You'll enjoy rich observation and astrophotography experiences with this Advanced VX 700 7" Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope from Celestron. Suited to observing the moon and planets, as well as deep-sky objects like stars, clusters, galaxies, and nebulae, the telescope consists of a 180mm OTA with a 2700mm focal length, mounted on a motorized, computer-controlled German equatorial mount with dual-axis, low-cog DC servo motors and backlash compensation. Also included is a 12-pound counterweight.
Built with a large aperture and long focal length, the Celestron 7" Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical Tube Assembly is a powerful astronomical tool that remains manageable and portable. The Maksutov design exchanges the conventional front corrector plate of a Schmidt with a convex meniscus lens, resulting in a smaller secondary mirror that limits obstruction and increases contrast while eliminating the need for periodic collimation. This modified optical path results in a slower focal ratio and narrower field of view versus a similar Schmidt, but the optical benefits, when coupled with the larger aperture and StarBright XLT coating system, make this an ideal scope for making detailed solar, lunar, and planetary observations, while being able to resolve deep-sky objects like stars, clusters, galaxies, and nebulae.
- 180mm f/15 aperture is ideal for near and deep-sky objects
- Long 2700mm focal length
- Front convex meniscus lens corrects spherical and chromatic aberrations as well as comas (off-axis aberrations) across the entire field of view
- Smaller secondary mirror versus Schmidt-Cassegrains reduces obstructions and increases contrast
- StarBright XLT coatings ensure maximum light transmission to ensure images are bright, with accurate color rendition, crisp sharpness, and enhanced contrast
- Resolution: 0.64 arcsec (Rayleigh), 0.52 arcsec (Dawes)
- Internal primary mirror focus
- 2"-diameter visual back accepts larger eyepieces and accessories
- Requires mount and tripod for proper use
- Vixen-style dovetail plate
- Weight: 19 pounds including OTA, dovetail plate, finder, diagonal, and eyepiece
- 2" barrel diameter
- Accepts most 2" astronomical filters
- 28mm eyepiece yields 96x power
Diagonal:
- 2" snout and eyepiece holder
- 90° angle places head in a comfortable viewing position
- Star configuration corrects image horizontally for terrestrial use
- 2-to-1.25" reducer adapter allows the use of smaller eyepieces
Finderscope:
- Relatively low 8x magnification provides a wide field of view for easier alignment and faster star-hopping navigation
- 50mm aperture helps resolve dimmer objects that dot finders cannot
Engineered and optimized for astrophotography with mid-sized optical tube assemblies (OTAs), the Celestron Advanced VX GoTo German Equatorial Mount delivers the performance required for clear images through the use of dual-axis low-cog DC servo motors and backlash compensation. Added to this are encoders on the motors and Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PPEC), which help to improve positioning and tracking precision and ensure your target object stays centered for long-exposure photography techniques. Supporting the mount is a large 2" stainless steel tripod that has a wide stance for stability on most terrain and a center tray that holds 1.25" and 2" eyepieces and accessories and acts as a leg lock to further stabilize while helping to minimize vibrations.
The brain of the system is the NexStar+ computer controller, which is equipped with a database of over 40,000 objects, including the planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and the complete Messier catalog; it can also be programmed with up 100 custom user-defined objects with filters to create custom object lists. Its intuitive menu-driven user interface makes observing the heavens fast and easy; features such as guided tours, extended information on 200 popular objects, and multiple alignment options make the NexStar+ controller an invaluable tool to new users and experienced stargazers alike.
- 30-pound payload capacity
- Dual-axis low-cog DC servo motors
- Dual motor encoders improve tracking and location accuracy with reduced vibrations
- 7-77° latitude range
- Uninterrupted tracking below meridian to enable observation from a raised location such as a balcony or hilltop
- Integrated 12" counterweight bar with one 12-pound counterweight
- Vixen-style CG-5 dovetail saddle
- 40,000+ object database
- 100 user-defined programmable celestial or terrestrial objects
- Enhanced information on over 200 objects
- Nine slew speeds: 4°/sec, 2°/sec, 1°/sec, 0.3°/sec, 32x, 16x, 8x, 4x, 2x
- Three tracking rates: Sidereal, Solar, Lunar
- Multiple alignment procedures: Two-star, One-star, Solar system, Quick-align, Last-align
- Sky Tour Mode: System seeks out the best objects for the date and time and automatically slews to them
- Identify Mode: Use to identify an unknown object in the field of view, or to find other celestial objects that are close to where the user is viewing
- Anti-backlash compensation: Trains out the intrinsic play between gears for more precise slewing and tracking
- Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PPEC): System learns its internal tracking errors and improves over time for more precise tracking, requiring fewer corrections
- Built-in instructions guide you through the alignment procedures
- 4-line, 18-character LCD display with a 19-button fiber-optic backlit LED keypad
- RS-232 comm port
- Supports English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish
- Database details:
- Solar system: Seven planets, Moon, Sun, and Pluto
- Custom lists of all the brightest stars, double stars, variable stars, and asterisms
- Custom lists of galaxies, nebulae, and clusters, as well as the complete Messier catalog and select NGC objects
- Tubular stainless steel legs
- 2" leg diameter
- 44-64" height-adjustment range
- Center tray holds 1.25 and 2" eyepieces and locks legs in place for greater stability and vibration reduction
- Removable hand controller holder can be moved to avoid cord wrap during long observation sessions
- Weight: 18 pounds
The 12 lb Counterweight for Advanced VX from Celestron helps to counterbalance the mass of a Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube mounted on the Advanced VX equatorial mount. This telescope accessory is useful for off-setting the additional weight of imaging accessories like a camera or tele-converter.