Plossl eyepiece is one of the reasonable options when it comes to telescope eyepieces for stargazing or astronomy.
In this article, we’re going to talk about what is a Plossl eyepiece, what are its components, how do they work, how many types are there and how you’d buy a good Plossl eyepiece.
Buckle up and let’s start.
What Is A Plossl Eyepiece?
The Plossl eyepiece is a type of optical system that was invented by Ernst Abbe. It’s made up of four lenses in two groups. This design has some advantages over other designs, such as the Kellner eyepiece or Orthoscopic eyepieces.
Components of A Plossl eyepiece
The components of a Plossl eyepiece are the two groups of lenses. The first group is made up of a convex lens and concave lens, while the second one has four small cylindrical lenses that work together to magnify what you see through them for your viewing pleasure.
How Does A Plossl eyepiece Work?
The way a Plossl eyepiece works is by using the convex lens and concave lenses to create an image that has both total magnification of what you’re viewing, as well as erect images. This type of design also helps provide for eye relief; it’s a better experience if your eyes.
Types of Plossl eyepiece
There are three types of Plossl eyepiece: the regular, Super, and Orthoscopic.
Regular Plossl Eyepiece
The Regular Plossl eyepiece is made to be a basic type of scope for viewing objects that are nearby–say within two feet or so from where you’re looking through it.
Super Plossl Eyepiece
A super Plossl eyepiece is a top-performing eyepiece that can be used for a variety of tasks, from viewing objects in the distance to looking at microscopic things.
Orthoscopic Plossl Eyepiece
The Orthoscopic Plossl eyepiece is for those who are interested in performing close-up work on specimens up to three inches away from them and still get high magnification.
Field of View of A Plossl eyepiece
The field of view of a p Plossl eyepiece is typically 60 to 120 degrees. For super Plossl eyepiece, the field of view is typically 40 to 60 degrees.
A Plossl eyepiece has a field of view that’s very wide, so if you’re looking at the full moon or some other object in space with it, chances are you’ll see the entire thing.
What Type of Lens Is Equipped In A Plossl eyepiece?
A Plossl eyepiece has a lens that’s plano-convex, which means it is flat on one side and convex on the other. This type of design provides for both total magnifications as well as an erect image with little distortion.
The reason a plano-convex lens is good for using with a telescope is that it provides for both magnifying and erecting the images.
What Size Is A Plossl eyepiece?
A standard Plossl eyepiece is typically between 20mm to 25mm but can range anywhere from 15mm up to about 40mm in diameter. Super Plossl eyepieces are generally a little smaller than this at around 16-20 mm in size, which is why they’re sometimes referred to as “wide-angle” or low power plossls.
The length of eye relief on a Plossl eyepiece ranges from 12 millimeters (less common) all the way up to 45 millimeters with added benefits being that you don’t have any issues seeing into your view.
What Are Plossl eyepieces Used For?
Plossl eyepieces are typically used for observing and viewing things at long distances, but they can also be useful when using a telescope to provide both magnifying power and erecting the images.
The design of a Plossl eyepiece consists of an objective lens with one side that is convex (wider than its length) while the other side is plano-convex or flat in shape.
This type of eyepiece provides you with wide-field views without any distortion due to its use as an “achromatic” lens system which reduces chromatic aberrations by combining two lenses made from different types of glass materials together on each surface.
What’s So Great About A Plossl Eyepiece?
A Plossl eyepiece lens provides more eye relief than anything else out there! No other type can compare with it when it comes to that quality.
It also produces an erect image, meaning you see what you’re viewing rather than seeing everything upside down or sideways as some types do. This means less time trying to figure out which way your images should be oriented before examining them.
Are Plossl eyepieces Good or Not?
Plossl eyepiece is good for astronomy and microscopy. If you want to observe the fine details of a specimen, Plossl eyepiece has a higher magnification than an ocular with lower lenses. For astronomical observations, such as viewing craters on the moon’s surface from Earth, high-magnification models are preferred because they offer more detail.
