The C6-SGT 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope

• Author: admin
• Filed under: Reviews, Telescopes
• Date: Jun 15,2008

(see a video review of this scope by Astronomy Magazine at the end of this post)

Celestron C6-S GT Schmidt-Cassegrain w/XLT Coatings

The C6-SGT 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with XLT coatings is a member of Celestron’s Advanced telescope series. Celestron Advanced scopes combine state-of-the-art technology easy-to-use features and ready-to-use components to produce instruments of unparalleled quality and utility.

The C6-SGT comes mounted on the CG-5 GT computerized equatorial mount that allows access to features like automatic star alignment capability and GoTo slewing to more than 40000 objects. Equipped with high speed motors and hand controler the C6-SGT allows you to slew your telescope remotely to desired objects quickly and accurately.

No matter whether you’re a beginner an intermediate viewer or an advanced amateur astronomer this precision instrument will satisfy your needs both visually and photographically.

Precision-engineered CG-5 mount

This new German equatorial mount has precision worm gears on both axes for extremely smooth tracking motion. The new heavy-duty tripod with larger and more substantial legs offer excellent damping characteristics for more stable views. In fact the CG-5 is the most stable mount in its class. The CG-5 also has a convenient latitude scale for easier alignment and an optional polar finder scope for the ultimate in precision alignments.

XLT coatings

Celestron’s XLT coating process uses state-of-the-art thin-film vacuum-deposition technology. To ensure consistent optical coatings of the highest quality the process is tightly monitored and controlled by highly trained technicians. Prior to coating each optical element is thoroughly cleaned and inspected to ensure proper adhesion of the films during the coating process. Materials used in our reflective and anti-reflective coatings including aluminum hafnium oxide titanium dioxide silicon dioxide and magnesium fluoride are the purest available exceeding 99.99 percent. The result is image-clarity so stunning it must be seen to be believed.

Click Here To Get The Best Priced PACKAGE DEAL at Telescopes.com

Specifications

• Proven NexStar® computer-control technology;
• RS-232 communication port on hand controler to control the telescope via personal computer;
• Autoguider port for long-exposure astrophotography;
• 40000-plus-object database with 400 user-definable objects;
• Expanded information on more than 200 objects;
• Custom database that lists the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number;
• the most beautiful double triple and quadruple stars;
• variable stars;
• solar systems;
• objects and asterisms;

Click Here To Get The Best Priced PACKAGE DEAL at Telescopes.com

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Comparison: Celestron 11 Inch CPC & Meade 10 Inch LX90-ACF

• Author: admin
• Filed under: Reviews, Telescopes
• Date: May 16,2008

Click links for specific pricing, accessories and more detailed information.

(both scopes are 5-star rated by their users)

Celestron 11 Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (Our Choice)	Meade 10 Inch LX90-ACF Advanced Coma-Free Telescope with UHTC
11 inches of light-gathering aperture for the faintest space objects Fully computerized, GPS-enabled, GoTo technology with SkyAlign 40,000-object database with 400 user-definable objects 8×50 finderscope to help accurately find objects Flash-upgradeable hand controller keeps you up to date NexRemote telescope control software operates your telescope via PC	Ideal for astronomy and astrophotography Hand-figured lenses provide optimum light allowance Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope design AutoAlign technology provides clear and simple orientation AutoStar periodic corrections fine-tune performance Ideal for novices and intermediate astronomers alike Rigid cast aluminum fork mount provides rock-solid base Oversized primary mirror provides wider field of vision
279mm	10 Inches
2800mm	2500mm
f/10	f/10
Dual Fork Arm	Alt-Azimuth Fork
Price (16 May 2008): $2,799.00 FREE Ground Shipping! (Contiguous US only)	Price (16 May 2008): $2,699.00 FREE Ground Shipping! (Contiguous US only)

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Which telescope - YouTuber makes suggestions (video)

• Author: admin
• Filed under: Reviews, Telescopes
• Date: May 5,2008

This excellent guide has had much too few views! Its truly good. Have a look, and then click through the links in this post to get more specifics on the recommended telescopes.

Enjoy…

Here are links to the scopes the video author recommended:

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Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope - Video Review

• Author: admin
• Filed under: Reviews, Telescopes
• Date: May 5,2008

Great video introduction to a truly great telescope:

Here’s the scope (click for detailed specs):

Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope

Get the best deal (always) at telescopes.com

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A Masterpiece! Celestron 11 Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

• Author: admin
• Filed under: Reviews, Telescopes
• Date: Apr 9,2008

Celestron 11 Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain

On the expensive side, but you’re unlikely to want to trade it for anything else once you have it!

While this telescope is really heavy, its well-placed handles makes it very easy to manage, and it is also easy to level with the well-constructed tripod providing excellent stability.

