
XT10-Which DSO viewing EP?
#1
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 23 May 2004 - 09:31 PM
---Slickmm---
#2
Posted 23 May 2004 - 11:04 PM

#3
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 24 May 2004 - 07:34 AM
---Slickmm---
#4
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 24 May 2004 - 07:53 AM
Just a general eyepiece question: say a 1.25" 10mm against a 2" 10mm, same brand same everything except for size. Would the 2" give a better view than the 1.25"? Or is it just the same.
Thanks!
---Slickmm---
#5
Posted 24 May 2004 - 08:08 AM
Slickmm, before we can answer if the 25mm EP is enough and the controller would be better, I have a few questions. How long have you had the scope and how many times have you used it? What star charts are you using? Are you observing in the city or the country?
#6
Posted 24 May 2004 - 10:05 AM

#7
Posted 24 May 2004 - 10:52 AM
I use the Pentax 40mm XL, 14mm and 10.5 (discontinued series) which are expensive premium EPs and have recently added the GSO 30mm.
To answer the 10mm 2" vs. 1 1/4" question, the same.
#8
Posted 24 May 2004 - 11:49 AM
#9
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 24 May 2004 - 03:44 PM
I forgot about that Celestron kit. I can afford that. Seems only Norvin recommends that though. I was looking at the Optilux erik suggested earlier and was thinking about those as well. Erik also suggested a 7.5mm Ultrascopic but I just received a 7mm HD Orthoscopic so I assume that would take the place of the 7.5mm Ultrascopic. Or am I wrong.
Also eyepiece wise, Relativist is selling EP's under Shop and Swap and I was thinking of going with the 9mm Plossl for just $20 to add to the collection. Unless anybody has something bad to say about them.
I do have a little over $100 to spend and right now I am trying to decide what from the list that follows:
IS Controller
40mm Optilux
Celestron Eyepiece/Filter Kit
Keep the information coming,

Thanks!
---Slickmm---
#10
Posted 24 May 2004 - 09:27 PM
You shouldn't have any problem finding DSOs with your 25mm piece. That's what I've been using. No, the field of view isn't huge, but it works. I enjoy looking through it - it's all I know!
When I find the DSO, I pop in my 10mm and see how it looks.
Basically, I believe you need lower powered eyepieces for scanning the sky in search of DSOs, and, for taking in entire large object DSOs. (think m31, open clusters, some nebula)
For globs, planetary nebula, and many galaxies, you want to keep pushing up the power. So, I just always pop in the 10mm piece after finding it with the 25mm.
So, YES, without a doubt, you can find DSOs with that 25mm piece just fine. I've found a messiers up to 11 mag so far. And I find most of them from the backyard of my city home. (pop 125,000 - we get 4 something mag skies most of the time)
I'm not bothering to buy the controller.. not for a while at least. It's too much fun star-hopping to find them yourself.. the hunt is half the fun many of times! (OK, so the first time you find M13, the hunt will quickly be an afterthought - although it's easy as *bleep* to find again after that)
Anyhow, I'd just get to know the sky... get a book that lists the constillations and find out where those DSOs are. All I've used are Sky and Telescope monthly charts, and my audobon society guide to the night sky.
Once you find your first one, it gets much easier finding them after that.
You've probably heard this advice before, but I figured it couldn't hurt.
On eyepieces though, I figure I'll end up with a couple of good 20-30mm widefields to hunt down those DSOs, and a number of higher powers to get the best view I can find.
#11
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 24 May 2004 - 09:35 PM
---Slickmm---
#12
Posted 25 May 2004 - 12:15 AM

#13
Posted 26 May 2004 - 05:35 PM
Then I bought the 2" BW Optic 30mm. Much better with an 80 degree field of view, but the outer third of that wide field suffers from severe coma.
After trying other low power wide fields I came to the conclusion that I prefered medium power 1.25" widefields.
The 19mm Panoptic has been a wonderful eyepiece for finding DSOs. M81 & M82 both frame well within the field of view and M3 is easy to spot. Sometimes the added magnification makes all the difference.
Buy a Panoptic (24, 22, or 19mm) and a good Barlow (1.5, 2, or 3X) and you will have optics that are sharp to the edge.
You may buy many cheap eyepieces, or just a few premium ones; however, you will end up spending about the same.
Go with TeleVue or Pentex and you won't be sorry.
Jon Faasen
#14
Posted 26 May 2004 - 06:36 PM
I have an Orion SkyQuest XT10 with IntelliScope and am wondering what eyepiece would I most benefit from for viewing DSOs. I have been hearing good things on the Orion Deep Views, if so, which size mm? Or is that just up to me? Is there another brand thats really good that you like? As you can see, I am in the blue here. Thanks for clicking, reading, and responding.
---Slickmm---
For 1.25" eyepieces, I would go with the 24mm Panoptic which should give you about 1.27 degrees of true field at 50x. Another possiblity which I use a lot is Meade's 14mm Ultrawide, which in your scope would give you nearly a degree at 86x, ideal for teasing detail out of some of the larger galaxies. Granted, these aren't exactly inexpensive eyepieces, but they do offer very good wide-field performance. Clear skies to you.
#15
Posted 27 May 2004 - 10:14 AM

#16
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 27 May 2004 - 01:56 PM
Thanks.
___Slickmm___
#18
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 27 May 2004 - 02:19 PM

---Slickmm---
#19
Posted 27 May 2004 - 02:20 PM
#20
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 27 May 2004 - 02:21 PM
#21
Posted 27 May 2004 - 02:22 PM
Sorry if I am wrong about that though.

#22
Posted 27 May 2004 - 02:25 PM
#23
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 22 June 2004 - 07:31 AM
I just received my first scope, an XT10, after a year of using a pair of 25x100 binos. I’ve only used the scope twice since I got it, but I have some questions regarding eyepieces.
I enjoyed using the 25mm that came with it – got stuck on Vega while starhopping because it was just so darn purty! But I was not at all thrilled with the 10mm. With the 25mm it felt like I was looking into the night sky, but I felt like I was looking into a microscope with the 10mm. It felt constrictive. I noticed the FOV was narrower, but it seemed as if it was harder to focus my eyes on the image in the 10mm, as if it were uncomfortably close. Is this what is meant by eye relief?
And does barlowing affect this? I’d like a single, high-quality EP for planetary viewing and work my way toward high-quality pieces for DSOs.
#24
Posted 22 June 2004 - 07:48 AM
#25
Posted 22 June 2004 - 09:42 AM
Retail new for $240. Astromart often has some for ~$170 to $180.