Telescope magnification...HELP?

Question

i have an 8 inch dobsonian and the eyepiece
sizes i have are 26mm , 25mm ,10mm 9.7mm,7.5mm

Can anyone tell me how many times each size is magnifying an object for me?
I want to write it down in my observing journal .

THANKS in advance ;)

here is the focal length info on my scope ..

it says D=200mm
F=1200 mm

Answer 1

divide the focal length by the eyepiece focal length so you'd get:
26mm-46x
25mm-48x
10mm-120x
9.7mm-126x
7.5mm-163x

Decimals don't make much difference so just round to the nearest mag. Clear skies!

Answer 2

You simply divide the telescope fl by the eyepiece fl for your magnification factor.
eg; 1200mm div by 25mm = 48 x mag.
See the links for a quick calculator & explanations.
Easy as pie...ummm, apple ie;
HTH..:D L.
ps. A lot depends on the 'seeing' conditions & your viewing site, so don't try to 'over power' the telescope.
A smaller, brighter, crisper image is much betterer than a fuzzy big blob.
pps. You may also be interested in how faint an object you can see with your 8" dob, so see the 3rd link for details.

Answer 3

Hello:

I looked at the answers you have received thus far and they are all correct. What is most interesting is that you will soon discover that the very best viewing is accomplished at rather low levels of magnification, and not at the extreme magnifications such as 160X and 200 something X. Most views I have had at those levels have been distorted, blurred, or otherwise messed up. My friends laugh and tell me to get a 12 Inch telescope if I really want to see something neat.
Maybe later... Ha.

Regards,
Zah

Answer 4

Divide the focal length of the telescope by that of the eyepiece, for instance you most powerful eyepiece, 7.5mm has a magnification of 160x with your scope. Use this simple calculator for figuring future eyepiece-telescope combos.