Hello! I am finally back, the trip was a total success Dave In Vermont, this new eyepiece is my new favorite eyepiece without a doubt now, incredible observation. I went to one of my good spots to be able to look at the star fields (mainly), to test the eyepiece and the sky was beautiful in it.

ES 34mm 68d + BKP 200 DS (200 x 1000 F5 newtonian)
It's not suffering much from astigmatism so the field is clean of that up to the outer edge. It's a bit out of focus at the edges but the focus is great over all. The field of view is perfect and comfortable 68d. The eye position is a bit harder to keep then my Xcel LX, it's restricted when you eye gets too close to the front lens. NOTE: There is one very interesting fact, it blending nicely with my XcelLX, I don't feel these are "bad" eyepiece, both are very effectives and complementary. The magnification difference is obvious between 34mm and 18mm and even with the 24mm.

I totally love the 34mm FL, just like my 32mm, I wanted to have something like that exactly, the widest TFOV possible (

The brightness it similar to my previous 32mm Q70 (Which was sold last week and the money was used to finance the new EP) I don't see much problem there when it's not pointing over the light dome.

The central obstruction, I can't see it at all for DSO observation. Great!!

I noticed it needs to cool in order to reach a better focus, this took at least 45 minutes to achieve, but once it's there, I had the "wow" effect looking around Sadr, Deneb and Albiero. It's an incredible upgrade. My left eye will see with a better focus but my right eye will see more nebulae, very very strange!

(To look at a star fields it's the Left, to look at nebulae it's the right.)

I was there 2.25 hours and used only the 34mm all the time, maybe 10 minutes with the 18mm. There is love involved definitely I felt great and satisfied all the time.

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Other:
-Coma is still there. it could benefit of a coma corrector some day, not an issue very much right now.
-The eye cup and eye position is not the easiest to keep.
-The weight is manageable after all with my custom counterweight device, but it's pushing the limits of the EQ5 to maximum, the weights are very very close to the end of the bar. (I don't think my telescope / EQ5 could support a ES 30mm 82d or Nagler 31mm at all)
- The eyepiece barrel will grind itself inside my cheap 2" holder, the solution is on it's way. (Sanding, polishing and re coating the interior of the holder with 2 parts epoxy paint) Barrel of the ES 34mm has a bit wider exterior diameter then my LET or Q70 and the brushing of the stainless steel is horizontal instead of vertical, that's causing friction with the holder.

Otherwise Kudos to the Chinese for this eyepiece, I am impressed.

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Observation:
The Veil was incredible again, both extremities parts visible without the filter, but at least 3x (or more) visible with the NPB. This filter is totally incredible for the price, same thing with the Dumbbell (A charm the 34mm also, my best view of the dumbbell so far)

My favorite object last night, which impressed my memory the most was: Sagitta M71 Star cluster, not very visible from home but with a better sky it's simply incredible, because it's inside an already very rich star field.

That was the place to admire the sky last night! A memorable observation it was.

Wow!

You tell me what you think.

 

The purchase of this 34mm is an extraordinary situation for me. I agree the 68d it's a perfect AFOV. I don't know about 82d, 100d but the problem with these is the price and weight. I doubt Ill ever get into 100d 110d one day, it's like buying a BMW, not required.

I had a wide field EP problem causing observation discomfort, and there was no economic choice anymore to achieve all my goal of having the widest possible TFOV.. I even considered the Panoptic 24mm, for wide field low power but the problem was at the level of the 32mm Q70 more then the 24mm XcelLX (which I like)

That's the primary reason I did not went for the Pan or the ES 24mm on 68d or 82d. and they don't replace the 32mm.

I will not replace the Xcel Lx either for something else with wider AFOV just for the sake of having a wider field of view, except if a problem arises, like dust particles inside. I keep In mind your advice for the 24mm Panoptic.

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So I hope you don't get stuck in some marketing-maze, and you stay in LOVE with your new treasure! That EP sounds like it belongs in a place of high-honor. For keeps! And into your next reincarnation - if you believe in that stuff!

