Reddit mentions: The best telescope eyepieces

I do not have this particular telescope so i can only give you some general advice.

First of all, read the users guide for your telescope if you have not done so already :) I can see there are some youtube videos of how to use the SkyAlign that might be worth checking out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgfY5wT4VYo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1umvV3XKtCs

The best advice I can give you starting out is to learn to use the telescope at day. Get familiar with the controls and the equipment it will really help when you are outside in the dark by night. Make sure that the finder is properly aligned, i can see it is a red-dot finder on the Nextstart so it is probably not a big issue, but still make sure that the dot is where you are looking when looking through the eyepiece.


You should expect the telescope to point in the general area of where the first alignment star is, but it can be quite a bit off. Until you complete the alignment procedure the goto will be mostly useless. This has to be done once each time you take it out, it will get easy when you have done it a couple of times. The Nextstart 8se has a very long focal length, so it will have a narrow view. This is not necessarily and issue but it will make it harder to locate objects. When aligning on stars, make sure they are as close to centered as you can, if they are off the alignment will be off as well.


You should get to know what you are looking at/for. You wrote that you took the tour but things only looked like stars, you need to know if you are looking at a globular cluster(extremely small) a nebula(usually larger and much more diffuse) or a galaxy(varies wildly). This will help you choose the right magnification for the target, some targets are best at a lot of magnification and some are best at low magnification. Sometimes a nebula is very diffuse and might not stand out when first looking. To start out, just to make sure to know what you are looking for in a DSO i would go for Andromeda(M31). Now here is the thing, Andromeda is huge, much larger than the full moon, so it will not fit in your view and it will not be the best target for this telescope. But, it will show you the core which should be very easy to see and give you an idea of what a DSO looks like. Depending on your sky condition it will look like a diffuse blob, do not expect any structure, but more a general shape. This will give you an idea of what you are looking for, however most other DSO's are much smaller. Be warned, Andromeda can be a let-down for beginners. Other good starter targets are clusters and planetary nebula, they are bright and easy to see. Try looking for M13(cluster, early night), M15(cluster), M27(Planetary nebula, fainter target), M45(cluster, later at night, large target). You can look up good beginner observation targets for the season by searching a bit on google. You will learn what to look at/for with time and patience.


Your eyes will need to be dark adapted before you can get the best views. Expect this to take 20-30 minutes, no light including phones. A dim red torch is a must-have accessory. If you have to use your phone, use a red light filter, you can get apps for this. You can get observation apps for your phone wich can be very helpful, my favorite is SkySafari, but there are many out there. Most come with a red light filter bult-in.


For planetary you can catch Jupiter if you get out early in the night after sundown or Saturn for some hours longer that Jupiter. Both are great targets but you will need more magnification to get the best observations. I can see the telescope comes with a 25mm in the box, this will give you approx. 80x magnification (focal length / eyepiece length). This will not be enough for good planetary viewing, it will also not be enough for smaller DSO's. You should see a shape when looking at Saturn, but do not expect details. You should be able to see moons around Jupiter too.

The "goldline" eyepieces are recommended beginner budget eyepieces, a 9mm will give you 222x magnification, I would not go any shorter than this because the atmosphere will limit your magnification and even at 222x it is probably a bit much for most nights: https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Telescope-Eyepiece-Accessories-Astronomy/dp/B07JHKP9D2/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=9mm%2Bwide%2Bangle%2Beyepiece&qid=1568963644&sr=8-2&th=1 - the 15mm and 20mm are not that highly recommended and the 6mm will give you too much magnification.

Something between the 9mm and the 25mm you have will be good too for medium magnification and for nights when the seeing is not good(most nights), but I do not have any recommendations for EP's in this length, i am sure someone else can help especially if you make a post about it. Usually most people will have a minimum of 3-4 eyepieces so you can get the right magnification for the target you are observing. You will probably also benefit of having a longer than 25mm EP for the widest view possible.

I hope this was not too rambly :) there is a lot of things to learn when starting out.

No worries, busy time for sure! I'm pretty new to Telescopes myself, my family got me my XT8 for my First Father's day this year. I've done a ton of research since then, and am always excited to share knowledge. Not a lot of people I know share my hobbies, so you can private message me anytime and I'll have fun giving advice or discussing it.

If you don't buy the XT8 off Craigslist, I'd recommend from their [Clearance page](https://www.telescope.com/2nd-Orion-SkyQuest-XT8-Classic-Dobsonian-Telescope/p/102342.uts). It's mostly returns that they've thoroughly inspected and come with a 1 year warranty. That's how I got mine and it was in New Condition, usually around 25% off.

Planets like Jupiter and Saturn are easy, they are typically the brightest objects in the sky so you really only need a phone app to tell you what days they will be in the night sky. I really like the Stellarium app, I paid for the full version but I think the free is still really good. Deep space objects (called DSOs) are things like Nebula, Galaxies and Star Clusters. Finding these can be like finding a needle in a haystack with how big our night sky is. For this I would highly recommend the book [Turn Left at Orion]( https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundreds-Telescope/dp/1108457568/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=turn+left+at+orion&qid=1575054480&sr=8-1 ). Apps can help find these things, but looking at a phone can make you lose your night vision and you don't pick up as much detail in these DSOs. It is recommended to only use red light when using a telescope which doesn't hurt your night vision, eventually you'll want a red flashlight, [I use this one]( https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93588-Astro-Vision-Flashlight/dp/B0000665V5/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=celestron+red+light&qid=1575054716&sr=8-2 ) which works best if you put opaque tape over the clear window in front to diffuse the light.

