley I use to transport it around my house/yard.
Man those instructions are a little lacking, they just include an exploded drawing of the base and a couple pictures of the outside of the optical tube assembly. The base goes together ok, as long as you take your time and think about it. the scope and everything goes together fine. There is no details with the scope about the mirrors, alignment or even what that extra black thumbscrew does on the focuser (frosty?)
Viewing with it was amazing, I started to align the finderscope using the moon (with a moon filter on the 25mm eye piece) once it was approximate I turned to m42; I just could not wait. But as this is my first scope I don't have anything to compare the views to.
The eye pieces that came with the scope each only got a few minutes use as I wanted to try them all and it was late when I took the scope outside. The 20mm GS super view is a nice eyepiece, so far I've used that most, it was superb for staring into space. The 30mm andrews 80degree is a huge eye piece; again only a few minutes use as it was late by time I'd finished magnifying saturn, but the AFOV is great, images were crisp towards the outer portions of the field of view.
I'll write more on this when I've got a couple hours use out of each eye piece. maybe apart from the 6.5mm with truely sucky eye relief and the 9mm with semi sucky eye relief.
Best $750 I've spent in a long time (debating a certain diamond ring was better or not)
No, it's simply to reduce the amount of light entering your eyeball!
If you're using a 25mm EP or above, the moon, especially when fairly full, is blindingly bright, and when you look away you can't see a darn thing!
So you can use the neutral density filter (or moon filter) to cut out the amount of light. Just screw it into the bottom of the eyepiece.
When you're using high magnifications (such as your 15 or 9mm EP's), the amount of light coming in is less so you generally don't need the moon filter then.
I'll measure her up later and let you know starkler, it's kinda big tho. I'll also take a piccy of the scope for frosty to oogle over till he builds his.
6.5mm plossl
9mm plossl
15mm plossl
25mm plossl
These all came with the scope, the 15 is a nice one I have to say.
20mm GSO superview, nice eye piece.
30mm Andrews 80degree, BIG eye piece, very nice.
Andrews 2" Barlow.
I have to say the service was excelent, the first email from lee andews was not so informative, but from then on he was very helpfull answering Questions (must have been cause he was up from 5am answering emails), very quick delivery, well packed. I said before the instructions are a bit lacking, I'd like to know more technical details on the scope and nothing is included.
The last picture is me putting the optical tube assembly onto the mount for the first time, taken by my fiancee.
anyhow, I'm off out for a couple hours, never any clouds in kalgoorlie (hardly), no worries!
Great shots too, those 2" eyepieces look like monsters compared to the GSO plossls that come with the scope. Can't wait till I go shopping for my 2"ers
It's always so exciting getting a new scope, congrats!
