Eyepieces & Filters

CHRISZ (CHRIS) · #1 01-07-2008, 01:10 PM

Hello, just starting out and need a little advice. I own a celestron 11" cpc telescope. To save me alot of time and money i wanted to know what any of you out there recommend as good quality eyepieces 1. for viewing planets & 2. for viewing galaxies and nebulae. Also what filters for viewing similar. I live in sydney where light polution is a problem.(and yes i realize i have to get out of the city to get clear vision) Brands & mm size of eyepieces and filters would be appreciated. More opinions the better. Cheers

renormalised (Carl) · #2 02-07-2008, 08:52 PM

What I would suggest for you is to buy an eyepiece and filter kit. With one of those, you get a range of eyepieces that will be suited to all the types of viewing you want to do, plus you'll get a series of filters that will compliment the eyepieces. If I were you, I'd get the Celestron Eyepiece and Filter Kit from Andrews Communications...

http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm

They're about $380 for the kit. If you want to see what the kit contains, just goto the Celestron site... www.celestron.com
and have a look at their eyepieces and accessory kits.

I would also grab a UHCS filter from Bintel....

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/welcome.htm

This will help with the light pollution by filtering out the unwanted light from lights etc, and allow the good light through. Since your scope has a diagonal for 1.25" eyepieces, get eyepieces and filters of this size. You can get an adapter for 2" eyepieces, or even a diagonal for them, but they cost more and weigh heavier. After that, it's your choice as to what you want to get for your scope.

Most important thing is to have fun using what equipment you've got and what you can afford. You get more enjoyment that way

CHRISZ (CHRIS) · #3 04-07-2008, 05:51 PM

Thanks renormalized

Hagar (Doug) · #4 04-07-2008, 07:05 PM

My thoughts would be a little different. I would sugest an EP of around the 25mm mark in a midrange to high end eg Baader, Televue, Orion or LV and if you can afford two then look at about a 13mm or a good 2X barlow of a similar quality. As for a filter I would skip all the fancy coloured ones and stick with a Light polution filter like the LPS or UHC.

You can always buy more EP's as money permits and a good quality EP will lastand live up to expectations for years.

dannat (Daniel) · #5 04-07-2008, 07:31 PM

I agree with Doug, I am very happy with the three wiliam optics & TV ep's i bought, with an apo barlow to complete it. I think one ep around 50x, another 100-150x & 200x with the barlow is enough
Lastly for me I need ep's with good eye relief, atleast 12-15mm to make long viewing times comfortable

renormalised (Carl) · #6 04-07-2008, 07:53 PM

Problem with buying high-mid range to high end eyepieces is that that's what they are...costly, and when you're on a bit of a budget, you have to go with what you can afford. That's why I suggested the kits....they have good quality eyepieces that you can get in a kit for less than their normal retail price...because they've been added to a kit. You usually get a barlow (x2 or x3) in a kit, plus some RGB or Wratten filters. You're still going to pay $350-$600 for the kit (or more if you get a kit of UW eyepieces), however you can pay more than that for one eyepiece, alone. One thing I like about Orion and Vixen is that you can get good eyepieces for fairly reasonable prices....although even there an Orion Stratos is going to set you back $180 a piece. If you can afford them, buy the high end eyepieces....an TV Ethos or Nagler would be a dream eyepiece in anyone's kit, but be prepared to pay a premium for one.

JethroB76 (Jeff) · #7 04-07-2008, 08:44 PM

If you were going as far as $400-500 I would go for two or three decent quality (read: Hyperion/Stratus/XF/TV plossl) rather than a kit of cheaper EPs and filters IMO

Buy secondhand and you could just about get a full set of Hyperions for that..they are also generally very cheap new in the US

Hagar (Doug) · #8 04-07-2008, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

Problem with buying high-mid range to high end eyepieces is that that's what they are...costly, and when you're on a bit of a budget, you have to go with what you can afford. That's why I suggested the kits....they have good quality eyepieces that you can get in a kit for less than their normal retail price...because they've been added to a kit. You usually get a barlow (x2 or x3) in a kit, plus some RGB or Wratten filters. You're still going to pay $350-$600 for the kit (or more if you get a kit of UW eyepieces), however you can pay more than that for one eyepiece, alone. One thing I like about Orion and Vixen is that you can get good eyepieces for fairly reasonable prices....although even there an Orion Stratos is going to set you back $180 a piece. If you can afford them, buy the high end eyepieces....an TV Ethos or Nagler would be a dream eyepiece in anyone's kit, but be prepared to pay a premium for one.