As far as finding objects goes you'll use a couple of things. Every telescope has a finder scope of some sort. The XT8 has a red dot finder scope, which is a little window you look through on the outside of the scope and it superimposes a red dot on the object you're looking for. So if you put the red dot on the moon say, and then look through your actual eyepiece you should be looking at the moon. It's similar to a rifle scope. For DSOs you will do what is called Star Hopping. You find a bright star that is near by what you are looking for. Then you find dimmer stars that you can still see with the naked eye. Usually I find two stars that are on either side of the object then estimate where the object should be, put my red dot here and then do a little scanning with the telescope until I find what I'm looking for. Use a low magnification lens (like the 25mm) to search. There's more scientific ways to do it, but it works for me every time. Takes some practice. It's also confusing in that if you move the scope one way, it might make the image in the scope move the opposite direction. It takes practice and patience, but with time it becomes 2nd nature.

The included 10mm and 25mm are pretty good for planets and the moon, but will fall short for DSOs. If you're willing to spend another ~$100 dollars right out the gate on accessories I'd buy a [zoom lens]( https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93230-24mm-1-25-Eyepiece/dp/B0007UQNV8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=8-24+zoom&qid=1575055505&sr=8-1) that allows you to change the magnification and an [eyepiece that provides higher magnification]( https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Telescope-Eyepiece-Accessories-Astronomy/dp/B07JWDFMZ4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=svbony%2B6&qid=1575055611&sr=8-1&th=1) (get the 6 mm option) than the zoom or the provided lenses. Later, if you want to spend another ~$130 on more options at eyepiece I'd by the 9mm option from the 2nd link there and a [wide angle lens]( https://www.amazon.com/Agena-Super-Wide-Angle-Eyepiece/dp/B00YO60I9E/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=agena+32&qid=1575055724&sr=8-2) that makes it easier to find objects by showing more of the night sky. When in comes to eyepieces, make sure you know the math of magnification. You take the Focal Length of the scope, 1200mm for the XT8, and divide it by the number in mm on an eyepiece. I.e. a 12 mm eyepiece would be 1200/12 = 100x magnification. Don't bother with Barlows, a Zoom takes care of that by giving you an infinite spectrum between 50 - 150x and the 6 mm gives your 200x. That is plenty for basically all viewing conditions.

The [Moon Brightness Filter]( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076MP3T66/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is nice if the Moon hurts your eyes to look at, but it might be worth just looking at the moon first before spending the $20. You can't actually hurt your eyes looking, but it can definitely shock your eye. Also, higher magnification always means dimmer so zooming in can naturally act as a filter. I wouldn't bother with other filters. Most are crap and don't contribute much.

In summary: To really feel prepared when going out for the first time you should have a book that you studied ahead of time for what you want to look for (The book is broken down by Season and what is viewable during that time) and a red light to see the book. The provided 25mm will be okay to search with, and the 10mm will let you see more of it, but you will want something better soon like the zoom or the 6mm Svbony lens. Make sure your Telescope is [collimated]( https://lovethenightsky.com/telescope-collimation-for-complete-beginners/) and your finder scope is lined up with your scope (the Telescope manual walks through this, do it during the day). Bring chairs and warm clothing. Lastly bring your patience. Hope this was helpful with how long it was, and I hope you and your kiddo have a ball!

I've tested the eyepieces of the kit, and they're not good value. I would go for fewer but better eyepieces. A Celestron 32mm omni for wide views (due to a wider apparent field of view, you will get wider views than when using the 40mm one). For higher magnifications (ie: shorter focal lengths of the eypieces for the same telescope), lots of experienced people suggest getting the "gold-line" eyepieces as a starting point, sometimes branded as svbony. They are supposed to have a very decent quality for the price you pay if you choose the shorter focal length ones and use them in a long focal ratio telescope, like the 6SE and other Cassegrains (f/10). See for example the 10mm and 4 mm ones. They have longer eye relief than the short focal length eyepieces of the kit (meaning that they don't requiere you to put your eye too close to the eyepiece), and they have a wide field of view (so you don't feel like you're looking through a straw). The wider versions (20,30-ish mm) of the gold-lines seem to be not that good. They suggest to look for ghosting (diffuse internal reflections) and as for a replacement if needed. You can research that aspect if you will.
Another good option seems to be the Agena Starguider Dual ED series, also better in slower (higher focal ratio) telescopes, with good field of view and eye relief. It seems they are not available in Amazon Canada, but check this in the US store.


Although using eyepieces by themselves will get you better quality, a decent enough barlow is a good idea to get more magnification if needed. The celestron omni 2x barlow is good enough for a start.


Maybe get a moon filter. Not sure if this is good enough. Note: the so called "skyglow and moon filter" is to partially diminish the natural night glow of the atmosphere, and the atmospheric glow due to the moon, and work better in darker skies.

I recently bought a C6 optical tube assembly (OTA), basically the same as the 6SE. I have not received it yet but as for eyepieces I got the celestron omni 32 mm, I'll be testing the stock 25mm Plossl that comes with the OTA, I added a Meade series 5000 HD-60 9mm for higher magnification adn good eye relief, and the celestron 2x barlow. The latter will allow me to expand the set as if I had a 18mm (=32mm/2), 12.5mm (25mm/2) and 4.5mm (9mm/2), which don't overlap my actual set, while keeping relatively wide fields of view and good eye relief, but with a small penalty for the extra glass in the optical path.

Also, note that the magnification you will get will be limited in reality by the stability of the atmosphere of the moment and place you are observing from. For planetary and lunar observation you will probably want to magnify as much as you can. The 6SE is capable in theory of getting usable magnifications a bit above 300x. But getting 300x magnifications will probably be feasible only a few nights when the atmosphere is stable. You get that with a 5mm eyepiece in the 6SE, which has a 1500mm focal length. Your magnification will equal the focal length of the telescope divided by the focal length of your eyepiece: 1500mm/5mm = 300. So you are better off with less magnification for MOST of the nights, since you will be able to use that more often. Also, when using the 6SE with the nexstar mount, you will have a bit less of stability, due to the support of just one arm and the quality of the mount and tripod. This makes observing with higher magnifications a bit more cumbersome, since any light touch, like when you are focusing, will make your object move a lot for a short while.

For astrophotography, use a T-adapter and a T-ring. The latter should match the mount of the camera you will be using; in your case it should be one for Canon cameras.

