What is Reddit's opinion of
Yosoo 66 Degree Ultra Wide Angle Astronomy Telescope, 1.25 Inch Telescope Eyepiece Lens HD 6MM Focal Length Multi-Coated for Telescope, Black (1.25 Eyepiece Lens)?
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61 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
Just a heads up, there's a 6mm gold line on amazon currently going for $10 - that's cheaper than ordering it from China.
Not sure how long it'll last, but it said "8 left - order soon!" when I bought one yesterday, and now it just says "In stock".
Here's the link: Yosoo 1.25" Ultra Wide Angle Eyepiece Lens 6MM Focal Length 66-Deg Multi-Coated for Telescope (1.25 Eyepiece Lens)
Thanks to /u/KingRandomGuy for the tip.
I actually have that in my Amazon cart as a piece for my office.
One of the best things about Amazon is it's hassle free returns, that scope falling in that policy. That's a 3" mirror, it's portable and it's not on a flimsy mount. It's not a parabolic mirror so you may not experience some of the best views, buts it's a wonderful start to the hobby.
The worst part is guiding that scope without a finder. That's a big big challenge I wouldn't want to start with, personally
I can tell you confidently you'll hate those eyepieces included though. They have poor eye relief and a very narrow view. If you have the cash this $35 6mm 66° view eyepiece which could be re-used for most scopes (assuming you upgrade).
I still, would side with another user that it's be worth your while if you shelled out a bit more for a 100mm (4") Orion Skyscanner but I'd be the first one to respect budget constraints and.. who knows maybe you'll upgrade this while you're still within return policy with Amazon. Just save the box and post pictures
If I were your best friend in the whole world I'd suggest saving to do more. Or, by all means try it but keep in mind you can return it for a full refund
So we tend to watch when someone is selling a batch of these at a good price, usually short-lived, and there is a reseller selling some for a paltry $17 buzz on Amazon right now. I can seriously recommend picking one up. I've got the 6 and 9mm if these, and combined with my 20mm Plossl and 32mm Plossl are basically the 4 EPs I use the most.
Currently being sold here:
Yosoo 1.25" Ultra Wide Angle Eyepiece Lens 6MM Focal Length 66-Deg Multi-Coated for Telescope (1.25 Eyepiece Lens) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L1HBIME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bcgADb6VNXKB2
Edit: also I've got the 8-24mm zoom eyepiece (which is basically the exact same optics resold by Meade and Celestron) and am fond of it, much better than stock junk eyepieces, and almost as good as base model branded Plossls, but these out perform it at low focal lengths.
Hi :-)
Great telescope!
> advice
"Turn left at Orion" - the missing manual on how to observe, what's worthwhile to observe.
A 6mm gold-line or so for planets, as the kit eyepiece(s) don't quite cut it.
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
Aliexpress, eBay, Amazon - Don't get an eyepiece set with Plössl or short Plössl (horrible eye-relief).
And ideally, a collimation tool, e.g. a DIY collimation cap or a $12 cheshire-sight-tube
> maintenance
Never wipe the mirrors clean, dust doesn't matter much. Else you might damage the coating. If cleaning is required, http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-resources/caring-for-your-optics/
Clear skies! Have fun, keep us posted :-)
Hello :-)
I would recommend to get a 6mm and 15mm gold-line eyepiece instead. They perform better than barlowing the 10mm kit eyepiece. At $20-$40 per eyepiece, they are quite affordable :-)
Amazon $39
~$23 eBay, China (Some allegedly Chinese sellers state to ship from the US, so be aware of delivery times)
~$19 Aliexpress, China
(Random links, ymmv, check recent reviews/ratings)
Clear skies! :-)
//edit: Differen Apparent field of view of different eyepieces, and field of view simulation with an 8"
Hi! :-)
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
Don't get a short Plössl (horrible eye-relief) or cheap barlow (ads some chromatic aberration)
...more magnification might be possible with a 6", but atmospheric seeing conditions often limit it anyway. Also, despite things appearing a bit bigger at over 200x, they also get dim and dull. The 6mm will show most of the details while being the most versatile.
Clear skies!
Hi, as in my other reply, don't get the kit :-) That's pretty much a waste of money. Do not trust Amazon reviews / recommendation when it comes to telescope accessories.
A 6mm gold-line has a long eye-relief, while Plössl or other older eyepieces under 10mm don't. They have a nice 66° apparent field of view. A gold-line costs $20-$24 at Aliexpress or eBay, or $40-$45 from an US store. It's a bit much magnification (1300/6~=217x) but if atmospheric seeing is good (and the telescope collimated) it can be great for moon and planets. A 9mm would show 144x. As for in-between, there's the HR Planetary series. Either will provide better views than a Plössl and a cheap barlow (which will ad chromatic aberration).
A 32mm Plössl shows the largest possible field of view (40mm just has a narrower afov), if you want to upgrade the 25mm... But you can just use it for now.
One in-between, e.g. a 15mm Gold-line or Plössl.
For many deep-sky and nebula, more magnification will just makes things dim. So it's good to cover the medium magnification area as well. Barlows work, but introduce some chromatic aberration, at least within this price-range (and you need some decent eyepieces first anyway).
//edit:
6mm gold-line
(9mm )
32mm Plössl
15mm,
Clear skies!
Hi :-)
It's an older eyepiece design.
Seems like it's a Plössl-Type, which means it has poor eye-relief (two thirds it's focal-length). https://www.adorama.com/one26.html
It will work ofcourse :-)
But with your XT8, you'd fair better with a long eye-relief, wide-angle eyepiece. The budget solution are the 6mm red-line/gold-line :-)
$20-$30 via Aliexpress, eBay, Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Eyepiece-Length-66-Deg-Multi-Coated-Telescope/dp/B01L1HBIME/
https://www.amazon.com/MEOPTEX-66-Degree-Ultra-Eyepiece-Telescope/dp/B07H8YZHFT/
Clear skies!
Hello :-)
Do not get barlows. Cheap ones introduce chromatic aberration 1/2).
For the price of a somewhat decent barlow, you can get two eyepieces.
300x is not the maximum of this telescope, but you can rarely push it beyond 200x due to atmospheric seeing conditions.
Are you from the US?
The 6mm 66° cost $29, often cheaper if on sale.
Field of view simulation:
6mm 66°
The 66° have a nice large apparent field of view. They suffer a bit of kidney-beaning (shadow if not looking through straight), but I never had issues when using the eye-cup.
The 58° type have a bit better viewing properties. Often more expensive.
IF they are on sale for $20-$25 or so, you could get the 3.2-4mm. It will rarely be usable due to atmospheric seeing, but if it works, it's nice. The 6mm is more useful (on most days).
You ideally also need something in the 9mm range, and 15mm range, depending on target and conditions.
Avoid short Plössl(52°) due to poor eye-relief, and the bad cheap 4mm 62°.
Clear skies :-)
Hi :-)
> And I spent $300 bucks on the telescope and don’t want to spend another $50 on lenses.
While the eyepieces aren't the best of the best, they do work. A planetary eyepiece is the only thing that's really missing.
For deep-sky:
A dark site is key and the bottle beck.
Somewhere where you can see the constellations and ideally the milky-way with the naked eye.
Do you have a guide or an app? It's not as easy as just pointing the telescope to random spots. The telescope shows a very small field of view compared to the naked eye or binoculars.