Hi renormalised. My recomendation was based on the fact that Chris asked for a recomendation for one EP. Thinking one I thought he may well want something reaonable. If he was looking for a 32 or 40 mm I would say go for a chinese EP because in that size there is a reasonable size piece of glass to look through. I personally have a mixed set of Baader and Stratus which I would have no problems recommending. At about $200 each, yes they are costly but they are an EP you can keep and use with comfort and a reasonable level of visual clarity you cannot get with a 4- 5 hundred dollar set. Also one problem with cheaper EP's is they have virtually no resale value and anyone who has looked through a quality EP will with time want to replace them. A few or even a couple of quality EP's and a barlow gives you a pretty good set of very nice EP's for the cost of a $600 set which half of which will not be used.

My other real sugestion would be go to a star party or attend an astro club and look through a few that other people have and then make the big decision. I am pretty sure what it will be.

renormalised (Carl) · #9 04-07-2008, 09:21 PM

Actually, Doug, I think Chris wanted a few EP's. Anyway, you are right in what you say. Although what I was trying to do was to say that you can get a kit of pretty good quality eyepieces and such without it costing the earth. Although a set of Vixen LVW's (UW) will cost about $1200 and that's for three. They come in a case. Check these out...

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/produc...asp?id=MAS-348

and

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/produc...asp?id=MAS-215

I have a set of Meade Series 4000 eyepieces and filters and I'm quite happy with them...even though I've used big Naglers and Pentax eyepieces before that cost an arm and a leg. Whilst the seeing through them was superb, and I'd love to own a couple, my budget doesn't quite stretch that far!!!.

2" Naglers....you could use for scopes in themselves!!!!!. I call them hand grenades...they're about the same size and weight!!!

Hagar (Doug) · #10 04-07-2008, 10:32 PM

OLD SAYING::
$50 EP in a $2000 scope = $50 views
$200 EP in a $2000 scop = million dollar views

renormalised (Carl) · #11 04-07-2008, 10:41 PM

I agree with that sentiment....I wouldn't buy a $50 eyepiece. Though my Meade's aren't $200 a pop (about $90, actually), they still give good views.

Like I said, it's what you can afford, and whilst a $90-$200 eyepiece isn't a Nagler or Ethos, it still works well.

CHRISZ (CHRIS) · #12 05-07-2008, 04:30 PM

cheers guys,

All opionions taken on board.

I guess you get what you pay for.

psyche101 · #13 10-07-2008, 09:42 AM

When I bought my 10" Dob, I invested in the Meade Series 5000 Plossl Eyepiece Set http://www.staroptics.com.au/catalog...ge.php?pID=126 http://www.meade.com/series5000/index.html#eyepiecesets - the 5 element set. I also picked up a 3x barlow and a set of filters. Seems to cover most situations, although I was suprised I do not seem to be able to get close enough to see the GRS even with my 5.5 or my 14mm with barlow combo on my 10" Dob. Nice views, but I have found myself far more fascinated with deep sky viewing as planetary seems a little dissapointing. I suppose with the incredible images on the net, one gets a tad spoilt. The Meade EP's do offer better viewing than the standard EP's that came with my Celestron, and Dob. For me, I'd like to investigate the 2" series for the deep sky stuff a little closer. It seems to offer the best deep sky fields. Sadly, the classifieds have not been over run with such items for sale lately. I guess what you want to look at might play a role in your choice as well.

psyche101 · #14 10-07-2008, 10:27 AM

Anyone care to comment on solar filters? I have seen one that would suit my Nexstar4GT, and was thinking about giving it a go......
The site I spotted it on is close to me but lists no brand name, thougt I migt drop in and check it out. All it says is

Quote:

With these filters, you can see detail in sunspots, bright faculae near the limb and the mottled areas known as granules. The finest solar filters available for observing have been declared safe for d

Even cuts of there. I assume it would trail into "Daytime viewing".

I would assume it is external, I know not to consider an EP solar filter no matter what the claim may be.

pneuman (Leigh) · #15 24-07-2008, 07:39 PM

I'll resurrect this thread instead of starting another one

I was just looking at the Lagoon Nebula in my dob from my light-polluted suburban skies, but it looked more like an open cluster than a nebula. Compared to images, I could only see the brightest bits of nebulosity as faint fuzzy patches.

Would a narrowband filter, like an Orion Ultrablock, do much to bring out more nebulosity in a light-polluted sky?