Glad I could help :-)

> deep space photos

Oh, that's a whole different topic :-)

Imaging is complex, expensive and more sources for headaches when getting started.

See https://www.reddit.com/r/astrophotography/wiki/what_telescope - Great resource to chose the right gear.

While the 127 SLT works fine for some planetary imaging and some snapshots of other bright targets, it's not a good set for DSO imaging.

For serious deep-sky imaging, you need a mount that doesn't only track, but also counters field-rotation, e.g. an equatorial mount.

The SLT mount is a simple AltAz (Altitude Azimuth, Updownleftright) mount and not suited for long exposures due to field rotation and the (relatively) low precision.

The Maksutov has a "slow" aperture ratio, long focal length, and isn't exactly the first choice for deep-sky imaging.


While cheaper equatorial mounted and motorized sets are available, stability is key. E.g. a Celestron 130EQ-MD makes no sense. A NEQ3/CG4 is better suited, but does not really make sense long-term. E.g. Orion Sirius, (H)EQ5. The Orion Sirius wih GoTo costs well over $1000. Without a telescope. The manual CG4/NEQ3 costs $250-$300.

Combining terrestrial, stargazing AND imaging will result in a major headache. :-) In this case a decent apochromatic refractor might be the only thing that can cover all bases to some extend, but for visual, you really need aperture.

 

If you are unsure what route to take, get something smaller/cheaper first. Observe, get to know the do's and dont's of observing and imaging. Find out what you really need beyond what sounds good on paperont the screen :-)

 

> deep space photos

As you already seem to have a DSLR or similar, you can actually do some nice wide-field without even using a telescope.

• https://www.reddit.com/r/telescopes/comments/2ttydz/300_budget_looking_for_a_telescope/co2ivce/
  
  
• Longer focal lengths require guiding etc.
  
  
• Of course it's possible with the 127SLT to take some snapshots of brighter deep-sky objects, but not nearly as great as something like a 130pds/150pds reflector on a EQ5/EQ6 type of mount.
  
  
• For imaging questions aside the basics I am probably not the ideal person to ask, also see /r/astrophotography for advice.
  
   
  
  > eyepieces
  
  For a 127/1500 Maksutov, there are several choices.
  
  A zoom-eyepiece is great for day-time use, but as with many zoom-binoculars/spotting-scopes, dedicated eyepieces tend to give you better contrast. Also zoom eyepieces have a narrow apparent field of view at the lower magnification, only 40° or so, making them poor overview eyepieces.
  
  Short version:
  
  
  Kit eyepieces 10mm & 25mm for now, consider a 7-8mm^1 2 for planets and a 15mm^123 to fill the gap. A 32mm for a bit move overview.
  
  Zoom eyepieces are usually available in 8-24 or 7-21mm 1 2, but only the Baader Zoom offered a bit more field of view on the lower magnification. For day-time use a zoom is nice sometimes, but you can usually get 2-3 better fixed-focal-length eyepieces for the same price that perform better in the long run.
  
  Long version:
  
  
  
• 32mm Plössl,
  
  
• $20-$30: The largest field of view with a 1.25" focuser.
  
  
• Some other 5" Maksutovs offer a 2" focuser/diagonal allowing some more field of view. Even simpler 2" eyepieces cost $70 and up though.
  
  
• A 40mm Plössl is available too, but has a narrow apparent field of view, effectively not showing more than a 32mm Plössl.
  
  
  
• A 7mm will give you a bit over 200x. So perfect for observing moon, planets, double stars, ships - under decent conditions.
  
  
• 7mm Plössl already have very short eye-relief. Plössl are the type of eyepieces included in the eyepiece kits. The longer ones >10mm are OK. Are you wearing glasses?
  
  
• The HR Planetary clones, e.g. $49 7mm 58° afov are decent. Better are the BST Explorer and dual-ed eyepieces - But for a bit more you can also get a larger apparent field of view.
  
  
• If you want to spend a bit more, you can get a 7mm Luminos ultra-wide-angle (82° apparent field of view)
  
  
• A 6mm can work, but things will already get pretty dim, and 250x magnification only works if atmospheric seeing is great (which it usually isn't).
  
  
• One or two in-between.
  
  
• Either just use the kit eyepieces,
  
  
• Get a 15mm Plössl or wide-angle eyepiece, 123
  
  
• or get some of "gold-line"^Link for example. These no-name eyepieces are sold by several names and the brand name Orion expanse. The whole set probably makes little sense. 15mm to fill the gap of the kit eyepieces. 9 and 20mm if you want to replace the cheap kit eyepieces. 6mm is a bit too much already.
  
  
• At Aliexpress you can get a long eye-relief "gold-line" 6mm eyepiece for $18, at Amazon $40 or so.
  
   
  
  Here is an overview for eyepiece stats at 127/1500. The magnification, true field of view, and the exit pupil
  
  (True field of view: Extend your arm, extend your index finger. It covers a width of 1° in the sky: Twice the full moon- even if it seems larger when over the horizon. At higher magnification, you just see a fragment of that in the eyepiece)
  
  (Exit pupil = amount of light exiting the eyepiece, under 0.5-0.6mm it gets too dim. 2-3mm is ideal for many deep-sky objects; 1-2mm for some of the smaller nebulae)
  
  25mm: 60x Magnification / 0.86° field of view / 2.1mm exit-pupil
  
  10mm: 150x / 0.33° fov / 0.8mm EP
  
  32mm: 46x / 1.1° / 2.7mm
  
  15mm: 100x / 0.5°-0.81° depending on the eyepiece / 1.2mm
  
  7mm: 214x / 0.26°-0.33° / 0.59mm
  
  More magnification is always tempting, but it will make things dimmer. Crude simulation. So usually you can see more details with less magnification, even if the planet isn't view-filling.
  
