An extra set of telescope lenses can really take stargazing up a notch. While every telescope will come with its set of lenses, greater magnification, reach, and clarity can be achieved with the right eyepiece. A great telescope lens should also be easily adjustable to yield the right magnification as needed.
Best Telescope Lenses
Below, we look through our list of telescope lenses on the market to help you make the right choice quickly.
1. Celestron 93230 8 to 24mm 1.25 Zoom Eyepiece
This telescope lens stands as the ideal gadget any stargazing enthusiast should have. It comes with an adjustable low to high power zoom and is compatible with a wide range of telescope types that accept 1.25” eyepieces. It offers excellent magnification adjustment and is coated in multiple layers to ensure durability.
- Yields excellent telescope compatibility.
- Low to high power zoom function.
- Durable and offers excellent magnification adjustment.
2. Orion 8200 3.6mm E-series Telescope Eyepiece
This eyepiece is the ideal telescope magnification booster for hobbyists. It is very affordable and features a 3.6mm focal length. It is highly compatible with any telescope that mates with 1.25” eyepieces and the special Orion eyepiece filters.
- Very affordable and beginner-friendly.
- Highly compatible with different telescopes.
- Supports special Orion filters.
3. Baader Planetarium 8-24mm Hyperion Clickstop Zoom Mark IV Eyepiece
When top-of-the-line telescope lenses are required, this product makes a name for itself. It comes with 7 elements for exceptional clarity and correction, a variable focal length for adjustable magnification, and offers superb viewing comfort. It stands as the ideal amateur eyepiece and sports unique multi-layered coatings for exceptional durability.
- Exceptional clarity and correction
- Continuously variable focal length and superb viewing comfort
- Exceptional durability
4. Explore Scientific 82 Degree Series Gas Purged 11mm Waterproof Telescope Eyepiece
This state of the art telescope eyepiece combines exceptional functionality into a compact, lightweight unit. It comes with an 11mm focal length and 82-degree field of view, is fully waterproof and gas purged and is designed for easy viewing. It comes with a multilayer coatings for exceptional durability and enables easy eyepiece switching.
- Fully Waterproof and Gas Purged
- Ultra-wide view
- EMD Enhanced Multilayer Deposition Coatings
5. Meade Instruments 07176-02 Series 4000 32mm Super Plossl Eyepiece
A good quality lens that allows ease of viewing with its soft rubber eye guard. This eyepiece zooms in and out with a simple twist and is very easy and effective to use. It works perfectly with any telescope that supports a 1.25 eyepiece and spans a 40 to 52-degree apparent field of view.
- Soft Rubber Eyeguard for comfort
- Very easy to use and comes with tube case for each eyepiece
- 40 to 52-degree apparent field of view.
Telescope Lenses Buying Guide
Focal Length
The focal length of the eyepiece works in hand with that of the main telescope to yield the magnification. In general, a smaller focal length on the lens will offer greater magnification and vice versa. It is best to have a lens with an adjustable focal length or a set of different lenses to generate different magnifications for different users and fields of view.
A rule of thumb is that a telescope-lens pair will sacrifice image clarity for magnification and vice versa.
The Lens’s Field of View
The fields of view of a telescope lens are labeled apparent field of view and true field of view. The apparent field of view is the perceived image width that your eye sees. A lens with a great apparent field of view yields a larger image expanse than smaller ones for the same amount of magnification.
In the same way, a lens with a greater true field of view yields a larger image expanse. In general, telescopes with larger fields of view are more expensive and bulkier.
Coating or treatments
The quality of the glass used to produce the lens varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. The quality will affect the lens’s power, light accommodation, and will affect the quality of the final image you see. It is always good advice to get lenses from trusted manufacturers for quality assurance. Ensure the glass of the lens you buy is treated to obtain the best image possible.
Coatings on the glass can help reduce reflection and increase contrast, and also reduce blurriness and hints of refraction.
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