2" 2X Barlow or New Eye Piece?

Guest · Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: 2" 2X Barlow or New Eye Piece?

I have a Meade LX50 and I'm loving it. I have a Meade 2" 14mm and 2" 32mm UWA eyepiece and a cheap 1-1/4 8mm and barlow. Looking at Saturn and Mars last night I was wanting more magnification.

The question is, should I get a good 2" 2X barlow like the Meade 5000 ($230) or Tele Vue Powermate ($300) to use with my 14mm 2" UWA eyepiece or a new eyepiece like a 5mm Tele Vue Nagler 1-1/4" or Meade 5000 6.7mm or 4.7mm both in 1-1/4"? OR, should I save up and get both?

Second question, does even a good barlow like the above degrade resolution very much vs a smaller FL eyepiece?

Thanks,

Mark

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5022

Hi

IF your present eyepieces are worthy of a good barlow such as the Meade 5000 or the Powermate, go for it, but if not, go straight for the Nagler. Better to use a high grade, short focal length eyepiece without a barlow than to barlow up a mediocre eyepiece.
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nagelxj · Guest

1) The eye piece, I think is good, is a Meade 4000 14mm UWA 2". Would a good eyepiece and good barlow (powermate 5000 2") be as good as the 1-1/4" Nagler 5mm or will the eye piece alone be better?

2) Also, is there an advantage of 2" or 2" with barlow combo over 1-1/4" alone?

3) on my 10" meade (LX50) for planet veiwing, what eye piece would you recommend? (I have a a Meade 4000 UWA 2" 14mm and 32mm and a the cheaper televue 8mm in 1-1/4")

Thanks again.

Mark

Guest · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 11:16 am Post subject: Sorry forgot

For the last question, In the $300 or less price range.

Mark

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5022

Hi

There is no best, here - just a matter of what features you want. You will definitely get a wider field of view with the Nagler and likely better optics. It's a better eyepiece and I always opt for quality, first.

The only reason for a 2" eyepiece is to accomodate the optical systems needed when you try to cram long focal lengths and wide fields of view into an eyepiece barrel. That combination just can't be squeezed into a 1.25" barrel. When you get to short focal lengths, a 2" eyepiece offers absolutely no optical advantage over 1.25".

For planets, the hot eyepiece these days is the Televue Radian in the appropriate focal length. Gives you plenty of eye relief without the need of a barlow.
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Guest · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: Thanks, what FL?

Joanie,

Thanks for all the help, as you can probably tell, I'm new at this, but have the itch. What focal range would you recommend in the Televue Radian for Planets (Meade 10" LX50 2500mm f/10)

Thanks

Mark

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5022

Hi

You're doing fine.

To some extent it is a matter of personal preference and, especially, observing conditions, but no reason not to go in the neighborhood of 200x on planets. In that scope, that would mean about a 12mm (divide focal length of scope by desired magnification, 2500/200x) You can sometimes squeeze up to 250x on a great observing site, but most locations, most nights, that is about max on planets if you want decent image quality.
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Guest · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:05 pm Post subject:

So the 5mm Tele Vue Radian I was looking at is overkill? I looked at Saturn with a 12mm and it looked to small. Since I have a good 12mm, I was thinking something more, 5mm, 6mm, or 7mm. My 8mm Tele vue plossel was disappointing, still too small (saturn) and not as sharp as my 12mm Meade 400 UWA. I chalked that to a cheaper eye piece. Would 6mm be a good compromise?

I do most of my viewing at my cabin far from lights in northern Wisconsin.

Mark

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5022

Hi

Yes, that is overkill. Image quality and observing conditions are the keys to seeing detail, not just image size. Bad idea to crank any scope over 300x on planets and expect much for image quality. You are never going to see planets in any amateur telescope the way they look in magazines or pics, anyway. Mount headaches at those magnifications will also drive you nuts. Go for it if you want, but my vote is no. It's your money, though.
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