Best EP for planetary viewing.

[Daz Type-R]

Hi all,

 

As the title suggests, what is the best ep for planetary viewing?

 

One stipulation, it has to be Televue!

 

I find the the eye relief on TeleVue ep's to be excellent and is a very big factor for me when choosing ep's.  I`ve had ep's in the past where the eye relief was small, it was awful for me.

 

I have been looking at the Delos range, around the 6 to 8mm range, to be used in my F6 reflector.

 

Any other ideas, for planetary use only.

 

Cheers.

[Tweedledee]

Many years ago, I made an apodizing screen.

http://www.astronomyhints.com/apodize.html

It certainly showed more planetary detail and split tighter doubles than without it.

It would probably have a much greater effect on your 200p than the refractor.

Maybe someone else has more recent experience using one.

 

[philjay]

The thing is Daz with planetary viewing one isnt botherd about wide fields of view, eg 72 degree for the delos. Specialised planetary eyepieces tend to be very narrow fov, take for example my circle t orthos (a must have for any planetary or double star observer with a penchant for refractors). These have a very narrow fov by comparison but atrocious eyerelief.

If you must have televue, look at their planetary range, smaller, cheaper. They do a nice planetary zoom. Not sure of the eyerelief on these though.

[Daz Type-R]

Cheers Phil, yeah I`ve looked at orthos and someone even said plossels were good for planetary but eye relief for me is key (I have certain eye issues due to my Diabetes) 72 degree FOV is still large but better than the Ethos. 

 

I stipulated TV due to their build quality and great eye relief but willing to look further afield but eye relief is still critical.

 

I will go look at their planetary range now although I had trouble finding what "model" was their planetary range (my search was probably too generic).

[Guest Kheldar]

As per SB last night, Radians?

[Daz Type-R]

As per SB last night, Radians?

Doh, I forgot that conversation....

[philjay]

Nagler Daz, they do the 2 types of planetary zooms if I remember correctly somat like 3 to 6 mm 6 to 9 or thereabouts. I think they have 10mm eye relief and 70 somat deg fov

Edited April 7, 2014 by philjay

[+Ibbo]

Next time out try a powermate in the mix with you existing e/p, it should maintain the eye relief

[Daz Type-R]

Cheers for this Phil, just looked.

 

They do 6-3mm or 4-2mm, well for a start we can rule the 4-2mm right out, is also the 6-3mm pushing it?

 

With 50 degree FOV and 10mm eye relief this does seem to be the answer but 6-3mm, when am I likely to be able to use 3,4,5mm (I`m just wondering now if 6mm is pushing it and should I be going for a 8mm something?????)

 

Also, after owning a zoom, I`m a bit "meh" for zooms, don't get me wrong, the Baader 8-24mm zoom was good for a beginner and while I don't consider myself a expert, I`d rather not go down that route again (no idea if TeleVue's zoom's are better than Baaders but I would expect them to be).

 

Looked at Radians, TV appear to no longer make them (unofficially replaced by the Delos but I can not get a 100% guarantee that statement is correct) so a 6mm or 8mm will have to be back stock from somewhere (cant find any as new) or on the 2nd hand market (there is a 6mm Radian going on SGL now).

 

Other people / reviews seem to be saying that the Radian's and the Delos are near as matched, both having excellent reviews, the Radians being 60 degree AFOV and the Delos being 72 degrees and these 2 seem to be the choice if going down the TeleVue route (which I would prefer to do).

 

So far then the options seem to be......

 

1.  TV Nagler Zoom 6-3mm 50 Degree AFOV and 10mm eye relief.

2.  TV Radian 8mm or 6mm (has to be second hand) 60 degree AFOV and 20mm eye relief.

3.  TV Delos 8mm or 6mm 72 degrees AFOV with 20mm eye relief.

4.  Steve's option of a 2x TV Powermate which will give a 6.5mm (used with my 13mm Ethos) and I take it will reduce the AFOV (if it does great, that's not a problem).

 

Anyone's thoughts as I now have a headache, who would of thought choosing the correct ep such a pain in the %*£.

