Celestron C8 SCT OTA - CGE Dovetail

The Celestron C8-A is the modern and improved successor to Celestron’s legendary C8, which revolutionized amateur astronomy when it was introduced in 1970. Its rugged aluminum optical tube is only 17 inches long and weighs 13 pounds, making it easy to transport and set up while delivering impressive views from its compact design. The C8-A features a 2032mm focal length and f/10 focal ratio, along with Fastar compatibility for added imaging versatility. Celestron’s patented StarBright® XLT optical coatings improve light transmission and contrast, producing brighter deep-sky images and shorter exposure times. They also help reveal fine details on the Moon and planets, as well as faint galaxies and nebulae. With its CGEM-style dovetail bar, the C8-A can be mounted on a wide range of computerized telescope mounts. Combining portability, ease of handling, strong light-gathering capability, and value, this iconic optical tube is an excellent choice for amateur astronomers.

StarBright XLT coatings

StarBright XLT is Celestron’s revolutionary optical coating system. It consistently outperforms all other coatings in the commercial telescope market. There are three major components that make up our StarBright XLT high-transmission optical system design:

• Unique enhanced multi-layer mirror coatings made from precise layers of aluminum, SiO2 (quartz), TiO2 (titanium dioxide), and SiO2 (silicon dioxide). Reflectivity is fairly flat across the spectrum, optimizing it for both imaging and visual observing.
• Multi-layer anti-reflective coatings made from precise layers of MgF2 (magnesium fluoride) and HfO2 (hafnium dioxide). Hafnium—a rare element that costs nearly $2,000 per kilogram—gives us a wider band pass than the titanium used in competing coatings.
• High-transmission water white glass is used instead of soda lime glass for the corrector lens. Water white glass transmits about 90.5% of light without anti-reflective coatings; that’s 3.5% better than uncoated soda lime glass. When water white glass is used in conjunction with StarBright XLT’s anti-reflective coatings, the average transmission reaches an astonishing 97.4.

Features

• 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube assembly (OTA)
• Features Celestron's premium patented StarBright XLT optical coatings
• 2032 mm focal length (f/10)
• Fastar compatible
• Tube constructed of durable and lightweight aluminum
• Includes: 25mm eyepiece (81x), 6x30 optical finderscope, star diagonal, 1.25” visual back, CGEM style dovetail bar