  Atmospheric seeing^YoutubeExample often limits magnification to <=200x. The image wobbles, the higher you magnify, the blurrier and more apparent it becomes. For day-time over the horizon, this might be way more apparent, restricting you to 100-150x. You have probably seen the effect of heat-haze/heat-shimmer over a hot road or field, and that moving air is exactly what makes day-time observing at high magnification problematic.

1. An 8" dob is definitely a bit much for a 7 year-old, but as long as it's for both of you, it's a good purchase. The most complicated part of owning a dob is collimating the optics (just making sure they're all aligned properly). There are plenty of tutorials on how to do this online. It will take a tiny bit of practice, but once you do it a couple of times, it's easy.
   
   
2. Get this eyepiece set. Don't bother with a barlow. The 9mm that comes with that set will replace the 9mm Plossl that comes with the telescope. It's much, much easier to look through and offers a wider field of view. That set is a good spread of focal lengths for that scope, and will compliment the 30mm nicely.
   
   
3. Does that even matter? Yes. You will be fighting condensation on the finder scope like crazy. I recommend buying a pack of those chemical handwarmers and just strapping one to the underside of the viewfinder with an elastic band, and maybe also one to the eyepiece of the view finder as well. That will keep it above ambient and keep the condensation off it.
   
   
4. Yes, several things to know:
   
   

• Obviously, never ever point the thing at the sun unless you have a visual rated solar filter that sits over the FRONT of the scope. You cannot put a solar filter at the eyepiece, it must block the light before it enters the scope.
  
  
• The biggest limiting factor to seeing lunar and planetary detail is the atmosphere. It bends and distorts light just like water in a swimming pool does when trying to view items on the bottom. Some nights are steady and planets are super crisp with tons of detail, other nights are abysmal and the planet looks like an amoeba. It takes patience and some luck to get a night of good atmospheric "seeing" as it's called.
  
  
• You also need to make sure the telescope is thermally acclimated to ambient temperatures. If the mirror is warmer than the outside air temps for whatever reason (e.g. stored in a hot un-insulated shed all day), then the heat coming off the mirror will distort light on the way to the mirror, and again bouncing off of it. If you store the scope in a cool air conditioned space, when you bring it outside in the hot humid air, the mirrors will instantly fog up and the scope will be unusable.
  
  
• It's best to view the planets when they are the highest in the sky. This is known as their transit time - when they cross the southern meridian in the sky. If you try to view them when they're low on the horizon, atmospheric seeing will be worse, and the atmosphere will act like a prism and badly scramble the light, obscuring fine details.
  
  
• The full moon is the least interesting phase to view because lighting is very flat. Best to view near 1st or 3rd quarter so you can see the moon illuminated from the side, where you will see deep shadows on craters, mountain ranges etc.
  
  
• If you buy the eyepiece set I linked to, the 9mm and the 6mm will be your planetary and lunar eyepieces. The 9mm is at the low-end range of planetary magnification and can be used when the atmosphere is very turbulent. The 6mm will be useful when the atmosphere is steady. Eventually you can get something between 3mm and 4mm for very high magnification, but it will only be useful on very rare nights unless you have particularly stable air.
  
  
• I recommend getting the book Turn Left at Orion, which is a good guide to get familiar with the night sky and using the telescope.

Lots of people are going to say 8" dob, Z8 specifically, and I have nothing but good to say about that. For a lot of people that's the only answer necessary.

However, let me offer an alternative case in favor of OneSky telescope by Astronomers Without Borders.

Three reasons for this recommendation:

SIZE The OneSky is a collapsible tabletop reflector. It is quite modestly sized when collapsed. It will fit in the front seat or trunk of a car and can easily be carried by even a child. Size ultimately is the thing that keeps a telescope indoors. There have been several nights this year where I've had 20 minutes to sneak a peek out at a beautiful crescent moon or something, but haven't, because I knew it would take me 20 minutes to set up my telescope and I would have no observing time. Plus all the work of lugging the heavy parts from my shed to my front yard. With a tabletop scope there's none of that. It takes 2 minutes to set up and requires no heavy lifting.

You will never miss an observing session due to the work of setting up the telescope, and you will never have to leave the telescope at home on a trip. An 8" Dob is going to show more simply because it's a larger scope, but the OneSky is going to show more than an 8" scope in the shed.

COST With a budget of $400, you will be able to afford some killer accessories after getting the $200 OneSky. Turn Left At Orion is the ideal book for a new telescope owner. A wide-field eyepiece like this one will give really good views of clusters like the pleiades and large nebulae like the Great Orion Nebula. A 6mm, 66 degree eyepiece will allow excellent, comfortable viewing of planets and smaller objects like binary stars. In addition you will be able to afford a comfortable stool to place the scope on, and a nice chair to sit on.

If you buy an 8" scope you will not be able to get all that stuff and stay in your $400 budget.

COMMUNITY The OneSky is well reviewed (review 1, review 2 under the Heritage 130 name) and has an active community of fans who have a lot of ideas about how to improve the performance of the scope for very little money/effort.

Troubleshooting this telescope is a breeze and the community is favorable. Even among seasoned enthusiasts the OneSky is popular.

Not a problem. I'm not an expert on that type of scope either, which is why I linked and mentioned the other sub, but the general consensus is that they are decent entry level scopes that will give you a good start in the hobby, but leave you wanting more over time, and it seems $50 is about what they are generally worth, so I think you made the right call to get into the hobby and figure out if you like it or not.

You didn't mention anything about eyepieces, but I would assume it came with 1 or 2 plossl or kelners, likely around 25mm for 40x magnification. I would recommend getting one of the "gold line" eyepieces this sun always praises. They have great eye relief and about the same FOV as a plossl, so they are great for higher mag when plossls force you to damn near touch your eye to the eyepiece.

