NexStar 8SE GoTo Schmidt-Cass Telescope | Telescope.com: Celestron

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Celestron NexStar 8SE GoTo Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

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Classic design, large aperture, and innovative features make this Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope a great portable field observatory
Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain optics & computerized GoTo control mean outstanding performance, ease-of-use, and value
Hand-figured optics & StarBright XLT coatings ensure sharp views of deep-space and the solar system
Patented one-arm GoTo mount with hand controller puts 40,000 celestial objects at your fingertips
Metal tripod, visual back for 1.25" accessories, 1.25" mirror diagonal, & 25mm 1.25" Plossl eyepiece included

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Item # 09756

Mfg Model # 11069

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General Features

8" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
SE combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with the latest state-of-the-art features
StarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standard
Quick release fork arm mount, optical tube and accessory tray for no-tool setup
Celestron's unique patented single fork arm with integral hand control design provides a rigid and smooth operating structure for the optical tube
StarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objects
Sturdy computerized altazimuth mount
Ultra sturdy steel tripod with accessory tray
Star diagonal provides more comfortable viewing position when observing objects that are high in the sky
Computerized
Proven NexStar computer control technology
40,000 object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects
SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process
Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet
Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple and quadruple stars; variable star; solar systems; objects and asterisms
DC Servo motors with encoders on both axes
Autoguider port for long exposure astrophotography
Double line, 16-character Liquid Crystal Display Hand Control with backlit LED buttons for easy operation of goto features
NexRemote telescope control software and RS-232 cable included for advanced control of your telescope via computer

Warranty

This product is serviced and supported by its manufacturer according to the terms and conditions included in the packaged product. Orion's limited warranty does not apply. Please contact the manufacturer directly for technical support.

Warning

Please note this product was not designed or intended by the manufacturer for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.

Specs

Best for viewing

Brighter deep sky
Best for imaging

Deep sky
User level

User level

Beginner - Suited for a wide range of uses, Level 1 telescopes are simple to operate and set up. Some initial assembly may be required. Very good optical and mechanical quality. Great for families, young people, and folks who don't want to mess with equipment but just want to take a look. Any of these scopes will show you countless lunar craters, Saturn's rings and a myriad of star clusters and nebulas! Referring to the manual is recommended.

Intermediate - These scopes offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1 models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.

Advanced - These scopes provide the best performance but may require more skill to master and appreciate. They have exceptionally fine optics and mechanics. Some are easy to use but are but on the large or heavy side. Some are intended for specialized uses. These scopes will appeal to the more technically inclined. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Expert - Expert telescopes offer uncompromising optical and mechanical quality for the most demanding amateur astronomer. They may be technically involved or designed for specialized use, such as astrophotography or detailed deep sky observation. They carry a premium price, but are designed to provide the ultimate performance in the field. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Intermediate
Optical design

Optical design

Reflector telescopes use a pair of large and small mirrors to direct incoming light to the eyepiece. Refractor telescopes refract, or "bend" incoming light to a focus by means of an objective lens. Cassegrain telescopes, such as Maksutov-Cassegrains, "fold" incoming light using two mirrors and a front "corrector" lens.

Schmidt-Cassegrain
Optical diameter

Optical diameter

The optical diameter (also known as aperture), is the size of the telescope's main light collecting lens or mirror, measured in millimeters or inches. As the diameter increases, more light is collected and the resolution increases.

203mm
Focal length

Focal length

The focal ratio of an optical system is the ratio of a telescope's focal length to its aperture. Short focal ratios (f/5, f/4.5) produce wide fields of view and small image scales, while long focal lengths produce narrower fields of views and larger image scales.

2032mm
Focal ratio

Focal ratio

The focal ratio of an optical system is the ratio of a telescope's focal length to its aperture. Short focal ratios (f/5, f/4.5) produce wide fields of view and small image scales, while long focal lengths produce narrower fields of views and larger image scales.

f/10.0
Eyepieces

Plossl 25.0mm (1.25")
Magnification with included eyepieces

81x
Resolving power

Resolving power

The theoretical resolving power of a telescope can be calculated with the following formula: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 4.56 divided by aperture of telescope (in inches). In metric units, this is: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 116 divided by aperture of telescope (in millimeters). Note that the formula is independent of the telescope type or model, and is based only upon the aperture of the telescope. So the larger the telescope's aperture, the more it is capable of resolving. This is important to keep in mind when observing astronomical objects which require high resolution for best viewing, such as planets and double stars. However, it is usually atmospheric seeing conditions (not the telescope) which limits the actual resolving power on a given night; rarely is resolution less than one arc-second possible from even the best viewing locations on Earth.

0.57arc*sec
Lowest useful magnification

Lowest useful magnification

Lowest useful magnification is the power at which the exit pupil becomes 7mm in diameter. Powers below this can still be reached with the telescope to give wider fields of view, but the image no longer becomes brighter at a lower power. This is due to the fact that the exit pupil of the telescope (the beam of light exiting the eyepiece) is now larger than the average person's dark adapted pupil, and no more light can fit into the eye.

