Used on Sky-Watcher Star Travel 120 (f/5) Refractor Telescope with added William Optics Erecting Prism and Baader Semi APO Filter. Supplied with the standard Sky-Watcher bundled Achromatic 25mm/10mm eyepieces, useful Achromatic 2 x Barlow lens and some added modestly priced to performance stock SP Plossl’s. All of which are worthy enough oculars to get started and gain experience in observations. Incidentally the 32mm SP Plossl eyepiece gives nice solid low power viewing.
After 18 months of observing, it was time for an ‘Ocular Step-Up’ to better performing eyepieces and so obtained two BST StarGuider 60º 25mm, 8mm ED Eyepieces and BST StarGuider 2 x Short Barlow Lens. They really do have exceptional wide contrast with the ED glass helping to give a very sharp colour image, I could see colour in Jupiters belts that appeared more natural for my telescope then previously. The 8mm worked very well for the low contrast Moon with mountains Apennine, Caucasus jumping out at me under Barlow and high contrast for splitting double stars amplifying any colour between them. Leo Algieba, gorgeous rich golden yellow hues recently split at 150x. Globular Cluster M3 showed well, bright but harder to locate followed by M53, able to resolve the outer parts of both at 75x, planetary nebulae M97 fuzzy edge (I had my eye on it?). M42 even more impressive clouds than normally – with its embedded trapezium of stars standing out well.
The eye lens is large with good eye relief making it easy to look through. What a difference from previous 7.5mm SP Plossl’s in viewing comfort. The 25mm is now starting to replace the 32mm Plossl, with next to no distortion when panning rich field star views, revealing fainter background stars with similar TFOV. Locating nebulas and galaxies - Leo Triplets, M51, M63 and M94 contrasted against the background sky. I can recommend these eyepieces; since they really do hit above the mark in cost and quality and have not yet had a disappointing view with them, doing what they say on the box.
Note: It also worth having a look at the Nirvana-ES UWA-82°, I have the 16mm, 10mm eyepieces both from FLO, great for immersive deep sky viewing and for the price, the views and performance are terrific. Sky-Watcher high power Planetary 58º Modified Plossl Eyepieces, the 7mm, 6mm again gave high power impressive sights for the planet Jupiter and Moon, having lovely detail and sharp out to the edge views. They also work very well for double stars when using the new BST Barlow on my short focus telescope.
All the three mid-range eyepiece types above have the feel of quality and give superior images, higher AFOV, large eye lens with good eye relief for comfortable eye positioning viewing at an agreeable price. If you are looking to step-up your bundled and starter eyepieces and require all-round improved observation capability for DSOs and Solar System, they will not disappoint.
FLO will help find what is best, they are now my first port of call with good advice and service.

First of all I should thank the team at FLO for recommending this eyepiece. I should also say that this is a review of the BST range, rather than just the 8mm.

Used with the Starfield ED102.

The headline here is that for the money this eyepiece is outstanding!. That phrase though.. 'for the money' actually does this eyepiece an injustice. It suggests that there are some compromises in quality or performance, which just simply isn't the case. I purchased one of these to add to my set which included the standard Super Plossl's along with, and more crucially in relation to this review, the Celestron X-Cel LX. Both the Celestron and BST eyepieces share similar design features with the twist up eyecups and long eye relief, and in use I was generally pretty happy with the Celestron eyepieces. However, first use of the BST illustrated something that I was actually ignorant to, with the Celestron offering. This was that the twist up eyecup doesn't actually raise high enough to allow decent cup/eye apposition at the ideal distance to maximise FOV.

This meant I was cupping my hand to shield from lateral stray light in order to get the best experience. It was only when I used the BST and was able to gently sit my eye on the eyecup at exactly the right distance that I realised what I was doing. I appreciate that we are made differently and what suits me may not necessarily suit everyone, but I find using the BST an absolute joy! I am also happy to confirm that BST does a pretty good job at maintaining decent eye relieve even down to the 5mm eyepiece. I have now replaced all of eyepieces with the BST's with 5, 8, 12, 18 & 25mm in my quiver.

Oh yes, the optical performance... Simple, better in every way than the Celestron equivalent at around two thirds the price. What more needs to be said!?

I bought this eyepeice (along with a 2x barlow) on the advice of FLO for my daughter's Heritage 130p dobsonian. I was amazed at the quality, vastly superior to the kit 10mm. It seems to be very good value too, given the eyepeices out there which cost many times as much. I'm very happy! I daresay the eyepeice and barlow will still be in use long after the scope has been upgraded. Thanks for the advice, as ever FLO!

I was recommended the 8mm Starguider as a first upgrade over the Skywatcher MA eyepieces supplied with my Explorer 150p. Those eyepieces are okay, but I've read a lot about how these are a good first step up. The eyepiece feels significantly more substantial, being larger and heavier than the stock ones. The large eye lens diameter is much more comfortable to use. View of Jupiter was a notable improvement over the stock 10mm. Definitely worth picking up. May go for the 5mm or 12mm next.

Great value eyepiece, feels like a quality product. Very nice views from it combined with a skywatcher 130p heritage. Great eye relief and FOV. Comfortable stargazing.

Very impressed with this eyepiece, it’s that good that I will now be getting the 12mm eyepiece.
This BST eyepiece is a vast improvement over my skywatcher eyepiece which came with my scope, the weight of the BST starguider is probably three times heavier then my skywatcher eyepiece, but this BST is very well made and looks quality.

Delivers great images in moderate focal length telescopes with a wide field of view and generous eye relief. Excellent value.

Prompt service and delivery - as always from FLO. I have only used the eyepiece once since delivery- and that briefly in quite bright twilight - due to the enclosed clouds! However the cloud bands on Jupiter and the Galilean moons were clearly seen in a 80mm refractor. The nebulosity and stars within M42 were also easily seen. The eyepiece seems of a high build quality and is comfortable to use.

Well put together eyepiece that gives a decently corrected image on axis and out to about 80% of the field. This 8mm along with my 5mm are great for planetary viewing . Comfortable twist up eyecup. This range of eyepieces are a very good stepping stone from the ones supplied with most telescopes

Prompt and efficient service from FLO. The eyepieces came extremely well packaged and on time.
I have not used them yet due to the weather.
First class service from FLO.