[Guest Kheldar]

1 - No, even I would struggle with that eye relief and you're worse than me. 6mm is as low as you will use reliably (200x)

2 - My suggested option

3 - No, you don't want to break the bank on a planetary EP when I know the others you want to get

4 - Possible, you might want to make sure the counter balance system is working first though ... and yes, will be a 50 degree FOV

 

</2p>

Edited April 7, 2014 by Kheldar

[+Ibbo]

Not a fan of zooms.   (that is a full-stop btw)

 

I have 2 flavours of PM's x 2.5 and x 5

 

I will bring the 2.5 next time we are out ( and the 5 but i guess that will stay in the box)

[philjay]

Just twigged, Stephen, do you even have an eyepiece ;-) :-)

Flippin imagers:-)

[Guest Kheldar]

Just twigged, Stephen, do you even have an eyepiece ;-) :-)

Flippin imagers:-)

 

I used to

[Guest Kheldar]

I'm guessing I'm not helping by posting this Daz?

 

http://astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=79989

[Daz Type-R]

I'm guessing I'm not helping by posting this Daz?

http://astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=79989

Already spoke to the chap, he's on SGL. Only £30 cheaper than brand new!

Thanks though.

[Daz Type-R]

Not a fan of zooms.   (that is a full-stop btw)

 

I have 2 flavours of PM's x 2.5 and x 5

 

I will bring the 2.5 next time we are out ( and the 5 but i guess that will stay in the box)

Steve that will be great, should give me a decent idea if that is the way to go.

[philjay]

I know what you mean Steve, I was the same till I got a Vixen Lv 8-24 zoom some years ago, its a great piece of kit and ideal for planetary, no swapping required just twist to magnify

[+Bino-viewer]

Out of interest Darren, whats the average high magnification power you can get out of your Newt ?? 

150x ?  Maybe 200x ?  Even 250x ?

And all the planets (Jupiter excepted) are too low at present to really crank up the power. (my experience)

 

I'm not an expert at all, but i've had a 10" OO in the past and was often disappointed with the planetary views it gave.

 

So much depends on seeing conditions to what you can see at high power. 

Also, with my Newt tube currents were always an issue as i never left it long enough to properly acclimatise to the cool night air.

I was always too impatient to get to the eyepiece.

I've read that larger mirrors also have a boundary layer of warm air  just above the mirror which will degrade high power observation.

This can be removed though, be fitting fans which blow  ACROSS the surface of the mirror. Rear mounted fans only are insufficient.

 

This is my opinion on your original question anyway.......and i may stir up a hornets nest here.....

 

My experiences this last year have made me think differently.

 

I personally wouldn't even consider  buying mono vision high power eyepieces any more. (of whatever make)

The only mono eyepiece i use now is my 'Fatman' 31mm Nagler (maybe one day i'll treat myself to a 21mm Ethos ) And that will be my lot.

 

If you want to see planets and lunar at their best, you need to use both eyes and bino-view.

Jupiter and lunar this year have been jaw dropping through both my telescopes. A quantum leap forward to what i've seen before.

 

But this is me. Others will disagree with me.

This is only my experience but I've learned the costly way. Not long ago i had the whole set of Vixen Lanthanums.

Over £1400 worth. And they are great eyepieces, and you'd appreciate the 20mm eye relief, i'm certain.

I've sold nearly the lot of them. Mono vision at higher powers doesn't do it for me any more.

I'm not trying to open up a debate here with mono vs binoviewing. It's just my experience.

 

Problem is for you though, you have a newt, and bino-viewing with a newt opens up another series of problems, as you won't have the back-focus needed to reach focus.

I'm not sure if binoviewers like the William Optics bino will work with a newt.

The Baader Maxbright will, (or the Mk v) and so will the US Denkmeier system with the right newt add-ons.

 

The WO and Maxbright bino are both great value though at around £200.

I've been looking at upgrading to a Denkmeier Binotron 27, as this will work with any telescope, and because of the powerswitch you only need one pair (two at most) of eyepieces.

This is my dream set up. Everythings covered.

Remember if's also all too easy to spend an absolute fortune on Ethos / Delos etc. This makes the cost of a bino-tron (around 1000-1300 USD) seem very attractive, especially considering the weak dollar.

 

This is just my opinion though, and i thought i'd throw it into the mix.

But i really do recommend using both eyes for this hobby. You have to try it. 

Edited April 8, 2014 by Bino-viewer