Good advice, all my eyepieces were good choices, and I feel now, my sequence is very effective for my needs. It didn't break the bank, and it's providing good results I can live with for a long time. I thought of replacing my 25mm XcelLX a few weeks ago on SGL, but now, placed side to side with the 34mm ES, the 25mm deserves to stay my good friend, for 1/3 the price it's almost the same quality.

No problem for the report, it's fun to do!

Do you have the Panoptic 24mm ?

 

All I need is there i am somewhat proud of my choices. I'll add a Fujiyama 12.5 mm orthoscopic eventually.

 

Ok I keep your advices for the Panoptic if I feel like having the very best 24mm eventually

I had another observation last night, another very interesting one with a few people looking at the objects with me. At the beginning, I was afraid of some balancing issues because of the weight of the 34mm, but it turned out not be a problem after all, I did thing slowly, took my time.

We looked at the double clusters and Andromeda's galaxy with the large EP and honestly it was fantastic, very satisfied of what we saw. We even looked at the Veil from home it's was visible with the narrow passband filter has well has the cat's eye nebula which is like a spot light in the 7mm orthoscopic.

Also this is my latest invention and it helped quite as bit. It's not only good with the 34mm but with all eyepiece when the telescope is placed at an odd position. So far it's very convivial to use.

N3ptune's counter weight! for the BKP 200 DS. Total price of 8$
20mm x 2mm strong magnets from the electronic store. 2$ each

These are large hexagonal bits for 1$ each(100g each)


The finished product directly installed on the telescope, very easy to move around.


And this is my latest modification for my original 2" holder. It was a barrel grinder for my eyepieces so I had to do something about it.

Sanded the interior to remove the original black paint using 4 grades of metal sand paper.

I used a primer on the inside, this was the Sherwin Williams "Pro-Cryl" industrial primer and surprise! it's not holding at all on aluminum, I had to remove it entirely with sand paper in less then 60 seconds.

But the double parts epoxy is holding strongly, applied directly on the surface. This is 2 coats of Sherwin Williams Waterbased catalyzed epoxy B73-300 / B73V300. The interior finish is now very smooth and very hard to scratch the 2" barrel won't grind itself inside anymore, it's like day and night now.


I hope this was interesting for me it was really fun to do, all of that.

 

I would like to hear about your latest very interesting observation using the famous 24mm Panoptic with your scopes, And do you often use it with a barlow?



#14 Si ? Exploding massive stars and exploding white dwarf, hemm that's a surprise yeah.

Here we have 89°F right now and the grass is not very fond of this.
NOTE: During the time I was out to take a picture, a Ladybug landed on my arm and bit me?! (First time I get bitten by a ladybug)

 

Waaa an unused 24mm Panoptic!

Hopefully this discussion will restore some motivation to use it again.

 

How bad is you disability? I saw a very interesting documentary the other day. Scientists will soon be able to connect an electronic interface directly to a nerve to control an artificial limb, very promising technology.

There was a mouse example with a broken spine, scientists can patch from the brain to the lower legs with an electronic interface and wired bypassing the spine. The mouse can use it's back legs again.

Putting aside the ethics, and how Donald Trump could control minds with that kind of technology. I think it's awesome.

 

Mak the Night ok, well it's good new if your improving, glad to hear that at least.

Dave In vermont, has far has I understand, Donald Trump has absolutely no power against the senate he is rejected by it's own party, his original key staff are leaving and many leaders of the world are not helping the situation either (Acting like dicks has well). If a presidential executive order is crossing the line, a juge will nullify it. This is far from being a dictatorship to me.

All this is also the demonstration of a highly dysfunctional system, highly polarized, based on obstructionism only, with absolutely no unification between the 2 parties for middle class people and 21 trillion in debt.

What will you do? BRICS countries started to dump the US dollar this is very serious. You are being replaced by a new world order.