Best Telescope Eyepieces 2026

The BST StarGuider 8mm is the single most recommended budget eyepiece on UK astronomy forums. It appears in virtually every "what's your first upgrade?" thread on Stargazers Lounge, and for good reason: it's sharp, comfortable, and transforms what you see through any mid-range telescope.

It delivers magnification in the sweet spot for planetary work — 94× in a Heritage 150P (f/5), 150× in a Skyliner 200P (f/6). That's enough to reveal Jupiter's storm systems, Saturn's cloud bands, and fine crater detail on the Moon. The 60° apparent field gives you a wide-ish view without being disorienting, and the 20mm eye relief means even glasses-wearers stay comfortable for extended sessions.

The build quality punches well above the price. ED glass (extra-low dispersion) minimises chromatic aberration, and the multi-element design keeps stars sharp edge-to-edge. This is the eyepiece that makes you realize the bundled 25mm and 10mm that came with your scope were just the opening act.

The 18mm is the wide-field companion to the 8mm. Where the 8mm specialises in planetary detail, the 18mm shows you the full context — open clusters like the Pleiades, the sprawling Orion Nebula, and large nebulae across multiple eyepiece fields. It's the eyepiece you reach for when you want to explore rather than scrutinise.

At 42× in a Heritage 150P and 66× in a Skyliner 200P, it's perfectly pitched for deep-sky work on a clear night. The same ED glass and generous eye relief as the 8mm mean the pair feels like a matched set — which is exactly what they are. Many experienced observers own nothing but the 8mm and 18mm for months, finding them sufficient for 90% of their observing.

The pair together costs £90 and covers almost all observing scenarios. Yes, you'll eventually want a 6mm (high power), but these two are the core set that justify keeping every scope.

The Celestron X-Cel LX 9mm is the step up from the BST StarGuiders — better build quality, slightly sharper optics, and a more premium feel. If the BST 8mm feels like getting started, the X-Cel LX 9mm feels like getting serious.

It's particularly suited to fast (f/5) scopes. At 104× in a Heritage 150P, it sits perfectly between low-power exploration and high-power planetary work. The edge sharpness is noticeably cleaner than the BST, especially on planets where you're pushing magnification near the limit of what atmospheric seeing allows. The rubber grip and twist-up eyecup feel purposeful — this is kit that's built to work.

It costs £35 more than the BST 8mm, but the jump in contrast and build quality is real. If you're past the "testing the hobby" phase and ready to invest in better optics, this is where the value proposition starts to make sense.

The Explore Scientific 68° 20mm is the "wow factor" eyepiece. The 68° apparent field is noticeably wider than the 60° Plössls and BSTs — you get an immersive, wraparound view that's frankly intoxicating once you experience it. Looking at the Pleiades through this eyepiece feels like being surrounded by stars instead of looking at a postcard of them.

It's a 2" eyepiece, so it won't fit in the focuser of your Heritage 130P or 150P — but if you own a Skyliner 200P, Evostar 90, or any scope with a 2" focuser, this is the eyepiece that reminds you why you bought a bigger scope. At 60× in a 200P (f/6) it's perfect for open clusters and large nebulae. The image quality is sharp edge-to-edge, and the waterproof barrel means you can use it in damp conditions without worry.

It's expensive by eyepiece standards — £120 is serious money. But it's the eyepiece that makes observers who've owned it for five years still talk about the first night they used it.

A Barlow lens is not technically an eyepiece, but it's the cheapest way to double your eyepiece collection. Put it in the focuser, screw an eyepiece into the top, and the focal length is halved. Your 25mm becomes 12.5mm. Your 10mm becomes 5mm. Suddenly you have high-power options you couldn't afford.

The Astro Essentials 2× is a solid mid-range Barlow. The multi-coated doublet design keeps image quality respectable even at the doubled magnification, and the T-thread at the rear means you can attach cameras for planetary imaging. At £27 it's the entry-level Barlow — not premium, but not cheap rubbish either.

Barlows have limits: they halve eye relief (making high magnification uncomfortable), they add another optical element (slight image dimming), and they only work down to about 4× (your scope's absolute minimum magnification). But for planetary work on a tight budget, a Barlow is force-multiplier thinking.