"Turn left at Orion" is a great guide that doesn't only show you what's where, but also how to observe, what to expect.
Things look differently with our eyes than on pictures. Older post on what to expect in different telescope aperture sizes.
If you have binoculars, they can already show a bunch of clusters and galaxies, make locating stuff easier when starting out. :-)
For planets:
A 6mm 66° costs around $20 when on sale.
A 5mm 58° a bit more.
Eyepiece field of view simulation in a 114/900: http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Mangofication-On-114900-Didgeridoo.png
5mm 58° Amazon US, Amazon Warehouse China
Avoid eyepiece sets, cheap short Plössl (poor eye-relief).
> 900mm magnification
That's the focal length and doesn't really specify how powerful a telescope is. The eyepiece is what determines the magnification in the end. The aperture (4.5" / 114mm) is what determines resolution and capabilities of the telescope.
> lenses
> deep space
A 32mm Plössl costs ~$15-$30 and shows a tad more field of view, but it's not going to be that much of an improvement. The 25mm kit eyepiece is fine to begin with. :-)
> stars
Stars remain dots even in the largest telescopes.
But doubles and clusters are interesting (and work a bit better under some light pollution).
You could try the double star Albireo and a few clusters (e.g. M13). Else it's going to be really difficult.
Clear skies, good luck! :-)
Hi :-)
The Aperutra zoom has a narrow afov at the lowest magnification (40°), which is really not good. This renders them useless as overview eyepieces to find targets.
The Baader is of good quality. The field of view gets smaller too, but not as small. The narrowest field of view is equal to a Plössl-type eyepiece (52°). Still not ideal but more usable.
I bought a zoom eyepiece similar to the Apertura one when I started out, thinking I would use it a lot and I'd be clever to get one that can do everything. Turns out it's not that great.
The only times I still use them is for my spotting scope.
Reasons I don't recommend zoom eyepieces.
You don't need a lot of zoom levels, especially at the lower magnification.
The zoom eyepieces don't cover the high magnifications for planets, at least at typical focal lengths dobsonians have (~1200mm), where they would be the most useful. You can combine them with a good barlow, but at that point you can just get some better eyepieces.
Decent wide-angle eyepieces don't have to be expensive. E.g. the 6mm 66° gold-line or 68° red-line costs $20-$30 at Amazon, eBay or Aliexpress. (https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B01L1HBIME/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=6+mm+eyepiece+66&qid=1620840789&sr=8-2) They provide more magnification for planets, have a wider apparent field of view. For a more you can get better ones of course, depending on your budget.
For an overview, a 2" wide-angle eyepiece will be the most useful. http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/1200-overview-eyepieces.png. http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/overvieweyepiecesxt.png Good ones performing well at F/5 can get a bit expensive though.
Lots of money for mediocre performance.
A 32mm Plössl for $15-$25 or so, two or three gold-lines for ~$20 each, and you're at $80 for a set of eyepieces with a wider range than the zooms.
E.g. 32 - 15 - 9 - 6mm. You can observe pretty much anything with that.
And ideally invest into a nicer wide-angle overview eyepiece (Erfle-type = 68°-72° $40-$100 depending on where and which one, or the Explore-Scientific 82° which work well at F/5 but cost more).
In my oppinion :-)
Clear skies!
Hello :-)
The Zhumell's 2" overview eyepiece is already a nice addition to what you'll usually get with other telescope.
You probably need one for planets, and something to fill the gap.
25mm/10mm kit eyepieces compared to wide-angle & planetary http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png (Similar for a 10")
(regarding overview eyepieces http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/3fieldEyepieceTelradStarhoppingComaETC.jpg - Do note that a F/5 telescope aperture ratio won't perform too well with 2" 70° erfle-type wide-angle eyepieces, but a better one can cost $300 or more - e.g. Explore Scientific 82°)
The main thing missing is a planetary eyepiece. 200-250x preferably. Atmospheric seeing often limits magnification.
On a budget, a 6mm "gold line" ($18 Aliexpress, $39 USA) is a decent eyepiece. The Orion Expanse are the same thing just branded. For a higher budget, check out the Explore Scientific 68° or even 82° eyepieces.
edit: Luminos wide-angle
The 15mm gold-line would close the gap of the kit eyepieces, and is nice for many nebulae. For 15mm, a cheaper Plössl will work too, but has a smaller apparent field of view. Under 10mm Plössl have very short eye-relief, so avoid them (and most kit sets consist of Plössl, too).
(No 15mm gold-line for a reasonable price at Amazon atm, but some sets)
A barlow will work too, but kit eyepiece plus budget barlow isn't too great. Barlows will introduce some chromatic aberration, resulting in lower contrast. For a $100 eyepiece budget, you could easily get two gold-lines and just use those. Do not buy dozens of eyepieces, three or four decent ones can go a long way... And as said, don't get the 5-12 eyepiece kits, they are overpriced and mediocre at best.
Clear skies!
Thanks :-)
The gold-line is the no-name variant of the Orion expanse,
Hello :-)
Congratulations on your purchase!
Here's my standard eyepiece graphic for an 8":
A 6mm for planets, something around 15mm for deep-sky... And possibly something in-between.
Ideally, also a 2" wide-angle eyepiece (70°), around 30-36mm -> overview eyepiece (but these cost $70 and up).
What are you willing to spend?
For the bare minimum, consider getting the 6mm "gold line" for planets.
Ideally, 6 + 9 + 15 (+ 25) + (30-36mm).
What to get
There are dozens and dozens of different eyepieces, types, brands. This is the low-budget recommendation;
The "gold line" are cheap and have longer eye-relief and a larger apparent field of view than short Plössl. They are only available in 6/9/15mm.
In China (Aliexpress, eBay) they cost $18-$25, in the US, they cost $35-40 (Amazon, Corvus Optics, Agena Astro...).
The brand name variant are the "Orion Expanse", but for their price, I'd rather recommend spending yet a bit more for the Luminos or Explore-Scientific ultra-wide-angle (if you want to spend more).
Gold-line:
You can also get the gold-line set 6/9/15/20, though I don't think you really need the 20mm if you would use the 15mm and the existing 25mm.
Check seller & product reviews if they are OK (especially on eBay and Aliexpress).
Sets and PLössl
The eyepiece sets you see, even if they have good ratings, are usually not worth it. Cheap Plössl are OK, but the shorter ones have horrible eye-relief, and a lot of stuff is redundant. You don't need a lot of filters and some eyepieces are very similar in focal-length.
Camera-Adapter:
Read the reviews, for $12 or so, there's little you can do wrong. They aren't great, but way better than holding the phone free-handed over the eyepiece, that's really difficult (especially at higher magnifications).
Clear skies!
Hello :-)
Great advice so far!
As the others mentioned, aperture is key. I would recommend a dobsonian as well. Rigid mount, simple to use, shows the most for your money.
What to expect in different aperture sizes - links
AD8/AD10
Do not buy an eyepiece kit though!
6mm gold-line CN (sometimes $18 or so), eBay, Amazon
Equatorial mounts are great in theory. But most sets are not overly stable, and a better mount can cost as much as the telescope. The set-up is more complex. Tracking with a dobsonian isn't too difficult thanks to the smooth movement, rigid mount, and wide-angle eyepieces. Short reflectors on EQ mount have issues with focuser position and the faster aperture ratio results in coma and some other issues. You can also buy/build an EQ-platform for dobsonians.
