Eyepieces play a crucial role in how you view the night sky. They’re the final optical element through which light passes before it reaches your eye. The quality and type of eyepiece can radically transform your stargazing experience. Finding the right one can be the difference between fuzzy dots and crisp details.
Eyepieces aren’t one-size-fits-all. Knowing how to pair the right eyepiece with your telescope for different celestial events or personal preferences will make nights under the stars more rewarding. Experimenting with various eyepieces can unveil hidden wonders, encouraging more exploration.
If you’re in a hurry, here are 6 top eyepieces for your telescope which offer Budget, Intermediate and High-Spec options
| Image | Name | Focal Length | Exit Pupil/Eye Relief | Coatings | Barrel Size | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Svbony SV131 | 32mm | 19mm/25mm | FMC | 1.25″ | Check Latest Price |
 | Skywatcher SP Series Super Plossl | 17mm | 1.7mm/13mm | Multi-Coated | 1.25″ | Check Latest Price |
 | Svbony, Wide Angle Eyepiece | 6mm | 19mm/25mm | FMC | 1.25″ | Check Latest Price |
 | Celestron 93323 1-1/4 Omni Series | 32mm | 3.2mm/22mm | FMC | 1.25″ | Check Latest Price |
 | Celestron 93421 X-Cel LX Series | 5mm | 1.8mm/16mm | FMC | 1.25″ | Check Latest Price |
 | Svbony SV171 Zoom, 8-24mm | 8-24mm | 8-24mm/18.5 | FMC | 1.25″ | Check Latest Price |
Eyepiece Options: Things To Look Out For
Focal Length
Different eyepieces offer varying levels of magnification based on their focal length. Shorter focal lengths result in higher magnification, making them ideal for detailed planet observations. However, it narrows your field of view.
On the flip side, longer focal lengths offer a wider view, perfect for observing large celestial objects or star fields.
Exit Pupil
The exit pupil is the diameter of the beam of light that exits the eyepiece and enters your eye.
If you’re looking for detailed observations of planets or the moon, a small exit pupil can be quite effective. For deep-sky objects, you might prefer an eyepiece with a larger exit pupil to gather more light and provide a brighter image
However, a small exit pupil might be less comfortable for extended viewing sessions compared to eyepieces with larger exit pupils, as it requires more precise eye positioning.
Eye Relief
Eye relief is the distance between your eye and the eyepiece lens where you can see the full field of view. If your eye is too close or too far from this point, you’ll see a reduced field of view or experience vignetting (dark edges). Eye relief is an important aspect to consider, especially for those who wear glasses.
Importance:
Comfort: Longer eye relief is more comfortable, especially for extended viewing sessions. It allows you to keep your eye at a comfortable distance from the eyepiece.
Eyeglass Wearers: Those who wear glasses need longer eye relief (typically 15-20mm) to see the entire field of view without removing their glasses.
Field of View: Proper eye relief ensures you can see the entire field of view without moving your eye around.
Types:
Short Eye Relief: Usually less than 15mm. Provides higher magnification but can be uncomfortable for long periods and challenging for eyeglass wearers.
Long Eye Relief: Typically 15-20mm or more. More comfortable and suitable for eyeglass wearers, but may come at a higher cost.
Adjustability: Some eyepieces come with adjustable or twist-up eyecups, allowing you to customize the eye relief to your preference.
Eyepiece Coatings
Telescope eyepiece coatings can greatly enhance the quality of the images you see through your telescope. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of coatings and their benefits:
Uncoated: No coatings on the glass surfaces. This results in significant light loss and glare.
Coated: At least one major optical element has a single layer of anti-reflective coating on one surface. This reduces some glare and improves light transmission.
Fully Coated: All glass surfaces have a single layer of anti-reflective coating. This further reduces glare and improves image brightness.
Multi-Coated: At least one major optical element has multiple layers of anti-reflective coatings on one surface. This significantly reduces reflections and increases light transmission.
Fully Multi-Coated (FMC): All glass surfaces have multiple layers of anti-reflective coatings. This provides the best image quality with the highest light transmission and contrast.
