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    2032mm Focal Length, f/10 Focal Ratio    StarBright XLT Optical Coating System    25mm Eyepiece and 90° Star Diagonal    Internal Focusing Mechanism    6x30 Finderscope with Mounting Bracket    CGE (Losmandy-Style) Dovetail Plate    OTA Only; Mount and Tripod Required

• 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 I use the power bank (45W)to my telescope, using USB 5v to DC 12v cable?

A: Yes, it is fully compatible

Q: 2. can this telescope hand control take a motor control update ?

A: It can be up graded if Celestron offers a software update later on.

Q: 3. 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: 4. will i get any better view then with my vortex viper spotting scope 20 60 80?

A: The objective is twice as large and you can get good 200x magnification with the right eyepiece. Depends what you want to look for.

Q: 5. does this deal come with the tripod?

A: As you can see there is no place on the B&H website to place an order. It is olly sold in a combination OTA, mount and tripod Celestron CPC 1100 GPS (XLT) 279 mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo Telescope with Tripod BH #CECPC11XLTK • MFR #11075-XLT

Q: 6. Does this celestron have edge technology and is adaptable to quality astrophotography?

A: The Celestron CPC 1100 GPS (XLT) 279 mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo Telescope is not an "Edge" series telescope but it still can be used for quality astrophotography.

Q: 7. Tripod included?

A: Celestron CPC 925 XLT 9.25" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Tube with GoTo AZ Mount BH #CE11074XLT1 • MFR #11074-XLT-1 In the Box Celestron CPC 925 XLT 9.25" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Tube with GoTo AZ Mount 40mm 1.25" Eyepiece 1.25" Star Diagonal 9x50 Finderscope with Bracket Power Adapter Limited 2-Year Warranty No tripod

Q: 8. What is the maximum weight that the tripod and mount can hold?

A: 10lbs.

Q: 9. Can I attach a Canon 6D with a mount to this?

A: Your question is a little unclear. Do you mean attaching the camera on top of the telescope? If so, look at Celestron's universal piggyback mount. You will be able to use the mount to track. If you mean taking photos with the telescope - with the proper attachments, you probably could. The issue that you will come across is shooting near the zenith - I don't think that there is sufficient clearance for a SLR. I would check the forums.

Q: 10. Can a different tripod be used?

A: The Celestron NexStar 6SE 150mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo Telescope has a unique mounting configuration and would only work with specific mounting tripods. Currently the Celestron Heavy Duty Tripod for CPC, Nextar GPS can be used as an alternative. BH #CEHDT • MFR #93493 (https://bhpho.to/3Ah5VcX).