UO HD Orthoscopic

Hello all. I just purchased an 18mm HD UO Orthoscopic from Helix. Very friendly, prompt service. The eyepiece arrived quickly and was well shipped/packed. I am dissappointed with the eyepiece, though, and may send it back. I was wondering whether anyone elese has tried the UO or HD UO Orthos.

I have a 12 GPS LX200 UHTC. I was looking at Mars the other night and a couple of nights before and used the UO HD Orthosopic. I have the Meade eyepiece set and compared the 18mm UO HD with the Meade 20mm and 15mm Super Plossls. I felt the views were superior in either of the Meade eyepieces when compared to the UO HD. None of the views were particularly great, but what I did see was slightly better and sharper in the Meades (I live in central Maine--dark skies, but Northeastern quality skies). There also was an annoying reflection/haze around Mars at many angles, even straight on, through all of the eyepieces, including the UO HD Orthoscopic. I really expected the UO HD to be sharper and better.

Do you think I received a bad eyepiece or did I just get a really good set of Meades or are two tests on Mars insufficient? I guess I felt there should have been a noticeable diference with the UO HD, that I shouldn't have to guess or even see the Super Plossls giving a better view-that was the whole point in getting the UO HD.

Any help is appreciated.
Gregg D. Bernstin

I read your post because I have been thinking about getting a UO HD 18 mm.

Here's a couple of thoughts. Mars is pretty low in Maine, and you will see the most difference in a fine eyepiece near the Zenith in good seeing. The Meade 4000 series is supposed to be very good. If you are getting great views at above 150x this last week, you are doing better in Maine than I am in Vermont. Most of my observing has been at 130x. Friday was a 150x night but as the night progressed there was enough mositure in the air to produce a halo as you describe in every eyepiece that I used. The differences between planetary eyepieces, while significant, are subtle.

Gregg, I would also expect the 18mm ortho to out-perform the Meade eyepieces. I also have a 18mm UO ortho with normal multi-coatings and my impression is that it is clearly better than the meade eyepieces in my collection. I have used the aforementioned eyepieces in a variety of scopes including my 12.5" Discovery dob and a 16" dob. I also used it in a meade 10" schmidt-cass I used to own. It's possible you got a dud and I would return it and try another one.

Gregg, did you try the EPs on the moon, possibly a better target than Mars, and at least an alternative data point. Let us know, -- William

p.s. I sold my 18mm Ultima after comparing it with an old Celestron Ortho made by Vixen...