These coatings work by reducing internal light loss and glare, ensuring even light transmission, and enhancing image sharpness and contrast. When you look through a coated eyepiece, the glass may appear less shiny and have a greenish, bluish, or brownish tint due to the materials used in the coatings.
Barrel Size
It’s essential to determine whether the eyepiece you’re interested in is compatible with your telescope. There are two main barrel sizes, 1.25-inch and 2-inch
The 1.25-inch (31.73 mm) is by far the most common size. It’s widely available, and generally more affordable. Suitable for a variety of telescopes, it offers a good balance between magnification and field of view.
The 2-inch (50.8mm) allows for a wider field of view, which is great for observing large celestial objects like star clusters and nebulae. unfortunately this size barrel is generally more expensive and requires a telescope with a 2-inch focuser
Discover another important piece of kit for your telescope setup, in the post The Best Barlow Lens For Your Telescope
Budget-Friendly Eyepieces: Quality Meets Affordability
When you’re just getting started with stargazing, budget eyepieces can offer surprisingly good performance without breaking the bank. Even if you’re keeping an eye on costs, it’s possible to find decent eyepieces that add value to your telescope setup.
Among the affordable choices, the Svbony SV131 and Skywatcher SP Series Super Plossl stand out as excellent picks.
The Svbony SV131 eyepiece is well-regarded for its wide field of view and good optical quality. The eyepiece provides clear and bright images, making it suitable for observing weak-light and dim celestial bodies such as nebulae, star clusters, and comets.
The SV131 is a Plossl eyepiece with a 4-element design, which is known for providing sharp and clear images.
The fully multi-coated optics ensure high image quality with reduced glare and improved contrast. The SV131 features a sturdy all-metal construction with a matte blackened edge to prevent stray light interference. The rubber eyecup is foldable, allowing for comfortable use with or without glasses.
It offers a 48º apparent field of view, which is quite generous for a Plossl eyepiece. The eyepiece provides 19mm of eye relief, making it comfortable for extended viewing sessions
The Svbony SV131 is considered a budget-friendly option that offers good performance for its price. It is particularly recommended for beginners and those looking to explore the night sky without a significant investment.
The second eyepiece in the budget friendly range is the Skywatcher SP Series Super Plossl.
This Skywatcher eyepiece uses a 4-element Plossl design, which is known for providing sharp and clear images across the entire field of view. They are made from high-quality optical glass with superior multi-layer coatings to ensure a high contrast and minimal light loss.
The Skywatcher SP Series Super Plossl eyepieces deliver crisp and clear images with minimal distortion. They are particularly good at minimizing spherical aberration, distortion, astigmatism, and off-axis color.
At 13mm, this eyepiece provides adequate eye relief. The fold-back rubber eyecups also help to eliminate stray light and provide an enjoyable viewing experience. This eyepiece also offers a generous apparent field of view for a Plossl, of 52º.
The Skywatcher SP Series Super Plossl eyepieces are a great choice for beginner astronomers looking for high-quality, affordable eyepieces. They offer excellent image quality, comfortable viewing, and are compatible with a wide range of telescopes including Newtonian, Refractor, and Catadioptric models.
Intermediate Eyepieces: For the Enthusiast Observer
If you’ve been stargazing for a while and feel it’s time to step up your game, intermediate eyepieces could be the upgrade you need. They offer enhanced optical quality without the luxury price tag, perfect for the enthusiast ready for the next level.
The Sybony Wide Angle Eyepiece and the Celestron 93323 1-1/4 Omni Series are both stellar choices in this category. They strike a balance between affordability and advanced features like wider fields of view and improved optical clarity, suitable for observing intricate details on lunar surfaces or far-off galaxies.
The Svbony Wide Angle Eyepiece is a popular choice among amateur astronomers for its affordability and performance. This eyepiece offers a 68-degree field of view, which is wider than standard Plossl eyepieces. This makes it suitable for observing large celestial objects like star clusters and nebulae.