29x
Highest useful magnification

Highest useful magnification

The highest practical limit is different from the often used "highest theoretical magnification" specification. The "theoretical" limit generally is 50x the aperture of the scope in inches (2x the aperture in mm). So for example, an 80mm refractor is capable of 160x, and a 10" telescope is theoretically capable of 500x magnification. But after approximately 300x, theory breaks down and real world problems take over. The atmosphere above us is constantly in motion, and it will distort the image seen through the telescope. This effect may not be noticeable at lower powers, but at higher powers the atmosphere will dramatically blur the object, reducing the quality of the image. On a good night (a night where the air above is steady and the stars aren't twinkling), the practical upper limit of a large telescope is 300x, even thought the theoretical limit may be much higher. This doesn't mean the scope will never be able to reach those higher "theoretical" powers - there will be that rare night where the atmosphere is perfectly still and the scope can be pushed past it's practical limit, but those nights will be few and far between.

300x
Highest theoretical magnification

406x
Limiting stellar magnitude

Limiting stellar magnitude

The limiting stellar magnitude is a measure of the faintest star you can see through the telescope.

14.2
Optical quality

Optical quality

"Diffraction Limited" means that the limits of image detail are determined by the physical properties of light, and not by optical defects in the telescope.

Diffraction limited
Finder scope

Reflex sight
Focuser

Internal
Diagonal degrees

1.25" 90° Mirror Star
Secondary mirror obstruction

63mm
Secondary mirror obstruction by diameter

31%
Secondary mirror obstruction by area

10%
Mount type

Altazimuth
Astro-imaging capability

Astro-imaging capability

The astro-photographic capability of the telescope is based on the style, stability, and accuracy of the mount and tripod. Telescopes on either very lightweight mounts or non tracking mounts (such as Dobsonians) are capable of only very short exposures such as lunar photographs. If a motor drive is attached to an equatorial mount, even a small lightweight mount is capable of capturing some planetary detail. Larger EQ mounts that utilize very precise tracking and excellent stability are capable of longer exposure deep-sky photography.

Lunar, planetary & long exposure
Computerized compatibility

Computerized compatibility

Some mounts are compatible with a motorized Go-To system for fully automated computer finding of objects in the night sky. Others mounts are compatible with computer finding systems which require the user to manually move the mount to the object's position as indicated by the computer finder.

Go-To included
Alignment procedure

SkyAlign, Auto 2-Star Align, 2-Star Align, 1-Star Align, SolarSystem Align
Number of objects in database

40,000+
Tracking rates

Sidereal, Solar and Lunar
Motor speeds

5°/sec, 3°/sec, 1°/sec, 64x, 16x, 8x, 4x, 1x, .5x
Motor type

DC Servo motors with encoders
Power requirement

8-AA batteries or 12-volt DC-750mA
GPS

GPS

A GPS module automatically sets the date and exact time and location for the mount, relieving the user from the need to look up coordinates on a map or manually enter perfect time. This can be very beneficial when traveling with the scope as locations can quickly be automatically entered into the hand control.

Sold separately
Backlash compensation

Yes
Setting circles

Electronic, via the hand controller
Available ports

Available ports

Ports allow the mount to connect to devices such as autoguiders (for long exposure photography without tedious manual guiding), PC's running planetarium software (via the RS-232 port) and GPS receivers (through the Aux port).

RS-232, Aux, autoguider
Tube material

Aluminum
Tripod material

Steel
Length of optical tube

18.0 in.
Weight, optical tube

12.5 lbs.
Weight, mount/tripod

9.0 lbs.
Weight, fully assembled

33.0 lbs.
Warranty

Two year

In the Box

Celestron optical tube assembly
25mm telescope eyepiece (1.25")
90� Star diagonal (1.25")
Celestron metal tripod
Computerized base unit
Computerized hand controller
Star Pointer finder scope
RS232 Cable
The Sky Level 1 Astronomy Software
NexRemote telescope control software

Shipping Info

Orders received by noon Pacific Time for in-stock items ship the same business day. Orders received after noon will ship the next business day. When an item is not in-stock we will ship it as soon as it becomes available. Typically in-stock items will ship first and backordered items will follow as soon as they are available. You have the option in check out to request that your order ship complete, if you'd prefer.

A per-item shipping charge (in addition to the standard shipping and handling charge) applies to this product due to its size and weight. This charge varies based on the shipping method.

Standard Delivery: $47.00
3 Day Delivery: $114.00
2 Day Delivery: $114.00
Next Day Delivery: $140.00

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Since 1975 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars has been offering telescopes for sale direct to customers, with an unswerving commitment to best quality products, value and unmatched customer care. Our 100% satisfaction guarantee says it all.

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