I tell you. All the eyepieces you mentioned will give you a better picture than your getting with the eyepieces that came with the scope. In my opinion, I prefer a smaller focal length eyepiece over a 2x barlow. In other words, I'd rather use a 6MM than a 12MM and 2x barlow. Depending on the focal length of your telescope you could probable go down to a 5MM or 6MM. You don't want too much magnification, you won't be able to focus. I have a 12"LX200 f/10 scope and with the 14MM eyepiece I get 218X. Most nights that's about the most magnification I can use and still have an acceptable focus. Now that's mostly for the planets. For DSO's I stay more around 75x to 135x for the best views. I go for more sometimes especially with globular clusteres and planetary nebulars but I rarly look at anything except the moon over the 218X with the 14MM. I have the 8MM Radian that gives me 386X, but that much magnification just doesn't focus well enough unless it's really still air. It's a great eyepiece, I've used it other scopes and it's outstanding, but it just too much magnification on the 12". So again, any of the Panoptics, Televiews Radians or Naglers are great and will give you a better picture. Good Luch. Keep us posted.
That's it;
BOB SAL

• Great! - ferguson - September 12, 2003 - 13:15 UTC
  • Some info I forgot - ferguson - September 12, 2003 - 17:25 UTC