The eyepiece is praised for its sharp and clear images. The fully multi-coated (FMC) optics enhance light transmission and reduce glare, providing bright and crisp views.
The eyepiece features a sturdy all-metal construction with a matte blackened edge to prevent stray light interference. The rubber eyecup is foldable, allowing for comfortable use with or without glasses.
With 19mm of eye relief, the Svbony Wide Angle Eyepiece is comfortable for extended viewing sessions. This is particularly beneficial for eyeglass wearers.
The Svbony Wide Angle Eyepiece is regarded as a solid choice for those looking to enhance their stargazing experience without breaking the bank
The Celestron 93323 1-1/4 Omni Series eyepiece is a popular choice among amateur astronomers for its quality and affordability.
The Omni Series eyepiece features a 4-element Plossl optical design, which provides clear and sharp images. The lenses are fully multi-coated to enhance light transmission and reduce glare.
The eyepiece has a sturdy aluminum body with a matte finish. The edges of the optics are blackened to prevent internal reflections, which improves contrast.
The eyepiece offers 22mm of eye relief, making it comfortable for extended viewing sessions. The rubber eyecups can be folded down for eyeglass wearers.
The Omni Series eyepiece provides a 44-degree apparent field of view, which is suitable for viewing the Moon, planets, and deep-sky objects.
Overall, the Celestron 93323 1-1/4 Omni Series eyepiece is a solid choice for those looking to enhance their stargazing experience without breaking the bank.
Premium Eyepieces: Elevate Your Stargazing Experience
For those truly passionate about astronomy, premium eyepieces offer unparalleled optical performance and exceptional craftsmanship. These eyepieces can transform your viewing experience, providing an incredible depth of detail and clarity.
The Celestron 93421 X-Cel LX Series and Svbony SV171 Zoom, 8-24mm are standout options for those ready to invest in top-tier quality. These eyepieces rate highly for their expansive fields of view and superior lens coatings, which drastically reduce glare and enhance contrast, allowing you to see celestial objects in vibrant detail.
The Celestron 93421 X-Cel LX Series eyepiece is highly regarded among amateur astronomers for its quality and performance.
The eyepiece is made of black-anodized aluminium with a non-slip rubber grip ring, ensuring durability and ease of handling.
The user benefits from a twist-up eyecup design, which is more comfortable compared to the flip-up rubber eyecups found in cheaper models. The twist-up design helps in locking the eye position to take full advantage of the eye relief.
The X-Cel LX eyepieces are considered to have an excellent optical quality featuring fully multi-coated optics, which enhance light transmission and reduce glare. This results in bright, sharp, and clear images.
This series of eyepieces also boast a wide 60° field of view, making it suitable for observing large celestial objects like the moon and galaxies.
Overall, the Celestron 93421 X-Cel LX Series eyepiece is a solid choice for those looking to enhance their stargazing experience without breaking the bank. It offers a good balance of quality, comfort, and affordability.
The second eyepiece choice in the premium range is the Svbony SV171. This zoom 8-24mm eyepiece is a versatile and popular choice among amateur astronomers.
The 8-24mm zoom range is one of the core features that make the SV171 a popular pick. With this range, you can smoothly transition between different levels of magnification without the hassle of changing eyepieces.
The SV171 eyepiece produces bright, sharp and clear images with excellent light transmission and reduced glare. The lens is fully multi-coated providing an outstanding image quality.
This eyepiece is made of durable materials with a non-slip rubber grip ring and also has a twist-up eyecup design. The 18-19.5mm long eye relief giving comfortable long term viewing for people with or without glasses.
The SV171 provides a wide field of view from 38°- 56°, which works well for views of the Moon planets and deep sky objects.
Overall, the Svbony SV171 Zoom 8-24mm eyepiece is a solid choice for those looking to enhance their stargazing experience. It offers a good balance of quality, comfort, and affordability.
Insights from professional astronomers often emphasize the clear advantages of premium eyepieces, such as their ability to render fine details of nebulae and galaxies that are often missed with lesser optics. Whether observing from a dark sky site or your backyard, a premium eyepiece enhances every moment spent under the stars.
