From Manufacturer
Striking a comfortable balance between power and portability, the Celestron C8-A-XLT CGE 8" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope is an ideal choice for observing objects within or beyond our solar system. It features a Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system consisting of a corrector plate, a spherical primary mirror, and a secondary mirror that work together to reduce spherical and chromatic aberrations. These corrections result in crisp and clear high-resolution images with accurate color representation, without distortion—especially at the edges. Complementing the optical system is the proprietary StarBright XLT optical coating system, which improves light transmission and reflectivity across the entire visual spectrum.
The optical tube is outfitted with a standard 1.25" visual back to make it easier to find eyepieces, accessories, and imaging gear. For visual observations, a 1.25" star diagonal is included along with a 25mm eyepiece that yields 81x magnification. The C8-A-XLT is offered here without a mount or tripod for users who already have a reliable support system and are looking to upgrade or add to their existing gear, but comes with a larger CGE dovetail plate that is compatible with Losmandy-style saddles.
Striking a comfortable balance between power and portability, the Celestron C8-A-XLT CGE 8" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope is an ideal choice for observing objects within or beyond our solar system. It features a Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system consisting of a corrector plate, a spherical primary mirror, and a secondary mirror that work together to reduce spherical and chromatic aberrations. These corrections result in crisp and clear high-resolution images with accurate color representation, without distortion—especially at the edges. Complementing the optical system is the proprietary StarBright XLT optical coating system, which improves light transmission and reflectivity across the entire visual spectrum.
The optical tube is outfitted with a standard 1.25" visual back to make it easier to find eyepieces, accessories, and imaging gear. For visual observations, a 1.25" star diagonal is included along with a 25mm eyepiece that yields 81x magnification. The C8-A-XLT is offered here without a mount or tripod for users who already have a reliable support system and are looking to upgrade or add to their existing gear, but comes with a larger CGE dovetail plate that is compatible with Losmandy-style saddles.
- 8" (203mm) aperture
- f/10 focal ratio
- 2032mm effective focal length
- Schmidt-Cassegrain catadioptric optical design
- StarBright XLT optical coatings
- Resolution: 0.69 arcsec (Rayleigh); 0.57 arcsec (Dawes)
- Secondary mirror obstruction: 2.5" (69mm); 31% by diameter; 9.77% by area
- Maximizes light transmission through optical path
- Improves color rendition, contrast, sharpness, resolution, and brightness
- Broadband system provides flat wavelength transmission across the entire visual spectrum
- Multi-layer mirror coatings with layers of aluminum, SiO2 (quartz), and TiO2 (titanium dioxide)
- Multi-layer anti-reflective corrector plate coatings with layers of MgF2 (magnesium fluoride) and HfO2 (hafnium dioxide); hafnium has a wider band-pass than the commonly used titanium
- High-transmission water white glass corrector plate limits light loss due to internal absorption
- optical tube assembly (OTA) only; mount and tripod required for proper use
- CGE (Losmandy-style) dovetail plate for compatible saddles
- OTA weight: 12.5 pounds
- Visual back:
- Standard Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope threads
- 1.25" eyepiece/accessory holder
- Use for prime focus or projection astrophotography with optional adapters
- Eyepiece:
- 1.25"-diameter barrel
- Accepts most 1.25" eyepiece filters
- 25mm focal length yields 81x power
- Diagonal:
- 90° angle puts head in comfortable viewing position
- Threaded for direct connection to OTA without the need for the visual back
- 1.25" snout and eyepiece/accessory holder
- Star diagonal corrects image horizontally, but not vertically
- Finderscope:
- Low 6x magnification preserves wide field of view to more easily find alignment or guide stars
- 30mm aperture helps to see dimmer objects and stars for easier alignment and star-hopping navigation
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