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Skip to content Celestron EclipSmart 10 Pack

Celestron CGEM II 800 SCT - 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope on CGEM II Computerized Equatorial Mount

(10+ Available)
Free shipping
SKU: CEL-12010
$2,999.00

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Celestron 8" SCT on CGEM II Computerized GoTo EQ Mount


Freshly upgraded CGEM II Equatorial Mount with 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope. Celestron has improved upon the already much appreciated CGEM mount substantially. The CGEM II now contains a more user-friendly design that includes a dual-style dovetail saddle and longer lock levers. Other new components include a USB 2.0 powered PC connection with hand controller, Permanent Periodic Error Correction and an independent autoguiding port.

Celestron CGEM II GoTo Equatorial Mount


For many years, the Celestron CGEM equatorial mount has been extremely popular with astronomers. But never a company to rest on their laurels, Celestron chose to give the Celestron CGEM a complete interior and exterior make-over.

The first thing one notices about the new CGEM II mount is its improved ergonomics, with longer lock levers to provide users with a much easier method for making mount adjustments. In addition, a new heavy-duty dual saddle plate accepts both CGEM (Losmandy) and CG-5 (Vixen) dovetails, allowing for nearly any optical tube to be mounted quickly with no adapter required.

With an ample load capacity of 40 pounds, the Celestron CGEM II can take on up to an 11” EdgeHD OTA. This highly portable, solid mount easily breaks down into smaller parts for traveling to remote star party locations. On its own without a tripod or counterweights, the CGEM II weighs just 40 pounds. The tripod, which has also seen improvements, weighs in at only 20 pounds.

Regarding the tripod, it uses 2” diameter stainless steel legs to provide a solid foundation. It features graduated markings on both legs to induce quick and easy leveling. A spreader bar contains repositories for additional eyepieces so that they are in a convenient location when viewing the night sky. Learn more about the Celestron CGEM II Mount and its impressive features in the comprehensive video below!


 
 



The Celestron CGEM II’s electronics, whether held over from the previous CGEM model or new to the CGEM II, will enable you to set up, use, and care for your mount with the following cutting-edge features:

  • An integrated All-Star Polar Alignment design enables accurate polar alignment on any star without the need for having a view of the celestial pole. No polar finderscope required!
  • The CGEM II tracks beyond the meridian for smooth imaging over the best area of the sky.
  • With PPEC (Permanent Periodic Error Correction), the system remembers your PEC settings after only training out the periodic error on your worm gears one time.
  • 5 degrees per second slewing potential for quickly taking you where you want to go!
  • The underside of the NexStar GoTo hand controller contains a USB 2.0 port for mount and controller firmware upgrades as well as for connecting to a computer using ASCOM-supported software.
  • Explore more than 40,000 night sky objects incuding stars, galaxies, nebulae, planets, star clusters, and more with just the touch of a button! An integrated celestial database allows up to 100 user-selected targets and will provide additional information on 200 of the sky's finest objects.


For more information on the Celestron CGEM II Equatorial Mount, take a look at our YouTube video in which Celestron product engineer, Bryan Cogdell, proudly goes over the highlights of the CGEM II Mount with High Point Scientific's Robert Dugan

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Celestron CGEM II Mount Specifications


  • Mount Type: Equatorial
  • Mount Electronics: Computerized with GoTo
  • Mount Weight Capacity: 40 lb.
  • Hand Controller Included: Yes, NexStar
  • Objects in Database: 40,000
  • Latitude Range: 15 - 70 degrees
  • Mount Slew Speeds: Up to 5 Degrees per Second
  • GPS? No, but accepts GPS Accessory
  • PPEC? Yes
  • Mounting Style: Vixen or Losmandy Dovetail Plate via Included Dual Saddle Plate
  • Includes Counterweights: Yes, one 17 lb.
  • Tripod: 2” Diameter Stainless Steel Legs
  • Tripod Weight: 20 lb.
  • Mount Weight: 40 lb.


Celestron 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA


The Celestron C8 SCT is an excellent, versatile optical system. It can be mounted on the CGEM II or on a plethora of other computerized telescope mounts without much difficulty. The Celestron C8 SCT OTA also fits on common point-and-shoot alt-az mounts, enabling users to employ the Celestron C8 as both an instrument for night sky viewing or for nature observing as a terrestrial spotting scope.

Celestron C8-A SCT Optical Tube Features:


  • 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain, 2032 mm focal length (f/10) Aluminum Optical Tube
  • Celestron premium StarBright XLT coatings
  • Includes Celestron 1.25" star diagonal and a 6x30 finder
  • Includes 2-year warranty