Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon

[Refractordude]

Was out last night with my scope giving me 300 magnification on the Moon. The AgenaAstro zoom eyepiece I have is super sharp. However, it does not barlow well. Been thinking about the Delite and Pentax XW eyepieces for the moon, and using my zoom for doubles. I get a real kick out of how the zoom eyepiece slowly part doubles. My next purchase is going to be a new beefier az mount. However, need to decide on high power eyepieces now. They do pop up in the used market now and then. Thanks to you all.

[Jones]

All I have at the moment are 82 degree eyepieces.
Meade 7mm pwa the new one.
Meade 5.5mm uwa oldie.
ES 4.7mm.
TS optics 4mm uwa.
The meade pwa and TS are better than Delites on the planets. The 5.5 and 4.7 work well on the moon. Never compared them side by side to Delites when had a full set of them 7-3mm.
Did notice that a prism diagonal showed less scattered colors than a mirror on my achros.

[Bigzmey]

This is where I would start.

https://agenaastro.com/baader-classic-q ... 57000.html

For the price of one Delite you are getting 4 premium quality EPs, barlow and EP turret. I bought the set for the EPs, but turret is a nice gadget to. These Baader Orthos deliver image quality (sharpness, contrast, high transmission) on pair if not better than Delites, XWs and other premium wide fields. What you sacrifice with Orthos is the field of view and eye relief.

If the field of view and eye relief are important then there are many good options albeit at higher price. Meade UWAs (discontinued now) and ES 82 and 68 are great on both Moon/planets and DSOs. I have used them for years and traded only because they have relatively short eye relief (in shorter focal lengths) which is incompatible with my eye glasses.

Now I have Pentax XWs set for DSOs and Vixen SLVs set for doubles. I also have TV Delites which don't see as much use as other two sets. On planets and Moon I use all three set interchangeably depending on the scope/mount. But even with all these excellent EPs I switch to Orthos when I need extra push on difficult DSO, double or get a bit more details on Moon and planets.

[notFritzArgelander]

This is where I would start.

https://agenaastro.com/baader-classic-q ... 57000.html

For the price of one Delite you are getting 4 premium quality EPs, barlow and EP turret. I bought the set for the EPs, but turret is a nice gadget to. These Baader Orthos deliver image quality (sharpness, contrast, high transmission) on pair if not better than Delites, XWs and other premium wide fields. What you sacrifice with Orthos is the field of view and eye relief.

If the field of view and eye relief are important then there are many good options albeit at higher price. Meade UWAs (discontinued now) and ES 82 and 68 are great on both Moon/planets and DSOs. I have used them for years and traded only because they have relatively short eye relief (in shorter focal lengths) which is incompatible with my eye glasses.

Now I have Pentax XWs set for DSOs and Vixen SLVs set for doubles. I also have TV Delites which don't see as much use as other two sets. On planets and Moon I use all three set interchangeably depending on the scope/mount. But even with all these excellent EPs I switch to Orthos when I need extra push on difficult DSO, double or get a bit more details on Moon and planets.

I refrained from mentioning the BCOs and KK Fujiyamas since refractordude doesn't tolerate short eye relief IIRC. If that's not a problem you can't beat good Orthos or if you can manage even shorter eye relief, good Plössls.

[Bigzmey]

I refrained from mentioning the BCOs and KK Fujiyamas since refractordude doesn't tolerate short eye relief IIRC.

I can certainly relate to that. This why I have upgraded my 50, 60 and 70 deg EPs to 20mm eye relief.

[notFritzArgelander]

I refrained from mentioning the BCOs and KK Fujiyamas since refractordude doesn't tolerate short eye relief IIRC.

I can certainly relate to that. This why I have upgraded my 50, 60 and 70 deg EPs to 20mm eye relief.

Yes, but the contrast suffers ever so slightly. I’m happy to observe without my eyeglasses so I only use my TV Panoptics and Delos when I want a wide AFOV or TFOV.

[Lady Fraktor]

I would suggest the Vixen SLV series, 50° AFOV, 20mm eye relief and and very good views.

[DeanD]

I love my Nagler 3-6mm zoom. 50°AFOV, but only 10mm ER.