I generally wouldn't recommend an eyepiece kit, as they are generally not that great with overlap of ranges and being bundled with other useless filters and stuff, but this one is a bit better, though I would suggest getting only 1 or 2 of the eyepieces in the kit anyway (the 6mm for sure, maybe the 9 or 15 as well):

https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Telescope-Eyepiece-Accessories-Astronomy/dp/B01MR78I42/ref=pd_day0_hl_421_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01MR78I42&pd_rd_r=38600535-6f7e-11e9-8571-61275becdf34&pd_rd_w=lYs1c&pd_rd_wg=Ezw2r&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=JGJ2X0WVDD2MC1DZSXRQ&psc=1&refRID=JGJ2X0WVDD2MC1DZSXRQ

The 6mm will give you 166x, 9mm 111x, 15mm 66x, and 20mm 50x. I'm getting these values by dividing your focal length (1000m) with the eyepiece focal length. Again, I'm assuming you already have a low power eyepiece around 25mm, so a 20 won't be much different. The 15mm or 9mm will be medium mag, which I like to use on larger objects like the Orion nebula, and the 6mm will let you zoom in on small objects, which based on your pic of Jupiter is probably something you are interested in.

In general, the mag limit of a telescope is about 2x the aperture in mm, but with the spherical mirror, you have have focusing issues before getting to that point, so I wouldn't recommend going further than the 6mm.

Eyepieces will transfer well from scope to scope, so if you are at all interested in continuing the hobby, I think it's well worth it to start getting slightly better eyepieces early.

Hi there!

Well, first of all, I would be a little cautious going much above 140x with your scope. I know that the specs say the maximum magnification is 165x, but the general rule of thumb is to try not to go above 50x per inch of aperture (aperture is the width of front lens on your scope), or 2x per millimeter of aperture (so, for your scope, ~140x). So, since magnification depends on eyepiece focal length, the smallest focal length that you want to use with your scope is going to be about 6.4mm. Go any shorter than that and you'll probably just magnify a very blurry image. The only way to get more useful magnification than 140x is to get a telescope with more aperture (and then you'll hit a limit around 300x due to atmospheric distortions).

IMO, a barlow wouldn't do much for you at this point, as it would just give you one more magnification (180x), which is beyond the ~140x limit.

For eyepieces, it really just depends on what your budget is. For the most part, you get what you pay for with eyepieces (and pretty all much astronomical equipment in general). However, I will say this: if you feel this is a hobby that will last a long, long time, then investing in a high quality eyepiece might be a decent option for you, as you'll be able to use it with telescopes you might have in the future as well. Up to you.

One eyepiece that I could recommend to you is the Meade 4000 Series 6.4mm Plossl. This would provide 141x, so it'd be right at the limit of magnification. However, these Plossls with short focal lengths tend to have really short eye relief, which means you have to hold your eye very close to the eyepiece to see what you're looking at, which can be pretty uncomfortable. You can purchase this for ~$30 from Agena Astroproducts, or ~$34 from Amazon if you wish to purchase it there.

If you're willing to spend more, you could look at a Meade 5000 Series 6.5mm HD-60, which would provide 138x. This eyepiece has a bit more eye relief, and has a wider apparent field of view (you can Google info about wide vs narrow FOV). This is available for ~$80 from both Agena and Amazon.

If you really want a very nice eyepiece that you'd [probably] never really feel the need to replace, I'd take a look at the Explore Scientific 6.7mm 82 degree eyepiece, which would provide 134x. This is a very high quality eyepiece, and gives a very wide 80 degree apparent field of view (as opposed to a Plossl's 50 degrees or the HD-60's 60 degrees). Available from Agena for ~$140 or from Amazon for ~$145.

And of course there are other options - these are just the first three that came to mind.

Hope that helps! Be sure to ask any other questions you might have!

A telescope is not out of your range if you know what you really want and can save for it. I have a "smaller" one, but having a larger diameter opening allows you to capture more light and peer deeper in to space. You should get what you want and strive to save for it. I want to go bigger, maybe an XT10 computerized.

My telescope is good, in fact it over-preformed every time I went out. The one gripe I have about almost almost every inexpensive telescope is that it is not motorized. We live on a spinning rock in the galaxy so the telescope needs to be constantly adjusted. All you do with the motorized is find 3 stars and it can take you on a tour of the universe. It does a lot of the work for you so you wont accidentally lose what you were looking at.

I'd also recommend buying some filters, It helps when you look at the moon or nebulae.

Also, instead of swapping eyepieces for closing in on objects, this zoom lens is extremely helpful. With just a twist you can go from 8mm to 24mm. I own that exact model and it's great, plus you cant lose

It seems expensive, but if you really want it, you'll find ways to save and get it. I hope this helps and when you DO make a final decision I'd like to know what its is.

Billions and Billions

Thanks so much for the reply, yeah the scope is normally set up about an hour before I want to use it :)
Yes using the focus dose help sharpen the image or make it worse but compared to some of the Pics I have seen people post of the sky from there scope (the same one or next moble down) the images always look a lot clearer and always seem to be of objects at a far greater distance than good old Jupiter lmao.

Am I right in thinking that a 2x barlow will help with this a bit?

Is this set worth getting or is it a bit OTT for this budget scope?

Again thanks so much for getting back to me so quick and thanks for the help and advice :)

Jupiter and especially Saturn looked underwhelming for me in my telescope, but after cleaning up my eyepieces's lens and secondary mirror with just a wet and dry paper towel my quality was greatly increased. Weather conditions like heavy wind and humidity can also affect the view pretty badly. Collimating your telescope properly is something you probably hear all the time, but it really does make a big difference. As for eyepieces, the Celestron Omni has served me well but I've upgraded to a "Baader Planetarium 8-24mm Hyperion Clickstop Zoom Mark IV Eyepiece" (what a mouthful). The views are noticably better and the zoom feature is so, so, soooo convenient. It's especially handy for showing friends and family who are not into the hobby, as you don't have to change the eyepieces constantly for them. It runs for about 300 dollars which is a big asking point, but there are cheaper alternatives like the Celestron zoom eyepiece (https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93230-24mm-1-25-Eyepiece/dp/B0007UQNV8) which are only 65 dollars. I would recommend getting one of those, a decent 2x barlow (shouldn't be more than 40 dollars), and a dedicated large eyepiece (in the 30-40mm range). That's all you really need for casual observing by yourself or to show friends and family.