3 is a bit old, but the moon and possibly planets will be an interesting targets for a few glimpses. Don't expect too much though :-) A step-stool might be a good idea.
2" focusers play a major role for overview eyepieces, else you can get away with 1.25". Stay away from eyepiece box sets with Plössl (overpriced, short Plössl have horrible eye-relief).
An EQ mount is not necessarily less bulky than a long dobsonian.
If you want something compact, a table top dobsonian or Maksutov might be a better idea, will limit your aperture options though. (Explore FirstLight 127mm? Starblast 6? Kid compatible AWB Onesky or Mini 130...).
> dobsonian scope be too unstable
Usually no issue. Worst case: Have a small board for leveling ready. Else you can put them directly onto the grass.
Here's an [Image from engineerdir] :-)
Clear skies!
Hello :-) Another vote for the AD8 :-)
As /u/orlet pointed out, the collapsible is even heavier, though of course for some tight spaces it can be a nice gadget... But collapsible only make sense for larger dobsonians IMHO :-)
> possible to observe nebulae
They appear different than on images, but yes, under dark skies a lot is possible! :-)
What to expect in different telescope apertures - under good conditions and patience, practice
> accesories
The AD8's included bits and bytes are pretty good;
A good guide/map (Turn left at Orion) and one or two more eyepieces can be nice to have. Don't spend too much on accessories quite yet. The only thing really nice to have is a planetary eyepiece and a book/map.
Eyepiece field of view simulation
6mm gold-line
- eBay, us? cn?
- Aliexpress, cn (sometimes on sale for $18 or so)
- Amazon
- For 15mm a Plössl would work, but the gold-line don't cost much more.
Stay away from sets with Plössl. Under 10mm their eye-relief is horrible. And they have a smaller apparent field of view.
As /u/HenryV1598 wrote, a Telrad can be nice under dark skies :-) Images, Links.
Clear skies!
> Is there anything I would need to add to the 4.5 Funscope or the SkyScanner to make it suitable for planetary viewing
Yes, unfortunately the eyepieces they come with have too little eye relief, and insufficient magnification, and their optical designs will not perform well at the fast focal ratios of those scopes.
Depending on which scope you go with, will change what eyepiece I'd recommend.
For the Astro Dazzle, I recommend the 6mm Orion Expanse or generic gold line equivalent (this is the same eyepiece, just with generic labeling, and much cheaper). This eyepiece will give 83x, good eye relief, and a generous field of view, and the view won't be too dim. All of the following eyepieces are identical. Literally the same thing. The generic ones might have QA issues.
- 6mm Orion Expanse ($50)
- 6mm Agena Enhanced Wide Angle ($45)
- 6mm generic gold line on Amazon - overpriced, but fast delivery ($40)
- 6mm generic gold line from AliExpress - cheap, but long delivery time ($26)
For the SkyScanner, I recommend a different eyepiece: the 5mm Agena StarGuider Dual ED.
80x, also good eye relief, good view brightness, slightly narrower field of view, but still WAY better than the Kelner eyepieces that come with those scopes:
Either of those two combinations will be good for viewing planets. You will be able to see:
- Jupiter's four largest moons (which change positions drastically from night to night)
- Jupiter's cloud bands
- Saturn's rings
- Saturn's shadow being cast onto the rings
- Possibly some high level light and dark spots on Mars during the opposition coming in July
- Tons of details on the Moon
Technically you can get a little bit more magnification out of both scopes, and you could totally use the 5mm Agena StarGuider on the 4.5" AstroDazzle for 100x magnification, but the view will be slightly dimmer, the higher magnification will reveal imperfections in the scope's optics more, and the planet will drift out of the field of view faster. I'm hesitant to push the magnification too high given it's your son's first scope, and what's important is just being able to keep the object in the view easily. There's still plenty to see at 83x anyway.
Btw, this may indeed just be a passing fancy for your son now (6 is quite young). But either of these scopes, if cared for, will still be excellent "re-first" scopes if he gets back into it when he's a bit older, or even if you want to take the occasional look through them.
You could get the 6mm "gold-line" eyepiece from amazon, ebay, or aliexpress instead of the Expanse. The gold-lines are just a generic Expanse for half the price or less. I use the gold-lines in my 6" Skywatcher classic and they're well worth the money. I paid about $100 US for the 6mm, 9mm, 15mm, and 20mm together.
A nice planetary eyepiece is a must. For the budget minded get the gold line 6mm.
For planets another eyepiece is almost required.
Depending on your budget, a 6mm 66° "gold-line" or red-line will do. There are better ones of course, but these are great budget eyepieces to get your toes wet. Even if you ever decide to spend $200 or $300 on high-end eyepieces, these will remain good "visitor's eyepieces" :-)
(Random link, a bit cheaper on Aliexpress or eBay sometimes. You'll find them under various names).
The AD8's 30mm overview eyepiece, the 9-10mm kit eyepiece, and the 6mm will give you the basics to get started. Of course it would be nice to replace/add a few more. But IMHO get used to those. Get a good guide (e.g. "Turn left at Orion", adjustable chair, dimable red light, warm socks ;-)
You can spend a lot of money on accessories, but a lot of sets are rubbish (avoid almost all eyepiece sets even if they have good reviews. Overpriced, redundant, mediocre. You don't need a dozen magnifications.)
Filters can help, but don't do miracles (color filters for planetary detail, subtle, and you don't require a dozen different ones. Light pollution filters are limited, a tank of gas to a dark site is the best investment. Nebula filters can be great, but the best way to observe DSO still is a dark sky ;-) ).
~6mm, ~10mm, ~15mm and ~30mm will cover almost anything.
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
More than 200x can work, but atmospheric seeing conditions often limit what's possible anyway. Even if you'd like to use more. A 4mm 58° type (HR Planetary clone) costs $30-$35 (a bit less on Aliexpress sometimes) and is a nice addition to have without breaking the bank. At the high magnification the planets will typically remain significantly less than a minute in the field of view. Not ideal, but still tolerable.
Hello :-)
Great advice so far! I second /u/Orlet 's and /u/CzechAstronomer ' adivce. If you search around, you will find a lot of troubled forum posts about issues with the 127eq, and almost all telescopes on tripod in this price-range have stability issues.
What to expect in different telescope apertures
The XT6 is a solid telescope. Rigid, shows more, less compromises.
If you can find the Skywatcher dobsonian cheaper than it's current price on Amazon -> It has a better focuser and finder. The z8 has so many accessories (and a larger aperture) it's also worth considering. It's the best bang for the buck - But of course also in a different price-range.
For the XT6, also consider a 6mm for planets. (1 2 3)
Get a simple height-adjustable chair. Even with a telescope on tripod, observing seated is more comfortable.
Only three planets show noteworthy surface detail, and aren't always up. so considering aperture and portability is always worth it. There are so many deep-sky objects, but they require a dark site.
"Turn left at Orion" <- The missing manual on how to observe, what to expect, and what's worthwhile observing.
Clear skies!
Thanks :-)
Off the train, can post links now more easily ;-)
> bring it to the mountains
Size/Portability links, in particular
- 8" Video of handling
- 6" picture (Don't let it fool you, it's not a carry-around item)
> assemble
As /u/Orlet wrote and as in the above video: Place down, observe! :-) That's the beauty of the stupidly simple dobsonian style mount. It's not as neat as an equatorial mount, but rigid, intuitive, cheap.
