I was given a Tasco Telescope and it has a 60mm lens with a length of 900mm. It has a equilateral mount and one eye piece of 12.5mm size. I would like to receive advice on what eyepieces I might purchase in order get a larer magnification. I understand there is a limitation because of the 60mm lens. what might be the largest I could realistically hope to magnify an image with this telescope?

Also I have a 1.5X erector tube but it doesn't seem to work just producing incomprehensible blurry images. Could I use this some how or is it only intended for daytime viewing? 

I understand this isn't a nice telescope I’d just like to have some simple fun and see if I 'll stay interested in the hobby before investing in a new telescope.

These telescopes you are talking about are generally the same, no matter what brand name is painted on the side of the tube.

I had and still have the same problems with mine as you do.  Mine actually has a 700 mm focal length and came with a 12.5 mm focal length eyepiece.  Now, magnification is focal length of objective lens (the one at the end of the tube) divided by the focal length of the eyepiece, so I can get a 56x magnification; yours would be 900 mm/12.5 mm to give you 72x magnification.

Now another problem with these telescopes is that they use 0.965" barrel size eyepieces.  These are not as common as other sizes, so you might find it not too easy to get more or different eyepieces, but you might try an Internet search to see who carries them; maybe others here will post who know more than I do.  I don't know about prices for eyepieces of this size barrel.  Others have told me that the poor design of these telescopes and their parts often lead to the problem that the 1.5x erector lens cannot ever come to a focus unless you move it way out of the tube, so that it's useless.  There might also have been included also a 2x doubler lens, called a Barlow lens.  It might not work, either, but if you have one, give it a try.

Jupiter is up now in the sky.  You can actually get a pretty good view of it and four of its moons with your telescope, even with just your 12.5 mm eyepiece.  In fact, if you focus carefully, you can even see the great red spot on it with your scope on nights it's passing across the planet surface and if the night is clear and still.  Before I got a bigger, better scope, I used my little 60 mm refractor and got fairly satisfactory views of Saturn. 

It was my little 60 mm scope with its 12.5 mm eyepiece that motivated me to get a bigger, better telescope!  (I still use it from time to time, even though I have the new scope.)

awisniewski:

I understand there is a limitation because of the 60mm lens. what might be the largest I could realistically hope to magnify an image with this telescope?

The general rule of thumb for magnification is take the aperature multiplied by one of two values, depending on what unit of measure you use.  In your case:

                             60mm X 2 = 120x

                                     OR

                             2.4 in. X 50 = 120x

So, 120x is the highest magnification your scope will "take".  And, this will be achieved only under the best of conditions(ie. good seeing, good transparency, absence of light pollution, etc.)

awisniewski:

I understand this isn't a nice telescope I’d just like to have some simple fun and see if I 'll stay interested in the hobby before investing in a new telescope.

It's better than nothing at all.  I would almost guarantee that once you start using it, you'll want bigger and better.  You'll be hooked!

Good Luck and Clear Skies!!

I had an old tasco 60mm refractor once myself.  What size eyepieces does that telescope use?  I don't mean the focal length of the eyepiece which is printed or stamped on the side or top edge of the eyepiece.  Typically there are three sizes available for the amateur astronomer. One of those sizes is getting to be less common as time passes. Beside the focal lengths, It's the barrel size you need to worry about.  The barrel size is the diameter of the eyepiece that your telescopes focuser will hold.  Many, usually smaller telescopes use 1.25" while most others will use both 2" and 1.25".   However, there are still some out there that use the 0.965" eyepieces.  That is what my old Tasco 60mm used, and because the plastic construction of and diameter of the focus draw tube, I couldn't effectively use a step up adapter to use 1.25" eyepieces.
Most 0.965" eyepieces that came with those telescope use plastic rather than glass for the lens elements.  However I do believe there is someplace that still might sell glass element 0.965" eyepieces.  I just don't know where!  I'm not positive, but, I think someone else posted a link to such a place in the accessories forum..  

You can try looking here>> www.siebertoptics.com

If by chance yours is one that can use the 1.25" eyepieces, you might want to check into one of the eyepiece and accessory kits that Celestron or Zhumell sells.

Have A Nice ___________ 

Is yours an older telescope?  If it is, I have a scope similar to yours and just recently started to clean it up.  Mine is a Sears, pretty low quality with a plastic focuser and flimsy wooden tripod.  I have discovered, though, that some guys really enjoy vintage scopes like yours, so don't discount it as a telescope.  They can do a decent job on the moon, planets, and other bright objects. 

As far as finding eyepieces:  You might try telescope-warehouse dot com for some .965 eyepieces, if that is the size you need.  Or you might consider a right-angle adaptor that would let you use 1 1/4" eyepieces, which are more standard these days.  Orion sells a right-angle adaptor.

Try to resist the temptation to use a lot of power.  Telescopes of this size run out of light fairly quickly.  Your 12.5mm will give you about 72X.  If you can find a nice 9mm eyepiece, that would give you 100X, and that would probably be approaching the limit, imho.

Hope that helps a little bit.  Some one else on here can tell you a lot more than I can, I'm sure.  Have fun with the scope...

I would highly recommend a .965 to 1.25" hybrid star diagonal. Then you can use an 1.25" lenses, which are much easier to find, and usually better quality than .965 lenses.

One source is:

http://www.handsonoptics.com/cgi-local/cart.cgi?sku=1261

Have fun with your "toy"!

Alton3