4 super sharp eyepieces in one, so while it isn't cheap, the price becomes ultra competitive when compared with (say) 4 XW's or 4 Delites...

If you want a bigger eye-relief at a lower price point, the Orion Planetary series are very nice (ie: rebadged Long Perng), but 4 of them still cost as much as the Nagler 3-6...

For ~ 7mm size, I find my Takahashi LE 7.5 is excellent.

Happy looking!

- Dean

[NGC 1365]

I love my Nagler 3-6mm zoom. 50°AFOV, but only 10mm ER.

4 super sharp eyepieces in one, so while it isn't cheap, the price becomes ultra competitive when compared with (say) 4 XW's or 4 Delites...

If you want a bigger eye-relief at a lower price point, the Orion Planetary series are very nice (ie: rebadged Long Perng), but 4 of them still cost as much as the Nagler 3-6...

For ~ 7mm size, I find my Takahashi LE 7.5 is excellent.

Happy looking!

- Dean

It's not just 4 eyepieces ,but also every increment in between the 4 settings. I also use my Televue 3-6 zoom for most of my lunar viewing with my smaller scopes. I've occasionally used it on my 18 inch scope as well in excellent seeing.

[Lady Fraktor]

The TeleVue 3-6mm zoom is also nice in that it is pretty much parafocal and the 50° AFOV is constant throughout.

[j.gardavsky]

Was out last night with my scope giving me 300 magnification on the Moon. The AgenaAstro zoom eyepiece I have is super sharp. However, it does not barlow well. Been thinking about the Delite and Pentax XW eyepieces for the moon, and using my zoom for doubles. I get a real kick out of how the zoom eyepiece slowly part doubles. My next purchase is going to be a new beefier az mount. However, need to decide on high power eyepieces now. They do pop up in the used market now and then. Thanks to you all.

Can't speak for the Delite, but the Pentax SMC XW 5mm, I love to use, is a very good choice for the Moon, and not only, but as well as when hunting details and the spiral arms in the galaxies. It also offers a high viewing comfort.

What has helped me when viewing the Moon, it has been the green Baader Solar Continuum narrow passband (10nm) filter. Close to 545nm, you make use of the maximum Strehl what both the eyepieces and the refractors are capable to offer.

Being a casual lunatic,
I would dare to say, that this filter, as soon as you get friendly with the cabbage green Moon, makes more difference than the eyepieces.

Best,
JG

[Bigzmey]

Was out last night with my scope giving me 300 magnification on the Moon. The AgenaAstro zoom eyepiece I have is super sharp. However, it does not barlow well. Been thinking about the Delite and Pentax XW eyepieces for the moon, and using my zoom for doubles. I get a real kick out of how the zoom eyepiece slowly part doubles. My next purchase is going to be a new beefier az mount. However, need to decide on high power eyepieces now. They do pop up in the used market now and then. Thanks to you all.

Can't speak for the Delite, but the Pentax SMC XW 5mm, I love to use, is a very good choice for the Moon, and not only, but as well as when hunting details and the spiral arms in the galaxies. It also offers a high viewing comfort.

What has helped me when viewing the Moon, it has been the green Baader Solar Continuum narrow passband (10nm) filter. Close to 545nm, you make use of the maximum Strehl what both the eyepieces and the refractors are capable to offer.

Being a casual lunatic,
I would dare to say, that this filter, as soon as you get friendly with the cabbage green Moon, makes more difference than the eyepieces.

Best,
JG

I don't have Baader Solar Continuum filter, but among Wratten color filters #57 green works best for me on the full Moon and #21 orange on crescent.

[notFritzArgelander]

Was out last night with my scope giving me 300 magnification on the Moon. The AgenaAstro zoom eyepiece I have is super sharp. However, it does not barlow well. Been thinking about the Delite and Pentax XW eyepieces for the moon, and using my zoom for doubles. I get a real kick out of how the zoom eyepiece slowly part doubles. My next purchase is going to be a new beefier az mount. However, need to decide on high power eyepieces now. They do pop up in the used market now and then. Thanks to you all.

Can't speak for the Delite, but the Pentax SMC XW 5mm, I love to use, is a very good choice for the Moon, and not only, but as well as when hunting details and the spiral arms in the galaxies. It also offers a high viewing comfort.