Oh cool, that was my first scope! It still sits on my table, I have very fond feelings for it. It performs really well for its size, and it's a sturdy little thing. A lot of people count it out, but I think that's a great scope to get into the hobby with.

As u/schorhr and Submarine have already shared, it's definitely not the ideal scope for planets, but it will get you started! The 4mm schorhr recommends would probably be great. I personally (on his recommendation, back in the day, went with a 3.2mm). I think I bought this one. Knowing better now, I would probably look for one on aliexpress or ebay for cheaper. That eyepiece will get you around x125, which is definitely pushing the envelope for the scope.

I believe Bresser is synonymous with ES just like Orion is to skywatcher.

The finder scope looks like it could be a bit better but it should get the job done. It also looks like it makes up in the design area for what it slightly lacks in the finder scope area.

Welcome to the dob world. Let everyone know what you think but I’m sure you’ll love it.

Do yourself a favor and order the 6 mm in something like this

SVBONY Telescope Eyepiece Fully Mutil Coated 1.25 inches Telescope Accessories Set 66 Degree Ultra Wide Angle HD 6mm for Astronomy Telescope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JWDFMZ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KEHJDb8FR7VDD

The planets are getting low and setting very early but if you get a good eyepiece soon you should be able to catch them before they’re gone.

Well, that puts an eyepiece at 7.3mm as the absolute maximum. Anything more powerful than 7.3mm would be unusable. Thing is, 7.3mm isn't common. Closest would be 7mm (Too much) and 7.5mm (Just about right). With a 2x Barlow, 15mm is the max. BUT there are 14.5mm eyepieces for sale when paired with a barlow will give you 7.25 which is close enough. Though only on the best of nights would it really work.

Here's an example of a decent 7.5mm Eyepiece if you don't already own one. Though considering what I said in the previous post regarding pushing to the Max Mag limit, an 8mm, 9mm or a 10mm are really your best bet to get the most out magnification out of your scope on most average nights. A SVBONY Goldline or Redline might be your best bet.

As u/schorhr mentioned... Field of View (FOV) can play a big role in this. Wide field eyepieces are usually advertised for nebulae and star fields and stuff like that, but they improved even planetary viewing for us immensely since it was easier to locate the object to begin with, a more enjoyable view (better overall opening on the EP), and an easier task to keep it centered in view.

Assuming a dob with a focal length of ~1,200mm (like Orion, Apertura, etc.) you'd want a ~6mm EP to hit a magnification of 200x:

• Economy 6mm 66° EP
  
  
• Very Nice 6.7mm 82° EP

What is your price range? Does size of the scope matter? Do you want tracking abilities?

Some good brands would be Orion, Meade, and Celestron.

Astronomy is not necessarily about getting the best and most expensive scope. The telescope is only a tool. You need to have realistic expectations on what you're going to see. Also, you want a telescope that you will be able to use. If its too big and clunky to bring outside easily, a smaller telescope will be much more useful.

I would recommend buying a simple reflector to start off.

Here's a cheap, tabletop reflector.
Very affordable, very portable. I wouldn't go any cheaper than this.

Although, depending on how much you want to spend, you can get This tracking dobsonian. 600 bucks, 8 inch. Could be what you're looking for.

I would just hop on the bandwagon and get a classic XT8.

You also need to do some research on what kinds of eyepieces you want. Thats a whole new world you need to know, on top of getting to know telescopes.

Personally I have a classic XT8 accompanied with a Celestron 8-24mm zoom eyepiece.

After all thats done, go grab some free astronomy software, and once thats done, start exploring the skies!!!

Thank you so much for your time. I think I'm going to to go with the Onesky. I really meets nearly all of my needs right now.

I don't know how I haven't seen the Onesky before, it never came up on my google searches. Also I guess while reading through this subreddit I ignored ABW because I didn't recognize the acronym, and had never heard of the maker. I think the mobility of the Onesky is really right up my alley, and the aperture is better than most of the other mobile scopes in this range. I think the 8" or 10" dobs will be a bit too big for my liking, and I'd probably use them a little less often because of that. Also, the dobs are much harder to store in my apartment (which is definitely a factor).

From most of the review I have read, a Barlow is strongly recommended for the Onesky. As the scope is a great value, and I have some wiggle room, is there a eyepiece set or any other accessories that you think would really enhance this kind of scope?

I was looking at the Celestron and came upon this Gosky set. Any thoughts/experience with either of these?

Hey I don’t see anyone dropping any eyepieces so I guess I’ll name a few... I like the Orion 15mm Expanse good for planetary view and VERY crystal clear images of the moon. And I also love my 2” Orion 38mm Q70 it has a 70 degree field of view with AMAZING Images.

For eyepieces, I'd consider this goldline set...

SVBONY Telescope Eyepiece Fully Mutil Coated 1.25" Telescope Accessories Set 66 Degree Ultra Wide Angle HD 6mm 9mm 15mm 20mm for Astronomy Telescope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR78I42/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YCtVBb4T6TJV1

This sub often recommends goldlines to beginners because they are very solid with pretty good views for the price range. The entire set is a nice range of focal lengths. If someone breaks or damages an eyepiece, a replacement wouldn't cost too much.

And maybe a telrad finder?

I don't believe hooking it up to a monitor is a real option. The options that do exist would be relatively expensive and the results would still be pretty poor.

Have you looked for a local astronomy club that would be willing to help? Most clubs love doing public outreach projects and events. Or a local college/university that might have an astronomy department?

1. Get the collimator
   
   
2. Get the collimator
   
   
3. Get the collimator
   
   See the pattern?
   
