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Mike Loffland
Web Guru (Astronomics)
Reged: 09/03/04
Posts: 2080
Loc: Norman, Oklahoma
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Celestron 15mm Axiom LX
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Phillip Creed
Idiot Seeking Village
Reged: 07/25/06
Posts: 1301
Loc: Canton, OH
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Michael,
Great review. The 15mm Axiom LX has been a mysterious beast just hanging out there. That's what's really needed for new eyepieces--a review with a fast dob.
Clear Skies,
Phil
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"The hopeful depend on a world without end, whatever the hopeless may say"--Rush, "Manhattan Project"
Wilderness Center Astronomy Club member since 1995
ICQ Comet Observer Code: CRE01
*****
(1) 12" f/4.9 Skywatcher Collapsible Dobsonian
(2) Orion 120mm ST Refractor
(3) Oberwerk 15x70 Binoculars
(4) Minimalist Eyepiece Set:
"23"-mm Axiom LX (~24mm; long story...)
13mm Nagler Type 6
9mm Nagler Type 6
7mm Nagler Type 6
1.75X Siebert Barlow
*****
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jack45
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/07/03
Posts: 2470
Loc: Lacey WA
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I'm getting a pair of 15mm Axiom LX for the BV at the end of the month. This report was needed and welcomed, can't wait to get them!
Clear Skies!
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16"f/4.5 Discovery Split Tube/TV Paracorr
12.5"f/5 Discovery PDHQ
Orion f/4.9 XT12"Intelliscope
BV's/Bugress Model 24/Stellarvue Model BV3A
TV Smooth Side Plossls,7.4mm,10.5mm,17mm,21mm,26mm
Nagler EPs 9mm T/2,13mm T/1,16mm T/2,20mm T/2,26mm T/5
Axiom EPs 23mm,31mm LX,22mm Panoptic
UO EPs 5MM,6MM,7MM,12.5MM
Baader Hyp 8mm-24mm Zoom
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orveko
super member
Reged: 02/04/09
Posts: 190
Loc: Chicago
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Great report!
I can't wait to RE-order my 15mm Axiom LX ...
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Zhumell Z10 Dobsonian: 1250mm x 250mm (/5)
- Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas
- Smart Astronomy Sterling Plössl: 40mm
- Antares Elite Plössls: 25mm, 15mm, 10mm
- Siebert Optics Star Splitters: 7.5mm, 6mm, 5mm
Oberwerk 15x70 Binoculars on a Manfrotto 055XB tripod and 128LP head
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Arizona-Ken
sage
Reged: 08/31/08
Posts: 304
Loc: Scottsdale, Arizona
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Very nice report! I have the Axiom 10 and I find it a great eyepiece!
Good job.
Thank you!
Arizona Ken
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"Considered as a collector of rare and precious things, the amateur astronomer has a great advantage over amateurs in other fields ... the amateur astronomer has access at all times to the original objects of his study; the masterworks of the heavens belong to him as much as to the great observatories of the world. And there is no privilege like that of being allowed to stand in the presence of the original."
--Robert Burnham Jr, Burnham's Celestial Handbook
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NerfMonkey
sage
Reged: 06/12/08
Posts: 482
Loc: NE Ohio
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Thanks for the kind words. Ken, how is the eye relief on the 10mm? I'm thinking about picking one up, but not if the eye relief is any shorter than the 15mm's (about 10mm).
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Mike
Zhumell 12", Oberwerk 15x70s
107 Messiers, 247 total DSOs, 6 planets, 1 comet
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16150
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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Excellent review!
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Ted
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ssatko
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 03/05/05
Posts: 891
Loc: NC
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Great review, Michael! I had also been wondering why you never hear much about these "Nagler-like" EPs. I'd love to look through one sometime, but my gut feeling is that I'd better stick with my Vixen LVWs, as I need a lot of eye relief for comfortable viewing.
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Scott
SV80/9D
SV102ABV
Orion 4.5" Starblast
Meade LX90 8" UHTC
Orion XT12i
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Arizona-Ken
sage
Reged: 08/31/08
Posts: 304
Loc: Scottsdale, Arizona
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Quote:
... how is the eye relief on the 10mm? I'm thinking about picking one up, but not if the eye relief is any shorter than the 15mm's (about 10mm).