What has helped me when viewing the Moon, it has been the green Baader Solar Continuum narrow passband (10nm) filter. Close to 545nm, you make use of the maximum Strehl what both the eyepieces and the refractors are capable to offer.

Being a casual lunatic,
I would dare to say, that this filter, as soon as you get friendly with the cabbage green Moon, makes more difference than the eyepieces.

Best,
JG

I don't have Baader Solar Continuum filter, but among Wratten color filters #57 green works best for me on the full Moon and #21 orange on crescent.

I find that the Baader Solar Continuum filter is indispensable. My color filters have fallen into nonuse.

[omeek]

This is a great discussion! I have been wanting to pick up a 5mm or 6mm EP to round out my arsenal. I'm not super concerned about a lot of eye relief so I might look in to a good orthos EP.

Thanks for calling out the BCO & fujiyama EP's, nFA! That gives me a good place to start.

[notFritzArgelander]

This is a great discussion! I have been wanting to pick up a 5mm or 6mm EP to round out my arsenal. I'm not super concerned about a lot of eye relief so I might look in to a good orthos EP.

Thanks for calling out the BCO & fujiyama EP's, nFA! That gives me a good place to start.

I love them both. I'd give the nod to the KK Fujiyama for planetary and the BCO for internal detail of nebulae. It's a slight nod, both are quite good all around.

[OzEclipse]

Hi,
You don't mention which telescope you are using. This makes quite a difference. I note that in your signature, all your telescopes are long f ratio refractors and so they will be quite tolerant of eyepiece design. I have a 6" f7 newt and an 18" f5.5 newt. The 6" is quite tolerant of eyepiece design but the 18" isn't. I have been using various 5 mm eyepieces trying to find a good one for the 6". 5mm gives me 210X.

I own a Baader Hyperion 5mm and a Meade Series 4000 UWA 4.7mm. Neither has really impressed me. A couple of years ago I put a friends Pentax XW5mm in the 6" and WOW!!! It bowled me over. Huge difference in light transmission and sharpness to the Baader. No competition IMO. I recently found and bought a Pentax XW5 second hand for $200. Should be here next week.

If at all possible, try the eyepiece in your own scope. Take it to a star party and see if you can find someone who will let you try in.

Joe

[omeek]

That is a great point, Joe!

On that note, @notFritzArgelander for the 2 EP's you recommended, do they perform well in your Z12? That's the scope I will be using with any new EP's.

[notFritzArgelander]

That is a great point, Joe!

On that note, @notFritzArgelander for the 2 EP's you recommended, do they perform well in your Z12? That's the scope I will be using with any new EP's.

Yes, indeed. I did a comparison of BCOs, KK Fujiyamas, and TV Delos in the Z12 on a shadow transit of Io. The BCOs and KKs out performed the Delos by a bit. This is a little surprising since common wisdom is that Orthoscopics are only good in slow scopes. The common wisdom doesn't take into account modern glass types and coatings which permit these designs to be pushed to faster scopes. It also doesn't take into account that less glass means more light throughput and less internal scatter.

The difference was small but readily noticeable. It revealed itself most cleanly in the interior of the transiting shadow which was darker, more contrasty in the orthos and more gray in the Delos.

For critical observations the orthos win. I still use the Delos when I want a wide field for framing purposes.

If you can try before buy, so much the better. Eyes and vision are not standardized. But the nice thing is that the orthos (IMHO superb) do not break the bank like the highly corrected wide fields.

[notFritzArgelander]

PS I wouldn't push it more than f5 though. I used to have an f4.5 14" Dob and there was no advantage to the orthos there.

[The Happy Parrot]

I had the 6mm Baader Planetarium Ortho for my Z8 newtonian, and while the view was very crisp and bright, the narrow field of view meant I only had a short time to appreciate the view before having to nudge and center the telescope again to keep up with the target. For me, the time was too short to fully appreciate details despite the clear view. The short eye relief didn't help either. Recently sold the Baader Ortho, and now enjoy my Meade MWA 5mm 100 deg. eyepiece. Got it "for free" on my credit card's points catalog. The view is ever so slightly less crisp, but not having to rush is priceless.

Having said all that, now I'm curious about the Baader filter Pentax EP JG mentions above.