> > 325
> Really!? Where!?
Skywatcher 8"
All 8" lack of a planetary eyepiece;
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
$35-$40 at Amazon, sometimes in-between at eBay. Don't get a short Plössl or set (horrible eye-relief despite some good reviews from beginners who don't know better).
> less powerful
Links on what to expect in different telescope aperture sizes, in particular
- General Overview
- Deepsky, sketched with 6/8/12.5" after long observation
- Deepsky, Lightpollution
The other one I've mentioned
> most awesome space stuff
> b.s.
seems like the correct termonology ;-)
> in my shoes
A 8" is the best bang for the buck. The SW is great for the price despite less accessories than the AD8. You can't do much wrong, but look at the size link / video.
You can attach cart wheels and basically turn the base into a wheelbarrow, some commercial solutions exist. I've bought a cheap sub$100 kid bike hanger for mine which worked OK but it's a bit top heavy.
A 5" is just much lighter, can still be nice, but of course only scratches on the surface of deep-sky. Not even 10" will show stuff like on images though, I hope he's aware.
Else: Telescope mockup, "Turn left at Orion" (the missing manual) and Binoculars (even cheap Cometron 7x50 can be nice). Then decide what to get together :3
Hi :-)
Summoned by /u/GrassNinja139, I wil just leave these here:
6mm "gold-line" CH/Aliexpress^(sometimes cheaper, check recent ratings), US/Amazon, ebay, claims to be from the US but in Chinese holiday mode?
There's also a set of all gold-lines (6, 9, 15, 20mm, $99 from the US) but not all are required.
The gold-line aren't perfect, but have better eye-relief than Plössl (which are usually cheaper, and what is to be found in most eyepiece box sets- under 10mm they are almost unusable) and a larger apparent field of view.
Better eyepieces would be the Explore-Scientific ultra- wide-angle or Luminos for example.
Generic eyepiece info
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/AFOV_.png
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/eyeRelief.png
Field of view simulation, not specifically for a 12", but you get the idea;
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/3fieldEyepieceTelradStarhoppingComaETC.jpg
(-> Possibly a Telrad finder)
Make sure you're aware of the size of a 12", they are quite a bit bulkier than the 6-10" dobsonians. Size links
What to expect in different telescopes - visually, get your expectations straight compared to images
The most valuable accessory...
A good guide such as "Turn left at Orion"
Clear skies! :-)
Hello :-)
The Skywatcher 6" is sometimes even cheaper, and has some better base accessories (finder, 2" focuser).
If you aren't in a hurry, you can get the XT6 for +-$200 and the XT8 for a little more as "2nd" (used/refurbished) directly from telescope.com - https://www.telescope.com/Sale/Clearance-Center/pc/6/777.uts?&refinementValueIds=4567 (currently only the xt4.5, but they do appear regularly).
6" shows more than 5", as surface area increases drastically with every inch of aperture, and the aperture ratio of the 6" and 8" are a bit less critical (coma, parabolization requirements, performance in cheap eyepieces).
Still, I use my Onesky/Heritage the most due to it's portability.
Links on what to expect in different apertures
Instead of a barlow, a decent planetary eyepiece with long eye-relief is affordable (e.g. the so-called gold-line, <=$20 at Aliexpress or eBay, $39 at Amazon)
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
Apparent field of view, http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/AFOV_.png
The AD8 is the best deal when it comes to the larger ones, as it includes so many accessories, that it's technically a better deal than the 6" dobsonians.
Clear skies!
The "gold-line" 6mm is the best budget eyepiece and within your budget.
Older eyepieces have small eye lenses, as they are often just designs made out of 2, 3 elements, and basically you have to make them small in order to keep aberrations down (focal ratio).
Modern eyepieces are basically long focal length eyepieces with larger lenses, and an integrated barlow-like element, that changes the incoming light-path. But compared to a eyepiece plus budget barlow, the element is calculated to fit the eyepiece and keep aberrations much lower than a barlow in this price-range would.
Do not get a 4-6mm Plössl, or a 4mm 62° plasticy "copper brim" style eyepiece. The first one have horrible eye-relief, the second one adds poor performance overall.
I've included links to the 6mm gold-line in my original reply, you can find it for $19 or so on Aliexpress, $23 on eBay, $39 in the US (Amazon, Corvus Optics, Agena Astro).
Amazon $29
~$23 eBay, China (Some allegedly Chinese sellers state to ship from the US, so be aware of delivery times)
~$19 Aliexpress, China
Random links, ymmv, check recent seller and product ratings.
For the moon, you could push it to 4.5mm, 5mm, but while things get slightly larger, you do run into the limits of the telescope regarding image brightness and contrast.
Hey, check out my reply to Orlet about what to expect :-)
A decent planetary eyepiece (Not a kit even if it has 5 star Amazon reviews) is handy for planets;
6mm gold-line
I picked up a used astroscan a few years ago and they are great little scopes! I was lucky and mine came with 12mm and 28mm eyepieces that were purchased from Edmund Scientific with the Astroscan. The only eyepiece I purchased, on the advice of a redditor, was a 6mm goldline. It's great for viewing planets!
​
Also here's a super helpful comment from when I posted about getting an Astroscan a few years ago. I also found out that if your Astroscan is poorly aligned, as of 2 years ago Scientific Direct was still servicing them if you didn't want to DIY it.
Hello :-)
What eyepieces do you have? Any other accessories?
A good guide (e.g. "Turn left at Orion") is key for getting into finding deep-sky objects.
The 6mm 66° (random link, ymmv) for planets is a "must have" on a budget and to view the planets. The kit eyepiece of the XT6 is limiting.
Ideally you have three to four decent eyepieces (similar to this field of view simulation)
But avoid eyepiece sets, short Plössl (poor eye-relief). The 66° / 68° red-/gold-line are no-name eyepieces sold under various names. They are basically identical to the Orion Expanse eyepieces.
Clear skies :-)
Hi :-)
You measure the barrel, some older & cheap telescopes have 0.965" diameter eyepieces. They are usually not worth using, especially the kit barlow.
Eyepieces for a 8" could be a 30-36mm 2" Erfle-type (depending on your budget and how dark the sky gets).
A 6mm for planets and average/good atmospheric seeing conditions. More can work, but rarely.
two in-between, e.g. ~10mm, ~15mm.
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
On a budget:
6mm 66° ("gold-line"/"red-line" no name, $20-$30 via Amazon, eBay or Aliexpress)
The 9mm and 15mm.
30mm 68°-72° Erfle (these cost $40 via Aliexpress/eBay^? sometimes, $60-$100 from the US. Not the Orion Deepview.)
For planets, a 4mm 58° type costs $30-$50 and can be nice if the atmospheric seeing conditions allow it... Which they usually don't.
Especially for deep-sky, higher magnification also means a dimmer image. A 2-3mm exit pupil for larger nebulae, 1-2mm for smaller DSO is useful. Exit pupil = diameter of light exiting the eyepiece = eyepiece diameter divided by aperture ratio of the telescope. http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/exit-pupil-small.png - How low you can magnify depends on how dark your observing location gets, so a 40 or 50mm eyepiece usually don't make much sense.
