Have you ever wondered why your colleagues with less powerful and cheaper telescopes have much better and more exciting testimonies than you do?
Well, there’re a few reasons for this, but perhaps, they’ve invested in much better telescope eyepieces.
See, an eyepiece is one of the fundamental components of a telescope. A telescope can’t work without an eyepiece, and the best eyepiece will increase the overall magnification power and image clarity.
While most telescopes come with an extra piece of eyepieces for one or two magnification options, most of them are of modest quality and capability. They can’t beat the experience of having an eyepiece kit.
I know the eyepiece kits are a bit expensive, but for one price, they instantly provide you with a selection of the best telescope eyepieces and filters to improve the versatility of your telescope setup.
But, you might be spending lots of money on them, especially if you don’t know about the best telescope eyepieces.
Fortunately, we’re here to help.
In our review guide below, I’ll share with you some of the best telescope eyepiece kits in the market. I’ve also included a handy telescope eyepiece kits buying guide that will walk you through the process of selecting your first telescope eyepiece kit.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison Table!
The Best Telescope Eyepiece Kits For The Money
#1 Celestron Eyepiece and Filter Kit - EDITOR'S CHOICE
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Celestron Kit is designed to increase the versatility, functionality, and efficiency of your telescope.
The kit contains 13 separate pieces, including 5 Plössl eyepieces (32mm, 17mm, 13mm, 8mm & 6mm), a 2X Barlow lens, six colored planetary filters, and a moon filter.
All the components are organized in a durable aluminum locker box that keeps each eyepiece and filter dust-free and resists harsh weather impacts.
The five Plössl eyepieces are a great beginner standard, balancing quality and price. They’re also high-grade and superior to many best telescope eyepieces in terms of quality and efficiency.
They all have a 52-degree, but their magnification differs accordingly.
For the novice in the house, magnification is calculated by dividing the telescope focal length by the eyepiece focal length.
Assuming my telescope has a focal length of 1,000mm, the 32 mm eyepiece will give me 1,000/32= 31x, perfect for observing the nebulae. At the lower end, the 6mm lens gives me 167x, and Barlow doubles that to 334, good for studying Mars.
But I wish the set included a 4mm eyepiece for an even higher magnification for better views of the moon and planets. I was surprised the Celestron didn’t have this eyepiece, as most complete sets include the 4 mm eyepiece. Nevertheless, the set is still a fantastic pick.
Paring any Celestron’s telescope eyepieces with the Barlow lens magnifies the power for several observation possibilities. The Barlow lens, for example, automatically allows you to have ten different telescopes eyepieces in all.
This is not to mention it can be used with any 1.25-inch fit telescope.
Even better, all the lenses are multi-colored to better view edge, sharpness, resolution, and color.
The included telescope eyepieces are completed with six filters for improved contrast and better details on planetary objects.
The filters are useful, particularly the Green for viewing the dust storms and polar ice caps on Mars, and Red for upper clouds on Venus and Mari on Mars.
I find Blue best for lunar, Jupiter and Saturn, while Yellow and Orange are ideal for observing lunar observations and clouds on Mars consecutively.
Overall, there’s plenty to love with the Celestron Kit.
It’s easy to use, offers a great viewing experience, and provides value for money.
Pros
- Several eyepieces
- Perfect for viewing the moon
- Fully coated; superb color, sharpness, and good resolution
- Eyepieces with a longer focal length
Cons
- No 4mm eyepiece
#2 Orion Telescope Accessory Kit - Premium Choice
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
We would have recommended the Orion as our first pick were it not the high price tag.
But as far as the product goes, it’s a great eyepiece set, which delivers everything as advertised.
It has a great collection of telescope eyepieces and filters for a telescope.
Specifically, Orion’s offering comes with a whopping 12 pieces consisting of 5 eyepieces, five colored filters, a 13% moon filter, and a 2x Barlow lens.
All Orion’s components are housed in a premium foam-lined case. The aluminum carrying case with a custom die-cut foam interior keeps all the accessories organized, secure, and ready for use.
As with the Celestron kit, Orion features five Sirius Plössl eyepieces (40mm, 17mm, 10m, 7.5mm, and 6.3mm). The eyepiece sets sizes are identical to Celestron’s, but I would pick the Orion because of the 40mm new eyepiece size. It’s a better eyepiece which gives me greater wide-field views.
