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The NexStar GPS series is the culmination of years of engineering research and development delivering the ultimate instrument in GoTo technology. For the first time in a commercial telescope, Celestron combines an integrated Global Positioning System with its legendary Schmidt-Cassegrain optics to deliver the most advanced telescope on the market today. The NexStar GPS is so advanced that after you turn it on, the internal GPS receiver links up and acquires information from orbiting GPS satellites. With this information the system automatically downloads the date and time and pinpoints its exact location on Earth. All the information the NexStar needs to orient itself with the sky and point to your first alignment star. No need to enter the date, time, longitude and latitude or even know the position of north. Once aligned, the NexStar has a key on the hand control to allow direct access to each of the catalogs in its user-friendly database. Messier objects, NGC Galaxies or planets, the NexStar database has over 40,000 celestial objects to choose from. To make navigating through this expansive database quicker and easier, NexStar has user-definable database filter limits. With the "filter limits" feature the NexStar database will display only those objects that are above the horizon for your exact date, time and location.
Celestron knows that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That's why Celestron designed the NexStar GPS telescopes from the ground up with features and performance that add up to a whole lot more telescope than anything else out there. Celestron is the only manufacturer to offer carbon fiber optical tubes, meticulously matched and hand-figured optical systems and high efficiency StarBrightTM coatings.
"The optics in the NexStar loaned to us were some of the finest I can recall in a Schmidt-Cassegrain, but if anything the optics in the scope we purchased at random were even better."
Sky & Telescope, February 2002
On all Fastar compatible NexStar models (8GPS and 11 GPS), the Cassegrain secondary mirror mounted in the middle of the Schmidt corrector lens is removable. By replacing the secondary mirror with the optional Fastar Lens Assembly and a CCD camera, you can transform your NexStar into an ultra fast, wide-field f/2 imaging system.
Celestron's scratch resistant carbon fiber optical tubes provide excellent thermal expansion properties over aluminum that help maintain the sharp focus needed for stunning CCD imagery. Couple these mechanical features with other performance features like a designated autoguider port, permanent periodic error correction and equatorial alignments, and your NexStar GPS would please any serious amateur or college astronomy program.
"We ran through the alignment procedure during evening twilight and observed throughout the entire night without missing a beat…and every object that we commanded the scope to point at ended up in the field of a low-power eyepiece."
Sky & Telescope, February 2002
"When it comes to an advanced instrument outfitted with all of the bells and whistles, the NexStar 8 GPS is a leader in the field thanks to its easy set-up, ergonomically friendly design, crisp optics, and intelligent options. Any amateur astronomer who enjoys an automated tour across the sky, astrophotography, or even a casual star-hop across the universe (and that's just about all of us) will find that the high-tech NexStar 8 GPS provides good old-fashioned fun."
Astronomy, January 2003
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Item#: 11052
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Telescope Type: SCT
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The NexStar 8GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope is part of Celestron's "Top-of-the-Line" fork-mounted astronomical telescopes. This telescope is at home as a superb visual instrument or, with optional CCD cameras, as a serious scientific research tool. Besides seeing all of the Messier Catalog objects, you can also see hundreds of other, less famous, but equally interesting NGC, IC and Caldwell objects. Turn this scope to the planets and see amazing detail on the surface of Jupiter; see Cassini's Division in the rings of Saturn, and resolve details on the surface of Mars. Even the distant Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are within your reach. Although large in aperture, with its conveniently located carrying handles and an instrument weight of only 42lb., this telescope is portable enough to set up in your backyard or take with you to your favorite dark sky location.
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The NexStar GPS Series 8GPS Specifications:
- 8" (203.2mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Design
- 2032mm Focal Length, f/10
- StarBright Multi-Coatings
- Dual Fork Arm
- Carbon Fiber Optical Tube
- Fastar Compatible for f/2 CCD Imaging
- Double line, 16 character Liquid Crystal Display; 19 fiber optic backlit Computer Hand Control
- RS-232 communication port on hand control
- Auxiliary Port and Autoguide Port on Drive Base
- 40,000+ object database
- 16 channel GPS Receiver
- Fork Tine and Optical Tube Weight – 42 lb.
The NexStar GPS Series 8GPS Standard Accessories:
- 1-1/4" 40mm Eyepieces (51x)
- 1-1/4" Star Diagonal
- 9x50 Finderscope and Mounting Bracket
- 1-1/4" Visual Back
- AC Adapter (car battery adapter is included with some models)
- Heavy Duty Tripod
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Item#: 11056
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Telescope Type: SCT
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NexStar 9 1/4 GPS —
Unique design, advanced features, GOTO accuracy, and superb optics. You get the picture.
Introducing the NEWEST member of the NexStar GPS family of fully-automated GOTO telescopes. Celestron's 9 1/4" optical system has enjoyed a loyal following since we first introduced it with our Ultima 9 1/4" in 1995. Now the 9 1/4" optical tube is coupled with one of the most popular mounts in Celestron's history — the NexStar GPS series.