Clear skies :-)
Is this what you mean by 'gold line' and is this good?
Also, what are some similar clones?
Great! :-)
It's not the best option, but a decent budget eyepiece with reasonable eye-relief. The Plössl (and most kits that contain these) under 10mm are not good.
The 6mm gold-line has a bit under 15mm, so you might have to take the glasses off (so only possible without astigmatism).
On Amazon, the 6mm is a bit more expensive. (Link); Other versions are the skywatcher, agena astro 6mm 66°. And the brand name Orion Expanse (but for that kind of money, it's not much of a difference to get a better eyepiece).
Yep, start with two or three eyepieces, expand later.
Regarding field of view, http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
> else
"Turn left at Orion", the missing manual :)
Some barlows and telescopes just don't work well together and can't reach focus.
Moreover, that 3x barlow is too much magnification for the 10mm. The Celestron AstroMaster has a spherical mirror and a short focal ratio, meaning it produces spherical aberration, and cannot handle high magnification.
The 3x barlow with your 10mm means it's effectively 3.33mm, which is 195x in that scope - far too much magnification.
This means even if the barlow could reach focus, it would only be useful with the 20mm eyepiece, giving you the equivalent of a 6.67mm eyepiece.
You're better off returning the barlow and just getting a dedicated eyepiece instead. That way it will be guaranteed to reach focus, and the quality will probably be higher anyway.
The 6mm "gold line" or Orion Expanse is about the limit for that scope. It will produce 108x magnification and a 1.2mm exit pupil. Any more magnification and you're just going to be magnifying the spherical aberation produced by the mirror, and not any more actual detail in the object.
- 6mm Gold Line (will take a month or so to arrive from China)
- Same thing from ebay. Again, will take about a month.
- Same thing from amazon. More expensive, but will arrive faster.
So, here you might ask, why bother with better brand eyepieces?
IMHO, don't... not at first, at least.
I would generally classify eyepieces in four categories:
Cheap crap that's not worth using under any circumstances
Pretty cheap starter eyepieces which aren't great, but aren't number 1 above
Competent eyepieces that provide pretty good views for a reasonable price
High end eyepieces
Category 1 is just crap. Nearly all 0.965 eyepieces and the eyepieces that often come with <$100 telescopes fit in here. Some of these even have <shiver>plastic lenses</shiver>. Luckily, these aren't THAT common unless you buy a crappy telescope.
Category 2 isn't great, but not always horrible. The eyepieces that come in a lot of those cheap kits fit in here (e.g. the Celestron kits with 5 eyepieces, a Barlow, and filters). They're not worth the price to buy, but they often come with low to mid-range scopes and you CAN get some tolerably decent views out of them. These are most often found in 9 or 10 mm and 25 mm sizes. They're almost all basic Plossls with poor eye relief, but, again, not horrible.
Category 3 is where I'd focus. These tend to cost between $50 and $125 each, depending on the retailer, manufacturer, and specific eyepiece. I fit my Meade 5000 series set here. I also have some vintage Celestron Ultima eyepieces (30 mm, 35 mm, and 18 mm) that fit in this space. The oft-mentioned 6 mm "gold line" eyepieces are a lower-price option that fit in this range. These are usually Plossl, but there's some other designs that pop up now and then. They tend to have better eye relief and better, clearer glass along with less chromatic aberration (an issue caused by light passing through glass lenses). Well-cared-for used eyepieces in this range can be a great buy. MOST, but not all of these, are 1.25" with some 2" eyepieces falling in this range. The ES 82° eyepieces that people often recommend are at the upper-end of these.
Category 4 is your high-ends, in particular those made by TeleVue. Some of these are absolute gems - and cost about the same as gems (well, maybe semi-precious stones). They often have much better eye relief, less internal reflection, less chromatic aberration, less overall distortion of the view, and even higher contrast on occasion. If you have the money for them, these kinds of eyepieces are awesome. But, they ARE expensive, and most observers really won't readily notice the difference. If I put my 40 mm Meade 5000 in your scope and then swapped it for a Televue that has a similar field of view/magnification, the average observer probably wouldn't see THAT much, if any, difference. But trained eyes, people who have spent a lot of time observing, will. My club has a set of nice Televues in our observatory... but we don't get them out often because most people just can't see the difference. They're better, but the degree of improvement is not as great as that between category 2 and 3.
You'd also asked about 2" versus 1.25". 2" is really only found longer focal length eyepieces like 30 and 40 mm. When you get down into the higher magnifications, there's no real benefit. In fact, the only 2" eyepieces I've ever seen with shorter focal lengths are 1.25" eyepieces with an added 2" collar. Here's an example with a TeleVue Ethos 10 mm. Notice how there's a wider flange outside and above the inner, narrower flange? The smaller flange will slide into a 1.25" focuser and the wider fits a 2" focuser. Some of their other designs have what appears to me to be a screw-on adapter. Regardless, the eyepiece doesn't benefit from a 2" barrel other than a more convenient fit.
So, in the long run... assuming you want to keep your cost down, I'd recommend something along the lines of the gold-line 6 mm, which is available from several retailers at different prices and different names. Here's one on Amazon from a brand I've never heard of named Yosoo. I'm 99% sure it's the exact same optics as this Orion Expanse 6 mm, but for less.
It's a dirty little not-so-secret in the telescope world that a lot of equipment from the more common brands (Celestron, SkyWatcher, Orion, Meade, and others) is manufactured by just a handful of factories in China. I'm not sure which factory churns these out, but they sell them off to different distributors who sell them under various names. This is one of those cases.
The Gold Line 6 mm will give you about 260x magnification, which is close to your realistic regular use limit. If you get a decent 2X Barlow, it will double that to about 520X on nights with REALLY good seeing. It's hard to find smaller than 5 or 6 mm. Celestron has a 4 mm Omni which High Point Scientific has for about $26 right now. I have an Omni 40 mm. It's not bad... but not great. I also see an X-Cel LX 2.3 mm for $75. I have no experience with that series, but I expect it would be competent. I don't see anything smaller than that out there.
Before jumping into anything, though, my universal recommendation is to join a local astronomy club and go to some star parties. In the past, at star parties, other observers have let me borrow eyepieces briefly to test out. In my club, there's nearly always someone who wants to sell off something to put money toward something else... and I've picked up several eyepieces this way (including a pair of Celestron Ultima 30's which I intend to use in a bino-viewer someday). Join a club, go to star parties, see what's out there and what fits your needs and budget best. Sure, we here are happy to answer questions, but there's nothing quite like seeing for yourself.
Good luck and clear skies.
I have an adapter to hook my canon dslr up to my 8" dobs, and it "works", but.....
- with the required barlow, it drops down to f/12 which is really slow
- That means Lunar / planetary are my only real targets (and maybe the ISS)
- Because of the barlow, I can't fit the full moon into a single frame
With my lack of experience, I've only taken a few blurry pictures of Saturn and a few more of zoomed in on Moon craters.
I also have an adapter to attach my cell phone to an eyepiece, and again due to my lack of experience I've only taken a few blurry pictures of the moon, and managed to capture ISS zooming past (way overexposed) in a video.
