Thinking About a New Scope? Think Big!
Telescopes
15" f/4.5 Classic
Frederic R. of Voisins le Bretonneux France
15" f/4$7,495
Plus Shipping & Crating
Medium Aperture, keep your feet on the ground!
Now everyone can own a piece of the dream.
The Obsession 15 has the same quality and award winning design as our other telescopes at a really great price.
Four times the light gathering power of an 8 inch scope so you get much bigger and brighter images.
With an Obsession 15 you can really see the universe.
Easy to set up and use, the eyepiece height is always less than 5 1/2 feet off the ground. Most observers won't even need to use a ladder!
Wheelbarrow handles included at no extra charge.
| 4 times the light gathering power of an 8 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain | Obsession 15" |
Typical 8" |
|---|---|---|
| Limiting stellar magnitude: | 15.5 | 14.0 |
| Rayleigh Resolution Limit: | 0.36 arc seconds |
0.68 arc seconds |
| Contrast limit: (minimum diameter before a nebular object fades from view) |
5.7 arc minutes |
11.0 arc minutes |
M108 CCD image by Doug Askew
Helix Nebulae by Pierre Schmidt and Eduard von Bergen in Austria
NGC 2903 CCD image by Doug Askew
M27, the Dumbell Nebulae in Vulpecula by Pierre Schmidt and Eduard von Bergenin in Austria
M51 CCD image by Doug Askew
Abell 1367 CCD image by Doug Askew
M13 CCD image by Doug Askew
M27 CCD image by Doug Askew
15" Specifications:
Metric info shown in italics
Primary Mirror:
- 15" - 381 mm OMI 2 inch thick mirror
- Fused silica glass standard on all 15" Classic primary mirrors.
- 96% reflectivity
- Enhanced Aluminum Coating and Dielectric Overcoat (a supreme coating)
- Center marked for precise collimation
- plus Interferometry certification
see Optics page for more info
Secondary Mirror:
- Pre-installed
- 2.6" - 66 mm United Lens 1/10 wave or better
- Interferogram included
- 96% reflectivity at 550 nm
- Super enhanced Brilliant-Diamond non-fading multi-dielectric coating
see Optics page for more info
Focal Length:
- 68" (± 2") - 1727 mm (± 50 mm)
Eyepiece Height at Zenith:
- (approximately) 66" - 167 cm
Mirror Cell:
- 9-point
Truss Pole:
- Length: 45" (± 2") - 114 cm (± 5 cm)
- Diameter: 1.25" - 32 mm
- Wall Thickness: 0.035" - 0.9 mm
Upper Assembly:
- Diameter: 19" - 48 cm
- Height: 10" - 25 cm
- Weight: 8 lbs. - 3.6 kg
Lower Assembly:
- A= 25" - 63 cm | B= 23" - 58 cm | C= 19" - 48 cm | D= 21" - 53 cm
Mirror Box weight:
- The heaviest component (what you don't lift): 60 lbs - 27 kg
- Weight at Handles: (what you lift at Wheelbarrow handles): 9 lbs - 4 kg
Standard Features and Accessories:
Choose from four great focusers
The JMI EV3 comes standard on all Classic Obsessions. Or upgrade to the EV1, or EV1 with motofocus, or the awesome Feathertouch by Starlight Instruments. See the Focuser Options page for more information.
JMI EV3 (standard on all Classics)
JMI EV1 with motofocus
JMI EV1
Feathertouch
by Starlight Instruments
Wheelbarrow handles
Comes standard on all Obsessions 12.5" through 25" at no extra charge.
Primary Mirror Coating
Enhanced Aluminum - 96% reflectivity, with dielectric overcoat (a supreme coating) standard on all primary mirrors. See Optics page for more info.
Secondary Mirror Coating
An Obsession exclusive - Super enhanced Brilliant-Diamond is standard on all Obsession secondary mirrors. This premium multi-dielectric coating has 96% reflectivity at 550 nm. The ultimate coating for the deep sky obsessed. This coating is standard on all Obsession secondaries at no extra charge. Brilliant-Diamond is just one of the reasons Obsessions out perform all others.
With 96% enhanced on the primary and our standard 96% Brilliant Diamond secondary, the optical system is equivalent to an extra 2" of aperture!
12 volt cooling fan
12 volt cooling fan comes standard on all Classic and Ultra Compact scopes.
Fused quartz
15” Obsessions use fused quartz for the primary mirror glass.
Optional Accessories:
See the Accessories page for more info on these items
Counterweight kit
(you supply the lead shot or sand) Recommended if you intend to use heavy barlow/eyepiece combinations, a Paracorr coma corrector, a traditional finderscope, or the Argo Navis digital setting circles.
Telrad
Ripstop Nylon light shroud
Barlow-Laser Collimator 2" barrel
(Highly recommended). Includes 2" magnetic barlow lens and mask for the new barlowed laser collimating technique. Great visual aid and no better way to accurately align fast Newtonians. learn how
Argo Navis digital setting circles
with ultra res 32K encoders
ServoCAT Goto Drive System
Dew heater for secondary mirror
Secondary mirror heating system automatically senses the air temperature and the mirror temperature, then maintains the secondary at a preset (adjustable) temperature above the ambient air temperature to prevent dewing or icing.
Pre-installed (if ordered).
Ordering Information:
A Deposit is required to place an order ($1,600 for 15" Classic)
Mail the deposit to:
Obsession Telescopes
PO Box 804
Lake Mills, WI 53551
USA
You can e-mail your order, or mail it with the deposit.
- With your order, please list any options and/or accessories you want, your mailing address, e-mail address if any, and phone number(s).
- After we receive it, we will send you an order confirmation letter.
- Delivery is usually 1 to 2 months from time of order.
- Please e-mail for current delivery times.
- Balance due prior to shipment.
- Prices do not include shipping and crating. We ship throughout the world via UPS.
- Any questions, please call or e-mail.
- NOTE 10% order cancelation charge.
Customer Comments
Mike B., 15" owner in Vancouver, Washington - June 3, 2016
I am now into the second year since I purchased my 15” Classic Obsession. In a nut shell it was the best decision I have made since I jumped head first into astronomy 2 years ago. I just returned from our astronomy’s star party where the views the scope was providing were amazing. I was inviting fellow members to share my eye piece throughout the evening. One of our members, as seasoned veteran of 18 years, was so impressed by the views of M51, the Veil Nebula, Bode’s Nebula, the Sombrero Galaxy, etc. that she was considering purchasing one. For me, the 15” Classic has hit the sweet spot between portability and aperture. I am one happy amateur astronomer.
Ron O., 15" owner in Erie, Pennsylvania
Hello Dave: Thank you for a magnificent instrument. My first night out was fantastic. I never knew what detail could be captured in a quality 15" system vs. my old 8" LX200. I am permanently hooked on my Obsession. Folks who were with me felt that the optics on my 15 were superior to other 18's on site.
John A. 15" owner in Surrey England
Suffice to say, on the occasions when I have managed to coincide with reasonable viewing I have been gobsmacked by what I can see. I remember thinking after my first sight of M13, "I can now die a happy man" - mindblowing! Thanks again for a wonderful telescope all the best!
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