Celestron Advanced VX 9.25" SCT

9.25" Schmidt-Cassegrain Optics: 1127x More Light Gathering

The 9.25" aperture is a significant step up in the Schmidt-Cassegrain family, gathering 1127 times more light than the unaided eye and resolving details down to 0.49 arc seconds. This optical power allows you to push past magnitude 14, revealing faint galaxies in the Virgo Cluster and resolving individual stars in globular clusters like M13. Celestron's StarBright XLT optical coatings maximize light transmission through the corrector plate and mirrors, increasing image brightness and contrast for both visual and photographic applications.

Advanced VX Mount: 30 lb Capacity and 2" Steel Tripod

Designed for portability and performance, the Advanced VX mount is engineered to carry the 20 lb optical tube with ample capacity for an imaging payload. Its 30 lb instrument capacity provides a stable platform for a camera, autoguider, and other accessories. The entire system is surprisingly transportable, with no single component weighing more than 20 lbs. For maximum stability in the field, the mount rests on a heavy-duty tripod with 2" diameter stainless steel legs, ensuring vibrations are quickly dampened.

• Dual Saddle Plate: Accommodates both CG-5 (Vixen-style) and CGE (Losmandy-style) dovetail bars, allowing you to use virtually any optical tube within the mount's weight limit.
• All-Star Polar Alignment: A Celestron-exclusive software routine that lets you achieve a precise polar alignment using any bright star, even if you can't see Polaris.
• Portable Design: The mount head (17 lbs), tripod (18 lbs), and optical tube (20 lbs) are designed for easy transport and assembly by a single person.

NexStar+ GoTo System: 40,000+ Objects & All-Star Alignment

At the heart of the AVX is the NexStar+ hand controller, your gateway to a database of over 40,000 celestial objects. After a simple alignment procedure, the mount can automatically slew to any object in its catalog and track it accurately as it moves across the sky. The system features tracking rates for sidereal, solar, and lunar targets, making it a versatile tool for observing everything from the Moon to distant nebulae. The mount can track objects across the meridian without interruption, a critical feature for astrophotography.

An Imaging-Ready Platform with PPEC and Autoguiding

The Advanced VX was built from the ground up for astro-imaging. It features Permanently Programmable Periodic Error Correction (PPEC), which allows you to train out the worm gear's periodic errors for smoother, more accurate tracking during long exposures. For advanced imaging, the built-in autoguide port allows you to connect a dedicated guide camera for sub-arcsecond tracking precision. The included Celestron PWI (CPWI) software provides a complete observatory-control interface for your PC, enabling advanced features like PointXP mount modeling for professional-grade pointing accuracy.

AVX 9.25" vs. 8" SCT: The 33% Aperture Advantage

While the 8" SCT is a classic, the 9.25" model represents a substantial upgrade in light-gathering ability. The larger aperture delivers a 33% brighter image, which makes a critical difference when observing faint deep-sky targets or trying to resolve planetary detail at high magnification.

• Celestron AVX 8" SCT: A highly capable and portable instrument with a 203mm aperture and a light-gathering power of 843x. It's an excellent choice for general-purpose observing and imaging.
• Celestron AVX 9.25" SCT: The 235mm aperture provides the extra power to resolve dimmer globular clusters, see more structure in galaxies like the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), and capture planetary detail with higher contrast. That 33% increase in light grasp is the primary reason imagers and serious visual observers often choose the 9.25" model.