New Televue 6mm Delos **First Impression**

Skies have cleared nicely, and I have had some quality time to gauge some of my first thoughts about this new eyepiece. I've only thus far observed Jupiter, and now I am working on Mars. The only scope I am using tonight is my smaller 8" Newt. One thing I immediately noticed is how much more out travel this eyepiece requires. All of my Ethos eyepieces are *roughly* parfocal with the exception of the 8mm (which is parfocal with the 6mm)in which appears to focus almost a full inch out from where the 10E focuses. This 6D focuses out even further! The focuser on my 8" is roughly 2.5" tall from the bottom of its mounting plate. In order to reach focus, I have to fully rack out the focuser, and then pull the eyepiece out another 3/8" in order to achieve focus. In focus Jupiter was extremely sharp, exhibiting superb contrast, allowing me to see excellent detail in the Jovian belts and zones. The GRS was easily salmon colored with bright highlights around its periphery. The amazing thing is that the seeing was *at best* average if not slightly below. As it got darker, seeing conditions deteriorated, and Jupiter sank below the tree line on my property's west side.

Mars now is rising decently, and I am now getting some pretty good views of the red planet. Seeing conditions at the moment I would rate no greater then a 5-6 max. However, even with these *not so great* seeing conditions, I can easily see the polar cap, and some dark mottling surrounding it. Other shady areas are apparent as well. The limbs of the planet are also very sharp for such poor to average seeing conditions! Now I have heard some rumors that these Delos eyepieces are even sharper the the Ethos so I decided to compare the view to that of my 8E. After several minutes of comparing the views, I have a tendency to agree with these sediments. The view with the 8E, despite the conditions, is still very good, but the 6D is simply BETTER! I remember a similar experience comparing my old 17NT4 to my newly acquired 13E. To my astonishment, the 13E was just superior view in all areas, and mostly in sharpness and color rendition. This seemed to defy logic as typically when magnification increases, sharpness decrease due to atmospheric conditions (*on average*). This new Delos eyepiece seems to be behaving in the same manner; that is outperforming an eyepiece of longer focal length. Televue did it again!

The eyepiece is simple to view through as well. It's long relief allows you to hold your head back further comfortably, yet still see right to the field stop..oh and let me mention that as the planet drifts out to the field stop the view DOES NOT CHANGE! At f/6 the planet looks identical to what it does in the center of the field..*amazing*..

I sold my Pentax 7mm XW to finance this eyepiece, and to me it was by far the right decision. This eyepiece simply from my memory anyway, completely outperforms the XW.

Nice review!! Next time we're out at Green River together I'd love to do some side by side comparisons of the 6D & 6E. I'm sure Alvin will chime in on this but I believe he feels the same way as you do. That the 6D is optically better than the 6E..... Especially when it comes to the fainter objects.

Dragan,
I'm not sure the term 'optically better' is correct, more so then it just provides better views due to its constructional composition. Its essentially an Ethos by design, meaning the same type of glass and coating/baffling materials and approach in design. However, it just has less of it! Less elements means better light transmission to the scope's focal plane. When the Ethos was first released, I was wondering if they would take what they learned about the Ethos project, and join this with the current Nagler technology..that is making a 82 degree EP perform like an Ethos, but only greater eye relief. One must think that ALL of their eyepieces eventually will employ this method of construction. I don't know about you, but the ultra high-contrast, and superb color rendition that the Ethos and Delos offers is ALL I WANT to use for now on!

We will also have to compare my 10m Delos to any 10mm Ethos in the field. I'm quite curious to see if there really is a detectable difference in contrast and reso as well.

I'd like to do that too.

I know Alvin did an in depth comparison between his 6E and 6D. Hopefully he can fill us in on his findings.