Celestron Advanced VX 8" SCT

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8" (203.2mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Tube 2032mm Focal Length at f/10 Advanced VX Computerized German Equatorial Mount 30 lb Instrument Payload Capacity 40,000+ Object NexStar+ GoTo Database Includes Celestron PWI and Starry Night Special Edition Software Description FAQ Specifications In the Box Downloads Warranty Celestron Advanced VX 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope The Celestron Advanced VX 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope combines a 203.2mm (8") aperture with a 2032mm focal length for high-resolution planetary and deep-sky performance. Its StarBright XLT coatings maximize the 843x light gathering power, resolving details down to 0.57 arc seconds. The computerized Advanced VX mount supports a 30 lb instrument load and includes a 40,000+ object database for automated tracking and slewing at up to 4° per second. 8" f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Optics: 843x Light Gathering with StarBright XLT The 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube is a benchmark for serious amateur astronomy, delivering 843 times the light gathering power of the human eye in a tube only 17" long. The 2032mm focal length provides the image scale necessary to resolve fine details like the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings and the primary dust lanes in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). Unlike reflector designs, the SCT's closed tube and corrector plate minimize air currents and eliminate the chromatic aberration common in refractors, making it a superb choice for high-magnification astroimaging. StarBright XLT Coatings: Celestron's proprietary optical coatings increase light transmission across the visual spectrum, resulting in brighter images and higher contrast, which is critical for resolving faint planetary features and dim deep-sky objects. Dawes' Limit Resolution: With a theoretical resolution of 0.57 arc seconds, this telescope can split tight double stars and reveal intricate detail on the Moon and planets under steady seeing conditions. Portable Power: Weighing just 12.5 lbs, the optical tube is exceptionally portable, making trips to dark sky sites manageable without sacrificing the aperture needed for serious observing and imaging. Advanced VX Mount: 30 lb Capacity and 2" Steel Tripod The Advanced VX (AVX) mount is engineered from the ground up for astroimaging, providing a stable, reliable platform with a 30 lb instrument capacity. This leaves ample overhead for the 12.5 lb optical tube plus a DSLR camera, guide scope, and other accessories. The robust tripod, with 2" diameter stainless steel legs, ensures vibrations are dampened quickly—a critical factor for sharp, long-exposure images. Dual Saddle Plate: The mount includes a dual-format saddle that accepts both narrow CG-5 (Vixen-style) and wider CGE (Losmandy-style) dovetail bars, allowing you to use virtually any optical tube within the mount's weight limit. Wide Latitude Range: A 7° to 77° latitude range means the AVX can be properly polar aligned anywhere from the Arctic Circle to the Equator, making it a reliable travel companion for eclipse chasing or observing from different hemispheres. DC Servo Motors: Precision DC servo motors with encoders provide smooth tracking and quiet operation, capable of slewing across the sky at up to 4 degrees per second to locate your next target. NexStar+ GoTo: 40,000+ Objects with All-Star Polar Alignment At the heart of the AVX is the NexStar+ hand controller, your gateway to a database of over 40,000 celestial objects. After a simple alignment procedure, the mount can automatically find and track any object in its catalog. Celestron's All-Star Polar Alignment routine allows you to achieve a precise polar alignment without needing to see Polaris, using any bright star in the sky—a huge advantage when observing from a location with an obstructed northern view. Periodic Error Correction (PPEC): For imagers, the mount's firmware includes permanently programmable periodic error correction. This allows you to train out the inherent periodic error in the worm gear, leading to more accurate guiding and rounder stars in your images. Multiple Tracking Rates: The mount can track at Sidereal, Solar, and Lunar rates, ensuring that objects from distant galaxies to our own Moon remain centered in the eyepiece or on your camera sensor. CPWI & Starry Night: Observatory-Level Telescope Control The Advanced VX 8" SCT includes a powerful software suite to plan your observations and control the telescope directly from a PC. Celestron's PWI (CPWI) software, co-developed with PlaneWave Instruments, provides a graphical planetarium interface for precise GoTo control. It features PointXP mount modeling, which allows you to build an alignment model with over 100 points for observatory-grade pointing accuracy across the entire sky. You also receive a free download of Starry Night Special Edition, a comprehensive desktop planetarium to explore what's visible on any given night and learn more about the 40,000+ objects in your telescope's database. AVX 8" SCT vs. Other Optical Tubes: The All-Rounder Advantage While