What is Reddit's opinion of
Astromania 1.25" 4mm 58-Degree Planetary Eyepiece for Telescope?
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
By popularity on Reddit, this product is:
19 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
Seems like they have one wrong picture in their gallery, it's the 4mm :-)
Amazon, sure, but you'll pay $50-$55 locally, if it's in stock, what's a problem recently.
There's one,
Yes, though that one is out of stock?
For that price, you can almost consider a BST Explorer, or dual ED.
Hello :-)
What 6" is it exactly?
What eyepieces where included?
Celestron has different sets, so I'm just guessing here.
The 150/750 (6" F/5) -> VX 6"?
20mm eyepiece (PLössl, 52° afov)?
2x Barlow?
What country are you from? Offers differ slightly from country to country.
750mm/20mm = 37.5x magnification
2x barlow = 75x magnification
Planets
You could try with an eyepiece that will give you 200x. More is possible, but atmospheric seeing rarely allows it. Don't push it beyond 250x.
4mm eyepiece -> 187.5x magnification
3.2mm eyepiece -> 234.4x magnification
> inexpensive
What's your budget?
The cheapest decent short eyepieces are the HR Planetary or newer BST Explorer, Dual ED eyepieces. Short (<10mm) cheap Plössl have horrible eye-relief.
On a higher budget, a ~$150 Explore-Scientific 4.7mm would be a nice eyepiece, or an imported AstroZoom based on a Lacerta 7-4mm wide-angle (82°) zoom :-)
Overview eyepiece
For a larger overview, on a budget, the 32mm Plössl ($20-$30) show a tad more field of view. If it has a 2" focuser, you could get a 2" wide-angle eyepiece. The simpler ones cost $70, but don't perform too well at an aperture ratio of F/5 (outer field decreased sharpness).
In-between:
As more magnification makes things dim, for many nebulae, something with 2-3mm exit pupil (multiply by aperture ratio of F/5 -> 10-15mm) is very handy. And something in-between that and the planetary eyepiece for smaller clusters, nebulae perhaps.
- A 6mm and 15mm gold-line on a tight budget for example. (125x / 50x).
The gold-line is the no-name variant of the Orion expanse, and are good budget eyepieces with decent eye-relief and a larger 66° apparent field of view. They are only available in 6, 9, 15 and 20mm though.
IF it's not a short 6" but rather something like a 6" Celestron starhopper dobsonian, the above eyepieces will provide too much magnification! Then a 6mm will be a better choice (200x).
Clear skies! :-)
> next lens
For the 130/650, the 3-4mm HR Planetary
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
And the 15mm gold-line 1.
> next scope
Zhumell z8 or z10. It costs more than the Skywatcher 8", but includes so many accessories, that it's well worth it. The z8 already includes a 30mm 2" wide-angle overview eyepiece (worth $70 alone), a dual-speed focuser, ergonomic right-angle finder, moon filter, laser collimation tool. The Skywatcher only has the 25mm and 10mm kit eyepieces. http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dobson8eyepieces1200.png
The Orion XT8 is more common, but even the xt8 plus comes with simpler accessories. E.g. the deepview eyepieces that don't really show a larger field of view.
Yes, the telescope comes with a 25mm eyepiece (26x magnification = 650/25) and a 10mm eyepiece (65x magnification). That's enough to tell if it's Saturn or Jupiter, but to observe details, a bit more helps!
Pushing it beyond 150-200x with this telescope will make things larger but also dim and dull. So a 4mm HR Planetary as mentioned above can be a decent budget solution. BST Explorer and dual-ed/TS-ED are better, but also more expensive. $25 at Aliexpress, $45 at Amazon or so. https://www.amazon.com/Astromania-58-Degree-Planetary-Eyepiece-Telescope/dp/B013SBTIK0/
A ultra low budget solution is a cheap 3x barlow. Or the chinese 5x barlow that's really just 3x, at least in combination with the short 10mm kit eyepiece. https://www.amazon.com/Fully-Blackened-Barlow-Adapter-Telescopes/dp/B017N4RIFK
I've posted one of my links twice, here's the field of view simulation that should have been in my previous post -> http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/130-650-high_3.png ;-)
Hello :-)
> city
For planets, it's not a big issue. But planet season's over; (http://www.nakedeyeplanets.com/visibility.htm)
For deep-sky, a dark site is key. But of course there's a little possivble everywhere.
Can you see (some of) the constellations?
> attachments
For planets and smaller targets, a 4mm HR Planetary. But no cheap 4mm or overpriced set :-)
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 https://aliexpress.com/item/4000084447764.html
https://www.amazon.com/Astromania-58-Degree-Planetary-Eyepiece-Telescope/dp/B013SBTIK0/ (At that point you could probably go for a 6" dobsonian instead of 5" + expensive eyepiece ;-) )
(6", random link, bigger, not a table-top anymore, https://www.ontariotelescope.com/Sky-Watcher-Classic-150P_p_1824.html)
> book
Not sure if it's for dummies, but "Turn left at Orion" is pretty good!