The Celestron 11 Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain’s built in GPS really does set the instrument up automatically, as advertised. Its auto-align feature works pretty well too - you just pick 3 bright stars without even knowing their names and it does the rest. However, if you can spot and name 2 stars, you’ll be on your way much faster.

The GOTO facility ensures that most of your time is spent viewing rather than searching for objects all night! And with the huge aperture and excellent optical quality, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. Even in the light-polluted suburbian location we used in our tests, we had lots to look at. Its a pity (or maybe its a good thing) that we didn’t have the loaner scope for longer, or we would have been ‘lost in the woods’ for days playing with the Celestron …

We highly recommend this telescope. It is unlikely that any amateur will realistically be able to outgrow this marvel.

Telescopes.com currently has the best deal by far on this scope (link)

Details from Manufacturer

The largest aperture of the CPC GPS line, The CPC 1100 GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope has the most light gathering power and has a limiting magnitude of nearly 15. The CPC 1100 GPS takes full advantage of its vast database of thousands of NGC and Abell galaxies as well as delivering a new level of detail to all your favorite deep sky objects.

The Celestron 11-Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain with StarBright XLT Coatings offers innovative technology that will allow you to look deeply into space. This scope combines new alignment technology, advanced engineering, and a bold new design, all at an affordable price. In fact, Celestron’s Professional Computerized (CPC) Series with revolutionary SkyAlign alignment technology redefines everything that amateur astronomers are seeking. They offer quick and simple alignment, GPS, unsurpassed optical quality, ease of setup and use, advanced ergonomics, enhanced computerization, and value for money. The 11-inch CPC truly has it all.

The CPC Series includes an internal GPS receiver that automatically downloads the date and time from orbiting satellites, pinpointing its precise location. This eliminates the need for you to enter the date, time, longitude, and latitude manually. Thanks to SkyAlign, alignment is a breeze. Simply locate and manually point the telescope towards three bright celestial objects - even the moon and bright planets will work. Celestron’s NexStar software technology will then model the night sky to determine the position of every star, planet, and celestial object above the horizon.

Once aligned, the remote hand control allows direct access to each of the celestial catalogs in its remarkably user-friendly database. The CPC’s database contains more than 40,000 celestial objects, including Messier objects, the Caldwell Catalog, as well as NGC Galaxies, nebulae, and planets. User-definable filter limits make navigating through this expansive database quicker and easier. When using the “filter limits” feature, only those objects that are above the horizon at your exact time, date, and location will be displayed.

The new CPC Series telescopes feature meticulously matched and hand-figured optical systems manufactured in Celestron’s facilities in Torrance, California. In addition, the CPC is available with StarBright XLT high-performance optical coatings. These use state-of-the-art, thin-film, vacuum-deposition technology. To ensure consistent optical coatings of the highest quality, the process is tightly monitored and controlled by highly trained technicians. The result is image clarity so stunning it must be seen to be believed.

This telescope includes the NexRemote software, enabling you to operate it remotely from a PC or laptop. NexRemote supplicates all of the functions and features of the NexStar software on the standard NexStar Hand Control. It also offers speech support, allows you to create and save custom tours, and uses Night Vision Mode to preserve night vision. The drive base and mechanics have been redesigned with larger gears and a quick-release clutch. It includes a new heavy-duty steel tripod with accessory tray and center leg support bracket to ensure stability.

Specifications

Telescopes.com currently has the best deal by far on this scope (link)

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Orion StarBlast Astro: excellent first telescope

• Author: admin
• Filed under: Reviews, Telescopes
• Date: Apr 8,2008

While the Orion StarBlast Astro is marketed at beginners, it has excellent optics, a wide field of view and no superfluous features. It is very portable and so easy to set up that even experienced amateurs use it as a their ‘on-the-move’ telescope.

The StarBlast Astro is a 4.5-inch f/4 Newtonian reflector scope that is mated to a small altazimuth mount that includes a built-in handle. While the base is quite sturdy it is small and the StarBlast Astro is best placed on a table or other sturdy structure, which also provides a more comfortable viewing height for adults.

The scope uses a set of mirrors to gather light and project the image onto the eyepiece for viewing. The reflector’s mirrors must be in proper alignment. Orion provides a Collimation cap along with excellent instructions that makes the alignment process easy as pie.

The two eyepieces - a 6mm that provides ±75x power and a 17mm that produces ±26x power - along with the f/4 aperture produce a wide field of view that is excellent for viewing deep space objects, which most amateur astronomers are interested in. Aftermarket eyepieces can transform this already very good instrument into a truly great dual-purpose (planetary body and deep space object) telescope.

We highly recommend this telescope as it offers fantastic value for money.

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