The 9 1/4" was already a favorite among astrophotographers and discerning visual observers, but now with the carbon fiber tube and the NexStar GPS mount, it is a formidable addition to the NexStar GPS family. The 9 1/4" was specifically designed for visual infinity focus when using 2" eyepieces and has an optimized baffle system to benefit astrophotography by minimizing vignetting at the edge of the field of view. Its longer primary focal length and lower magnification secondary mirror contribute to a flatter field of view at the focal plane and helps to further reduce optical aberrations.
This feature packed model comes standard with a carbon fiber tube and Celestron's renowned StarBright ® multi-coatings. The NexStar 9 1/4" is compatible with the complete line of Celestron photographic and visual accessories.
What makes the NexStar 91/4" GPS great for astrophotography?
- Longer focal length primary and lower magnification secondary— Contributes to a flatter focal plane with less coma and off-axis astigmatism.
- Baffle design —Optimized for astrophotography. Minimizes vignetting at the edge of the field of view. This reduces light drop off at the corners of your film plane.
- Carbon Fiber Tube — 1/4 the thermal expansion of aluminum which creates a more stable focus. The Carbon Fiber tube is 4 times more resistant to temperature changes than aluminum tubes, thus minimizing your need to re-focus.
- Hand Figured Optics — Just like all other Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, the NexStar 9 1/4" optics are individually matched and hand figured to ensure the highest optical quality in every telescope.
- Focus mechanism — At the heart of Celestron's Schmidt-Cassegrain focus mechanism are pre-loaded ball bearings, not bushings, minimizing focus shift.
- Heavy-duty die cast aluminum fork arms —For maximum rigidity.
- Unique roller bearing design bearing and shaft —The telescope base rotates around a wide 9.5" track for maximum stability; especially important when equatorially mounted for imaging.
- High quality Pittman® drive motors — Made in the U.S.A., PittmanLO-COG™ brush-commutated DC motors offer smooth, quiet operation and long life. The motor armatures are skewed to minimize cogging which is required for low speed tracking.
- Autoguider port — For interfacing an autoguider or a drive corrector for long exposure imaging or astrophotography.
- StarBright coatings — High quality multi-layer coatings maximize transmission of light to the film plane. StarBright coatings are standard at no extra charge.
The NexStar 9 1/4" has all the features that make our NexStar GPS family so popular:
- Internal Slip Ring — NexStar's power cables and telescope accessory cables will not get wrapped around the telescope.
- Integrated Handles — Carrying handles are integrated into fork arms to make lifting and transporting easier.
- Leveling — Leveling accuracy, which applies to both altazimuth and equatorial mounts, is accomplished by an internal switch that levels the base to an accuracy of 1 arcminute.
- Auxiliary Ports — NexStar's auxiliary ports are located on top of the base which rotates as the telescope turns, preventing accessory cables from wrapping around the fork arms.
- Optical Tube Assembly Outer Rails — An outer rail on each side of the optical tube provides rigid, flex-free movement. The mounting tolerance on the front cell allows the outer rails to expand and contract independently of the optical tube assembly.
- 16-Channel GPS — NexStar's GPS unit pinpoints your exact location on Earth, while downloading the date and Universal Time down to the second.88
- Hand Control and Software Features — 40,000+ object database. Features include: Compass Calibration, Polar Alignment Routine, Equatorial Auto Align, Database Filter Limits, Hibernate, Auto North and Level, Wedge Align Algorithm, Quick Align, and User-Defined Slew Limits.
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The NexStar GPS Series 9 1/4 GPS Specifications:
- 9.25" (235mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Design
- 2350mm Focal Length, f/10
- StarBright Multi-Coatings
- Dual Fork Arm
- Carbon Fiber Optical Tube
- Double line, 16 character Liquid Crystal Display; 19 fiber optic backlit Computer Hand Control
- RS-232 communication port on hand control
- Auxiliary Port and Autoguide Port on Drive Base
- 40,000+ object database
- 16 channel GPS Receiver
- Fork Tine and Optical Tube Weight – 58 lb.
The NexStar GPS Series 9 1/4 GPS Standard Accessories:
- 1-1/4" 40mm Eyepieces (59x)
- 1-1/4" Star Diagonal
- 9x50 Finderscope and Mounting Bracket
- 1-1/4" Visual Back
- AC Adapter (car battery adapter is included in some models)
- Heavy Duty Tripod
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Item#: 11053
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Telescope Type: SCT
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The largest aperture of the GPS line, The NexStar 11GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, has the most lightgathering power and has a limiting magnitude of nearly 15. The NexStar 11 GPS takes full advantage of its vast database of thousands of NGC and Abell galaxies as well as delivering a new level of detail to all your favorite deep sky objects. Used in the Fastar configuration for f/2 CCD imaging, the NexStar 11 can display the faint detail of a telescope twice its aperture used visually. With sophisticated software features like Hibernate function, the NexStar can maintain its star alignment night after night without needing to be re-aligned, making it an ideal instrument for a permanent observatory facility.
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