> cold
Well, you will have dew, and you need to let things try before you close the tube and store it, but it's no big deal. Telescopes are outside-animals :-)
> Amazon Canada
There are some other options over there, like the Skywatcher Heritage 130p. Especially if you want to transport the telescope, it's a bit more compact. Under direct light, the Z130 has benefits though. You can build a shroud for the Heritage out of cardboard though.
https://www.ontariotelescope.com/Heritage-130-Tabletop-Dobsonian_p_1825.html
I use the Ikea Bekväm for my Heritage 130p, not sure if it fits the Z130.
Someone suggested a stool from Ikea, but I forgot the name for the moment.
> astrology
Better change that to Astronomy, it may cause a storm to brew on this subreddit :-)
Clear skies!
That kit is terrible. purchased and highly rated by people who don't know any better.
Usually Mom's and Pop's who are happy little Billy is smiling on Christmas.
Or enthusiastic newcomers who think they struck a bargain with "good", cheap Eyepieces that show them the Moon and Planets. But unaware there were much better Eyepieces out there that would give even better views.
Some might even be fake, paid for reviews.
Typically, the best low cost Eyepieces are bough individually. Slight uptick in cost for significantly better views.
Recommend Astromania Planetary and/or SvBony Goldlines
Technically, the "Goldlines" are a bit of an exception as they all are pretty decent. all are usable with that scope. Buy the whole set if you want, but the 9mm and 6mm are typically thought of as the best in the set. So buy just those if inclined. But at least buy a 15mm and/or 25mm from the Astromania set for good overview(25mm) and medium power(15mm) eyepieces if you decide to buy just those two Goldlines.
The Astromania Planetary's don't come in a set, but all of them are pretty much equal in quality. The 7mm, 15mm, and 25mm would be good choices.
Hi :-)
For what telescope?
China https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32823985645.html
US https://www.amazon.com/Astromania-58-Degree-Planetary-Eyepiece-Telescope/dp/B013SBTIK0/
UK https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-planetary-uwa-58-eyepieces-125.html
Avoid the cheap 4mm 62°.
//EDIT: For the 6" dobsonian, the 4mm is too much! Seeing & optics will be at the limit!
Clear skies!
> moon
Are you uncomfortable when observing it in the 10mm?
At even higher magnification it will be dimmed down further, so you might get away without one.
Do keep in mind the 4mm isn't useful most nights.
Try the 6mm 66° first as it will be much more useful. It can be modified if you like tinkering.
The 4mm is out of stock atm again :-( https://www.amazon.com/Astromania-58-Degree-Planetary-Eyepiece-Telescope/dp/B013SBTIK0
Also at https://agenaastro.com/bst-1-25-uwa-planetary-eyepiece-4mm.html
Agenaastro has the 3.2mm but be aware that the exit pupil gets small ([more isn't always better]http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5MagnificationSaturn-crop.png - but I have had some nice views with a similar setup), https://agenaastro.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=3.2mm%20eyepiece
The afov also gets small, the planet will move out of the view quicker. If you're not doing already, put the planet just outside the field of view, let it wander through the entire field, then adjust --- instead of trying to keep it centered all the time.
Unless you want to spend more on an Explore-Scientific 4.7mm with a large 82° afov...
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/transit-saturn-time12fps.gif
Too bad! See in the complete dark if there's a faint glow anywhere, or see if the contact has corroded. New battery?
Eyepieces, http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/130-650-high_3.png
4mm 58°
(6mm 66°)
Magnification, Barlow, http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/awb_Heritage_Magnifications_small.png
- ((https://www.amazon.com/MEOPTEX-Barlow-Lens-2-Elementos-Filtro/dp/B07HHT5BMP // https://www.amazon.com/s?k=barlow&rh=p_76%3A2661625011 - Eyepiece is to be preferred))
Hi :-)
Yes, you most certainly can. Many objects will look like faint smudges, but some will reveal detail.
I've observed the Ring nebula, Dumbbell nebula, Orion nebula, the Andromeda galaxy, M81, M82, M101, M51, M77, globular clusters M13, M3, M15, open clusters M44 beehive, M45 Pleiades, double cluster h&chi persei, CR399 coat hanger. (edit: Albireo! :-))
ANY Messier catalogue object will be visible in 5" (or even 4"). To see detail in deep-sky objects, a large aperture, but also a dark sky and practice is key. E.g. you won't see spiral structures in M51 in a 6" under mediocre conditions, but in 5" under a very dark sky you can slightly.