   Edit:
   Ok more info. Your telescope is a reflector just like mine. There are two mirrors, one at each end of the tube. Your eyepiece has to be lined up correctly with the front mirror, and the front mirror and back mirror have to be lined up properly. The collimator (Celstron calls it the collimation eyepiece) helps you to line up these optics. Without doing this first your experience is going to be like mine was, very disappointing. Unless you're incredibly lucky most everything will be blurry, or smeared to some degree. Once you have collimated the scope properly everything becomes much much sharper. The effect is kind of like shining a flashlight on a wall. If the flashlight is lined up properly the light is sharp and round, if the flashlight is at an angle to the wall the light becomes distorted, stretched out and oval shaped. This is similar to what I experienced with my scope. It's well worth the extra 30 bucks.
   
   Get yourself a set of eyepieces of various sizes. Celestron has a decent entry level one for about 130 bucks I think. This will allow you to really get the best use of your scope once it's collimated.
   
   Have fun!
   
   Edit 2: Here is the collimation eyepiece and here is the eyepiece kit

> The main reason for making a post and not taking the suggestions from the sticky post is because I am looking for something that has a camera or camera mount or something like that so we can photograph what we see. I have no idea how this is done so I don't know if I am overreaching but I would appreciate any recommendations.

Unfortunately astrophotography works nothing like daytime pic snapping does. It's a complicated and involved process, and often requires significant equipment and time investment. It's not something I would suggest for a complete novice to start with.

Instead, an AWB OneSky is well within your budget, leaving you also with enough for some extras, like a planetary eyepiece (the 6mm one, and the 9mm is also good if you want to upgrade the kit eyepiece later). Also, don't forget to get the missing manual!

And you'll have the perfect starting kit!

This is exactly what I was looking for. Seriously, thank you for taking the time to write this out.

I think I'm going to get a decent 8-24x zoom eyepiece so that I can get an "o.k" look at everything on different magnifications on a budget.

But I'm going to get one nice eyepiece along with that for ideally planet viewing. So I'm looking at either a 5mm or a 9mm Celestron LX (I'm not a die hard Celestron customer, they're just easiest for me to get online here in Canada). I thought I read that really low focal length eye pieces aren't good for shorter focal length telescopes.

I'll be getting a decent barlow eventually (when the budget allows). So I'm kind of torn on the 5mm or 9mm, since I'll have the 8mm option on the zoom piece. Do you think the 9mm Celestron LX will be a much better view than the 8mm on the zoom? If it's barely noticeable, I'll get the 5mm. But I like the idea of having a nice eye piece in the magnification I'll be spending 90% of my time in.

I'm probably over complicating things... I'm a student with a low paying job though. I've gotta get bang for my buck and buy smart.

Appreciate the response! Those do seem like very good recommendations. I believe I have decided on this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038QYRDO/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER. I already have a mount that the poster who suggested this one said would work with it.

Think I will be adding on these two lenses as well, unless you have a better suggestion?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005G4HT6I/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007UQNV8/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

​

And you're right, I know I will eventually get the "bug," and I will eventually get something that would be considered higher end, but that would be for me and me alone. This is something I want to share with people, and if I'm at a music festival and someone on LSD knocks it over, I won't be out thousands, just a couple hundred, but it would be well spent it to blow some peoples minds.

You could also get the AD8 and get a Telrad and slap it on next to the Right Angle Finder that it comes with. I like that on my 8" dob because the Telrad gets me there, then I use the Finder to get a medium look at where I'm going, recenter, then move over to looking through the eyepiece. To each their own, though :).

Edit: Although the price of the High Point Scientific one is pretty tasty. Their base model is now coming with the dual speed Crayford Focuser and fan and 30" eyepiece, that's the lowest I've seen for a bundle of that type. Will leave you lots of cash for getting that Telrad, Turn Left at Orion for teaching you how to find stuff, a planosphere, and a couple extra eyepieces (the 6mm "gold line" 66 degree eyepiece is a local favorite, it will be by some very random brands like this, often taking forever because they ship from China. Really I just go on cloudynights.com and find something that looks cool like this.).

Thanks for the reply. My parents got this scope for our oldest son (22 now). I used it more then he did. I was amazed by how much I could see of Jupiter. Yeah it was fuzzy but I could make out the cloud bands and the red dot.

And thanks for saying that the gold line is the SVBONY brand. I see it was mentioned in the faq but when I searched it it brought up SVBONY. I thought that was some boot leg china stuff, well I guess it kind of is, you didn't touch with a 10 foot pole. So would this be a good "kit" to start with?

Thank you for the reply. I was looking at getting the goldline eyepieces(which are the ultra wide I think?). I'd like to get a kit if possible. Would These Eyepieces be sufficient or would you recommend something else? I didn't see any kits with the ones you linked me. I'm just trying to make sure I buy the ones that will be right for me because it seems I wasted money with the plossl set from Celestron, so I'm just going to sell it on eBay. Any kit suggestions would be great so I can view everything I'm wanting to ASAP (I go to Nags Head the last week of August and want to have them by then). Thank you for any replies and suggestions. I greatly do appreciate it!

EDIT: What kind of scope do you have? I ask because the advice below only applies to Newtonian reflectors; collimation is a different procedure for refractors and Cassegrain telescopes.

While a collimation cap is a very cost-effective tool, I would highly recommend a cheshire collimating eyepiece (AgenaAstro, Amazon) if you can afford one. It works the same way as a collimation cap, but it also has thin wire crosshairs. These allow you to align the optics to a much higher degree of accuracy, or at least make it much easier to do so.

I find that an affordable laser is more trouble than it's worth (you have to collimate them before you can collimate your scope!), and reliable lasers are way too expensive (start at $120). I got a cheshire and it works great; it really is the quintessential collimation tool.

I love my AD8.

I've bought tons of eyepieces and accessories. Without a doubt the best accessory I've bought is this adjustable height chair. Having this chair is the difference between seeing something in space, and observing something in space. The best eyepiece in the world is worthless if you're too uncomfortable to spend much time looking through it.