the Advanced VX mount can carry a variety of telescopes, the 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain represents the ideal balance of aperture, focal length, and portability for this platform. It is often chosen over other designs for its unique combination of strengths. vs. a 6" Newtonian: While a 6" Newtonian is less expensive, the 8" SCT gathers significantly more light (843x vs. ~450x) and has a much longer focal length for planetary viewing, all in a tube that is half the length and easier to manage in wind and for transport. vs. a 4" APO Refractor: A high-end refractor offers textbook-perfect star images, but the 8" SCT provides four times the light-gathering area. For observing and imaging faint galaxies and nebulae, the sheer aperture of the SCT is the decisive advantage. vs. the 9.25" SCT: The larger 9.25" SCT offers more aperture, but its weight pushes the AVX mount closer to its imaging limit. The 8" SCT keeps the total weight well within the mount's sweet spot, ensuring greater stability and tracking accuracy for astrophotography. What is the real-world imaging capacity of the Celestron Advanced VX 8" SCT? The Advanced VX mount has a 30 lb instrument capacity. The 8" SCT optical tube weighs 12.5 lbs, leaving a generous 17.5 lbs for your camera, autoguider, filter wheel, and other accessories. This makes it a very capable imaging platform, especially for imagers who are starting out or who prioritize portability. How will the Advanced VX 8" SCT perform on Jupiter or Saturn? Excellently. The long 2032mm focal length and 8" aperture are ideal for planetary observing and imaging. The 0.57 arc second Dawes resolution is more than enough to clearly resolve Saturn's rings (including the Cassini Division), Jupiter's cloud bands and Great Red Spot, and surface details on Mars when it is near opposition. Can I use the Advanced VX 8" SCT to image the Orion Nebula (M42)? Yes, this is a great setup for imaging brighter deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula (M42), the Hercules Cluster (M13), and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). The f/10 focal ratio provides high magnification, but for wider fields or faster imaging, you can add an optional f/6.3 focal reducer to expand your capabilities. Do I need a polar scope for the Advanced VX mount? No. The Advanced VX mount includes Celestron's All-Star Polar Alignment procedure. This software-assisted routine allows you to use any bright star to achieve a precise polar alignment, even if you cannot see Polaris. This makes setup faster and more convenient, especially from locations with an obstructed northern horizon. What power supply do I need for the Advanced VX 8" SCT? The mount requires a 12V DC, 3.5A power source with a tip-positive plug. While it includes a DC power cable that plugs into a car's cigarette lighter port, a portable rechargeable 12V DC power supply (like a Celestron PowerTank) is highly recommended for use in the field. Can I use other telescopes on the Advanced VX mount? Absolutely. The Advanced VX mount features a dual saddle plate that is compatible with both CG-5 (Vixen-style) and CGE (Losmandy-style) dovetails. This allows you to easily swap the included 8" SCT with other optical tubes—like a wide-field refractor or a larger Newtonian—as long as they are within the 30 lb payload capacity. Optical Tube Specifications Optical Design Schmidt-Cassegrain Aperture 203.2mm (8") Focal Length 2032mm (80") Focal Ratio f/10 Optical Coatings StarBright XLT Included Eyepiece 25mm (81x Magnification) Finderscope 6x30 Star Diagonal 1.25" Star Diagonal Highest Useful Magnification 480x Lowest Useful Magnification 29x Limiting Stellar Magnitude 14 Resolution (Rayleigh) 0.69 arc seconds Resolution (Dawes) 0.57 arc seconds Light Gathering Power 843x (Compared to human eye) Secondary Mirror Obstruction 31% by Diameter / 9.77% by Area Optical Tube Length 432mm (17") Optical Tube Weight 12.5 lbs (5.9 kg) Dovetail CG-5 Dovetail bar Mount Specifications Mount Type Computerized German Equatorial Instrument Load Capacity 30 lbs (13.6 kg) Tripod Adjustable, 2" Stainless Steel Legs Height Adjustment Range 1118mm - 1626mm (44" – 64") Mount Head Weight 17 lbs (7.71 kg) Tripod Weight 18 lbs (8.16 kg) Counterweights 1 x 12 lbs Dovetail Compatibility Dual saddle (CG-5 and CGE) Motor Drive DC servo motors Slew Speeds 9 speeds, 4°/second max Tracking Rates Sidereal, Solar, Lunar Tracking Modes EQ North, EQ South Alignment Procedures 2-Star, 1-Star, Solar System, Last, Quick Ports Autoguide, 2x AUX, Hand Control Periodic Error Correction Yes, PPEC Power Requirements 12V DC, 3.5A (tip positive) GoTo & Software Hand Control NexStar+, USB 2.0 Port Database 40,000+ objects Software Celestron PWI & Starry Night Special Edition 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Tube × 1 Advanced VX Equatorial Mount Head × 1 Tripod with 2" Steel Legs × 1 Accessory Tray × 1 12 lb Counterweight × 1 NexStar+ Hand Control × 1 DC Power Cable (for vehicle port) × 1 Hand Control Holster × 1 25mm Eyepiece (1.25") × 1 6x30 Finderscope × 1 1.25" Star Diagonal × 1 Download Advanced VX Mount Manual Download Telescope Manual Download NexStar+ Hand Control Manual Download Celestron Software Celestron 2-Year Telescope Warranty Show more