Members In-Reach: Telescope Eyepieces w/Mile High Astronomy

Designed to educate newer and less-experienced members about astronomy, these monthly events are hosted by experienced club members for DAS members only.

Jon is a former attorney and lifelong amateur astronomer. He bought his first telescope, a Criterion RV-6 equatorial Newtonian, with money he saved from his paper route when he was 13. About 10 years ago, while living in Manhattan, he started a blog called “Light-Polluted Astronomy.” One of the absolute first things he did when he moved to Denver 8 years ago was to join the DAS while unpacking the boxes around his new apartment. He has worked at Mile High Astronomy since its grand opening in 2018, spelling the blog’s death. He has been the Chair of the VNHA Scholarship Fund Committee since 2019. He lives in Arvada with his lovely wife, dog, cat, 5 telescopes, 3 refractors, a Mak, and an SCT.

Topics for the evening:

• Telescope equations to understand focal lengths, magnification
• Magnification and Field of View for different types of eyepiece/telescope combinations
• Astronomical “seeing” – especially here on the front range – and empty magnification
• Standard eye-pieces that typically come with a new telescope (what they can/can’t do)
• Kellners, Plossls, and Erfles – what they do, how much they cost
• Barlows and Zoom eyepieces – what they do, how much they cost
• Fancy-schmancy eyepieces – what are you paying for? Are they worth it?
• Differences between apparent field of view (AFOV) and true field of view (TFOV)
• Eye relief for eyeglass wearers who suffer from more than mild astigmatism
• 1.25″ versus 2″ eyepieces – what are the advantages
• Better correction/better contrast – do you care?

At the presentation, you will also be able to see a selection of eyepieces: Kellners, Plossls, Barlows, Zooms, and wider-field-of-view eyepieces/fancy-schmancy eyepieces. There will be at least 20 or more, and you are free to ask questions about them.