The eye relief is pretty good, listed about the same at 13 mm. My eyecup is raised just 1/8th turn in normal use.
I had the opportunity to compare the Axiom 10 vs a Nagler 11. With both listed at 82 degree AFOV, the shorter focal length eyepiece, the Axiom, should see a little bit less of the sky. Quite surprisingly, the FOV was a little larger on the Axiom! (I didn't make any measurements however).
With an f/10 C8, stars in open clusters were sharp to the edge of the Axiom 10 mm.
Something else I noticed was that the eye opening of the Axiom is a little bit smaller than the eye opening of the Nagler, 5/8 inch diameter for the Axiom and 11/16 inch for the Nagler. Doesn't sound like much, but it is easier on the Nagler to get your eyeball "into the view" and to look to the edge, because you have a tiny bit wider glass. The Axiom, however, has no problem in giving an immersive view.
I feel the Axiom 10 is very comparable with the Nagler for views.
Arizona Ken
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"Considered as a collector of rare and precious things, the amateur astronomer has a great advantage over amateurs in other fields ... the amateur astronomer has access at all times to the original objects of his study; the masterworks of the heavens belong to him as much as to the great observatories of the world. And there is no privilege like that of being allowed to stand in the presence of the original."
--Robert Burnham Jr, Burnham's Celestial Handbook
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NerfMonkey
sage
Reged: 06/12/08
Posts: 482
Loc: NE Ohio
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Quote:
The eye relief is pretty good, listed about the same at 13 mm. My eyecup is raised just 1/8th turn in normal use.
I had the opportunity to compare the Axiom 10 vs a Nagler 11. With both listed at 82 degree AFOV, the shorter focal length eyepiece, the Axiom, should see a little bit less of the sky. Quite surprisingly, the FOV was a little larger on the Axiom! (I didn't make any measurements however).
Arizona Ken
Interesting. Phillip Creed has said that he found the 23mm Axiom's apparent field to be about 85 degrees instead of 82, and he and I have both noticed that its focal length is actually closer to 24mm than 23mm. I wonder if the 10mm is really closer to an 11mm and slightly wider than 82 degrees.
One other thing I think I should mention about this eyepiece: it is not at all parfocal with the 23mm, despite what the specs say. That's not a problem, but take the specs listed for these eyepieces with a grain of salt.
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Mike
Zhumell 12", Oberwerk 15x70s
107 Messiers, 247 total DSOs, 6 planets, 1 comet
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davidpitre
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/10/05
Posts: 1824
Loc: Central Texas
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Quote:
I'm getting a pair of 15mm Axiom LX for the BV at the end of the month. This report was needed and welcomed, can't wait to get them!
Clear Skies!
They look wide to bino-view with.
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David
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ssatko
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 03/05/05
Posts: 891
Loc: NC
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Quote:
They look wide to bino-view with.
Yeah, I couldn't imagine being able to get my nose between two of them! 
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Scott
SV80/9D
SV102ABV
Orion 4.5" Starblast
Meade LX90 8" UHTC
Orion XT12i
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David Knisely
Postmaster
Reged: 04/19/04
Posts: 8271
Loc: Beatrice, Nebraska
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You mention coma in the review, but were not clear as to whether it was due to the eyepiece or your short focal length Newtonian (probably the latter). Most eyepieces do not introduce significant amounts of coma to the view. Subtle changes in shape of the off-axis star images with slight changes of focal position are an indicator of astigmatism, which, at some focal positions, can sometimes mimic the appearance of coma. If you saw none of this, then the eyepiece was pretty well corrected and you were seeing the coma of the telescope and not the eyepiece. Clear skies to you.
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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
Prairie Astronomy Club
http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
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NerfMonkey
sage
Reged: 06/12/08
Posts: 482
Loc: NE Ohio
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I've always assumed that eyepieces never have anything to do with coma in the image. I didn't think it was off-axis astigmatism since all of the star images past a certain distance from the center of the view turned into streaks. There was nothing subtle about it so I think it was coma, but of course I'm no expert.
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Mike
Zhumell 12", Oberwerk 15x70s
107 Messiers, 247 total DSOs, 6 planets, 1 comet
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