Quillon Gantry 8 mm wide-field eyepiece, with hard case

Specifications

Description

The Gantry 8 mm is a six-element wide-field eyepiece with a 60-degree apparent field and a 1.25 in barrel. At 8 mm it gives moderate magnification: 75x in a 600 mm refractor, 150x in a 1,200 mm Dobsonian, and 254x in a 2,032 mm Schmidt-Cassegrain. In the 1,200 mm telescope, the true field is about 0.4 degrees, which is wide enough to hold a compact globular cluster and its surrounding stars in one view.

The 8.4 mm field stop sets the true field and keeps the image within the clear aperture of the barrel. Wide-field designs of this kind keep stars round across most of the field in telescopes slower than about f/6. In faster Newtonians, you may notice some coma and a slight loss of star shape near the edge. The lenses are fully multi-coated, and the internal baffling is blackened to reduce stray light from the barrel walls.

With 14 mm of eye relief, the Gantry 8 mm is comfortable for most observers, including many who wear glasses. Fold the rubber eyecup down to keep your glasses close to the lens, or fold it up to block stray light. The barrel is threaded for standard 1.25 in filters. At 160 g, the eyepiece balances well in most 1.25 in focusers. Keep the top dust cap on when the eyepiece is not in use to protect the top lens from dust and moisture.

An 8 mm eyepiece fills the gap between a low-power wide-field eyepiece and a high-power planetary eyepiece. Use it for open clusters, bright nebulae, and the larger lunar craters, where the 0.4-degree true field keeps the target in view without the image becoming dim. Paired with a 2x Barlow lens, the same eyepiece gives 150x in a 600 mm refractor, which suits lunar and planetary detail when the seeing is steady.

About this configuration

The Quillon Gantry 8 mm wide-field eyepiece is offered in several configurations, and the notes below describe what this particular one adds. The hard foam-lined case protects the eyepiece from knocks during travel and stacks neatly with other cases. A hard case keeps the eyepiece safe in a busy accessory box at a star party or an outreach event. 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 2024 edition, which revised the undercut on the barrel and the grip rings of the Gantry line. 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 fold-down rubber eyecup
• Top and bottom dust caps
• Padded storage pouch
• Hard foam-lined case

Compatibility notes

• Fits any 1.25 in focuser, diagonal, or Barlow lens.
• The barrel accepts standard 1.25 in filters (M28.5 x 0.6 thread).
• Sharp to the edge of the field at f/6 and slower; softer at the edge in faster Newtonians.