New eyepiece, etc.

Discuss telescope eyepieces.
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Voyageur
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New eyepiece, etc.

#1

Post by Voyageur »


Yesterday was a beautiful day. I decided to ride my bicycle on the old railroad trail from north of Traverse City to Suttons Bay. The times I've done this before, I have started at the 7 mile marker and ridden ten miles to the end. The parking lot at the 7 mile point was full, however, so I drove to the 8-mile marker.

This was a good thing, as it turned out. It was windy, and this particular trail is uphill both ways, so by the time I reached Suttons Bay, I was tired. I needed refreshment, so I went a few more blocks to Enerdyne, the only nearby astronomy shop. Dick Cookman was in, a man who has forgotten more about astronomy than I will ever know. For some reason, I was seduced into buying a TeleVue 5 mm Radian eyepiece. New old stock, no longer in production. Dick has some goodies stashed away. Gorgeous EP. My AT 80EDT will handle this on good nights. I've squeezed out views with an 11 mm Plossl with 3x Barlow a few times with that scope on special occasions, and regularly use a 7mm Nagler with it, so I feel optimistic.

Meant to try it last night, but alas, that didn't happen. By the time I biked back, I was beat. Despite my best intentions, I hit the sack before dark, around 8:30, and crashed. Old age is not for wimps.

Tonight is supposed to be cloudy, but if Jupiter and Saturn peek through, I will be out there.
Scopes: Vixen VMC200L, D=200mm, F=1950, f/9.75; Televue 2" Everbright diagonal. Coronado PST; AstroTech EDT 80mm, F=480, f/6.
Mounts: Vixen SXW/Starbook (original); Stellarvue M2C alt-az.
Eyepieces: Televue: 55mm Plossl, 22mm Panoptic, 17.3mm Delos, 13mm Nagler, c. 1980, 11mm Plossl, 7mm Nagler, 5mm Radian; Meade 15mm Super Plossl; VERNONSCOPE 2.4X BARLOW
Binoculars: Leica 8x32 Trinovids, circa 1997; Orion Megaview 20x80, Orion Paragon Plus mount.
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notFritzArgelander
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#2

Post by notFritzArgelander »


The Radians are very nice! The wind is high here today complete with dust. I have hopes for Monday, though.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#3

Post by Voyageur »


notFritzArgelander wrote: Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:27 pm The Radians are very nice! The wind is high here today complete with dust. I have hopes for Monday, though.
Thanks, nFA! I'm excited about it. I was surprised how heavy it is. Hope you get some good viewing soon.
Scopes: Vixen VMC200L, D=200mm, F=1950, f/9.75; Televue 2" Everbright diagonal. Coronado PST; AstroTech EDT 80mm, F=480, f/6.
Mounts: Vixen SXW/Starbook (original); Stellarvue M2C alt-az.
Eyepieces: Televue: 55mm Plossl, 22mm Panoptic, 17.3mm Delos, 13mm Nagler, c. 1980, 11mm Plossl, 7mm Nagler, 5mm Radian; Meade 15mm Super Plossl; VERNONSCOPE 2.4X BARLOW
Binoculars: Leica 8x32 Trinovids, circa 1997; Orion Megaview 20x80, Orion Paragon Plus mount.
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Thefatkitty Canada
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#4

Post by Thefatkitty »


Good for you, Mary, sounds like a great day! :D and I love your comment, "For some reason, I was seduced into buying a TeleVue 5 mm Radian eyepiece" :lol: I love it. That's the same reason I had to stop going to KW Telescope when I was in the area for work... After the third "seduction", it really started to add up!

Enjoy the new eyepiece and I hope your skies clear up.

All the best,
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#5

Post by bladekeeper »


Congrats on the new glass, Mary!
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Lady Fraktor Slovakia
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#6

Post by Lady Fraktor »


A very nice eyepiece Mary.
If you want to try some other focal lengths in the future but cannot find used ones the Vixen LVW are an excellent choice and has a 65° AFOV.
A lot of people combine the two sets to get more focal lengths, just avoid the 12mm Radian, the weak one of the line.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#7

Post by Voyageur »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:11 pm A very nice eyepiece Mary.
If you want to try some other focal lengths in the future but cannot find used ones the Vixen LVW are an excellent choice and has a 65° AFOV.
A lot of people combine the two sets to get more focal lengths, just avoid the 12mm Radian, the weak one of the line.
Thanks, Gabby. I'm still waiting to try the new Radian. Clouds and rain are here now.
Scopes: Vixen VMC200L, D=200mm, F=1950, f/9.75; Televue 2" Everbright diagonal. Coronado PST; AstroTech EDT 80mm, F=480, f/6.
Mounts: Vixen SXW/Starbook (original); Stellarvue M2C alt-az.
Eyepieces: Televue: 55mm Plossl, 22mm Panoptic, 17.3mm Delos, 13mm Nagler, c. 1980, 11mm Plossl, 7mm Nagler, 5mm Radian; Meade 15mm Super Plossl; VERNONSCOPE 2.4X BARLOW
Binoculars: Leica 8x32 Trinovids, circa 1997; Orion Megaview 20x80, Orion Paragon Plus mount.
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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#8

Post by Bigzmey »


New 5mm Radian? A rare find indeed! Enjoy your new EP Mary. I am sure it will deliver great views.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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helicon United States of America
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#9

Post by helicon »


Nice pick-up Mary especially after a long bicycle ride. I hope you enjoy the new glass!
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
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Re: New eyepiece, etc.

#10

Post by Voyageur »


helicon wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:05 pm Nice pick-up Mary especially after a long bicycle ride. I hope you enjoy the new glass!
Thanks, Michael. Still waiting to try it out.
Scopes: Vixen VMC200L, D=200mm, F=1950, f/9.75; Televue 2" Everbright diagonal. Coronado PST; AstroTech EDT 80mm, F=480, f/6.
Mounts: Vixen SXW/Starbook (original); Stellarvue M2C alt-az.
Eyepieces: Televue: 55mm Plossl, 22mm Panoptic, 17.3mm Delos, 13mm Nagler, c. 1980, 11mm Plossl, 7mm Nagler, 5mm Radian; Meade 15mm Super Plossl; VERNONSCOPE 2.4X BARLOW
Binoculars: Leica 8x32 Trinovids, circa 1997; Orion Megaview 20x80, Orion Paragon Plus mount.
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