So many choices!

[zac_haryy]

So I new to astronomy, have always been fascinated but have never bought a scope until now. I just recently purchased a Orion XT8. It should be arriving here next week. I have been reading all types of information about telescopes within the past 4-5 days (lots of information to try and retain!). I am trying my best to understand most everything, or at least the basics. The XT8 only has a 25mm eyepiece that comes with it and I would like to purchase some other but not to sure which to get. I found a Orion accessory kit that looked somewhat interesting but didn't really know how good the eyepieces where that came with it. Here is what is in the box:

Five 1.25-inch Sirius Plossl eyepieces - 40mm, 17mm, 10mm, 7.5mm, and 6.3mm focal lengths
Five 1.25-inch color eyepiece filters - #12 Yellow, #23 Orange, #25 Red, #58 Green and #80A Blue
1.25-inch 2x Shorty Barlow Lens
1.25-inch neutral-density Moon eyepiece filter
Foam-lined hard carry case

So that goes for $150 and seems to be worth the money when adding everything up individually. I just didn't know if the eye pieces would be very good or not. So I thought about getting this but then also just thought about buying eyepieces individually. I was thinking about the

-5mm Orion Stratus Wide-Field Eyepiece
-Orion Shorty 1.25" 2x Barlow Lens
-maybe a 10mm or somewhere in the middle

Im not really to sure what I really want/need. Like I said I'm new to this and ultimately the things I would like to view are endless. I just wanna make sure I have the eyepieces so that when I'm at gazing at the stars I wont "wish" that I had a different piece to be in more of an "awe" state.

So basically I figure I would start with looking at the planets and trying to see the rings of Saturn. So for the rings of Saturn what would be the best setup using this scope? Or looking at Jupiter, what would work the best there?

I have been reading lots and lots about eye pieces, now I am just to a point I don't know what would be my best bet! There are a lot to choose from and a lot of different brands. Anyways if you guys could point me in a good direction that would be great! Thanks


-haryy

[zac_haryy]

Or should I get a 13mm or 8mm Orion Stratus Wide-Field Eyepiece, then with the Barlow it would double either one of them. Although I think if I doubled the 8mm it would get blurry if I remember right.

[Joe Lalumia]

If you must buy something-- buy just the 2x barlow-- and STOP!

Then go and buy a red flashlight, a small light table, a field star chart, and finally an observing chair.
http://www.tulsawalk.com/projects/de...air/index.html

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317"]Amazon.com: Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas (9781931559317): Roger W. Sinnott: Books[/ame]

Clear skies to you.

[sxinias]

Ditto what Joe said.

[andyp180]

stop.take a step backwards and think.
what do you NEED?not what you want.
so many make the mistake of buying a load of
kit they will maybe use a couple of times,for example
the filters.
most who own them,only ever use a moon filter.
the same goes with ep's.
learn to use what you have right now,then find out
what you need and suits you.what works for me,may not
work for you.
hope this helps.
clear skies,

[Widespread]

I did get the Celestron EP kit, but mostly because it came with the Power Tank bundle for about the same price as the scope alone. It's been useful for figuring out which focal lengths I use most with my F/10 SCT. But I personally wouldn't pay $150 for it.

That said, your lone 25mm Plossl only gives you 48x magnification in your 1200mm (F/5.9) scope. That's not a lot of magnification for an 8-inch light bucket, especially if you want to do planetary observations. You might consider joining Astromart.com ($12 membership) and get a couple of used Plossls ($15 - $20 each).

If you haven't already, I suggest reading the Useful Eyepiece Focal Lengths sticky at the top of this forum page. to help figure out which FLs you need.

[BBGunForNeighborsLamp]

I bought that exact eyepiece kit when I bought my XT8.

I didn’t see any of the flaws in the these eyepieces until I started reading about the good (expensive) ones. They will still work just fine and are better than anything Galileo ever had but you will want to upgrade. I find myself looking at the Tel Vue web site an awful lot but the wallet and wife keep telling me NO! So I go back to my Sirius Plossl’s and see Saturn’s rings just fine and watch as the planet stretches when it gets near the edge of the soda straw. But I get to see what different mm eyepieces will give me on my scope. 6.3mm is kind of pushing it, 40mm lets in too much background light and not enough magnification, 17mm just right. Add the barlow and you get a whole new view. That’s part of the fun, finding what works for you.

In the end I don’t regret the purchase. I do regret reading the article that pointed out the flaws of my cheap eyepieces. Now they never look the same and Tel Vue keeps calling to me.

[j.gardavsky]

Hello haryy,

I agree with Joe, as I am mostly using one 5mm planetary EP and one 16mm UWA. The other eight EPs are on the shelf.

The most important accessory is the chair, as your success with the astronomical observations will depend on the well-feeling of your back!

I'd also replace the Barlow with a bottle of good wine, let's say for a comparable price.

Best

JG

[KT4HX]

The EP's you have with your scope will let you see a lot as you get started. The barlow is something you could get now, but in all honesty, it's not something you have to have right now (but worthy of consideration as you gain more experience). The first order of business is to get the peripherals that make observing more productive and that you may not have considered (as Joe mentioned). Below is my reasons for why these are paramount:

Red Flashlight - Will help preserve your night vision while looking at your sky atlas, making notes, etc. Your ability to maintain your night vision is key to seeing subtle details, or just seeing in general. Use of a white light will undo that, and delay meaningful observation until your eyes can adjust once again.

Star Atlas - You need to learn what it is your looking at, and how to find it. I can highly recommend the Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, as it's small and more than detailed enough for field use. I suggest taking an atlas out with your red flashlight, without the scope. Learn some constellations, get your bearings. Some pre-observational homework will go a long way in adding to the enjoyment of your time under the stars. Since you have a dob, the time you invest in learning the fine art of star hopping to locate objects will add to your knowledge and enjoyment of time spent under the night sky. Star hopping is a skill that I find vastly rewarding and just plain fun.

Small Table - You need somewhere convenient to place your peripherals so they can be close at hand and you don't have to fumble around pulling things out of pockets. You might want to place a towel on the table to keep things from rolling off as well.

Observing Chair - Plainly put, if you're not comfortable, the success of your observing sessions will suffer. Physical fatigue from too much standing and bending will eventually contribute to eye fatigue. If you are relaxed and comfortable, then your mind can direct more energy to using your eyes

Hope this helps.

[Zeiss]

I have the celestron kit. Having said that I mainly use 32 and 25mm with 2x barlow.