At a Glance
5mm
Focal Length
60°
Apparent FOV
16mm
Eye Relief
1.25"
Barrel Size
Score Breakdown
Overview
The Celestron X-Cel LX 5mm is a short focal length eyepiece built primarily for high-magnification planetary work. In a typical 1000mm focal length telescope, this eyepiece delivers 200x magnification, which puts it firmly in the range for resolving Saturn's rings, Jupiter's cloud bands, and lunar craters in fine detail. The 60-degree apparent field of view is wider than many competing planetary eyepieces, giving you a bit more sky to work with at those higher powers.
The six-element fully multi-coated optical system is genuinely well-regarded among amateurs, and the blackened lens edges help maintain contrast when you are pushing magnification on bright objects. Eye relief sits at 16mm, which is generous for a 5mm eyepiece and makes it usable for eyeglass wearers. One practical note: at 5mm, atmospheric seeing becomes a real limiting factor.
On nights with poor seeing, even a sharp eyepiece like this will show distorted images, so its full potential depends on your local conditions and your telescope's collimation. Within the X-Cel LX lineup, all focal lengths are parfocal, so switching eyepieces mid-session requires minimal refocusing. At $93, this sits in a competitive mid-range bracket where build quality and optical performance are both solid for the price.
Key Features
- Six-element fully multi-coated optics deliver sharp, high-contrast views at high magnification
- 60-degree apparent field of view is wider than typical for a 5mm planetary eyepiece
- 16mm of eye relief is comfortable for eyeglass wearers, which is uncommon at this focal length
- Parfocal with all other X-Cel LX eyepieces, reducing refocusing time when swapping during a session
- Threaded 1.25-inch barrel accepts standard filters, useful for lunar and planetary contrast work
- Pop-up rubber eyeguard twists to adjust height and helps block stray light for better contrast
- Textured rubber grip makes handling secure in cold weather or with gloves
Specifications
| Focal Length | 5mm |
| Apparent FOV | 60° |
| Eye Relief | 16mm |
| Barrel Size | 1.25" |
| Design | Modified Erfle |
| Elements/Groups | 6/4 |
| Series | X-Cel LX |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Waterproof | No |
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Amazon Reviews
Using my 5 inch reflector telescope with 10 mm eyepiece, I was able to see Jupiter's bands and moons as well as Saturn's rings and a moon. But, I wanted to see more so I tried a 2X Barlow but was unable to get it to focus (cheap one). So rather than rely on another Barlow I purchased this 5 mm eyepi...
This eyepiace does work flawlessly on the Celestron Regal M100ED spotting scope. As this was not noted anywhere else on the net I felt it would be useful to note it for others here..... It is a good eyepiece with a usable field of view -- surely an 82 degree fied eyepiece would be nicer but it also ...
I too upgraded from the Orion eyepiece that came with the telescope to this C-Cel LX 5mm. It is a night and day difference! The clarity is awesome and for a 5mm eyepiece, what a great value. This product is very well built and solid, love it.
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