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Seattle Brian
sage
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 272
Loc: Renton, WA
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High Folks,
I've got a PST and the shortest focal length eyepiece that I currently own is a 5mm Pentax. I would like to push the magnification higher than 80x, but I didn't know if the image would get a bit (or a lot fuzzy). What maximum magnification have you folks used with good results? If it's greater than 80x, I'll gladly buy another eyepiece. Thanks!
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Brian
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dgs©
Postmaster
Reged: 03/29/04
Posts: 13915
Loc: West Monroe, Louisiana
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I've put a 4mm in for 100x before, but that seems to be a little too much most of the time. Detail softened up. Occasionlly, if there is a large, interesting prom, I might slip it back in. I normally use a 10mm but I would like something in between. Might be that 5mm is as good as it gets. 
Might check down in the Solar forum for more opinion. 
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- david
8"Ø Newtonian on SVP, Moonlite CR2, Telrad
PST Oberwerk Ultra 15x70 Orion Ultraview 10×50
Hand-me-down Sears Refractor (Discoverer) 60mm×900mm
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world, remains and is immortal." --Albert Pike
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molniyabeer
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/08/05
Posts: 2062
Loc: Central Coast, California
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Brian,
I use Hyperion eyepieces and the 8mm is my favorite in the PST. I very rarely go below that one. Just personal preference.
Cheers,
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Steve
16" Meade LightBridge (Beowulf)
10" Hardin DSH, StarMax 127mm Mak, PST H-a
Oberwerk 11 x 70 binocs, Tasco 10 x 50 binocs
Santa Maria Clear Sky Clock
Figueroa Mt Clear Sky Clock
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 6785
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Quote:
High Folks,
I've got a PST and the shortest focal length eyepiece that I currently own is a 5mm Pentax. I would like to push the magnification higher than 80x, but I didn't know if the image would get a bit (or a lot fuzzy). What maximum magnification have you folks used with good results? If it's greater than 80x, I'll gladly buy another eyepiece. Thanks!
I usually find that the image starts to lose some of its brightness, contrast, and sharpness much past 65x, although I have used it up to 80x. For most of the time, I use between 25x and 57x with a 7-21mm Zoom eyepiece that stays in the scope most of the time. If I want to use higher power for solar H-alpha, I also have a 90mm Mak-Cassegrain and a DayStar T-Scanner at my disposal, so I have all the bases covered (I have gone as high as 185x on that 90mm scope). Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
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spencerj
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/17/04
Posts: 577
Loc: Derry, NH
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My favorite eyepiece in my PST is a 7mm Nagler T1. It frames the entire sun perfectly at a little under 60x. I have tried using higher magnification, but the image gets very soft quickly.
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--Jason
"I am the victim of a series of accidents, as are we all." --Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Intes-Micro MN66 with Moonlight CR1 focuser
TeleVue 102
PST
Unistar Deluxe with TeleVue Sky Tour
CG-5 ASGT (quieted and tuned-up by Trapezium Telescopes & Services)
10" Orion Dob
WO 66 SD (stays in my truck for spontaneous observing sessions)
15x70 Oberwerk Binos
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maureenford
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/27/05
Posts: 756
Loc: New Paltz, NY
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I use the 6 mm Radian all the time. Allows me to see the entire sun, although I usually "move around" and focus in on interesting details.
Maureen
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Discovery 12.5" TD on Scopebuggy
with Argo Navis and Feathertouch focuser
27mmPan, 13mm & 8mmEthos, 6mm Radian
Howie Glatter laser and Blug
Coronado PST
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DanJ
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/01/04
Posts: 1026
Loc: Youngsville, NC
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I mainly use my Orion Zoom with much success. Typically, I will view around the 10mm-12mm range. Sometimes I go a bit higher on the power, but seeing usually gets me back up in the medium power range.
Cheers!
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Dan J.
XT8i
ETX 90
PST
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Seattle Brian
sage
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 272
Loc: Renton, WA
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Yeah, I pretty much keep my Meade 6.7mm Ultra Wide in the telescope at all times. The Pentax XW is still fairly sharp at 80x, but the backout with the PST is pretty annoying. So it doesn't look like I'll be needing a shorter focal length eyepiece based on what everyone has said. Good for the wallet, bad for observing.
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Brian
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pennyandchris
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Horsham, England
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I used an 8-24 zoom, and normally quickly zoomed to the 8mm end. When I used a fixed focal length, it tended to be a 9mm. Anything much less than 7mm was rarely worthwhile.
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Orion UK OMC140 Mak Cass
TeleVue Ranger
Coronado Ha and CaK PSTs
Meade LXD75 mount
Ambermile alt-az mount on wooden surveyors tripod
Manfrotto 074 photo tripod with 501 head
+ various binocs
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