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What is a Barlow Lens?
A Barlow lens is a simple optical device that is used with telescopes to increase the magnification of an eyepiece. The Barlow lens is placed between the eyepiece and the focuser of the telescope, and it works by increasing the effective focal length of the telescope system. This increased focal length results in a magnified image, which allows you to observe smaller details in astronomical objects.
Barlow lenses are a popular accessory for amateur astronomers, as they are an inexpensive and easy way to increase the magnification of a telescope without having to buy additional eyepieces. Most Barlow lenses are designed to be used with standard 1.25-inch or 2-inch eyepieces, and they come in a variety of magnifications, typically ranging from 2x to 5x.
How to choose a Barlow Lens?
When choosing a Barlow lens, there are several factors you should consider:
- Magnification: Barlow lenses are available with different magnification factors, ranging from 2x to 5x or higher. Consider the maximum magnification you need for your observing setup, and choose a Barlow lens that provides the desired magnification.
- Number of lenses: Barlows have usually between 2 and 4 lenses. The entry-level have 2 lenses, and advanced ones will have up to 4 lenses. The more lenses Barlows have, the better the image quality will be. More lenses mean less chromaticity, less aberrations, and therefore better performance.
- Quality of the Glass: The quality of the glass used in the Barlow lens can affect the clarity and sharpness of the image. Make sure to choose a Barlow lens made with high-quality glass to ensure the best viewing experience.
- Coatings: Barlow lenses with multiple anti-reflective coatings on the lenses can reduce reflections and glare, which can improve image quality and make it easier to see faint objects.
- Compatibility with your Telescope: Barlows come in different sizes and thread types, so it’s important to choose a Barlow lens that is compatible with your focuser and eyepieces. Make sure to check the specifications of your telescope and the Barlow lens to ensure compatibility.
- Price: Barlow lenses range in price from affordable to expensive, so consider your budget when making a decision. Keep in mind that a higher-priced Barlow lens does not always mean a better-quality product.
- Durability: A Barlow lens that is well-constructed and durable is important, especially if you plan to use it frequently. Make sure to choose a Barlow lens that is built to last and can withstand the rigors of regular use.
How to Take Care of Barlow Lenses?
As any optics are sensitive, here are some tips for taking care of your Barlows:
- Cleaning: To clean the lenses of your Barlow lens, use a microfiber cloth and lens cleaning solution specifically designed for optical surfaces. Avoid using tissue paper or rough materials that could scratch the lens.
- Storage: Store your Barlow lens in a clean, dry place when not in use. Consider keeping it in a protective case to prevent dust or other particles from settling on the lens.
- Avoid Exposure to Moisture: Moisture can damage the lenses of your Barlow lens, so be sure to store it in a dry place and avoid exposing it to damp conditions. If the lens does get wet, use a microfiber cloth to gently dry it off.
- Handle Carefully: When handling your Barlow lens, be sure to hold it by the body and not the lens itself. This will prevent any accidental scratches or other damage to the lens.
- Avoid Dropping: Dropping a Barlow lens can cause serious damage, so be sure to handle it with care and avoid dropping it. If the lens does get damaged, consider having it professionally repaired or replaced.
- Avoid Over-tightening: When attaching or removing the Barlow lens from your focuser, be careful not to over-tighten it. Over-tightening can cause damage to the focuser or the Barlow lens itself.
The 20 Best Barlows for telescopes
Here are the best Barlows for telescopes. Note that the best Barlow lens for you will depend on your specific needs and the type of telescope you’re using. Some factors to consider when choosing a Barlow lens include magnification, weight, field of view, and compatibility with your telescope’s eyepieces.
SaleBestseller No. 1
Celestron Omni 2X Barlow Lens
- Double the magnification of each eyepiece you own with the...
- Keep the eye relief of your eyepieces while getting 2X the...
- Slides into 1.25 inch focuses and diagonals and accepts 1.25...
- Fully multicoated optics with blackened edges for good light...
$33.09
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SaleBestseller No. 2
Celestron 93428 X-Cel LX 1.25-Inch 3x Barlow Lens...
- TRIPLE THE POWER OF YOUR TELESCOPE EYEPIECES: This quality...
- 3-ELEMENT APOCHROMATIC OPTICS: All air-to-glass surfaces are...
