Celestron X-Cel LX 2.3 mm - 1.25"

The X-Cel LX 2.3mm is a specialist eyepiece for high-magnification planetary, lunar, and double-star observing. It's designed to push your telescope to its maximum useful power on nights of good atmospheric stability to see the finest possible details.

A general rule is that the maximum useful magnification is about 50x to 60x per inch of aperture. For an 8" (203mm) telescope, the maximum is around 400-480x. In an 8" f/10 SCT with a 2032mm focal length, the 2.3mm eyepiece yields 883x, which is far too high. This eyepiece is better suited for shorter focal length instruments like f/5 reflectors or f/6 refractors where it will produce more manageable magnifications.

While it can be used to study the cores of bright globular clusters like M13 or resolve details in small planetary nebulae like the Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543), it is generally not recommended for deep-sky. The extremely high magnification and resulting dim image make it difficult to see faint, extended objects like galaxies and most nebulae.

Being parfocal means the X-Cel LX 2.3mm will remain in focus (or very close to it) when you switch it with any other eyepiece in the Celestron X-Cel LX series. This is a significant convenience, as it eliminates the need for major refocusing when changing magnification, saving you valuable observing time.

Yes, the 24mm eye relief is exceptionally long and very comfortable for eyeglass wearers. You can leave your glasses on and still see the full 60° field of view. The pop-up eyeguard can be retracted to create a flat surface for your glasses to rest against.

Yes, the 1.25" barrel is threaded to accept standard 1.25" astronomy filters. This is useful for adding a Moon filter to reduce glare or color filters to enhance specific features on planets like Mars or Jupiter.