With a premium apochromatic refractor optical tube assembly and a nice, all-manual German-type equatorial mount, the Celestron Omni XLT 102 ED Telescope makes for easy observing right out of the box, with the capacity for shorter or terrestrial imaging without needing any other accessories. You can later add Celestron's optional motor drive and polar axis finder if you wish to perform long-exposure astrophotography, and the XLT 102 also has a 2" focuser barrel so that you can upgrade to the larger 2" diagonals and eyepieces for some tasty wide field observing.
As an apochromatic refractor, instead of the more common reflectors, catadioptric, or achromatic refractor designs, the XLT 102 ED has enough aperture to keep you duly entertained as a viewer along with serious high-contrast, wide field optics for astrophotography. Apochromatic refractors can't visually show you the things an 8-14" Schmidt-Cassegrain or reflector can, but they can make superior images of these same items for you to enjoy. The focuser barrel directly accepts SLR cameras with an optional T-mount for your make, and with the motor drive and polar axis finder you'll be able to get great results with only a minimum of experience. Apochromatic refractors are also far superior should you wish to enjoy some terrestrial viewing; just add a 45° erect image diagonal for an amazing, stationary-style spotting scope.
The XLT 102 ED arrives with Celestron's classic CG-4 German-type equatorial mount, a simple and understated support which you can easily operate manually with nothing more than a star map and red flashlight. Properly aligned and centered, you can easily trace the movement of your object of interest with just a single control as it moves along the night sky. Everything required for immediate use is included in this package.