new eyepiece - Televue 24mm Panoptic

[kitsuna (Adam)]

Originally Posted by Brundah1

Yep! The "Backyard Guide" is still spot on for most any subject for amateur astronomy (beginners and those further along). A tad expensive in OZ, $95. Mine came as a birthday present from my son - a child of the internet age, so he shopped on-line USD 13! (new unused). Most of my books non-fiction books now sourced on-line.

Don't overlook the 27mm Panoptic, this is a bright crisp "space walk", on first view I thought "I could climb through this huge window". Also works a treat with the 2X 2in Powermate if you don't like the 12mm Nagler eye relief.

May seem a bit one eyed, but my only other EPs have been garden variety, so no offense to the TMBs, WOs etc.

BTW if anyone is using a 8" or 11" SCT, the Baader Zoom is the easiest way to introduce kids to the wonders of Stargazing. No swapping EPs or refocusing, doesn't have the Nagler gloss but it works! May seem a bit dim
under light polluted skies.

David

I got lucky. bought my copy of the Backyard astronomer for about $40 bucks express delivered from amazon. It's kinda nice when the USD takes a swan dive.

There's something else that springs to mind from that book. It advises that the lowest power you can reasonably achieve for a scope with an obstruction is to multiply the focal ratio by 7mm (the size of a relatively youthful, dark adapted pupil). in my case, I have a f/4.72 so the lowest I could go is 33mm.

Saves me buying superwide pineapple EPs that won't work properly (Televue 41mm Panoptic anyone?)

[Suzy]

Originally Posted by kitsuna

There's something else that springs to mind from that book. It advises that the lowest power you can reasonably achieve for a scope with an obstruction is to multiply the focal ratio by 7mm (the size of a relatively youthful, dark adapted pupil). in my case, I have a f/4.72 so the lowest I could go is 33mm.

Saves me buying superwide pineapple EPs that won't work properly (Televue 41mm Panoptic anyone?)

Yep and that's the very reason I don't go over 30mm eyepieces myself. And also regarding Naglers, the short eye relief is the very reason I had to stay clear of them.
I own Pentax XW's and they are very highly regarded. 70 deg fov and 20mm eye relief and you can also adjust the height of the eye cup, waterproof too. And so so so comfortable. I'll be buried with these eyepieces, yep yep. The 7mm sell here in Aus for $720, but I got mine from the U.S. for only $340 incl. shipping. Makes no sense to me why here in Aus the 10mm sells for around $500 (compared to the $720 tag of the 7mm), but in the U.S. they are the same price as the 7mm .
The dollar is very nice at the moment . For planetary observing in particular, the 10 & 7mm's gives the most amazing contrast and detail and tac sharp right to the edge.

Great review Adam, and am very glad you are enjoying your new "premium" eyepiece. Impossible to look through mediocre or plossl eyepieces after looking through them. The scope can only do so much, good glass does indeed make a difference. Buying good quality, premium eye pieces will probably ending up saving you lots of money anyway as you've gone straight for the best right up.

I will be anxiously waiting for your review of "Backyard Astronomers" book. Come in to the Astronomy Media & Books section and give us some information on it!

[kitsuna (Adam)]

Originally Posted by Suzy

Yep and that's the very reason I don't go over 30mm eyepieces myself. And also regarding Naglers, the short eye relief is the very reason I had to stay clear of them.
I own Pentax XW's and they are very highly regarded. 70 deg fov and 20mm eye relief and you can also adjust the height of the eye cup, waterproof too. And so so so comfortable. I'll be buried with these eyepieces, yep yep. The 7mm sell here in Aus for $720, but I got mine from the U.S. for only $340 incl. shipping. Makes no sense to me why here in Aus the 10mm sells for around $500 (compared to the $720 tag of the 7mm), but in the U.S. they are the same price as the 7mm .
The dollar is very nice at the moment . For planetary observing in particular, the 10 & 7mm's gives the most amazing contrast and detail and tac sharp right to the edge.

Great review Adam, and am very glad you are enjoying your new "premium" eyepiece. Impossible to look through mediocre or plossl eyepieces after looking through them. The scope can only do so much, good glass does indeed make a difference. Buying good quality, premium eye pieces will probably ending up saving you lots of money anyway as you've gone straight for the best right up.

I will be anxiously waiting for your review of "Backyard Astronomers" book. Come in to the Astronomy Media & Books section and give us some information on it!

I've been looking at those Pentax EPs. They will probably be my next point of call. Not until i've had a chance to actually try one though! Good to know they can still be picked up overseas without the ridiculous AU markup too.

As for the backyard astronomers guide? I may well have to do that. It's an excellent resource for someone who's done a little star hopping, maybe learned a few of the constellations, and is then looking towards their first binocs or telescope. Very very comprehensive, and exceptionally useful.