- BRASS COMPRESSION RING: Rather than setscrews, the X-Cel LX...
- ACCEPTS 1.25" FILTERS: The Barlow is threaded to accept...
- NON-SLIP GRIP: A centralized rubber ring around the Barlow's...
$77.28
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Bestseller No. 3
SVBONY 2X Barlow Lens 1.25 inch Double The...
- The value must have 2x barlow lens doubles the magnification...
- SVBONY barlow lens provide a high power magnification allow...
- 2X barlow lens adopts 2 element one group broadband green...
- Quality aluminum stock and black anodized body with...
- Connect DSLR SLR camera to telescope easily;the T ring...
$16.99
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Bestseller No. 4
Starboosa 1.25-inch 5X Barlow Lens & Moon Filter...
- Barlow lens & moon filter, which are indispensable for...
- 5x Barlow lens has a magnification of 2.5 times in the...
- Works with telescopes from Celestron, Skywatcher, Mead,...
- Universal M42 thread connection, you can also connect an SLR...
- Both the 5x Barlow lens and Moon Filter frame are processed...
$17.59
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SaleBestseller No. 5
Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25-Inch 2x Barlow Lens...
- Double the power of any 1.25" telescope eyepiece with the...
- A great way to essentially double the number of telescope...
- Very compact - just 3 inch long (half the length of a...
- Doublet lens system is multi-coated for excellent...
- Threaded for use with 1.25 inch Orion telescope eyepiece...
$31.99
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SaleBestseller No. 6
Bindpo 2X Barlow Lens, 1.25inch Fully Multi-Coated...
- 【2X Magnification Barlow Lens】High-definition 2X...
- 【Fully Multi-Coated Glass Lens】Glass lens has high light...
- 【For Astronomy Lovers】This Barlow Lens suitable for 1.25...
- 【Barlow Lens Size】Barrel Size: 1.25inch / 31.75mm,...
- 【Great After-sales Service】We offer 100% satisfaction...
$11.92
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SaleBestseller No. 7
Barlow Lens 2X, Bysameyee 1.25 Inch Fully...
- Doubles the Magnification: This 2X Barlow lens doubles the...
- Interface with M42x0.75 Thread: With T/T2 (M42x0.75mm) male...
- Multilayer HD Broadband Green Film Optical Glass Lens: Offer...
- Quality Made: Aluminum stock and black anodized body,...
- Free Dust Cap: Keeps lens clear easily with 2 pairs of dust...
$21.99
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Bestseller No. 8
SVBONY Telescope Barlow Lenses, 1.25 Inch...
- The value must have 5x barlow lens doubles the magnification...
- Quality aluminum stock and black anodized body
- 3 element 2 group lenses with multi coated optics design...
- Qulity and shorty aluminum stock and black anodized body for...
- 2 element one group broadband green film multi coated...
$15.99
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SaleBestseller No. 9
Orion 8715 High-Power 1.25-Inch 5x 4-Element...
- Fully multi-coated 5x Barlow will give your 1
- 25" telescope eyepieces a quintuple-power boost
- Perfect for obtaining very high-power views of the Moon and...
- 4-element lens design preserves the optical quality of your...
Bestseller No. 10
Barlow Lens 5X, Multi-Coated 1.25" 5X Barlow Lens...
- 【Long Lens Life】This Barlow lens adopts aluminum alloy...
- 【Compatible With DSLR or SLR Camera】This telescope lens...
- 【Multiple Magnification, Clearer】This astronomical...
- 【No Color Difference】The multilayer coated optical lens...
- 【Easy to Use】Just insert the eyepiece into the Barlow...
$16.99
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Bestseller No. 11
AmScope SM05 0.5X Barlow Lens For SM Series Stereo...
- 0.5X Barlow lens doubles working distance and field view of...
- This lens comes with a 1-7/8" (48mm) mounting thread and...
- Mounting size: 1-7/8" (48mm) in diameter.
- This lens comes with a 1-7/8" (48mm) mounting thread and...
$43.99
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Bestseller No. 12
Vision Scientific VAF05 0.5X Barlow Lens for...
- 0.5X Barlow lens doubles working distance and field view of...
- Cutting magnification power by half and doubling working...
- Mounting size: 1-7/8" (48mm) in diameter
$22.00
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Bestseller No. 13
Cuifati Barlow Lens,1.25" 5X Barlow Lens Multi...
