The Schmidt-Cassegrain optics by Celestron:
Despite the long focal length of these telescopes, the OTA itself has a very short length, making the system a compact telescope which is extremely easy to transport. Light first hits an aspherically figured Schmidt corrector plate and is then thrown onto a spherical main mirror. This reflects the light back up, throwing it onto a secondary mirror which subsequently throws it back in the direction of main mirror. The light then passes through a central hole in the main mirror and into the focuser at the bottom of the OTA. Thus the system is closed and hence does not suffer from air turbulence which could degrade the image. Of course this also means that the system is optimally protected from dust. The Schmidt plate is multi-coated, ensuring bright images which do not suffer from stray light reflections.
This telescope provides a very good image, boasting high contrast and definition and provides a lot of pleasure when planetary observing. The Schmidt-Cassegrain design provides a good all-round system suitable for both observing and astrophotography and with an enormous range of optional accessories available. Using the bottom end of the OTA to look through means easy orientation. The system is also optimal for occasional terrestrial observing, e.g. birdwatching at close range. Celestron SC telescopes have an aperture ratio of around 1:10 which, so astrophotography is also very easily possible.
Main mirror focusing means a very large range of focus is made available, which allows virtually any common accessory to be used. Two pre-loaded ball bearings are used in the main mirror focus positioning mechanism in order to prevent 'mirror shift' - a typical problem when using simple bushings. The use of high quality materials such as CNC-milled aluminium components, cast steel and stainless steel guarantees extreme robustness with low weight. This means that a very heavy mount is unnecessary, not always the case for other telescope designs.
Features of the optics:
- long focal length with short OTA
- low weight aluminium OTA
- high quality XLT multi-coating
- closed system
- pre-loaded ball bearings for low mirror shift main mirror focusing
The Advanced VX is the ideal mount for mobile astrophotography using small to medium-sized telescopes! Telescopes up to around 14kg can benefit from the well-engineered functions of Celestron’s large parallactic mount. Thanks to PEC (Periodic Error Correction), the periodic error, which occurs in all mounts with classic worm gears, is strongly reduced, making long exposures possible. Additionally, you can follow objects far beyond the meridian, without instant switching being required. This means you can observe the most interesting part of the sky without interruptions. The Advanced VX also has a considerably wider base than its predecessor, which increases stability when carrying heavy loads. Improved motors have with high torque and can better compensate for small imbalances.
Experienced photographers will appreciate how easily this mount can be transported to dark observation spots. If you are just starting out with astronomy or astrophotography, the Advanced VX can help to make those first steps easier and provide you with good service for many years to come.
The mount takes Vixen-style dovetail rails or wider Celestron rails (CGE-style), but not 3” Losmandy rails.
It not only matters which telescope you buy but also where you buy it. Our additional services:
- We are a leading telescope dealer and know the devices we sell. Our customer service team will gladly help you after your purchase if you have problems with assembly or operation.
- We provide a copy of the 80-page "Telescope ABC" beginners handbook with every telescope.
