Some new goodies

[Glom]

So I've been wittling down the option for new equipment to enhance the AstroSoc Ten Inch.

Plossl Series 5000 32mm 60° £129 (http://www.pulsar-optical.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_152_154_177&products_id=869)
We've decided we need a wide field eyepiece. This will give us a 1.6° actual FOV, which is a major improvement over the 1.0° we can get at the moment. There are eyepieces for even wider fields, but they're expensive. Does this seem like a good eyepiece for our purposes?

LP-2 light pollution filter £90 (http://www.pulsar-optical.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_111_112&products_id=448&osCsid=ae24d74cec990453bc9cfdb0d5ec56dc)
For Edgbaston, this is a must. The problem is that they don't have one for 2'' eyepieces, and so, we can't use it for our new wide field eyepiece, which is where we might need it the most.

Cleaning kit £13 (http://www.pulsar-optical.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=67_71&products_id=276&osCsid=ae24d74cec990453bc9cfdb0d5ec56dc)
Obviously.

Laser collimator £70 (http://www.pulsar-optical.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=67_71&products_id=471&osCsid=ae24d74cec990453bc9cfdb0d5ec56dc)
Our views of Mars have been very disappointing lately. We suspect the telescope, with all the movng up and down has been knocked out of collimation (although cooldown is a strong suspect as well). Are these worth it?

[aurora]

On the 32mm plossl, that sounds reasonable, what does the exit pupil work out to be for your scope? If the power gets too low, the background to the sky will appear a light gray and washed out instead of dark.

The plossl is a good low cost option, if you wanted to go with a little more money in the low powers, I like the Panoptic line from Televue.

I think you can get light pollution filters for 2 inch eyepieces. See here

Orion broadband 2 inch filter (http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=103&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=6&iSubCat=22&iProductID=103)
or here
Lumicon 2 inch deep sky filter (http://www.buytelescopes.com/product.asp?t=48&pid=9665&m=)

For cleaning lenses, or mirrors? for lenses I use rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs. for mirrors, I use distilled water and surgical cotton. Books like "Starware" have instructions, or there are online sites as well.

Laser collimators are very useful indeed. A nice thing to have. You can do a good job collimating with a simple sight tube, or a cheshire, but the laser makes it easier.

[Glom]

Thanks. I found some local 2'' light pollution filters here (http://www.telescopehouse.co.uk/page.aspx?f=on&theLang=001lngdef&pointerID=18708lGmaqW9brY4ECRpWZmqGDXa0maL).

Okay, what's the catch?

30mm 70° 2'' £50 (http://www.telescopehouse.co.uk/page.aspx?theLang=001lngdef&pointerid=564C7A43D3E24E51B9A28F7E88AE5FF8&action=lnk)

That's everything I would have wanted. What's wrong with it?

[Dave Mitsky]

If you're referring to the eyepiece, it is probably an Erfle or some variant thereof and will have less than sterling field edge correction (i.e., astigmatism will be present) when used with a fast (low f/ratio) telescope.

Dave Mitsky