- STABLE AND DURABLE -- The Optical Lens has aluminum alloy...
- 1.25 INCH INTERFACE -- 5X magnification with 1.25 inch...
- MORE DETAILED -- This Optical Lens allows you look more...
- MULTI COATED -- Multi coated optical lens offers a high...
- EASY TO USE -- simply insert the eyepiece into Barlow lens,...
$15.39
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Bestseller No. 14
AmScope SM10 1X Barlow Lens For SM Stereo...
- 1X protection Barlow lens for SM and/or SW series stereo...
- 1X protection Barlow lens for SM and/or SW series stereo...
- Mounting size: 1-7/8" (48mm) in diameter.
- It can be used to protect microscope objective lenses. Its...
$43.99
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Bestseller No. 15
Astromania 1.25" 4-Elements 5X Barlow Lens Fully...
- The Astromania High-Power 5x 4-Element Barlow Lens...
- Featuring a high-quality 4-element lens design, the...
- The Barlow lens elements are fully multi-coated with...
- The lenses are also edge-blackened to further maximize...
- The 1.25 barrel is internally threaded for use with...
$129.99
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Bestseller No. 16
Astromania 1.25" 3X Short Focus Barlow Lens for...
- 3x increase in magnification - Superior sharpness and color...
- It not only increases the magnification, the image will be...
- High quality Barlow. Bayonet SLR cameras can be connected to...
- Essentially triple the power of any 1.25" telescope eyepiece...
- Compatible with most 1.25- Inch diameter telescope...
$29.99
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SaleBestseller No. 17
Celestron 1.25" Universal Barlow and T-Adapter
- The Celestron Universal Barlow & T-Adapter is three...
- 2X Barlow: Use during visual observing to double the...
- Prime Focus Photography: Use the T-Adapter portion of this...
- Tele-Extended Photography: Use the T-Adapter with Barlow to...
- T-threads accept camera brand specific T-Ring (sold...
$54.95
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SaleBestseller No. 18
Celestron 93436 Luminous 2-Inch 2.5x Barlow Lens...
- The Celestron 2.5x Luminos Barlow increases the...
- High-quality 4-element optics produce a flat field for sharp...
- Hard-anodized aluminum barrel is threaded to accept 2”...
- A brass compression ring holds eyepieces firmly in place,...
- A 2” to 1.25” adapter is included. Allows the use of...
$134.95
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Bestseller No. 19
SVBONY SV137 3X Barlow Lens 1.25 inch Telescope...
- Fashion appearance;Different from the black that is common...
- Brass compression ring design; A brass compression ring can...
- Lens edges is blackened; Black paint on the edge of the...
- Non-slip rubber grip ring design; No slip prevent the barlow...
- Fully multi-coated lenses;The lens fully multi-coated...
$20.99
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Bestseller No. 20
SVBONY 2X Barlow Lens, Doubles The Magnification...
- 1.25 inches 2x achromatic Barlow lens effectively double the...
- Two elements one group of fully multi coated HD broadband...
- SVBONY Barlow lens using togeter with 1.25 inches telesope...
- The Barlow lens role is not only to improve the image...
- Fully metal constructed; the housing is precision machined...
$15.99
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Additional Resources
The following links gives additional resources to learn more about Barlow lenses.
- Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlow_lens) – A comprehensive resource that provides an overview of Barlow lenses, including their history, construction, and use in astronomy.
- Sky & Telescope (skyandtelescope.org) – A leading publication for amateur astronomers that provides articles and resources on Barlow lenses, including their use in telescopes, how to choose the right one, and how to use them effectively.
- Cosmic Pursuits (cosmicpursuits.com) – A website dedicated to amateur astronomy that provides information on Barlow lenses, including their use in telescopes, how to choose the right one, and how to use them effectively.
- The Astronomy Café (astronomycafe.net) – A comprehensive resource for amateur astronomers that provides information on a wide range of astronomical topics, including Barlow lenses, with articles and discussions on their use in telescopes, how to choose the right one, and how to use them effectively.
- An Introduction to Astrophotography (optodir.com/introduction-to-astrophotography/) – An introduction to methods and tools to start photography of the sky’s objects with a telescope.
- A Youtube video by Celestron (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wWKjpDR4J8) explaining what is a Barlow lens.
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