With your budget I'd suggest maybe a 6mm goldline. I have this one from Amazon for $33. I also have a nicer 82 degree 5.5mm Meade (about $100) but honestly I can't tell the difference between them. The wide angle view is much less useful on the high magnification eyepieces. Also the gold line is a more "normal" shape so it works better with cell phone adapters. In retrospect I'm happy with the 6mm gold line and wish I had purchased a 14mm Meade 82 degree instead of the 5.5mm.
The 6mm gold, camera adapter, and a cell phone adapter would all fit within an $80 budget
Hi :-)
You can also get them via eBay or Aliexpress if you don't mind the wait :-)
Hello :-)
What telescope do you have?
You can also get them via eBay or Aliexpress if you don't mind the wait :-)
You should check out the gold-lines with their 66° instead of 45° :-)
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/AFOV_.png
The 6mm is on sale at Amazon atm.
https://www.amazon.com/Eyepiece-Length-66-Deg-Multi-Coated-Telescope/dp/B01L1HBIME/
Usually, for a parabolic 130/650 mirror, I'd recommend something like the 4mm HR Planetary (58°, not Plössl or 62° copper top). http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/130-650-high_3.png But I would not use more than the 6mm with the spherical mirror ( https://i.imgur.com/XcE8pUf.png) and gradually check if it's really beneficial to magnify more.
> difference between brands and they all seem to cost relatively the same.
Usually the 6m m 66° are cheaper- cad$45 -cad$5 coupon. But due to Covid, lockdowns, there are a lot of telescope & accessories out of stock.
How about https://www.amazon.ca/Oculaire-longueur-rev%C3%AAtement-multicouche-t%C3%A9lescope/dp/B01L1HBIME ? It seems to be siginifcantly cheaper. (c$42 vs c$76)?
The 6mm 66° costs usd$18 or so via Aliexpress regularly. The redline are a bit more (68°) for whatever reason (supposedly they are the same).
> Q70
I use a Erfle/70° eyepiece with my 10" F/5 as well, but you certainly notice the degrading sharpness in the outer field. But a 38mm wouldn't work due to the exit pupil.
Coma, sharpness, aperture-ratio https://imgur.com/a/lzlNKnd
F/5, exit pupil http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/exitPupil_and_secondary1.png
Better eyepieces will still show coma but not degrade in sharpness like this, but eyepieces like the Explore-Scientific 82° 30mm are much, much more expensive.
Do you mean something like this?
6mm Gold line in Amazon for $35 is a must buy for planets.
Same eyepiece just matters if you want to wait for shipping or not. This 1.25" eyepiece can be used on 90% of telescopes too. So if you upgrade now or later it'll still work
Hello :-)
> 10 year old
Make sure the expectations are realistic, as stuff will not look like on stacked, edited images. Links on what to expect in different telescope aperture sizes
> canadian money
For $290 or so you can get a Skywatcher Heritage 130p, a great portable starter telescope! :-)
Many telescope stores have it.
The Zhumell z130 isn't available atm I think, Amazon.ca has it's smaller Z114 listed for cad$235. The Z130 and Bresser Messier 5 have a closed tube and different focuser that have some benefits, but the 130 beats the 114 regarding contrast.
These are table-top "dobsonians", I use my Heritage on an inexpensive Ikea-step-stool or crate. Better than what you'll find elsewise.
> or what to avoid ?
Avoid ANY set on a tripod in this price-range. Stability is key at the magnifications telescopes operate at. A better mount can easily double the cost of such sets.
The larger dobsonians aren't table-tops but cost cad$430-cad$610.
Any telescope lacks a (good) planetary eyepiece.
For the Heritage 130p,
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/130-650-high_3.png
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/awb_Heritage_Magnifications_small.png
a good 4mm such as the HR Planetary clones (58° type) start at usd$29 at Aliexpress. Cheaper, you can get the 6mm 66° locally via Amazon (Link) but they don't give quite as much magnification. It's possible to modify them. A barlow is another method, doubles or triples magnification, but the budget one reduce the contrast.
Also add a good guide, such as "Turn left at Orion" :-)
Possibly some cheaper 7x50 binoculars, they make it easier to get oriented when starting out.
Clear skies :-)
Do a search on Amazon, Aliexpress or eBay. Lens has a gold line on the barrel. Too easy.
https://www.amazon.com/Eyepiece-Length-66-Deg-Multi-Coated-Telescope/dp/B01L1HBIME
Hello :-)
Another vote for a 6-8" dobsonian.
A large aperture shows more (Links on what to expect in different aperture sizes, especially the bold link)
good optics
simple but sturdy rockerbox mount...
...leaving most money for the optics :-)
> up north
How portable does it have to be?
> package
Most sets that seem to contain everything are not really worth it. It's better to get a good telescope and one or two more decent eyepieces. Do not buy eyepiece box sets (overpriced, mediocre, redundant).
> package
8" dobsonian, e.g. from ontariotelescope, $489
6mm "gold-line" long eye-relief, wide-angle eyepiece; link,
Please note: I have no experience with canadian telescope stores. Read recent reviews or wait for Canadians to chime in :-)
If it's too big, the Heritage 130p, as /u/SantiagusDelSerif mentioned, is a nice portable bucket! :-)
> high point scientific
I haven't bought anything there, as I'm not from the US , but I heard good things about them in the past. If the price-difference isn't too big, check out the Skywatcher 6" (better focuser, finder, eyepieces). //edit: See below, it's actually cheaper! Also their 8" offers are good.
> light gathering info
Well, it's a 6" mirror, all other numbers (resolution, surface area) correlate to the aperture diameter. There's no 3" that will gather more light or have a higher resolution than a 6" of comparable quality. The "light gatering capabilities" are often specified in surface-area, so it doesn't matter if you compare telescopes by diameter or surface. Obstruction plays a role, but it's relatively similar with all reflectors of the same aperture & aperture ratio.
> tripod
No tripod!
The whole point of the dobsonians is their rockerbox mount. It's MUCH more stable than anything you can find in the price-range under $300-$400. ANY set with a tripod in this price-range is NOT good.
The dobsonian rockerbox is basically a lazy-Susan mount. The telescope is around 1.2m long (4"). Ideally, get a small height-adjustable chair, as observing seated is more ergonomic anyway (with ANY telescope, tripod or not) :-)
You'd have to pay around $1000 to get a 6" on a decent tripod. This is why dobsonians became so popular. Same performance, fragment of the cost.
TL;DR: The Skywatcher 6" is a bit cheaper and has better accessories
I know it's yet again a bit more, but the price-difference between the 6" and 8" of $20-$50 (refurbished XT8 or Apertura DT8 with better accessories) id worth it IMHO, especially as you said you are interested in deep-sky! Do check out the size (and aperture) links from before. If you have too much light-pollution where you live, portability will be key. Many things are invisible under city skies.
The 6" or 8" dobsonians benefit from a quality eyepiece for planets;
Similar simulation at 1200mm focal-length, 1/2/3
Clear skies!
IMO, I would just skip the barlow.
It's not going to be all that useful with either of the two eyepieces the scope comes with. 30mm becomes a 15mm, which is too little magnification for most objects, but not enough true field of view to see the biggest objects. Just an awkward focal length.
9mm becomes 4.5mm, which is fairly high magnification and will only be useful on the steadiest of nights.
I personally don't like barlows because either you build your eyepiece kit around them to save money, or you end up wasting your money by buying specific eyepieces you want, even if they create redundancy. Plus swapping the barlow in and out is annoying to me.
