Astro-PhotoGraphy Cassegrains

Celestron EdgeHD 1100 XLT Optical Tube Assembly

The first product on the list is far from cheap, and is the ultra-expensive Celestron EdgeHD 14 inch Schmidt Cassegrain Optical Tube Assembly with StarBright XLT Coatings. This is a telescope loaded with features from top to bottom, and is available in several styles like 11 inch EdgeHD CGE, 14 inch EdgeHD CGE, 8 inch EdgeHD CG5, 8 inch EdgeHD CGE and the 9.25 inch EdgeHD CGE. They all have a lot of features but are not lacking in the power necessary for astrophotography, even on the smallest version. This gives a lot of flexibility to a buyer that wants this scope but doesn’t want to pay the premium price for the top tier model.

Concentrating on the 14 inch CGE version, it has a 14 aperture made of aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain that is perfect for producing quality astrophotography details. Besides the crisp images it provides the coma-free optics work together with the field flattener so that you get long, deep distance but a flat focal plane. This is the best combination of settings you will find prebuilt into a telescope that is made for astrophotography. If you have a habit of moving a lot then the stability of this product will be perfect as it includes a flexible tensions clutch so that the mirror does not get knocked out of place.

It gives a perfect mix of movement and sharpening of an angle all in one package, and all without you having to be a perfectionist with the settings. A known problem with certain telescopes is how the air can sometimes mess with the optics, leading to many taking great care to plan around using telescopes outside that use mirrors in their setup. Because this telescope has cooling vents on the rear, hot air can be released and bypass the mirror. This means not fogging up or distorted image when you are ready to look through the telescope. With optional accessories all version of the EdgeHD optical tubes are Fastar compatible for imaging, right down to f/2. Not many on the list can make this claim, and it is the prime reason why this is a top 5 choice on the list, if not the very best.