Posts Made By: William Paolini

Terry,

I have the 28 UWAN and the XT10. I don't have a balance problem with my XT10 with the Paracorr+28UWAN combination. Last time I was out didn't even have to tighten the Alt tension knob any more than what I keep it set at.

The 24 Hyperion/Stratus (which I also have) is not clean to the edge in the XT10...actually about outer 40% of the AFOV stars will be deformed to varying degrees. I characterize it "OK" for the XT10...performs much much better in longer FL scopes.

I just recently sold both my 40 Paragon and 24 Hyperion once I got the 28 UWAN. Paragon still showed more TFOV, but exit pupil way too large for the XT10...fine in the TSA but I still liked the view thru the UWAN more even in the TSA (which is unusual for me as I don't like overly wide AFOVs). The UWAN is a very enjoyable eyepiece to use in both my XT10 and TSA-102 -- paracorr is a must though with the XT10 IMO.

-Bill

Besides some of the points already mentioned (eye relief, exit pupil, etc.), I also find the 40mm useful as a finder eyepiece and prefer it to a 32mm in this role. With the same tfov being presented in a smaller afov, it becomes very much easier to see and recognize star field patterns when hunting for some target(at least for me). Oddly, the 40mm is one of the few FLs I have also ended up with multiples of (which I guess must say something about the qualities of this breed) -- The Meades: 3000, 4000 5-element, and MA 40 EWF (love them all).

The 4000 smoothies with Japan mark are a 5-element design -- not a Plossl at all from what I understand but actually a pseudo-Masuyama design. I have all of them except for the 15mm which seems to be quite extinct from the used market as I have been searching for one for the better part of a year.

I've always seen the 4000's with the rubber grips advertised as 4-element Plossls. I have used the 4000 Japan 4-element Plossls and they are no where near as good performing as the 5-element smoothies.

Of the smoothies, I find the 26mm to be to dog of the line being very poor performing off-axis. The 20mm I'd rate good. The 40, 32, 12.x, 9.x, and 6.x are simply outstanding and easily hold their own with any other Plossl out there IMO.

Walt,

Hello. I also have a 10" Orion scope. There are many ways to cut things, but speaking "generically" here's what I have found are my preferences over the years with this scope:

For brighter nebula, like M42, I enjoy an eyepiece which will give me about 2.5-3.0 mm exit pupils.

For brighter, but very small nebula, like M57, as well as brighter globulars, a 1.25-1.50mm exit pupil I enjoy the most.

For planets, basically 0.7-1.7mm is where I keep it.

For general star field observing I prefer about a 4.5mm exit pupil as this seems to make the star points the prettiest in the scope.

For widest TFOV viewing, kind of dependes on you observing loacation as what will work best. If the skies are moderately light polluted, say limiting magnitude of 3.5, then I don't like going much beyond a 5mm exit pupil, unless I'm trying to frame something large, like Pleiades, then whatever gives me the max of 6-7mm exit pupil I will use. Of course, if at a dark site, then 6-7mm exit pupils will provide pretty views much easier.

So all the above speaks to the brightness of the image, and contrast mostly. When you throw in what kinds of TFOV you want to capture with the above, then that will lead you to the AFOV eyepiece which will work best. Generally speaking, I prefer an eyepiece which will give me a little more than a full degree TFOV for my scanning...plus it frames things like the Perseus Double and the Sword of Orion , and Pleiades somewhat very nicely.

Next I seem to prefer the .7 deg TFOV range for framing many many objects. Don't know why, just seems to look good for many things. After this, .5 deg and smaller for the planetary and high power realm, with .15-.30 deg TFOV being where I'm usually at for things like Globulars in the 0.5-1.25mm exit pupil realm.

So that basically what my eye likes with this scope...divorced of any eyepiece branding preferences

-Bill

Jon,
Thanks for the comparison. Just wondering...since your coined the old Wide Field as "The Big Easy", if you had to name your 35 Pan, what would you give it. Love the Big Easy name as it communicates a lot about it.
-Bill

Jud,

Fantastic!! Sounds like you have a great refigure Hope next weekend works out for you at Spruce Knob. How long of a journey is that for you?? Is there an event?

-Bill

So far, I've run the following thru my PST:
AP SPLs
Radians
Brandons
TV Plossls
Owl Enhanced (same as Orion Expanse).

From what I'm seeing, the TV Plossls bring in the prominences brightest and with most details. The Radians bring in the surface details best. Owl Enhanced are a good compromise of both.

Understanding that there is a reason for everything, then the question becomes should I do without something which is evidently needed?

If one could guarantee that 100% of the population did this, and that 100% of all newborns had it also, then we have a "maybe." But then, being a scifi fan, would have to ask if we did this, and all of a sudden visited by an agressor, where would that leave us? As slaves or food for the taking?

Also, to be even somewhat workable, it could not be an agression gene, but would have to be a physical violence gene. Afterall, everyday decisions are based on agression and survivalism in thinking - work, promotions, walking faster to get in line before the other people walking to the same desitnation, etc. Agression motivates us fundamentally in just about everything we do.

War, IMO, is nothing more than the same thing at work when you have a disagreement with a neighbor over putting a fence up, cutting a tree, parking a car in front of another's house, etc....just scaled up to a national level.

Interesting question, but I think if it happened, then the species would become extinct as a result.

I've had both, although not at the same time. Had the 15mm Wide Field too long ago to remember much about it, except that the eye relief was uncomfortable to me. In comparison the 15 Pan I do not find a problem with in the eye relief department.

I routinely use a Siebert 4x telecentric barlow with my 19 Pan and 15 Pan with no issues. No vignetting and the full 68 deg AFOV remains. Never tried them with regular barlows though.

Jud,

What brand focuser do you have? A Pic? I did not have this problem with either of those eyepieces in the stock Orion focuser or in the upgraded Orion dual speed for the XT10. Also a warning, I have one of the older Paracorrs which only has one tightening screw for the adjustable tuning top. When near the highest setting, the entire tuning top wobbles on the Paracorr main housing. Probably why the more current ones have the double lock. So if you get a Paracoor to solve the problem, make sure it is the varienty with the dual lock.

-Bill