I would just personally put that money towards some dedicated eyepieces.
The 9mm focal length that comes with the scope is actually a good focal length (9-12mm is the sweet spot for that scope), but the problem is it's a Plossl, which means very tight eye relief and a narrow apparent field of view.
I would do one of two things:
- Either replace the 9mm with a better eyepiece in the 9-12mm range that affords more eye relief and a wider field of view
- Or keep it for now, and get a 6 or 7mm eyepiece for higher power lunar and planetary viewing when the atmosphere is steady. The 6mm Gold Line is a great value (though at this price, it will take you about 1 month to get it). If you want it sooner, you can pay a few dollars more from Amazon.
There is also a 9mm version of that same eyepiece series that is excellent:
Those are very good eyepieces for the money.
If you ever wanted to invest in some very nice "lifetime" eyepieces, then I recommend the Explore Scientific 82 series.
Hey :-)
> 2 inchers
You only need 2" eyepieces for a large field of view -> Overview eyepiece. For focal-lengths under ~25mm the 1.25" eyepieces will suffice, and cost much less (->as you're on a budget).
Ignore the DeepView and 2" Plössl type (not worth it). Wide-angle 2" eyepieces (->~70° apparent field of view) start at around $70 or so.
> quality pieces
> variety
Three decent eyepieces can go a long way.
Most sets do not match the telescope you have nor your requirements.
Short Plössl and cheap barlows may get you started but aren't worth it.
For around $50 you may get a gold-line and two Plössl instead of the kit that's not ideal for your telescope.
> his scope
What eyepieces does he have?
> ebay Listing
DO not buy this kit.
The 4mm is garbage (too short eye relief, too much magnification).
The 25mm is fine, but you could get a bit more field of view.
The 10mm is ok-ish
The barlow will ad chromatic aberration -> lowering the contrast
What is your budget?
Get a 32mm Plössl, a 6mm gold-line, and one or two in-between. A barlow can work, but lowers the contrast a bit (and even the cheaper ones cost around as much as an eyepiece).
US
32mm Plössl will show a bit larger field than the 25mm, field comparison
15mm Plössl/Gold-line
= $67 from the US,
CN
= ~$55 for eyepieces with longer eye-relief, larger (apparent) field of view! :-)
Lower budget: 32mm-25mm Plössl, 10mm Plössl, cheap 2x barlow. = from $29 (Aliexpress, random sellers)
Difference in apparent field of view http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/AFOV_.png
Eye-relief http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/eyeRelief.png
TL;DR: A 4mm Plössl is nearly unusable. I bought one, and it's sitting in a drawer for years now. The barlows share a similar fate ever since I've added good short focal-length eyepieces.
Hello :-)
Don't worry, the kit eyepieces aren't too great anyway :-)
What is your budget?
A good guide ("Turn left at Orion" or local equivalent)
A collimation tool (but it's possible without, but a chinese <$20 cheshire-sight-tube will do)
One or two eyepieces to fill the kit's gaps, Field of view simulation, e.g. the $20 gold-line from eBay or Aliexpress for planets, - CN, US?, US
possibly an overview eyepiece, 2" 30mm 70°afov... Depends on your budget and how dark your night sky gets, and if you want one at all.
Under truly dark skies, a Telrad (+ maps) is a nice finder alternative. Under less ideal skies, a 8x50 right angle finder / RACI
An adjustable chair (e.g. €20 ironing chair)
Warm socks :-)
Hello :-)
The "gold-line" (no name, brand name Orion Expanse) cost $20-$40 (Aliexpress, eBay, Amazon) and have long eye-relief and large apparent field of view.
The 6mm would give you ~150x, not quite the maximum your scope is capable of, but much more will make things dim and dull.
A 32mm Plössl will give you the largest overview. 40mm Plössl exist but have a narrower apparent field of view.
one or two in-between, e.g. a 15mm
For many deep-sky objects, a 2-3mm exit pupil (times the aperture ratio F10 = 20 to 30mm eyepiece) is nice to have. For smaller planetary nebulae a medium high magnification.
Clear skies! :-)
Man, thanks so much! This was maaaasively helpful. I ended up going with your budget 6mm eyepiece, and the Williams Optics 33mm.
This will hopefully get me well set for a while until I decide I want to go overboard on some $200 eyepieces in the future.
Thank you again for your thorough help!
Indeed, anything beyond 5" requires a pretty sturdy mount.
Simple EQ platforms have enough precision for visual, and you can do some wide-field with the camera on it or piggy-back on the telescope, but they are not precise enough for "serious" deep-sky imaging at 1200mm focal-length. For some shots of Andromeda, Orion nebula, Plejads and such it will work though.
Wide-angle eyepieces such as the gold-line, Luminos or even Explore-Scientific are still affordable, for starters I always recommend the gold-line.
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/AFOV_.png
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
> butt
:D
Depending on what you want to observe the most, the 4mm planetary (Planets) and the 15mm to fill the gap for deep-sky, with a larger exit pupil, is nice to have.
Cheap link list
4mm58° (agenaastro has the BST and Dual ED rather cheap, $50-$60)
(YMMV, check for product and user reviews :-) )
I have the 3.2mm HR Planetary, but depending on the mirror's quality, conditions and target it might be pushing things. I also have the 2.5mm, it's definitely too much (and my mirror is pretty decent).
Hi :-) Another vote for the xt6.
What to expect in different aperture sizes
XT Dobsonians are sometimes on sale here, used/refurbished
Out of the selected, XT4.5, but the difference is quite noticeable for just a bit more.
All sets on tripod in this price-range are not very stable, making observing and finding things tedious, frustrating. A dobsonian is a reflector telescope on a simple yet sturdy "rockerbox".
Also: "Turn left at Orion"<- The missing manual
And: A decent(!) 6mm eyepiece for planets; China, USA, USA?, USA
Clear skies!
> on TV
Do check the links on what to expect then, because things will be fainter and smaller :-) But it's still amazing how much we can observe.
> the closer
Our earth's atmosphere often limits maximum magnification. Most of the time more than 200-250x magnification makes little sense; Still, a larger aperture will have a higher resolution and shows a brighter image. So Saturn in a 4" would be nice, but in a 8" or so, the Cassini division in the rings is more clearly.
Do note that only three planets show noteworthy surface detail and aren't always up or observable well.
> more clear
For deep-sky, a dark site is key. Can you see the milky-way from the location whee she is going to observe?
> backyard
Fine for planets and the first steps in general :-) For deep-sky, the mountains will be an amazing opportunity to see fainter structures. But a 8" dobsonian is relatively large (fits on the back-seat of most cars though- measure). Weight-wise, it's not really that bad. Just big.
> garage
Great, the telescope just needs to be protected from dust/cobwebs.
If you are going for the Z8: It has more accessories compared to the Orion xt8 or Skywatcher 8".
Still, a decent 6mm for planets and possibly a 15mm can be nice. But don't get a short Plössl (eye relief is too short) or kit (overpriced, mediocre at best). Does she wear glasses? Astigmatism?
Eyepieces field of view simulation, 6mm CH/US
Also, a height-adjustable chair makes observing more comfortable.
A dim red light + paper-maps preserves night-vision better than a cellphone or normal flashlights. But to find the planets an app is great.
Hello :-)
If you are going for 8", consider the Zhumell z8.
