TheSkySearchers

Hello folks

I own a Tele Vue 102 refractor and and have a small selection of eyepieces and try to keep it that way. My scope is 8.6fl and I currently use a selection of Tele Vue Delites: 5, 7, 9 and 13mm with a Tele Vue 32mm Plossl at the other end. This gives me x27, x67, x97, x125 and x176mm. I like eyepieces with plenty of eye relief and use an eye guard extender with the plossl, which is very comfortable.

Can anyone see any obvious errors in my thinking.

Looks good! I am a big fun of Delites and use them also in combination with TV 32mm Plossl in my 4" Stellarvue frac. If you ever feel a need for a step between 13mm and 32mm, 18.2mm Delite would fill it nicely.

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 5:07 pm Looks good! I am a big fun of Delites and use them also in combination with TV 32mm Plossl in my 4" Stellarvue frac. If you ever feel a need for a step between 13mm and 32mm, 18.2mm Delite would fill it nicely.

Yeah the 18.2 mm are nice, I had one once, it was very good. As it happens I sold it to fund the 13mm, which is another excellent ep. There is however only a x40 jump between the 32mm and the 13mm. It’s not as big a leap as one might expect, perhaps I should think about that again

I dunno, what do people think? Am I a 18.2mm away from a set?

Depends on your targets. If stepping from 32mm to 13mm feels fine, maybe you don't.

Instead of another eyepiece have you considered a high quality barlow?
I would recommend a APM/TMB 1.8x or a Vernonscope Dakin 2.4x.
With the offset power you will not double focal lengths.
Of course this all depends on what objects you enjoy viewing.

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 8:32 pm Instead of another eyepiece have you considered a high quality barlow?
I would recommend a APM/TMB 1.8x or a Vernonscope Dakin 2.4x.
With the offset power you will not double focal lengths.
Of course this all depends on what objects you enjoy viewing.

You would think wouldn’t you.

I have had 4 Barlows I reckon. I even bought one before Christmas and sold it in the New Year. I can never keep them, they always seem a good idea at the time and the views have always been solid. I just don’t like using them. I always try to keep my gear down to a minimum and avoid any kind of messing around or any jiggery poker involving electrical equipment. Mad thing is buying another still seems like a good idea.

Caldwell 14 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 4:10 pm Hello folks

I own a Tele Vue 102 refractor and and have a small selection of eyepieces and try to keep it that way. My scope is 8.6fl and I currently use a selection of Tele Vue Delites: 5, 7, 9 and 13mm with a Tele Vue 32mm Plossl at the other end. This gives me x27, x67, x97, x125 and x176mm. I like eyepieces with plenty of eye relief and use an eye guard extender with the plossl, which is very comfortable.

Can anyone see any obvious errors in my thinking.

The big jump here is between 125x and 176x. When using high powers in a 4", you run up against seeing and field size considerations.
I think 120-150-180 makes a great progression, and you have one already close to the 120x and 180x, so I'd pick one around 150x.
With a 880mm focal length, that would be a 6mm eyepiece. The question is, which 6mm?
You favor long eye reliefs, so these would be good options:
brand model FL AFoV e.r.
Tele Vue Optics Delos 6.0 72 20.0
Founder Optics Marvel 6.0 80 20.0
Long Perng 80° Series LER 6.0 80 20.0
Orion LHD 6.0 80 20.0
Stella Lyra (FLO) 80° LER UWA 6.0 80 20.0
All four of the last 4 are the same eyepiece with a different label on the outside.
All 5 of them are made in Taiwan. The ones made by Long Perng are Delite price or less.

I completely agree Don, x150 is something of a Jupiter sweet spot round here, seeing being what it is.

Since all my other gear is Tele Vue I might as well stick with what I know and that probably makes a 6mm Delos.

I used to have a 6 mm Radian in the past that used to produce terrible ghosting. Apparently the light was bouncing back off my retina back into the eyepiece. Something to do with the eyepiece polish and the shape of my retina, apparently it is a thing in some people. It was a type 1 Radian btw.

I guess the other option is a 6-3 TV Zoom. Down side is my mount is un driven, although that never stopped me using plossls in a fl5 dob. Anyone any experience using a zoom and a Gibraltar?

Not with a Gibraltar but I have had the 3-6mm variable for quite a few years.
Very nice views and since you have experience using Plossl already this should not be a problem since the AFOV stays approximately 50°

I agree with Gabby. I have the Tele-pod and use it with the TV76. I also have a Tak TSA 102 which I often put on a Stellarvue M2 or a home-made push-to mount.

In all cases the TV 3-6 Nagler zoom is my go-to for high-power viewing. Image quality is excellent, it maintains its focus as you change power, and it enables you to find the 'sweet spot" for whatever the atmospheric conditions are. I highly recommend it.

I have run it at 3mm, or 272x with the Tak, on different manual push-to mounts, and apart from the fact that the Earth moves very quickly at that power I have never had problems keeping my target in the field.

All the best,

Dean