Brightwell Orbit 5 mm planetary eyepiece, with soft pouch

Specifications

Description

The Orbit 5 mm is a six-element planetary eyepiece with a 58-degree apparent field and a 1.25 in barrel. It is designed to give high magnification with comfortable eye relief, which simple short focal length designs cannot do.

In a 1,200 mm Dobsonian, the Orbit 5 mm gives 240x. In a 700 mm refractor it gives 140x, and in a 1,500 mm Maksutov it gives 300x. Those magnifications suit the planets, the Moon, close double stars, and small planetary nebulae on nights when the air is steady.

The design places a negative lens group at the bottom of the barrel, which lengthens the eye relief to 16 mm. That lets you view with glasses and keeps your eye at a relaxed distance during long planetary sessions, when you wait for moments of steady air to reveal fine detail.

The lenses are fully multi-coated, and the internal surfaces are blackened to keep contrast high. A twist-up eyecup sets the eye position, and the 58-degree field gives a bit more time before an object drifts out of view in a telescope that does not track.

Magnification is limited by the atmosphere as much as by the telescope. On many nights, the air allows only 150x to 200x, so the Orbit 5 mm is a tool for the better nights. In a small telescope, it often runs close to the useful limit of the aperture, which is about twice the aperture in millimeters.

Pair the Orbit 5 mm with a medium-power eyepiece in the 10 mm to 15 mm range, so you can step down when seeing is poor.

About this configuration

All configurations of the Brightwell Orbit 5 mm planetary eyepiece share the same optical design; the options change the eyecup, the case, and the finish. The soft pouch keeps dust off the eyepiece and fits in a jacket pocket during a session. A soft pouch protects the lenses from scratches when you carry the eyepiece between the car and the telescope. A fold-down eyecup is simple and has no moving parts that can loosen in cold weather.

Titanium gray shows dust and fingerprints less than black, and it keeps a uniform look over time. This is the 2025 edition, which added a safety groove to the barrel and a firmer eyecup detent. Check the barrel size in the specifications against your focuser or star diagonal before you choose a configuration.

What's in the box

• Eyepiece with twist-up eyecup
• Top and bottom dust caps
• Plastic storage case
• Soft padded pouch

Compatibility notes

• Fits any 1.25 in focuser or diagonal.
• The barrel accepts standard 1.25 in filters (M28.5 x 0.6 thread).
• Gives 240x in a 1,200 mm telescope; check that this is within the useful limit of your aperture.