How to Choose a Proper Telescope Eye Piece?
BookLovr5 asked:
My father-in-law just gave me his old Meade ETX-60AT telescope. The problem is, it’s missing both eye pieces and user manual. I managed to download the user manual but the eye pieces are still eluding me. How would I go about getting replacements? Do the eye pieces HAVE to be the same brand? It came with a 25mm (1.25″) and 9mm lenses, do I HAVE to get these or can I choose others? How will I know what I buy will fit in my telescope? I’m new at this and could sure use the help.
Do I have to have a Meade eyepiece or can I purchase a different brand?
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My father-in-law just gave me his old Meade ETX-60AT telescope. The problem is, it’s missing both eye pieces and user manual. I managed to download the user manual but the eye pieces are still eluding me. How would I go about getting replacements? Do the eye pieces HAVE to be the same brand? It came with a 25mm (1.25″) and 9mm lenses, do I HAVE to get these or can I choose others? How will I know what I buy will fit in my telescope? I’m new at this and could sure use the help.
Do I have to have a Meade eyepiece or can I purchase a different brand?
August 26th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Go to telescope.com
They have excellent tutorials and great (human) customer service that would help you. The short answer is that “NO”, you don’t have to have that size eyepieces. The longer the eyepiece, the less magnification. ANY 1.25″ eyepiece will fit.
best of luck
August 28th, 2009 at 3:50 am
Hey, i have the same telescope u r having i have 2 eyepieces 1 is the 25 mm its perfect to see moon & other plantes but these objects will look smaller.
i also have the 9mm eyepiece which can be used to see more further objects but its fiels of view is narrower than the 25
i also have a barlow lense it can be fitted with eyepiece and it will double its power so for the best view i use the 25mm + the barlow lense together.
congratulaions for new telescope & clear skies.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
The user manual can be downloaded at
A 9mm and 25 mm (approximately) eyepieces will give you a low power and medium power view.
A shorty 2x Barlow lens will double each power giving you four different views. Dont use over 100 power on this little scope or views will get fuzzy. It is a goto scope so practice setting it up in daylight a few times and you won’t have the frustration that ofen goes with using a telescope.
Here is a good ebay company to buy high quality eyepieces:
This would be a good one for your ~9mm eyepiece.
Finally, you need to know eyepieces come in 3 sizes. Your telescope needs 1.25 inch eyepieces. This is the outside size of the barrel that slips into the telescope eyepiece holder.
Have fun and learn alot from your telescope.
August 30th, 2009 at 4:00 am
There are two standard sizes, 2 inch, and 1 1/4 inch. You have the latter. Any 1 1/4 inch will work with your scope. The other number is related to the power (magnification. The SMALLER that number is, the higher the power. A lower number gives you less magnification, and a wider field (like binoculars). A high power eyepiece gives you a narrow field of view. This can be like trying to look through a drinking straw if you put a very high powered eyepiece on a very small scope. Another good lens to own is a Barlow lens. You put thin in the eyepiece holder, then put the eyepiece in the Barlow. It doubles or triples the power of whatever eyepiece you put in it. It’s like getting two for one! Ill send you some links.
You can always find something cheaper on the internet. What you don’t know is whether it will arrive after you pay. These are reputable sources.