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Getting a little confused here-------(WOW so many eye pieces to chose from----)

OK---I have in my order a ---Orion Shorty 1.25" 2x Barlow Lens

Is there another eye piece I should also buy to start out with ?

( sorry but I don't always understand things I read)

You're going to need more magnification than the 96x produced by the supplied 25mm Plössl eyepiece and an additional 2x Barlow lens.  Plan on a maximum magnification of somewhere around 200 (6mm effective focal length) to 250x (~5mm effective focal length), depending on just how good your local "seeing" is.

www.handprint.com/.../ae4.html

www.actonastro.com/eyepieces.htm

celestialwonders.com/.../seeing

A number of eyepiece kits are available, many of which include less-than-desirable 1.25" 40mm Plössls and short focal length Plössls with extremely tight eye relief, but, in the long run, it's better to choose a few better-than-average eyepieces of appropriate focal lengths, in my opinion.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipment/basics/3311076.html

http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3_page.asp?return=Advice&id=79

http://televue.com/engine/TV3_page.asp?id=96

Dave Mitsky

Thanks Dave-----

This is all still very confusing to me----But I will learn----Took me a while to learn computers---Now I have 5 in this cabin-----Learned most eveything on computer forums.

  OK---I added  to my order-----Don't know if this is good-----If not I will buy more.

Will place order tomorrow I hope.

I do not recommend buying either one of those eyepieces, which apparently are basic Kellners with small apparent fields of view.  In addition, the 6.3mm, when Barlowed, will produce 381x, which will be basically useless for most targets and most of the time for only a few bright ones like the Moon.

If you don't want to spend a lot of money, get a 10mm Sirius Plössl instead.

www.telescope.com/.../8736.uts

With a 2x Barlow lens, this will give you focal lengths of 5 (240x), 10 (120x), 12.5 (96x), and 25mm (48x).

Dave Mitsky

OK----I removed  those & added ---10mm Sirius Plössl instead.

Question ---When you say---With a 2x Barlow lens, this will give you focal lengths ----Does the 10mm Sirius Plössl  slide into the  2x Barlow lens. Are the two used together?

Also when you say a 2x Barlow  lens---is this what you are talkin about---Orion Shorty 1.25" 2x Barlow Lens

Is there a video that shows/explains this?----Any eye piece videos?

Realy appriciate all your help  Dave------Cause I don't know a thing bout all this ( but I been surfin around this site try'n to learn)

Hello Dave---no need to explain 'Barlowing'   -------I have been on Google & youtube----Think I understand that  now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twqsW2-XC-I

One of the links that I included in an earlier post was for that very same Barlow lens.

You may want to think about adding a 32mm Sirius to get the maximum true field of view possible in a 1.25" format.

Dave Mitsky

Yes Dave ---I remember your post a bout the  barlow lens---thats how I came to order one.

OK----I have ordered a 32mm sirius lens--Thanks for the tip.

I'm up to $564 now ----not counting the sky chart book  &  the telrad-----

Sooooo---I'm gonna place the order some time today.

Hope I did all this rite

Thanks again for all the help

Skip

Get any yardwork you need done now, as soon as you hit the order button, expect clouds and rain for the next few weeks. LOL

ORDER  PLACED------

Is that thunder I hear? 

Shrevestan is not kidding about the "new equipment curse".  We've all been hit by it and none of us can explain it outside of black magic...

Oh!  And the larger your investment the longer the curse lasts!

(Seriously, you are starting off to a wonderful hobby - glad to have you aboard!) 

Hi guys, I posted a while back on what I should buy to start out my journey into astronomy. The weather in the UK is just the worst for it at the min and I did buy a pair of 15x70's which are great, but I am now looking to buy my very first telescope.

Im not wanting to spend alot of money but maybe could stretch to the one suggested in this thread, the  Orion XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope. Im in the UK so would still be possible to buy from this site. Im pretty confused on what extras I should be getting?

Im looking to spend a max of $400 but with me being a total beginner I feel I don't need to spend this much, but I do wish to see alot. If anyone could make a small list of what I will need, maybe links to the items I would greatly apprieciate it, astronomy is something Im yet to know alot about but have a keen interest in. I really don't wanna go splashing money on things that arn't that good ps you guys should get commision.

The XT8 is a fine choice.  Now you need to think about additional eyepieces as it only comes with one.  Also a 2X Barlow lens will let you buy fewer of them since each will then allow two different magnifications.  Get the best you can afford with the widest apparant fields of view.  Use the formula (scope focal length) / (eyepiece focal length x (barlow factor) = (magnification) wher Barlow factor is either 1 or 2 depending on whether or not you are using it.  Select eyepieces for minimum overlap of magnifications in a calculated range of 300X down to whatever you come up with for your scope with say a 40mm eyepiece.  Don't forget to keep the Barlow in mind when doing this.  If yu are careful, the selection of 2 or 3 eyepieces plus the Barlow should be just about right.

If you are really in a budget crunch, there are pre-selected kits from Orion or Celestron that will choose a decent set of EPs, a 2xBarlow, and a selection of planetary filters all in a storage case for about $125 US.  This takes a lot of your guesswork out of the picture.While they are by no means premium EPs, they are quite serviceable plossls and will get you into the sky just fine.  Others may disagree with this approach (I hate to call them astro-snobs since they mean well) but since not everyone can afford to drop $300 to $700 per eyepiece we must make do at times and just replece them in a few years when you can afford to do so.  Why miss out on all that observing while you are saving pennies for later?

Hello Chris G and welcome to the forum!  I agree with what Poppa Chris has mentioned to you.  In all honesty it is going to be hard to put together some decent observing gear for a maximum of $400, IMO.  By the time you add an extra eyepiece, barlow lens, and don't forget star charts/books to help you begin to know what to look at in the sky and a Cheshire Collimating Tool which is a must for Newtonian scopes, you will be looking at over $500 to have a decent set-up.  The 8 inch dob will show you a multitude of wonders in the sky for many years.

Something else to consider is your observing location.  Will you be having to carry it up and down a flight of stairs or just one level?  You can scroll to one of the previous pages under the Telescope topic and readup on the different types of scopes, their strengths and weaknesses.

Good luck and happy stargazing!

pastorg

Orion does not ship outside of the United States and Canada. However, there are vendors in the UK that should be able to supply your needs.  If you "wish to see a lot", you should consider at least 6 inches of aperture, although 8 inches is a better and more cost effective starting point.

www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/.../Skyliner-200P.html

www.sherwoods-photo.com/.../skywatcher_dobsonian.htm

www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skyliner-200p-dobsonian-telescope_d12.html

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Skyliner_200P_8__Parabolic_Dobsonian_Telescope.html

www.firstlightoptics.com/.../skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

www.opticstar.com/.../Astro-Telescopes-Skywatcher.asp

Dave Mitsky