In the 5", under "city limit conditions", M13 will look like a faint blob, and the ring nebula is almost invisible. A bit further out, where the Milky-way is visible, the ring nebulais well defined, M13 will show individual stars using indirect vision.
Links on what to expect in different telescope aperture sizes.
For planets, consider a decent 4mm eyepiece.
For deep-sky, it can be beneficial to get a 15mm eyepeice, possibly replace the kit eyepeices (9mm 66°, 32mm Plössl/52°) and the 6mm 66°.
Clear skies! :-)
Hello :-)
I'd suggest a 4mm HR Planetary;
Avoid cheap barlows, they reduce the contrast. For the price of a good one you can easily get one or two of the above eyepieces.
I've the 3.2mm and 2.5mm, I don't use the 2.5mm in my Heritage 130p (130/650), it's simply too much for these telescopes. The 4mm might not give you as much magnification, but the difference is subtile, 4mm still produces a brighter image, and it's usable if atmospheric seeing conditions aren't too great.
Clear skies! :-)
Your magnification options look like this:
| Focal Length | Magnification | Exit Pupil | Eyepiece Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4mm | 162.5x | 0.8mm | 4mm Astromania 58 degree ($50) |
| 4.5mm | 144.4x | 0.9 | 4.5mm Astromania 58 degree ($50) or 4.5mm Meade HD-60 ($75) |
| 5mm | 130x | 1mm | 5mm Agena StarGuider Dual ED ($60) or 5mm Astromania 58 degree ($50) or 5mm Celestron X-Cel LX ($73) |
| 6mm | 108x | 1.2mm | 6mm "Gold Line" (ebay or AliExpress for ~$25 or from Amazon under various brands for $50). |
Depending on how steady your atmosphere is, I would lean towards the 4 and 4.5mm eyepieces.
While the 9mm is better than the kit 9mm, the eyepiece these small telescopes lack is a planetary eyepiece in the 4mm range.
Yeah, corvus is out of stock for some time now. The 4mm is super cheap on Aliexpress. Most seem to be happy with it, but there was one report recently of some quality issues. In the US, the 4mm "HR Planetary" clones (58°) cost around $50, and then it makes more sense to get a BST Explorer or dual ED for just a bit more :-)
A barlow can work too, but ads chromatic aberration, lowering the contrast a bit.
Cheap 4mm Plössl-type have too short eye-relief.
4mm eyepieces
https://agenaastro.com/bst-1-25-uwa-planetary-eyepiece-4mm.html
https://www.astronomics.com/astro-tech-paradigm-dual-ed-eyepieces_c52.aspx
A barlow is cheaper, $13 or so, burt ads some chromatic aberration. So it's of course a valid budget alternative, but not the best performer.
For my 130/650, I use a 3.2mm for planets (a bit much at times, image already a bit dim), a 6mm gold-line for planets, moon, 12mm Erfle...
IMHO use the kit eyepieces and a planetary eyepiece/barlow, and upgrade later. :-)
The short cheshire-sight-tube is perfect for the 130/650 telescope :-)
Which pictures? The eyepiece-simulations are either made via Stellarium or another simulation tool. Simulations will not match the visual impressions; As for what to expect, see the link list I probably posted in the other topic already :-)
With 130-650-high_3.png I did try to somewhat simulate the 130/650 performance.
I live at the edge of a 240k city; From my balcony, the ring nebula is very, very faint. Just half a mile from here, on a hill behind city-limits, it's much clearer.
Eyepieces: The 4mm is a good investment, if you don't want to order it from China, it's $49 or so in the US. Also z eyepieces. Do not get a 4mm Plössl or the "copper brim" $8 eyepieces. On a budget, this one for $12 or $8 from China works quite well, but only because it's not actually 5x but more like 3x. 5x would be too much for the Mini 130's 10mm eyepiece.
10mm 5x barlow = 2mm equivalent = 325x magnification, dim!)
10mm 3x Barlow =3.33mm equivalent =195x magnification (at the max this telescope can deal with)
4mm eyepiece 162x magnification (Not quite as high, but decent image brightness)
I did not take a lot of pictures with my 130mm telescope, as it's a bit difficult :-) Through the eyepiece especially. Moon + cheap tablet
Deep-sky objects are too faint to really capture like that. I dabbled a bit with video-astronomy without tracking, but it's limited. Even brighter targets such as the ring nebula are pretty tricky.
I like the onesky due to the portability.
My budget only allows for one more eyepiece. These are the ones I'm looking at:
6mm - is this gold line? It doesn't say...
Edit: found the Orion expanse, probably a better 6mm
Both cost the same. Which do you recommend?