Orion XT8: Simple Red-dot finder
Skywatcher 8": 8x50 finder-scope
Zhumell z8: Ergonomic right-angle finder-scope, dual-speed focuser for finer focusing, moon filter, laser collimation tool, 2" wide-angle eyepiece already included ($70 value).
Regarding 6" dobsonians, the Skywatcher has a 2" focuser, while the XT6 does not. 2" focusers allow you to use the wide-angle overview eyepieces. For planets, it's not necessary.
> light pollution
Light pollution does not matter for observing the planets. But only three planets show noteworthy surface-details and aren't always up. So considering a telescope for deep-sky is always worth it :-)
What to expect under decent conditions in different telescope aperture sizes
With any dobsonian, even with the z8, one or two more eyepieces will help you to get the most out of the telescope.
Do not buy eyepiece kits though (overpriced, mediocre at best, despite great reviews).
Budget 6mm wide-angle eyepiece with long eye-relief: China, eBay/China, US; 15mm Ch/Ch, US. 15mm: A Plössl ($18 or so) will work as well in this focal-length, shows a smaller apparent field of view though
> getting into astronomy
"Turn left at Orion" (or Nightwatch) are great books. They show you how to observe, where to find targets, and what to expect. Apps are fine too, but can ruin night-vision even in dark/red mode. And Apps do not teach you the basics of observing. :-)
Clear skies!
> if Z8 is more beginner friendly
Well, in theory, the telescopes are both 8 inch dobsonians. They mostly work the same, show the same.
But, yes, the z8 (or Skyline 8) is easier to use because of it's accessories :-)
The Zhumell's large and ergonomic finder is easier to use (right-angle), shows more (the xt8 only has a red-dot finder to point in the general direction)
the dual-speed focuser can be moved smoother,
and the 2" wide-angle eyepiece gives a larger overview.
Movement and learning curve are similar though. You can buy the accessories for the z8, but exchanging focuser is a bit fiddly, and with focuser, finder, eyepiece you'd almost double the price of the xt8 :-)
> show more
While both have the same aperture and thus show around the same, the z8 includes an overview eyepiece that will show a larger field of view (Eyepiece field of view simulation 1 2 - The xt has a 25mm 52° apparent field of view, the z8 a 30mm with 70° afov).
Either will benefit from a 6mm for planets 1 2 (but don't get a short cheap Plössl or eyepiece set despite good reviews!)
Do check the size links in my other post :-)
Wow, thanks! :-)
Check out the astrophotography wiki page, it sums it up the best. I am by no means an expert when it comes to imaging, thus lurking here and not on /r/astrophotography. ;-) I've dabbled with wide-field, a DIY barn-door, a simple computer mount, and decided I did not want to spend $1000 to get into the "real stuff" ;-) As you already have a DSLR don't hesitate to take some simple shots on a tripod. You will be able to capture the Andromeda galaxy, the Plejads and some other targets without any additional equipment. But small of course.
Depending on your favorite targets, a future telescope could be a c8 (planets, smaller DSO) or a HEQ5/Sirius-mount and a ED80 refractor for wide-field, or 150pds reflector for a bit of everything. Things like autoguiding, filters, cameras, coma correctors or field flatteners can easily double your initial budget :-)
For planets, you might not even need more than a dobsonian. You can even buy or build an EQ Platform that adds tracking to the dobsonian. And let the DSLR ride piggy-back for some wide-field.
A z10 will be a great telescope for visual, and even if you plan on selling it, such telescopes usually have a good resale value compared to the simple stuff on Amazon (e.g. many of the $150-$200 "best-seller" telescopes end up for $20-$50 on Craigslist).
If you're getting the z10: Despite it including so many accessories, do also consider getting
A 6mm and possibly a 15mm for planets
- (similar to this graphic, CH/US, Ch)
- Better eyepieces such as the Explore Scientific 82° are nice, but IMHO the above work fine. 3-4 decent eyepieces can go a long way. And you get a feel for what eyepieces you want/need. There's nothing worse than getting 6 high-quality eyepieces, just discovering that you can't use the $200 4mm eyepiece most of the nights anyway.
- More magnification is only possible if the atmospheric seeing allows (which it usually does not). A barlow (albeit reducing the contrast a little) or a cheap planetary eyepiece can be nice to have though for planets (e.g. this, note that tracking manually gets more difficult with a smaller apparent field of view)).
- No Eyepiece set. These contain mediocre eyepieces, redundant filters, and are overpriced. Short Plössl like the 4mm and 6mm in these kits have horrible eye-relief.
"Turn left at Orion" - The missing manual on how to observe, what to expect, and what's worthwhile observing.
The z10's finder is good. Still, some favor a "Telrad" & Maps for deep-sky under dark skies.
A height-adjustable chair makes things more comfortable for long observations.
Warm socks, tea :-) Even clear summer nights can get quite chilly.
Keep us posted :-)
Hello :-)
Where are you from?
In the US, the Zhumell z8/z10 is the best deal. In Europe, the GSO Deluxe (though it's not quite as good).
Else the Skywatcher dobsonians.
The Orion XT dobsonians come with very basic accessories (even compared to the Skywatcher dobsonians, they only have the simpler red dot finder). The XT 8 Plus seems a nice set, but the 2" DeepView eyepiece isn't showing a significantly larger field of view than a $20 Plössl eyepiece.
The beginner kit may seem tempting, but rather than the simple achromatic barlow, consider a dedicated wide-angle, long eye-relief eyepiece. Not a short Plössl though (eye-relief). CH / US
What to expect in different telescope aperture sizes
Apparent field of view of different eyepiece types
(Overview) Eyepieces for a 8"/10" field of view simulation
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/overvieweyepiecesxt.png
Sun filter is nice, but easy and relatively cheap to make. Also note that the sun in visual spectrum does not show structure you may have seen on pictures made with different type of telescopes.
TL;DR: Zhumell z10 > GSO Deluxe 10" > Skywatcher 10" > XT10 > Any 8" in similar order
Do not get a 3x barlow. Get some dedicated eyepieces first :-)
Combining the kit eyepiece with a cheap barlow isn't ideal regarding contrast. For $20-$40 you can get decent budget eyepieces such as the "gold line", HR Planetary clones and the Zhumell house-brand.
Collimation isn't as big as an issue as many beginners think. The guides are a bit complicated, but mainly because you don't have the telescope in-front of you to follow the steps :-) It all boils down to this: Turn three screws until everything appears centered. Done. Most other steps are for alignment of the secondary mirror and such, something you hardly ever have to do again.
http://garyseronik.com/collimation-tools-what-you-need-what-you-dont/
Hello :-)
Great advice so far!
Here are links on what to expect in different telescope aperture sizes.
Sometimes you can get the xt8 as used/refutbished telescope at http://www.telescope.com/Sale/Clearance-Center/Clearance-Telescopes/pc/6/c/777/81.uts?&refinementValueIds=4567
New, the Skywatcher 6" has a better finder and focuser than the xt6.
IF you can spend a bit more, the Zhumell z8 is the best deal overall. It already includes a 2" wide-angle eyepiece (worth $70 alone), a dual-speed focuser, right-angle finder, laser collimation tool, moon filter.
I've looked at Craigslist for Phoenix Arizona, no great deal so far. (Just further away, 10")
For planets, light pollution does not matter :-)
Eyepieces for a 6" or 8";
Clear skies!
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