The Advanced VX 8" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope from Celestron
is a complete astroimaging platform including a 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain
(SCT) optical tube, 20mm eyepiece, Advanced VX computerized German
Equatorial mount, adjustable stainless steel tripod, and NexStar hand
controller. By pairing the C8-A-XLT SCT tube with their redesigned
Advanced VX mount, Celestron has created an optical instrument ready
for deep sky observation and image capture. The fusion of lightweight
materials, compact design, and astroimaging technology equip this
telescope with the portability and functionality to satisfy
backyard stargazers and burgeoning astrophotographers.
The SCT
optical design, like other catadioptrics, utilizes a system of lenses
and mirrors to produce long focal lengths with a relatively compact tube
length. This configuration of the XLT SCT optical tube boasts a 2032mm
focal length using a tube less than 2 ft long. In addition to the
compact design, XLT SCT optical tubes are also lightweight for their
size. Housing the optical system inside an aluminum tube not
only minimizes flexure and helps equalize the temperature inside the
tube, it also reduces excess weight, making the C-8-A-XLT a manageable
13 lbs.
Celestron's StarBright XLT coating system uses multiple
layers of proprietary lens and mirror coatings to optimize the light
transmission of each lens and maximize the reflection of the primary and
secondary mirrors. The XLT coatings were engineered specifically for
astroimaging purposes, using layers of highly-reflective aluminum, SiO2
(quartz), and TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide) mirror coatings
to accurately replicate the colors of the visible spectrum, as well as
anti-reflective MgF2 (Magnesium Fluoride) and HfO2 (Hafnium Dioxide)
lens coatings to transmit a wider band of visible wavelengths. The
result is an f/10 optical system that transmits more color faithful
images than Celestron's previous StarBright-coated systems. Further
improving the performance of the XLT SCT optical system is a Water White
glass corrector lens that is capable of up to 97% light transmission
when finished with the XLT anti-reflective coatings.
Celestron's
Advanced VX German-Equatorial mount is an integrated telescope support,
alignment and guiding system optimized for astrophotography. Celestron
engineered the Advanced VX mount from the ground up to deliver
the functionality and affordability required by astroimagers on a
budget. This telescope mount delivers some of the features found on more
sophisticated German Equatorial mounts but without the added bulk
or cost associated with more robust options. The Advanced VX mount
is designed to accommodate an optical tube weighting up to 30 lb, enough
payload capacity for most Schmidt-Cassegrain OTAs with up to an 8"
aperture.
The core technology driving the Advanced VX mount is
Celestron's All-Star Polar Alignment. This alignment system features a
2-Star alignment mode that uses multiple guide stars to assist tracking
across the night sky while keeping the optical tube parallel to the
Earth's axis of rotation. Maintaining alignment with either celestial
pole while following the path of guide stars provides a high degree of
pointing and tracking accuracy. Digitally-encoded low-cog DC servo
motors drive telescope movements on both axes in fine increments
that keep the observed (or photographed) object centered in the field of
view. This level of precision reduces optical aberrations and minimizes
star trails, which translates into improved image quality and sharper
photographs.
Complementing the Advanced VX's alignment and
tracking capability is the mount's permanently programmable periodic
error correction that eliminates recurring track errors inherent to
all worm drives. Additionally, a 7-77° latitude range enables extended
observations and photo exposures by allowing the telescope to track
passed the meridian without the meridian flip common with German
Equatorial mounts.
Included with the Advanced VX mount is
the NexStar hand controller that will slew the telescope to any
planetary, stellar, or nebulous object in its pre-loaded database at the
touch of a button. The NexStar controller software is flash
upgradeable, which allows operating system updates and even refinements
to telescope-specific functions. This computerized mount is also
compatible with Celestron's proprietary NexRemote telescope control
software, which enables the observer to control telescope using their
personal computer.
This fully-integrated telescope mounting
system also includes an adjustable stainless steel tripod that has
two-inch diameter legs, locking spreader, and caddy for the NexStar hand
controller. The combination of digitally encoded servo motors, broad
tracking latitude, and an array of sophisticated alignment and
tracking technology equip the Advanced VX with the mechanical precision
needed to observe and photograph any nearby or deep sky object.
In
addition to the XLT SCT optical tube, NexStar hand controller, Advanced
VX German-Equatorial mount and tripod, this telescope includes a
DSLR-ready visual back compatible with 1.25" accessories, a 6x30
finderscope for easy object identification, a 20mm eyepiece equaling
102x magnification when mounted, and a 1.25" star diagonal for more
comfortable viewing when observing objects high above the horizon. This
collection of components makes the Advanced VX 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain a
full-featured telescope for a wide range of stargazing and astroimaging
applications.
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