FILTERS AND EYEPIECES: GET THE MOST FROM YOUR TELESCOPE

Eyepieces work with your telescope’s focal length and aperture to increase the magnification. Filters will give you a more enhanced observing experience when it comes to looking at planetary features such as the dust storms on Mars, the Moon and the faint dust and gas of diffuse nebulae. You’re very likely to be supplied with some higher and lower power eyepieces with your telescope, but you may not be getting the most out of your device with these alone. It’s worth considering if you can improve your instrument with a small amount of money before deciding to upgrade your telescope in the future.

The best types of eyepieces to go for, giving great viewing for little cost, are Plössls. Remember that the larger the value on the eyepiece, the lower the magnification you’ll get. It’s also important to have a sense of how much magnification your telescope can handle, but eyepieces can be extremely useful in giving your telescope a much needed power boost. Alternatively, you might decide to invest in a Barlow lens, which you can fit to your telescope to boost the magnification of the eyepieces that you already have, saving money in the long run.

Go for...

Some alternative achromatic eyepieces for your device

Ensure that your eyepieces come multi-coated

Consider acquiring a Barlow lens to boost the power of eyepieces you already have

The highest quality filters that your budget will allow

Avoid...

Wasting money on eyepieces that your telescope is going to struggle to handle

Eyepieces with eye relief values that are too low for you

Eyepieces that are too heavy for a delicately balanced telescope – even with a sturdy tripod