Barlow Lens
Is it worth getting a barlow lens?
i have a dobsonian with a 1200mm focal length and a 25mm eyepiece with it. i want to buy another 7.5 mm eyepiece but a lot of people have been suggesting to purchase a barlow lens. if i use that with the eyepiece i have now the mag will only be 96x, and im looking for about 160x. however somebody told me that if i get a 7.5mm eyepiece i will end up forcefully and uncomfortably pressing my eye up to the eyepiece to see the whole plane of view. if i purchased a 15mm eyepiece and a 2x barlow lense, would this problem be eliminated?
That’s not a bad combination a 15mm eyepiece and a Barlow lens. Avoid the very cheapest Barlows as they can soften the image and induce other distortions. But there are good ones starting around $50 that are a good lifetime investment.
Barlows come in other magnifying factors besides 2x. Some come in 2.5x and 3x and a few are made that are 5x. The important thing is that the Barlow complement your eyepiece collection (such as it may be) without actually duplicating any of the magnifications that you can have without the Barlow.
The Antares or Celestron Ultima are good barlows among others.
Using Barlow lenses with your telescope (A buyer’s guide)
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Orion Observer 70mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope $129.99 Orion’s Observer 70 EQ combines the solid optical performance of a classic achromatic refractor with a German style equatorial mount. The Observer 70 features very good optics and 36 percent more light gathering power than 60mm beginner scopes. The complete accessory package includes high and low power eyepieces, a 90 degree star diagonal, a red-dot finder, illustrated instructions, and Orio… |
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Orion SpaceProbe 130 EQ Reflector $229.99 The Orion SpaceProbe 130 EQ Reflector is a Newtonian reflector telescope packaged with a sturdy equatorial mount, two Explorer II eyepieces, a 6×30 finder scope, and Orionâs Starry Night Special Edition software. Invented by Sir Isaac Newton, reflector telescopes provide more light gathering power per dollar than any other telescope design. With 130mm (5.1 inches) of aperture, the SpaceProbe … |
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Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Telescope $179.99 Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector TelescopeLaunch a lifetime of stargazing with this compact, ready-to-use telescopeTop-notch optics show you the moon, the planets, the stars and moreScope comes fully assembled so you can go from box to backyard in minutesHigh-quality optics, point-and-view ease of use, remarkable portability, all for less than $200Your ticket to space-tourism without the zero-G… |
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Celestron 93625 Universal 1.25-inch Camera T-Adapter $20.95 Celestron Telescope Astrophotography T-Adapter – 1-1/4in Universal 93625… |
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Celestron Accessory Kit $120.95 Celestron Accessory Kit… |
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Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope $35.99 In 1609, world-renowned Italian scientist, Galileo Galilei, introduced an elementary telescope to the growing astronomy community, which sparked interest into the mysterious night sky for centuries to come. Four centuries later, in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, Celestron offers the portable FirstScope Telescope. The FirstScope pays tribute to Galileo Galilei and many of … |
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BARSKA 40070 Starwatcher Compact Refractor Telescope with Table Top Tripod And Carrying Case $58.72 An ideal entry-level telescope for amateur astronomers, the Barska Starwatcher 300-power telescope brings you closer than ever to the stars and planets. The refractor telescope is equipped with such features as coated glass optics for enhanced image brightness, interchangeable eyepieces with 3x Barlow lenses for increased viewing power, and smooth-functioning mounts. For good measure, Barska added… |
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Bushnell Powerview 7-15×25 Compact Zoom Binocular $42.91 The Bushnell(r) Powerview(r) Series of binoculars offers you compact, streamlined designs for bright, crisp views of wherever you’re exploring…. |
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Celestron 52268 C90 Mak Spotting scope (Black) $159.95 Celestron’s 52268 90mm Maksutov Spotting Scope delivers excellent high power optics in a compact, affordable package. The 52268 package includes a backpack style soft carrying case, an 8×21 erect image finder scope, a 1.25 inch size correct image 45* prism diagonal, and a fully coated 32mm plossl eyepiece for a magnification of 39X. The Maksutov-Cassegrain design of the C90 uses a combinat… |
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Televue 2x Big Barlow 2 inch $220.00 Properly designed Barlows do wonderful things. First, they amplify power while retaining the eyepiece’s eye-relief. Second, they slow the telescope’s f/#, which improves eyepiece sharpness. Third, the designer can introduce compensations for eyepiece aberrations.Tele Vue’s 2″ 2x BIG Barlow, 1 1/4″ 2x and 3x Barlows were envisioned as magnification windows. Multi-coated high index glasses assure op… |
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Galileo 0.965-inch Format 3X Barlow Lens (Refurbished) $16.49 Never miss a thing with this Galileo 3X Barlow Lens Eyepiece. This quality optic accessory comes in standard 0.965-inch format and includes a sturdy nylon case with a Velcro closure and belt loop. |