40mm Plossl, super plossl or Antares

[karateman]

Hi Guys
Want a low power eyepiece for my Celestar C8. On my limited budget which of the following would you recommend and why?

40mm Plossl, super plossl or Antares

Thanks
Phil

[redshifter]

What is your budget? I'd look for a 2" eyepiece with a wide field, which may mean something other than a traditional plossl. Traditional plossls seem to offer 50 degress or so FOV.

What about used?

[karateman]

What is your budget? I'd look for a 2" eyepiece with a wide field, which may mean something other than a traditional plossl. Traditional plossls seem to offer 50 degress or so FOV.

What about used?

Hi Red
Budget about 40 GBP. I dont have a 2" adaptor for my scope so it has to be 1.25". I was just wondering what the difference was and which is the best quality. Whats a super plossl as opposed to a plossl for example.
Wheres the best place for used....E Bay?

Phil

[redshifter]

Well, there is this: http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/ Not sure what else there is out there for used astro gear. I'd suspect Ebay for astro gear is like anything else, there's good and there's bad.

At your budget, a plossl might be the best choice.

[RickJ]

With a 1.25" eyepiece you have no gain going much above 32mm focal length. The actual field of view will be the same with a 40 and 32. You will just be looking through a smaller window with the 40mm. Most any 30mm plossl will give you about the widest field you can get with that size eyepiece. Anything wider is blocked by the inside diameter of the eyepiece. You have to go to 2" eyepieces for longer focal length eyepieces as Redshifter suggests.

Rick

Rick

[karateman]

With a 1.25" eyepiece you have no gain going much above 32mm focal length. The actual field of view will be the same with a 40 and 32. You will just be looking through a smaller window with the 40mm. Most any 30mm plossl will give you about the widest field you can get with that size eyepiece. Anything wider is blocked by the inside diameter of the eyepiece. You have to go to 2" eyepieces for longer focal length eyepieces as Redshifter suggests.

Rick

Rick

Can you get 1.25''..to..2.0" converters?
Whats the difference between plossl and super plossl?
Phil

[RickJ]

A converter won't help. You are pinched by the 1.25" opening that must be widened to allow for eyepieces of longer focal length than about 30-32mm. Can you get another back for it? Standard C8's have 2" backs. At f/10 most any plossl eyepiece gives good performance. At shorter focal length design can be important. Super plossl is more advertising than anything. Just means the maker claims it meets higher standards than their lesser line of Plossls. May mean better coatings or internal design to get the most out of the 1.25" size as possible. Some give a degree or two more FOV, not really noticeable.

Some picky folk see a difference. In my SCT I don't see any. Just not picky enough I suppose. Also the f/10 light cone is very forgiving compared to say an f/4 cone on a big Dob. There the difference could be greater. Or it could be advertising.

Rick

[Siguy]

I think the difference between a Plossl and Super Plossl is that for the latter there's a slight curve on the outside lenses while with a normal Plossl the outside lenses are flat. I think it's similar to the difference between a Kellner and MA.

[RickJ]

Have you seen any significant performance difference? Comparing my Televue standard plossl to a Meade superplossl at a star party in my 10" f/5 I saw no difference at all nor did a few others there. I haven't tried since.

Rick

[Siguy]

I really don't have the experience to tell. I've heard that Meade Super Plossls are just as good as Televue, theoretically with the improved design they should be slightly better, but I suppose Televue's extremely high quality standards balance it out.