Like the other 100° Series Nitrogen-Purged Waterproof™ eyepieces, the 20mm was a collaborative effort of astronomers and engineers who tested our prototypes again and again, in the field and in the factory to make refinements to produce the final optic.

Here we see the first prototype 100° Series eyepiece being assembled in the Kunming facility.

Assembly of the first 20mm 100 degree eyepiece.
The Comet Hunter, David Levy lends his critical eye to the 20mm 100 Degree eyepiece at the 2009 ALCON

The 20mm was introduced at the 2009 Astronomical League Convention (ALCON) on August 7th. We felt that it was the perfect time and place as the Astronomical League was celebrating its 70th year and Explore Scientific was celebrating its first birthday, as we had announced the launch of Explore Scientific, LLC at the 2008 ALCON in Des Moines, Iowa as the official underwriters of the League's National Young Astronomers Award and the Leslie Peltier Award.

Beginners through advanced astronomers were invited to take a look and test the eyepiece themselves. At left is famous author and comet discoverer David Levy, who gave the keynote speech during the awards ceromony at ALCON, testing the eyepiece for field correction, contrast, and edge performance.

Like all Explore Scientific eyepieces, the lens elements of the 100° eyepiece are meticulously cleaned and aligned before being installed in their precision machined lens barrels.

Each lens and lens grouping have EMD™ (Enhanced Multilayer Deposition) Coatings and are edge-blackened to eliminate light scatter and maintain image contrast.

Contrast is further enhanced with baffles that mask and deflect unwanted stray light.

Each optical surface is meticulously cleaned before and during assembly of each eyepiece.
Testing for airtight seal. Each 100° Series Nitrogen-Purged Waterproof eyepiece is internally sealed and purged with inert, dry nitrogen gas to prevent internal fogging, to halt the intrusion of fine particulates and fungus, and to maximize the life of the internal coatings.

To make sure, every 100° eyepiece is tested by submerging them down to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.

Each and every Explore Scientific eyepiece is inspected both at the factory and again at our USA facility in California.

Here we are making final visual and cosmetic inspections where we check for assembly integrity, cleanliness, and optical performance (including a test for visual image edge consistancy) before shipping them to our customers.

Each Explore Scientific eyepiece is inspected at the factory where it is made and again at our facility for peak performance.

Developing our new eyepieces we wanted to take a fresh perspective and address several points. Our goal was to produce an ultra-wide angle design that provides pride of ownership at a great value:

Focus on Value - We invite direct comparison to any eyepieces on the market in their category.

Protection from the Outdoors - By making the eyepiece body nitrogen-purged and waterproof eyepiece internal elements will remain as pristine as the day they were assembled. The sealed, dry environment is impervious to internal fogging and contaminants such as fungus growing in between the lens elements. Our waterproof eyepiece is easier to clean, and there is no risk of cleaning solution migrating from the top of the lens and seeping around edges to be trapped in between elements. To insure a perfect seal we test every eyepiece in one meter of water for 30 minutes.

Creating an Identity - We look at purchasing fine optical equipment as an investment, and it should be treated as such. With a unique serial number on each eyepiece we can track when a product was made, and the owner can document their equipment for insurance and warranty purposes.

Providing Peace of Mind - Explore Scientific stands behind our products with a free 5 Year Transferrable Limited Warranty upon registration of the product. Want to trade or sell your eyepiece? You’ll get more value if its remaining warranty can be transferred to the new owner.

Register Your Explore Scientific Eyepiece in the USA and Recieve a Free Five Year Extended Warranty Free Extended Warranty!

Buy an eyepiece for yourself or give it as a gift, then submit the registration form to receive a free extended five year warranty in the USA!
All Explore Scientific telescopes and telescope accessories are covered under our standard U.S.A. One Year Limited Warranty against defects with proof of purchase, but you can extend this limited warranty to five years by simply filling out the product registration and submitting it in within 60 days.

This program is also available to the person who receives your gift of an Explore Scientific eyepiece. You don't need to give them the purchase receipt, just remind them to fill out the registration, and we'll take care of the rest.