Explore Scientific 100° Series™ Nitrogen Purged Waterproof Eyepieces

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

Each eyepiece is meticulously assembled into precision machined metal lens barrels that maintain the perfect alignment of the optical train for years of rugged use in the field.The 82° Series eyepieces come with a twist-up rubber eye-guard that raise to the desired height for the comfort of the observer, and as experienced astronomers know, eye comfort is critical when trying to observe at the visual limits of the telescope.

To keep internal reflections to a minimum, all internal surfaces of the eyepiece barrel are flat black, as well as the edges of the lenses themselves to minimize the scattering of light within the lenses themselves.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.