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.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.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.