Telescope Reviews: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX

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Mike Loffland
Web Guru (Astronomics)

Reged: 09/03/04

Loc: Norman, Oklahoma

15mm Celestron Axiom LX
#3397930 - 10/19/09 12:25 PM

Celestron 15mm Axiom LX

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Phillip Creed
Idiot Seeking Village

Reged: 07/25/06

Loc: Canton, OH

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: Mike Loffland]
#3399278 - 10/19/09 11:49 PM

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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jack45
Post Laureate

Reged: 07/07/03

Loc: Lacey WA

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: Phillip Creed]
#3399350 - 10/20/09 12:30 AM

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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orveko
professor emeritus

Reged: 02/04/09

Loc: Lake County, IL

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: jack45]
#3399379 - 10/20/09 12:51 AM

Great report!

I can't wait to RE-order my 15mm Axiom LX ...

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Arizona-Ken
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/31/08

Loc: Scottsdale, Arizona

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: orveko]
#3399425 - 10/20/09 01:40 AM

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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NerfMonkey
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/12/08

Loc: Tucson, AZ

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: Arizona-Ken]
#3402843 - 10/21/09 06:34 PM

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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star drop
Snowed In

Reged: 02/02/08

Loc: Snow Plop, WNY

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: NerfMonkey]
#3403001 - 10/21/09 08:11 PM

Excellent review!

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Scott in NC
Mad Hatter

Reged: 03/05/05

Loc: NC

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: star drop]
#3403052 - 10/21/09 08:37 PM

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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Arizona-Ken
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/31/08

Loc: Scottsdale, Arizona

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: NerfMonkey]
#3403123 - 10/21/09 09:07 PM

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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NerfMonkey
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/12/08

Loc: Tucson, AZ

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: Arizona-Ken]
#3404803 - 10/22/09 06:49 PM

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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davidpitre
Post Laureate

Reged: 05/10/05

Loc: Central Texas

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: jack45]
#3408195 - 10/24/09 01:30 PM

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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Scott in NC
Mad Hatter

Reged: 03/05/05

Loc: NC

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: davidpitre]
#3408269 - 10/24/09 02:07 PM

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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David Knisely
Postmaster

Reged: 04/19/04

Loc: southeastern Nebraska

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: Mike Loffland]
#3408357 - 10/24/09 02:54 PM

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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NerfMonkey
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/12/08

Loc: Tucson, AZ

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: David Knisely]
#3408554 - 10/24/09 04:57 PM

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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Scanning4Comets
Markus

Reged: 12/26/04

Loc: Deep Space!

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: NerfMonkey]
#4874711 - 10/22/11 05:13 PM

These look interesting!

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jack45
Post Laureate

Reged: 07/07/03

Loc: Lacey WA

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: Scanning4Comets]
#4874966 - 10/22/11 08:59 PM

The new 15mm Celestron Luminos now has an ER of 17mm. Which is a lot better.

Clear Skies!

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hfjacinto
I think he's got it!

Reged: 01/12/09

Loc: Land of clouds and LP

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new

[Re: jack45]
#4875490 - 10/23/11 08:44 AM

Mike,

I have the 15,19 and the 23 MM Axioms and I concur with your opinions of the 15 and 23, I don't recommend the 19, as it has shorter eye relief than the 15 and more color on bright objects. Considering that Celestron renamed the Axioms I wonder if performance changed.

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Scanning4Comets
Markus

Reged: 12/26/04

Loc: Deep Space!

Re: 15mm Celestron Axiom LX new