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) Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA    Motorized EQ Mount, 55 lb Payload    Sturdy 2" Stainless Steel Tripod    ISO Certified Safe Solar Filter

• 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

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Can you move the mount manually to locate objects ( like you would use o adob) and will it still be tracking the object afterwards? thank you

A: Hi,I didnt try that way, But, after calibrating it will take you to the object you are looking for with good accuracy, but you will need to recenter a little bit; then it will track the object keeping it always in the center of the eyepiece.

Q: 2. What is needed to mount a Sony a77 mark 2 DSLR camera to the celestron 6se tripod? Thanks!

A: The A77 Mark II is an A Mount Lens. Here is the Vello T Mount Lens to Sony A-Mount Camera Adapter, BH #VELASAT. https://bhpho.to/311LRJn

Q: 3. Is this scope and EQ mount compatible with Starsense and SkyPortal?

A: Yes this Scope will be compatible with both Models.

Q: 4. What is the primary mirror wavefront error?

A: The Celestron C8-A-XLT CGE 8" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (OTA Only) has a 1/4 wavefront error.

Q: 5. Does this scope have fastar capability? Thank you.

A: Yes. The Celestron C8-A-XLT CGE 8" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope is Fastar compatible.

Q: 6. What is needed to mount a Sony a77 Mark II DSLR camera to the Celestron 6SE telescope? Thanks.

A: Celestron does not offer a camera adapter for the Sony a77 Mark II DSLR. Please contact https://www.telescopeadapters.com/ for the proper specialized adapter.

Q: 7. Can you plug a computer laptop into the 6SE to view and record images?

A: You can attach a camera or planetary imaging camera such as NexImage or Skyris to your telescope and have it attached to your laptop for live recording or viewing.

Q: 8. Has anyone purchased the square trade protection plan for their telescopes? If so do you recommend it?

A: The Celestron 6se telescope comes with a 2 year warranty from Celestron. However, Celestron will not cover damage done to the telescope caused by tripping over the tripod in the dark or other types of accidental damage. Square Trade will cover those types of accidents and if they cannot repair it, they would send you a check for the original purchase price.

Q: 9. What is the primary mirror wavefront error value?

A: The Celestron C8-A-XLT CGE 8" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (OTA Only) has a 1/4 wavefront error.

Q: 10. I would like to know what I need to mount my Canon 80D to this Celestron 6se? Thanks!

A: You will need a Celestron T-Adapter for Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes #93633-A and a T-Ring for Canon EOS Camera #93419. Sincerely, Garrett at Celestron