With five eyepieces to pick from, astronomers will benefit from a comprehensive variety of viewing magnifications.
And depending on your scope’s focal length, the different eyepieces let you zoom in on details such as the specific cratered region of Jupiter or the Moon.
Conversely, using moderate to long focal lengths eyepiece offers a wider field of view for better orientation when taking the large swaths of the solar system. For example, you can compare the different open-star clusters.
When it comes to the specific observatory views, the 40mm eyepiece is ideal for showing the wide area of the sky, while the 17 and 10mm provide a moderate viewing power in taking more details on target objects. The high magnification of the 7.5mm and 6.3 mm yield very high viewing powers at the extreme ends.
And regardless of your telescope’s focal length, the eyepiece’s magnifying power doesn’t have any serious overlaps. Instead, it makes good step progressions, with fewer gaps even at the higher ends.
Another handy addition is the Shorty 2X Barlow that doubles the magnifying power of any 1.25-inch eyepiece. It offers an effective way of magnifying the number of magnification options at your disposal.
Orion’s filters are equally impressive and will go a long way to provide you with detailed and crisp images of the night sky.
My favorite filter is the moon filter.
The 1.25 inch 13% light transmission moon filter with neutral density reduces the distracting glare during the brighter phases of the moon and increases the contrast of lunar landscape features.
As such, astronomers will benefit by seeing more surface features and study every lunar detail with greater comfort.
This is not to mention the filter reduces irradiation, and depending on the size (aperture) of your telescope; you won’t experience any pain or discomfort observing the moon.
As for the other filters, Orion’s filters are identical to those of the Celestron, save for the Light Green.
The Green is handy for observing dust storms and polar ice caps on Mars, and it improves the blue and red structures on Jupiter.
Other filters are Blue for Lunar and Saturn, Red for upper clouds on Venus, Light red for Mars polar caps, and Yellow for clouds on Mars.
But as with the Celestron Kit, my wish is it came with a Dark Blue filter.
Pros
- Several eyepieces
- 40 MM eyepiece ideal for a wide field of view
- Incredible lunar filter
Cons
- Expensive
#3 Meade Eyepiece and Filter Kit - Best for Planetary Views
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The third pick on our list of the best telescope eyepieces set has a unique collection of color filters, so if you plan to spend most of your astronomy time observing planets, the Meade Eyepiece set might be best for you.
This set is loaded with accessories, including five 1.25 inch Meade Series Plössl eyepieces, 2X Barlow lens, six color filters, and a 13% transmission lunar filter.
The Meade Instruments compares to the Celestron Eyepiece Set we’ve just reviewed above in more than one way.
For instance, it has five eyepieces with similar size of 32mm, 18mm, 13mm, 9mm, and 6mm.
When used on a telescope with a focal length of 1,000mm, the eyepiece achieves a magnification of 31x, 55x, 76x, 111x, and 167x.
If you’re keen, you’ll notice the Meade’s Instruments magnification is a replica of what we saw earlier on the Celestron. It also suffers from a close overlap of several magnifications, making two of the ten magnifications redundant.
However, it’s not a deal-breaker, especially considering it has an incredible progression from a lower magnification wide-field and decent options for higher magnifications.
Plus, the set includes a Barlow lens for doubling the magnification.
Unfortunately, the Barlow t-adapter doesn’t accept at-ring for connecting to the DSLR Camera, but you can always invest in a Basic Camera Adapter.
You’ll benefit from a lunar filter with 13% transmission when it comes to the filter options.
While standard, it’s a wonderful choice, especially if you want to make out the details on the Moon, such as the craters and surface details.
The other filter choices are awesome too, and from their choice of colors, you’ll notice that most of them are oriented towards planetary viewing and reduce chromatic aberration.
For example, the Light Blue filter is best for observing the surface of Mars; the Green is ideal for viewing dust storms on Mars, while the elusive Dark Blue is perfect for Venus and Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.
Other filter choices are light red for Mar polar caps, Dark Yellow for all except Saturn, and Light Yellow for small telescopes observing the Moon.
Meade’s filter selection is unique and different from our top pick in several ways.
For example, it has the Dark Yellow filter, a jack of all trades but master of none.
