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astroalex
member
Reged: 08/24/08
Posts: 68
Loc: Florida
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Hi, you might want to check out the Astro-Tech, Titan 32mm wide angle eyepiece. It has a 70 deg AFOV, 17mm eye-relief, and uses only 5 elements. Weight is 16oz, with a 2in barrel.
Cost is around $90.
When going for a wide-angle ep, you must also consider the exit-pupil you will have with the particular scope you intend on using it with. With my XT10I, get a TFOV of almost 2 degrees and exit-pupil of 6.86mm. This ep has a real nice twist-up eye cup light shield that comes up about 1 inch. I DO GET some slight kidney bean effect, that black spot in the center, when using it on bright objects, but this is not seen in a dark sky with only stars. The view is VERY NICE for the money, IMHO. I'm on a budget also for buying new gear and I do like this ep. It has a good look to it and is not overly bulky like my other 4 Celestron Ultima LX ep's.
I must say, the view thru the Titan 32mm is VERY immersive and have no problem with finding the correct position over the ep. However, the edge of field does reveal some coma as it will in all regular reflectors. But, the amount of coma is slight and doesn't bother me. I do have a Paracorr, but have not tried it out as yet, so don't know how much it would help with the coma. I am hoping it will clear "most" of it up.
Lastly, I would say, be careful with buying anything too inexpensive and make sure of the dealers return policy. If you buy from only ONE main dealer and get to know him, he will work with you and you will eventually find the right eyepieces, for you.
Good Luck with your search and Clear Skies! 
ps- The Titan II series is out now.
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Al Whitney
Orion XT10I, 1200mm, F/4.7
Moonlite CR2
ProtoStar Full Flocking
Tele Vue Plossl, 8,11,15,20,25,32mm
TMB Planetary, 2.5,3.2,4,5,6,7,8,9mm
Celestron Ultima LX, 5,8,13,17,22mm
Titan 32mm Series I
TV Paracorr & 2X Big Barlow
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sixela
Postmaster
Reged: 12/23/04
Posts: 9499
Loc: Boechout, Belgium
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Quote:
However, the edge of field does reveal some coma as it will in all regular reflectors.
I bet it's edge of field astigmatism, not coma.
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400mm f/4.46 David Lukehurst truss Dobsonian on Tom Osypowski equatorial platform
Orion Starblast (114mm f/4 reflector, Alt/Az)
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Mike B
Starstruck
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 4464
Loc: shake, rattle, & roll, CA
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Quote:
If you buy from only ONE main dealer and get to know him, he will work with you and you will eventually find the right eyepieces, for you.
Al has an excellent point here. There's three or four top-tier vendors i've done quite a bit of business with, and its a solid way to proceed. Only a couple of times have i sent stuff back- for whatEVER reason- and have not had any problem doing so. Not to name names or anything...  but the folks that host CN would be a good plase to start... and coincidentally, they *DO* carry those Astro-Tech EPs. 
Quote:
I bet it's edge of field astigmatism, not coma.
From what i experienced a while ago with a newly-issued TMB 30mm "Paragon" in my F4.55 Dob, i'd imagine its possibly EP astig AND field-curvature ("FC"), compounded into an unsavory stew by the F4.7 mirror's coma!
I'm curious, tho, as to how the newer "series-II" Titans might perform in that same F4.7 Dob of Al's. I'm also curious as to how much difference there'd be in EITHER ~30mm-ish "Titan" when used in the OP's F6 Dob. Better?... or just less worse?  As usual, there's quite a bit of room for "personal taste" in these matters... so as usual, "YMMV" 
And so long as we're discussing ~$200 Titan series II EPs & sale-priced Paragons, we may as well throw the Baader 31mm Aspheric into the pot & stir it around, too
Once an EP buyer raises their budget to ~$200, the field starts opening up some... dancing the "limbo" with an EP for yer partner is not for the picky of taste!
mike b
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Just for giggles- Next time when the money comes out the ATM, scream "I Won!, I Won!"
* * 15" F4.55 Starsplitter Dob * *
 Pacheco State Park
 Fremont Peak
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Migz
journeyman
Reged: 07/31/08
Posts: 9
Loc: FL, USA
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I have to Agree with Mike B and Sixela, I have zero regret and ALL kinds of sweet views with the 10mm Speers-Waler. I paid a little more back then, at $119 (Gen 2 5" tall, have seen a couple around for $99.) plus shipping from Canada. This eyepiece is very special, at least for me!. Breathtaking in my 20" F5.8. I have limited experience looking through expensive EP's, but the view must be something like looking through this piece of very fine GLASS! Yes Sir.
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Migz
20" F5.8 Homemade Reflector
10mm Speers-Waler
16mm, 30mm Russel Optics
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Lamb0
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/25/07
Posts: 668
Loc: Fairbury, Nebraska
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With a $100 per eyepiece budget, I'm not willing to recommend any ultrawide ~80° AFoV eyepieces for an XT8. The Hyperions, Panoptics, and Vixen LVWs I consider superwide. $ave your money and be prepared to slowly accumulate a few premium eyepieces such as Axiom LXs, Speers-WALERs, and used Naglers - it's money well spent, with a lot less frustration and grief!
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John "Have eyepiece - will travel!"
8" f/5 Dob w/2.14" sec in a 12" alum tube 'The Mortar' - w/PCorr 2° TFoV @ 36.5X ~70% illum *NICE*
Typical eyepieces: 32 Burg, 24 Pan, 20T5, 5-8 SW, Others ALL 2": Pcorr, 2X PwrMt, Ast H-b, Lum UHC + OIII
60mm $50 Walmart Special in training - aka "Backpack Observatory"
Minolta Activa 12x50 , Steiner 15X80
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Bill Weir
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 894
Loc: Metchosin (Victoria), Canada
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Quote:
Fro me economy is less than $100.00 and as far as focal length I'm looking for one in the 20-30mm range and one in the 8-12mm range. ultra wide angle 80 degrees
Well here's one in the 8-12 range and only 85 bucks. I own this exact same eyepiece. This would be the best 85 bucks you will spend on an eyepiece.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2663557/page/2/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
It works well in all of the scopes listed in my signature. It wil reach focus with your XT8 without any problem. You won't have to adjust anything.
Bill
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6'' Orion SkyQuest
12.5'' f/5 Custom Truss Dob
William Optics 80mm ZenithStar II ED Doublet
f/5 25" newtonian on a giant GEM, any time I want
Observing sessions grand total for 2007, 171.
So far in 2008, 115
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Mike B
Starstruck
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 4464
Loc: shake, rattle, & roll, CA
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Quote:
$ave your money and be prepared to slowly accumulate a few premium eyepieces such as Axiom LXs, Speers-WALERs, and used Naglers - it's money well spent, with a lot less frustration and grief!
Of course, adjusting for personal learning curves, experience processing, attitudinal fluctuations, and perception developments... said "frustration & grief" may be precisely the mechanism by which we appreciate the "premium" stuff when its finally in front of our eyes!  ... where we can actually recognize it for what it is.
My personal mantra has been "enjoy the trip".
Then, naturally, there's always "YMMV". 
mike b
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Just for giggles- Next time when the money comes out the ATM, scream "I Won!, I Won!"
* * 15" F4.55 Starsplitter Dob * *
Pacheco State Park
Fremont Peak
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