CELESTRON CPC 800 GPS (XLT)

With its StarBright XLT technology, this catadioptric instrument is worth every penny: an excellent investment for serious sky-watchers

- Gemma Lavender

Telescope advice

Cost: £2,249 (approx. $3,100)

From: Wex Photo Video

Type: SchmidtCassegrain

Aperture: 8”

Focal length: 80”

Best for…

• Intermediate
• High budgets
• Planetary viewing
• Lunar viewing
• deep-sky objects

With the Celestron CPC 800 GPS, you certainly get what you pay for. An incredibly well-made instrument, this beautifully presented and robust telescope is ideal for those looking to upgrade with an all-rounder that also allows for some serious astrophotography.

The CPC 800 GPS is supplied with essential accessories, including a 9x50 optical finderscope with quick-release bracket, a handset for navigation, an accessory tray, a 40mm high-quality eyepiece and a 1.25-inch star diagonal. Celestron’s Starry Night Special Edition software is also included.

Being a highly revolutionary instrument, the telescope features its own internal Global Positioning System (GPS) that automatically works out the date, time, longitude and latitude of your observing location without any input from the user. Alignment of the telescope is achieved at the press of a button using Celestron’s SkyAlign technology, making setting up easy.

The Celestron CPC 800 GPS may look daunting to build, but Celestron has provided in-depth instructions for fuss-free construction, leaving any sky-watcher fully guided through the process.