It also includes Light Blue and Dark Blue, which enhance the power needed for planetary viewing.
Overall, Meade’s unique selling point with the kit is the selection of colors. The set is by far different from all other options we’ve reviewed and, in particular, a wonderful option for viewing the Moon and the five bright planets.
Pros
- Suitable for planetary viewing
- Unique selection of filters
- Clear views
- No chromatic aberration
Cons
- Doesn't accept at-ring for connecting to the DSLR Camera
#4 SVBONY Telescope Eyepiece Set - Simple Option
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
If you just need a modest eyepiece that combines simplicity and quality in delivering everything you would expect from a Plössl lens, you can’t go wrong with the SVBONY Set.
It’s not as full-featured or fancy as our other picks, but it has just the right number of features to enhance your sky observation.
SVBONY Set includes three eyepieces of 6.3mm, 32mm, and 40mm focal lengths and a 2x Barlow lens.
The number of the included eyepieces is a bit on the lower end, but they work fine.
First, they’re entirely multi-coated with a broadband green film that helps increase image contrast and reduce internal reflections.
And that’s not even all!
The eyepieces have been further darkened at the edges to increase contrast while eliminating obstructions from scattered lights.
As with most eyepieces on the list, the SVBONY eyepieces are made with four optical elements to better view the lunar object star clusters and view deep-sky objects.
Of the three eyepieces, the 40mm is best for observing the large swathes or orienting yourself when viewing celestial objects such as the Nebula star clusters. The 32mm is handy for planetary viewing and observing the bright stars and the Moon’s surfaces.
On the other hand, the 6.3mm focal length has the highest magnification, and most beginners don’t even need this eyepiece. However, professional astronomers will find the eyepiece handy in the quest to grasp the detail-oriented images.
In addition to the eyepieces, the SVBONY features a 2X Barlow lens.
It’s a handy addition, especially when you need to zoom any images instantly, and it works seamlessly with the entire eyepiece.
While this eyepiece set lacks in numbers and versatility, it makes up for that with a wide apparent field of view that can extend up to 42 degrees and provides generous eye relief for extended periods.
If you wear glasses when observing the night sky, then the SVBONY has got you covered.
The soft rubber eye guard keeps your eyes and glasses safe, while the eye guard’s bayonet mount offers better convenience. It also keeps the dust away from sensitive eyepieces.
Pros
- Incredible image contrast
- Wide field of view
- Easy fit for glass wearers
- Wide field of view
Cons
- Limited eyepieces
#5 Zoom Eyepiece for Telescope - Best Value
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Zoom Eyepiece is the hallmark of the telescopic world.
While it’s not a great product as a single lens, the ability to use it and switch magnification is amazing.
The Zoom is a Zoom-type eyepiece, allowing you to switch from one level of magnification to the other without changing eyepieces or re-focus.
Instead, with the Zoom, you simply need to focus once, and the rubber barrel should help magnify the viewing range.
It’s a great pick for beginners and casual astronomers because it eliminates the hassle and constant need of changing the multiple pieces as it often results in the loss of scope and flexibility.
See, single eyepieces come with fixed focal lengths, so you need to re-focus every time.
But with the Celestron Zoom, you can profit from using various focal lengths along with minute differences, and you won’t lose scope when trying to obtain better magnification.
And make no mistake, the eyepieces aren’t any less good than the traditional single eyepieces.
In fact, they’re of premium quality and come fully multi-coated to give you a precise, vivid and crisp view.
Of course, re-focusing might be a challenge for some beginners, but most of them commend the ease of use the Zoom brings to astronomical space, especially when viewing the moon at night.
Using the Zoom is super-easy and convenient, and you won’t have any issues changing the eyepieces. Neither will you have a tray of eyepieces to fumble with.
The Zoom doesn’t have a Barlow magnification, but there’s a more expensive iteration that features the lenses for double magnification.
If you already love what this model has but feel it’s a bit limiting on the features, you can go with the more expensive iterations with 3 Barlow lenses and an adapter.
Also, it’s possible to plug in your Camera to this eyepiece at the eyecups threads if you plan on taking astronomical photographs.
It lacks the frills and rays of some of the models on our list. But it’s an inexpensive pick and can be used on any 1.25-inch telescope. It’s a wonderful purchase for everyone.
