Exploring the Meade Series 5000 Ultra Wide Eyepieces: A Personal Account
The Meade Series 5000 Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) family of eyepieces offers exceptional value for cost and performance, boasting an impressive array of features designed to cater to astronomers seeking a wide, well-corrected field of view with superior optical quality.
These eyepieces are renowned for their optical performance, with a 7-lens element design that reduces optical aberrations such as coma and spherical aberration, resulting in sharp, clear views toward the edge of the field. This makes them ideal for both visual astronomy and astrophotography. The design also delivers excellent color correction, improving contrast and brightness to enhance viewing quality.
One of the standout features of the Meade UWA eyepieces is their ultra-wide angular field, allowing observers to see expansive regions of the sky. This makes it easier to locate and observe extended deep-sky objects like nebulae and star clusters. The series comes in a range of focal lengths, providing flexibility for different observing needs—from low magnification wide views to high magnification planetary details.
However, the Meade 5000 UWA eyepieces tend to be bulky and heavy due to their complex multi-element optical design. This can make them less convenient to handle and may require sturdier mounts. Additionally, the intricate construction can make these eyepieces more fragile and sensitive to misalignment or damage compared to simpler designs.
Due to their premium design and performance, these eyepieces can be more expensive and may not be as widely available as more common eyepiece types. However, they are covered by a one-year warranty for peace of mind.
The Meade UWA eyepieces are parfocal, meaning that as you change from one eyepiece to the next, you should not have to refocus. They are also waterproof and purged with an unknown gas for easy cleaning and minimizing issues of dirt or dew. The eyepieces feature an adjustable eye guard for better positioning of the eye, and all lens edges are blackened to control stray light and enhance contrast.
It's worth noting that some earlier models of the Meade UWA, such as 30mm, 24mm, 18mm, and 6.7mm, have been discontinued and are hard to find. The series is currently limited to only 4 eyepieces, with no 2" eyepieces in the 35 mm to 40 mm range or a 1.25" barrel diameter eyepiece around 11 mm.
In summary, the Meade Series 5000 UWA eyepieces are excellent for astronomers prioritizing a wide, well-corrected field with superior optical quality. Users should be prepared for their larger size, weight, and higher price point, but will be rewarded with a comprehensive viewing experience that spans the cosmos.
- The Meade Series 5000 Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) eyepieces, known for their superior optical quality, are popular among astronomers for their fields of view that cater to those seeking extended views of space-and-astronomy.
- These gadgets, with a 7-lens element design, minimize optical aberrations like coma and spherical aberration, resulting in sharper images, making them suitable for both visual astronomy and astrophotography.
- Despite their premium technology, users may find them manually demanding due to their larger size and heavier weight, requiring sturdier mounts.
- These telescope accessories are often used alongside refractor telescopes and come with features like adjustable eye guards, waterproof construction, and parfocal design for seamless transitions between eyepieces, enhancing the overall science and viewing experience in the field of space-and-astronomy.
