Celestron Nexstar 8i Special Telescope Kit w/Hand Control and Tripod

by Celestron

Product Details

Product Manual [6.82mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 53 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B00007ARJG
• Batteries: 8 AA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,320 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 24, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Combining the powerful optics of Celestron's legendary 8 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with the solid computerized tracking system developed for its popular Nexstar 5, Celestron's Nexstar 8i is simply a remarkable telescope value. Compared to the Nexstar 5i, the eight inch version is only six pounds heavier and only a little more expensive, yet it delivers more than two and a half times the N5's light gathering power. The Nexstar 8i's excellent optics easily bring out wonderful detail on the moon, the planets, and on star clusters and galaxies.

What can I see with the Nexstar 8i? I love the sharp, high contrast images of the planets. Cassini's division in Saturn's rings is a thin black line even when the view isn't perfect. On rare nights when the air is perfectly still and clear I've pushed the magnification past 400x; Saturn's rings and moons were still sharply etched against a black sky. Jupiter and Mars also show wonderful detail. While a smaller scope may reveal Jupiter's two major cloud belts and its famous great red spot, the Nexstar 8i is capable of showing multiple cloud bands and even some small white ovals on a good night. During its last close approach to Earth, I watched as Mars' South polar cap receded and dust storms swelled in a matter of weeks; no wonder early astronomers visualized Mars as a living planet. Deep space also takes on wonderful detail with a Nexstar 8i. Although globular cluster M13 in the constellation Hercules may be more famous, I enjoy looking at the lesser-known globulars M15 and M92 because I can begin to see the characteristic yellow color of red giant stars sprinkled among their countless pinpoints of light.

The computer-driven handset makes it easy to find celestial objects.

The real genius of the Nexstar 8i is its computerized object location and tracking system. I find the Nexstar system much easier to use than earlier computerized telescopes. You can choose from several different alignment modes, from the traditional two star alignment to the latest GPS-aided automatic setup using the optional CN-16 GPS module. I especially like the flexibility of the new "quick align" feature. Starting with "quick align" at a recent public viewing session, I was able to use Venus and the quarter Moon to synchronize my telescope alignment half an hour before sunset. The Nexstar didn't miss a target the rest of the evening. Meanwhile other computerized telescopes were sitting more than an hour, waiting for their alignment stars to appear in the twilight.

You'll want some good eyepieces to take full advantage of Celestron's excellent optics. I'd suggest starting with a set of three, Celestron's 10mm, 18mm, and 30mm Ultima eyepieces would be a good choice. These three would be ideal for viewing the planets at about 200x, galaxies at about 100x, and open star clusters at about 65x magnification. My only disappointment with the eight inch Schmidt-Cassegrain design is its limited field of view; some of my favorite objects like the Double Cluster in Perseus don't quite fit, even with a low-power eyepiece. Also be aware that you'll want an external power supply; the computer may crash after only a few hours when the on board AA batteries start to run down. The Nexstar 8i is a delightful telescope for visual observing or even web-cam images of the planets; for deep space photography, however, you'll want the greater stability of the Nexstar 8"GPS . –Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Excellent optics
• Light and portable
• Easy, computerized finding and tracking
• GPS upgrade option

Cons:

• Short battery life
• Limited field of view
• Not optimized for photography

Manufacturer Product Description

Equipped with the standard electronic hand control, you can manually slew your NexStar across the sky in seconds or track a star equatorially as the Earth rotates beneath you. The electronic hand controls allows you to move the telescope at six different rates and has a "double button" feature that lets you instantly increase the slew speed without having to change rates. When used with the optional Computerized Hand Control these models include all of the same features as our most advanced GPS and CGE telescope models in an affordable and expandable system. Most important, these two new NexStars will fully align themselves when used with the CN-16 GPS accessory. Put the power of our newest software features and expanded object database to work for you with Celestron's most versatile telescope.

Add the NexStar Hand Control to your NexStar telescope and transform it into a completely automated GoTo system. Just plug it in to access features like automatic star alignment capability, GoTo slewing to over 40,000 objects and the expandability to use your NexStar with the external GPS accessory (CN-16) for a virtually hands-free alignment.

Celestron's optional computerized hand control, with a myriad of powerful new functions, is the next evolution of the most user-friendly, intuitive hand control in the industry.

With 2.5 times the light gathering of the 5" model, the NexStar 8 i will enable you to see deeper into the Universe than ever before. The distinctive patented fork arm with ergonomically designed integrated hand control cradle gives solid support to Celestron's classic 8" optics. The NexStar 8 i features Schmidt-Cassegrain 8" aperture optics with StarBright multi-coating, powerful 2,032mm focal length and f/10 focal ratio. Ready to take the optional Computerized Hand Control, the NexStar 8 i has all the same feature as Celestron's most advanced computerized GoTo telescopes, including AutoAlign two-star alignment, a sky tour feature, a database of over 40,000 celestial objects and easy to use hand control. Plug the optional CN-16 GPS Accessory into NexStar's auxiliary port and download data from orbiting GPS satellites for truly hands-free alignments. The universe may be full of mysteries, but using the NexStar 8 i isn't one of them.

The NexStar Series 8 i Specifications:

• 203mm (8") diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain
• Focal Length of 2032mm
• Focal Ratio of f/10
• Six slew speeds: 6º /sec, 2º /sec, 128x, 64x, 16x, 8x
• Fully enclosed high speed motors on both axes
• Integrated hand controller built into the side of the fork arm
• StarBright Multi-Coating
• Designated AutoGuider port
• Auxiliary Port for optional Accessories, including CN-16 GPS module
• Battery Compartment for 8 (user supplied) AA batteries
• Weight: 24 lb.

The NexStar Series 8 i Standard Accessories:

• 1-1/4" - 25mm Plössl (81x) Eyepiece
• StarPointer Finderscope
• 90° 1-1/4" Star Diagonal
• 1-1/4" Visual Back
• Electronic Hand Control

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Scope, but dont buy it here., November 6, 2004

By 

8i user (ny, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 8i Special Telescope Kit w/Hand Control and Tripod (Electronics)

Great scope, but buy it from Astronomics or OPT. You will get better customer service and a bunch of people who actually KNOW about telescopes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Buy And Super Fast Delivery, June 2, 2004

By 

The Hagg "haggard85" (Torrance, Ca (USA)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 8i Special Telescope Kit w/Hand Control and Tripod (Electronics)

I don't need to say much about this wonderful device, the documentation goes in depth all over the place. In the city I have gotten great views of the planets, their moons(Jupiter is outstanding), and our moon. I can't wait to get out of the city to see some really impressive galaxy and nebulae views!! A great buy with all thats included (Even the Nexremote) which I didn't expect!!