Eyepieces

Focal length, eye relief, and the eyepiece that changed my nights.

The glass that decides the view

Your eyepiece sets magnification and field of view. Most scopes ship with one mediocre eyepiece. Replacing it is the cheapest upgrade you'll ever make.

The numbers

focal length  mm · shorter = more magnification
eye relief    mm · how close your eye must be
apparent fov  °  · how wide the view feels

The sweet spot

Three eyepieces — low, medium, high power — cover 90% of observing. Start with a good 32mm and a good 12mm.