Pros
- Multiple eyepieces in one
- Lightweight
- Generous field of view, up to 55mm
- Fully coated lenses
Cons
- Not as crystal clear as eyepieces with removable eyepieces
Best Telescope Eyepiece Kits Buying Guide
While eyepieces appear to be simple and similar on the surface, they’re complex accessories that differ by certain technical factors.
It’s crucial to know some of these key factors before choosing a new eyepiece kit for your telescope.
But first, let’s look at the different types of eyepieces.
Types of Eyepieces
There’re three main types of eyepieces, and they’re:
- Set eyepiece kit
The kits have more than one eyepiece of different magnification power or focal length.
- Single eyepiece
The single eyepiece is similar to the eyepiece set, only that you buy each eyepiece alone. So, you can buy multiple eyepieces for different magnification powers too.
- Zoom eyepiece
The zoom eyepiece is designed so that you can have two to four eyepieces of different magnification in one.
In contrast to the single eyepieces, the Zoom eyepieces let you focus just once, without the need of constant re-focusing or changing the eyepiece.
How Many Eyepieces Do You Need?
I know it’s very tempting to go out and purchase the kit with the highest number of eyepieces available, but do you need that many?
And are they all as good a quality as simply purchasing two or three select eyepieces?
Generally, we recommend going for at least three different eyepieces since your astronomy hobby involves viewing many varied objects.
At the very least, consider:
- A high magnification eyepiece for the moon and planets
- A medium magnification for observing the brighter deep space objects like the star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies
- A low-power eyepiece for the deep sky objects or objects which fill your vision.
What About a Barlow Lens?
A Barlow lens isn’t an eyepiece as such, but it’s an incredible way of doubling the size of your eyepiece collection.
Depending on the magnification of your Barlow lens, you can enhance the power and magnification of your eyepiece by double or triple.
This affordable accessory is generally fixed between your eyepiece and focuser and offers a much cheaper magnification than buying a couple more eyepieces.
What are the Factors to Consider when Selecting the Best Eyepiece Kits?
In the section below, we shall look at the critical factors you need to consider when selecting your next eyepiece kit.
Size of the Eyepiece- Which is Right for your Telescope?
The first thing to consider when selecting your next eyepiece is the size of the eyepiece.
While the size of the focal length affects the magnifications of your eyepiece, the physical barrel size affects whether it’s your home telescope.
Generally, most astronomers use the 1.25 inch, but you can get a 2-inches sized telescope eyepiece.
The ideal size for your eyepiece depends on the size of your telescope you intend to use it on.
But if you’re just considering buying a telescope, we advise you get a 1.25-inch telescope so you can enjoy multiple eyepiece options.
Keep in mind the 2” eyepieces offer a wider field of view.
Focal Length of the Eyepiece
The magnification power of a telescope eyepiece depends on the focal length.
Generally, high magnification power eyepieces have a shorter focal length, while those with low magnification have a longer focal length.
The high-powered eyepieces will help users achieve a detailed-oriented view of the moon and other sky objects, while the lower magnification helps you quickly focus on your target.
Cost
You only purchase what you can afford.
So, you must ensure that you purchase an eyepiece within your budget limits.
Best Telescope Eyepiece Kits Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What does a field of view mean?
A: field of view refers to the area of view you get from an eyepiece. It’s also known as the apparent field of view, and simply put, it determines the number of objects you can see.
Q: What is eye relief?
A: Eye relief refers to how close you can keep your eyes to the lens of the eyepiece and still see the entire field of view.
For astronomers who wear glasses, long eye relief is ideal, especially if you prefer to wear glasses when observing. Something measuring up to 15-20mm is preferred for glass wearers.
Q: What’s the use of color filters?
A: Color filters are essential in highlighting specific planetary features and help with detail-oriented observations of space objects that wouldn’t be seen without the moon filters.
Q: How much does a telescope eyepiece cost?
A: The cost differs from one eyepiece to the eyepiece.
You could get an eyepiece as low as $30 and as high as $250. But as a general rule, always go for an eyepiece within your budget limit.
Wrap Up: Our Choice
Choosing the winner for the best telescope kits isn’t easy because most of these options are similar in numerous ways.
Each of the included picks has its strength, but for the combination of eyepieces, the number of accessories, and the best price, I would go with the Celestron’s Eyepiece kit.
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