Hello :-) Congratulations on your first light! :-) Hey, that's not too bad for a snapshot, it's very difficult to take a good picture that way. At least it's recognizable! (When using a camera, a holder can be nice. Also set it to sports mode and infinity; A bit counter intuitive, but shorter exposures can be beneficial in some cases, as automatic / night mode will result in double images and blur; And infinity saves you focusing issues)
Stars will always remain dots, as they are so extremely far away relative to their size. They are the sharpest when the dot is the smallest. Check out Albireo, Eps Lyr and other double-stars, which show different color. Or star clusters (coat hanger, Plejads, M13, M3...).
Do make sure the finder is aligned, it's the easiest to do during the day at a very remote target - but avoid the sun, especially with the open AWB Onesky. Instant eye damage :-(
-> "Turn left at Orion" The missing manual. Compared to an app it will not only tell you where to find objects, but what's worthwhile observing in small to medium telescopes, and what to expect. :-)
> eyepieces
For planets, a 4mm is a good choice for the AWB Onesky / Heritage 130p. More does not result in a better image. See
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/awb_Heritage_Magnifications_small.png
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/saturnmagHeritage.png
http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/130-650-high_3.png
larger overview http://blog.pixelgiraffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/fieldcompare.jpg
Also check out my older post; https://www.reddit.com/r/telescopes/comments/341o16/i_believe_i_have_my_telescope_picked_outjust_have/cqqn8ew/?st=ivbdayi7&sh=17b6f7e8
So the 4mm HR Planetary is a good budget eyepiece; $50 in the US, $25 or so via Aliexpress. Do not get a short 4mm Plössl (horrible eye-relief).
My recommendation is a 32mm Plössl, 15mm gold-line, 6mm gold-line and 4/3.2mm HR Planetary... But the kit 25 and 10mm along with a 4mm already give you 89.7% of the experience.
Clear skies :-)
Hello :-)
Yep, good telescope, bad mount... A problem most sets share.
With a well collimated telescope and better eyepieces you should be able to see at least two bands on Jupiter, more under good conditions and practice. A barlow, especially the kit barlows, reduce the contrast noticeably.
> Cleaning
How have you cleaned it? Dust does not matter. You can do more wrong when cleaning than improving things, especially regarding the mirrors :-)
A 4" refractor is great, will have some contrast benefits over a reflector due to the reflector's obstruction... For deep-sky, it has a bit small aperture.
If you are looking for a really noticeable upgrade: Find a used 6" or 8" dobsonian (IMHO).
Used/Refurbished:
Aperture is key. What to expect in different telescope aperture sizes
Size comparison
No matter if you go with the c102, or even the 6" dobsonian: Views will differ from images. Details are more subtle compared to stacked and enhanced images. Good conditions, eyepieces and aperture do make a difference.
A dobsonian is a simpler alt-az mount, but compared to cheap equatorial mounts, it is very rigid and cheap to make (leaving more money for the optics). With it's smooth movement of the rockerbox-mount and a wide-angle eyepiece, it's not really hard to track planets manually in two directions. View, nudge, view.
There are a lot of bad eyepieces, overpriced kits and questionable sets. The HR Planetary (or newer, BST Explorer, Dual ED) and gold-line (no-name Orion expanse) are good budget telescope that beat kit eyepieces and barlows.
Do not get Plössl under 10mm, horrible eye-relief! Do not use too much magnification, despite the temptation. A 4" limit is 200x, and that's already producing a dim image. Sometimes less shows more, despite the smaller image scale. Also, atmospheric seeing often limits what's possible.
TL;DR: Perhaps other eyepieces, 4" refractor is nice but the difference will not be mind-blowing, consider a used 8" for example.
What area are you from? I could look at Craigslist if you want.
Clear skies! :-)
Make sure you don't underestimate the size; I was quite surprised after only looking at pictures on-line. The size links help a bit with that, but make sure to inform yourself about the maximum luggage / handbag size.
A 3-4mm eyepiece for planets is nice to have; See
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 15mm gold-line is also nice to have; 15mm, 6mm
Maximum field of view, comparison, 32mm 1 2
And most important: "Turn left at Orion" :-)
For adjusting/collimation, a collimation cap will do, but it can also be done without. Collimation may seem difficult when starting out but it's basically done by adjusting three screws until everything appears centered.
Clear skies!
Popular alternatives to Astromania 1.25" 4mm 58-Deg...
SVBONY Telescope Eyepiece Fully Multi Coated 1.25 inches Telescope Lens 66 Degree Ultra Wide Angle HD Telescope Accessory (6mm 9mm 15mm 20mm)
SVBONY Telescope Eyepiece Fully Mutil Coated 1.25 inches Telescope Accessories Set 66 Degree Ultra Wide Angle HD 6mm for Astronomy Telescope