Vestil CPRO-800LP Ergonomic Worker Seat/Chair, 13-1/2" Width, 10" Depth, 300 lb. Capacity, 18" - 33" Height Range https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052PJFCW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NCyoDb02ZGBPR

My next favorite accessory is the Telrad view finder. It's a game changer. After getting it, I just took off the viewfinder that came with the scope and I don't miss it at all.

Telrad Finder Sight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000ALKAN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_xGyoDbJDEY6Q7

For eyepieces, I love the big 2" that comes with the scope. It's my favorite. Otherwise I use this 8-24mm zoom eyepiece.

Celestron 93230 8 to 24mm 1.25 Zoom Eyepiece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007UQNV8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_QIyoDb0P2HZCA

I've bought tons of other stuff but most of it doesn't get used much. This three things I use all the time.

Clear skies!

An ok scope on a flimsy/shaky tripod will annoy you real fast. And a shaky equatorial mount is doubly annoying. The scope you list may be ok but their mounts are suspect.

You should leave some room in your budget for additional decent eyepieces (think plossl), a moon filter, and maybe a 2x barlow (don't go crazy with 5x.. you won't be happy). An ok zoom eyepiece may be pleasing to start.

Dobsonians have a sturdy base and are great suggestions. You may need to columnate them now and then and they can be bulky so travel is tough even sometimes getting it in and out of house/apt especially if stairs are involved.

Consider a small Maksutov such as Celestron c90 on a sturdy photo tripod. That should leave you plenty of room in your budget for accessories.

The c90 comes with erect image finder and diagonals so you can use this system during the day, too, for bird watching or whatever.. increasing its usefulness.

https://www.amazon.ca/Celestron-52268-Spotting-scope-Black/dp/B0038QYRDO/

https://www.amazon.ca/Celestron-93230-24mm-1-25-Eyepiece/dp/B0007UQNV8/

https://www.amazon.ca/Gosky-Variable-Polarizing-Telescopes-Eyepiece/dp/B010UH5SL8

https://www.amazon.ca/Celestron-Omni-2X-Barlow-Lens/dp/B00008Y0TM

edit:
Don't forget to save some budget for a solar filter such as....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OXKGUS4

I just bought a Orion 10" Skyline Dobsonian telescope. So far I'm having a blast with it. I did quickly by the book, Turn left at Orion and also I purchased a Celestron Eyepiece set. Celestron accessory kit . I wanted a lot of different options to start with. So far, not being an expert, they seem pretty cool. I will buy more expensive eyepiece in time. But for learning, I think this is lots.

​

The one thing I will say, make sure you're comfortable with the size of the 10" scope. It's a beast to lug around and store when your not using it. Not something, you can just grab and go with or throw in the car.

I got one of these a few years ago although my weight setup is slightly different than yours; they changed it. I did remove the attached finder and added a ScopeStuff StarFinder Mount for my green laser:

http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_sfind.htm

I calibrate it during the day off someones license plate, etc. to get it centered in the eye piece.

Oh yes, be sure to get a collimator... The mirror was pretty off when I got it out of the box. I also got three 5 pound divers weights that contain shot for the tripod that I lay on the tree points in the tray area. It's not all that sturdy.

The Celestron Accessory Kit also helps too:

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-94303-Accessory-Kit/dp/B00006RH5I

If you have any questions, let me know!

There are quite a few out there and it really depends on your budget. Here a few that I believe are good for DSOs.

http://www.telescope.com/Accessories/Telescope-Eyepieces/32mm-Orion-Sirius-Plossl-Telescope-Eyepiece/c/3/sc/47/p/8728.uts

https://www.amazon.ca/Celestron-Omni-1-1-32MM-Eyepiece/dp/B00008Y0SS

http://www.amazon.com/Televue-32mm-Plossl-1-25-Eyepiece/dp/B0001GO16W

I like the Celestron because it is fairly priced and it is a decent eyepiece. If your budget can fit a Televue, then go for it!
Hopefully this helps.

I have the XT8 and I agree that there is no better scope on the market for the money. I do recommend spending another $125 on Celestron's Eyepiece and filter kit though. It will make a world of difference.

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-94303-Accessory-Kit/dp/B00006RH5I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397408068&sr=8-1&keywords=celestron+eyepiece+kit

A great set of eyepieces and filters for a beginning astronomer and it all comes in a sturdy foam fitted case.

I've been using Purse with the "Name Your Discount" feature (pairs with Amazon wishlist) with pretty good results.

Add the eyepiece to your wishlist (make sure to follow steps to make it public) and try it out!

Edit: Also, you can buy products on Overstock.com and games on Steam.

With a budget of ~$140 I'd definitely suggest the ES 82 degree line. I've got a 6.7 like this and it'll only be about $20 more than the allotted $140.

For planetary it's a fantastic eyepiece and the FoV is breathtaking under the right skies.

Nope, the svbony gold line still exists. This isn't just a color shift, you can tell because the gold lines have a 66 degree fov and the reds have a 68.

Technically I think the reds might be better (more fov) but they're definitely not the gold lines that everyone seems to love. Maybe they are poorly constructed or are more expensive? No idea.

I've had a lot of success with this, I have an 8 inch dob and it does everything I need it to do. The only other thing I recommend, and this might be something you look for later on, is a larger (38-42mm) wide angle eyepiece for larger objects like the Pleiades and the double cluster.

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93230-24mm-1-25-Eyepiece/dp/B0007UQNV8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417238580&sr=8-1&keywords=8-24mm+lens+telescope

These two you posted seem to be pretty good

1. https://www.amazon.com/Gosky-1-25inch-Plossl-Telescope-Eyepiece/dp/B00YREL9HI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494703842&sr=8-1&keywords=10mm+plossl
   
   
2. https://www.amazon.com/Gosky-1-25inch-Plossl-Telescope-Eyepiece/dp/B00YRKO2M6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494703670&sr=8-2&keywords=32mm+eyepiece
   
   Should I be fine with just these two plus the 26mm that comes with it?