Celestron NexStar 8GPS Telescope (Telescope Only) w/XLT Coatings

by Celestron

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 31 x 27 x 18 inches
• Shipping Weight: 66 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000BXF6S
• Item model number: 11052-XLT-1
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,292 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 30, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Note to customers: This package does not include a tripod.
The NexStar GPS series is the culmination of years of engineering research and development delivering the ultimate instrument in GoTo technology. For the first time in a commercial telescope, Celestron combines an integrated Global Positioning System with its legendary Schmidt-Cassegrain optics to deliver the most advanced telescope on the market today. The Nexstar GPS is so advanced that after you turn it on, the internal GPS receiver links up and acquires information from orbiting GPS satellites. With this information the system automatically downloads the date and time and pinpoints its exact location on Earth. All the information the NexStar needs to orient itself with the sky and point to your first alignment star. No need to enter the date, time, longitude and latitude or even know the position of north. Once aligned, the NexStar has a key on the hand control to allow direct access to each of the catalogs in its user-friendly database. Messier objects, NGC Galaxies or planets, the NexStar database has over 40,000 celestial objects to choose from. To make navigating through this expansive database quicker and easier, NexStar has user-definable database filter limits. With the "filter limits" feature the NexStar database will display only those objects that are above the horizon for your exact date, time and location.

Celestron knows that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That's why Celestron designed the NexStar GPS telescopes from the ground up with features and performance that add up to a whole lot more telescope than anything else out there. Celestron is the only manufacturer to offer carbon fiber optical tubes, meticulously matched and hand-figured optical systems and high efficiency XLT coatings. On all Fastar compatible NexStar models (8GPS and 11 GPS), the Cassegrain secondary mirror mounted in the middle of the Schmidt corrector lens is removable. By replacing the secondary mirror with the optional Fastar Lens Assembly and a CCD camera, you can transform your NexStar into an ultra fast, wide-field f/2 imaging system.

Celestron's scratch resistant carbon fiber optical tubes provide excellent thermal expansion properties over aluminum that help maintain the sharp focus needed for stunning CCD imagery. With the addition of an XLT coated lens, the clarity and brightness of the Nexstars will be visibly noticeable. Couple these mechanical features with other performance features like a designated autoguider port, permanent periodic error correction and equatorial alignments, and your NexStar GPS would please any serious amateur or college astronomy program.

The NexStar 8GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope is part of Celestron’s Top-of-the-Line fork-mounted astronomical telescopes. This telescope is at home as a superb visual instrument or, with optional CCD cameras, as a serious scientific research tool. Besides seeing all of the Messier Catalog objects, you can also see hundreds of other, less famous, but equally interesting NGC, IC and Caldwell objects. Turn this scope to the planets and see amazing detail on the surface of Jupiter; see Cassini’s Division in the rings of Saturn, and resolve details on the surface of Mars. Even the distant Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are within your reach. Although large in aperture, with its conveniently located carrying handles and an instrument weight of only 42lb., this telescope is portable enough to set up in your backyard or take with you to your favorite dark sky location. The NexStar GPS Series 8GPS Specifications:

• 8" (203.2mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Design
• 2032mm Focal Length, f/10
• XLT coatings
• Dual Fork Arm
• Carbon Fiber Optical Tube
• Fastar Compatible for f/2 CCD Imaging
• Double line, 16 character Liquid Crystal Display; 19 fiber optic backlit Computer Hand Control
• RS-232 communication port on hand control
• 40,000+ object databse
• 16 channel GPS Receiver
• Fork Tine and Optical Tube Weight -- 42 lb.

The NexStar GPS Series 8GPS Standard Accessories:

• 1-1/4" 40mm Eyepieces (51x)
• 1-1/4" Star Diagonal
• 9x50 Finderscope and Mounting Bracket
• 1-1/4" Visual Back
• AC Adapter