Best Plossl Eyepiece & Reviews
The best plossl eyepieces are-
Astrovid 40X60mm Zoom Telescope Camera Lens Kit
The Astrovid 40X60mm Zoom Telescope Camera Lens Kit is a great choice for those looking to get a variety of lenses, at different magnifications. It includes two high-magnification Plossl eyepieces and five lower magnification zoom oculars with an adjustable focus in the kit.
Hexagon Zoom Eyepiece (High Magnification) by Celestron
The Hexagon Zoom Eyepiece is made from durable plastic material that resists scratching and it has an eye relief distance of 15mm. A rubber safety cap protects the lens when not in use while also providing additional grip on this 35 mm Plossl eyepiece.
Celestron 20×26 Erecting Prism Barlow Lens Set
Celestron 20×26 Erecting Prism Barlow Lens Set is another great choice for those looking to get a variety of magnifications. It comes with two Barlow lenses, one Newtonian eyepiece, and three Plossl eyepieces in the set.
Celestron 20×26 Erecting Prism Barlow Lens Set is well suited as an astronomical viewing lens kit or for enjoying terrestrial sights like nature walks, sporting events, and more!
Orion 12 mm Sirius Super Wide Angle Correct Image Eyepiece
The third choice of eyepieces is the Orion 12 mm Sirius Super Wide Angle Correct Image Eyepiece. A wide-angle view of 66 degrees makes it perfect for viewing large objects and even entire constellations while still being able to focus on smaller details with ease.
Orion 12 mm Sirius Super Wide Angle Correct Image Eyepiece has a rubber eyecup that holds in light, which enables you to enjoy this powerful telescope eyepiece at night without glare or reflections from any external sources.
Kellner vs Plossl eyepiece
Kellner and Plossl- both are two different types of eyepieces for telescopes. But what are the differences between these two and how do you know which one to choose?
The only difference is that they have a different design as well as a shape with their lenses, which affects the magnification of your telescope view.
You can enjoy wide-angle views without giving up any of the clarity or sharpness when using Plossl eyepiece while Kellner will give you more magnified views but at less than half the brightness levels in comparison to other lens designs on this list if light pollution was involved.
Expanse vs Plossl Eyepiece
Comparing to Plossl, the Expanse eyepiece is a lot more expensive. But what are the other differences?
The Expanse is a lens that provides an extra sharp image, and it also has a wider field of view compared to the Plossl eyepiece. This means you will be able to see a greater expanse for the objects in space but with fewer magnification levels than Kellner or Plossl lenses.
Aspheric vs Plossl eyepiece
Aspheric and Plossl Plossl are both lens designs that can be used in most telescopes.
Aspheric eyepiece is a variation of Plossl design, it has an anti-reflection coating on the front glass surface to ensure maximum light transmission and will also provide your instrument with better quality images if you need higher magnification levels.
The downside to this type of lens is that they can cause chromatic aberration which creates colored spots around bright objects such as planets or stars due to the different wavelengths not going through equally. So it’s best for use during duller times when there isn’t much brightness visible. In comparison, Aspherical lenses generally have no color distortion but might not work out well if the telescope user needs really high magnification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Plossl eyepieces any good?
Yes, Plossl eyepieces are some of the most popular with amateurs and professionals alike. They are also good for those who have astigmatism because they are designed to be more forgiving with eye placement.
Do I need an adapter if my scope has a Plossl lens?
No, adapters are not needed but they may come in handy when you want to change the focal length or add other lenses such as filters or Barlow lenses. It will also make your life easier if you’re out observing on windy days that would otherwise blow off the front cover of your telescope. You’ll find yourself adjusting these type of factors less than
Bottom Line
Thanks for going through the entire post. It’s quite long but that is what we are aiming for and hopefully, it was useful to you. Let us know in the comments if there is anything else you want to ask or share your thoughts on this post, always looking forward to feedback from others who will benefit from it as well!
