Celestron CGX-L Equatorial 925 SCT

9.25" Schmidt-Cassegrain Optics: 2350mm Focal Length at f/10

The 9.25" Schmidt-Cassegrain uses a zero power corrector plate, a spherical primary mirror and a secondary mirror, folding a 2350mm focal length into a 22-inch (559mm) aluminum tube that weighs 20 lbs. The C9.25 is the Goldilocks of optical tubes, not too big and not too small, and its compact size makes it easy to transport and set up while giving the best balance of portability, handling ease and light gathering ability Celestron has offered.

Light gathering power is 1127x that of the human eye, the limiting stellar magnitude is 14.4, and the resolution is 0.59 arc seconds (Rayleigh) or 0.49 arc seconds (Dawes). The secondary mirror obstruction is 85mm (3.35"), 36% by diameter and 13% by area. The highest useful magnification is 555x and the lowest 34x.

StarBright XLT is Celestron's optical coating system; it visibly increases contrast and light transmission for brighter images. Focusing moves the primary mirror, and the rear cell takes the included visual back with its 1.25" star diagonal.

CGX-L Mount Head: A 75 lb Foundation for Serious Imaging

The CGX-L carries a 75 lb (34 kg) instrument load; that figure does not include the counterweights. The 9.25" tube weighs 20 lbs and the mount includes one 22 lb counterweight. The CGX-L carries Celestron's largest optical tubes with ease.

Celestron's design goals for the CGX-L were larger 144mm diameter worm wheels, which give smoother operation and drive heavier loads more accurately, a longer 270mm dovetail saddle for larger optical tubes, remote-operation features such as home and limit optical sensors, easier polar alignment adjustments and better cable management, with mechanical and ergonomic changes that make the mount sturdier, easier to use and easier to transport. The latitude range is 3° to 65°, the mount head weighs 52.6 lbs, and the mount slews at 9 speeds up to 3° per second, tracking at sidereal, solar and lunar rates in EQ North and EQ South.

Tripod and Dual Saddle

The steel tripod has 69.85mm (2.75") legs with graduated markings on the lower section and weighs 46.2 lbs. It adjusts from 838.2mm to 1397mm (33" to 55"); with the mount the height range is 1524mm to 1955.8mm (60" to 77"), and the equatorial head alone is 609.6mm (24") tall. An accessory tray is included, and the 8mm Allen wrench is stored in the rear carry handle.

The saddle takes both the large CGE (Losmandy D style) dovetail and the smaller CG-5 (Vixen-style) dovetail. The included 9.25" tube attaches by its CGE dovetail bar. Test-fit other makers' dovetail bars, since sizes and angles vary and some Vixen-style bars are not flat.

NexStar+ and CPWI Control: 40,000+ Objects from Handset or PC

The NexStar+ hand control has a two-line backlit display, 19 backlit buttons and a database of 40,000+ objects, with 100 user-defined objects and enhanced information on over 200 objects. Alignment procedures are 2-Star Align, 1-Star Align, Solar System Align, Last Alignment and Quick Align. The hand control plugs into any of the four AUX ports, two of which sit near the dovetail saddle; never plug it into an autoguide port.

The USB port on the mount connects a PC to Celestron's dedicated telescope control software, CPWI. The mount's USB port is not intended for ASCOM or third-party software; for ASCOM, connect the PC to the hand control's mini USB port, which is also used with Celestron Firmware Manager (CFM) to update the mount and hand control firmware. Starry Night Special Edition and the SkyPortal app are also included.

Designed for Astrophotography: PEC, Dual Autoguide Ports, and Fastar

The mount has periodic error correction for the small tracking errors from the worm gears, and two autoguide ports, one of them near the dovetail saddle, alongside AUX 3 and 4.

The 9.25" tube is Fastar/HyperStar compatible: the secondary mirror can be removed and replaced with a lens assembly, sold separately and not included, so that a camera works at the f/2 focus of the primary mirror at the front of the telescope. Exposures are then 25 times shorter than with the camera at the native f/10 focus.