Celestron CGX Equatorial 1100 SCT

11" Schmidt-Cassegrain Optics: 0.42 Arc-Second Resolution

At the heart of this telescope is the 11" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube, which gathers 89% more light than an 8" model. This significant increase in aperture allows you to resolve objects down to a limiting stellar magnitude of 14.7. Celestron's StarBright XLT optical coatings maximize transmission across the visual spectrum, ensuring bright, high-contrast views of faint galaxies and nebulae from the included 70x magnification 40mm eyepiece.

CGX Mount Design: A 55 lb Capacity Imaging Platform

The CGX mount was engineered from the ground up for astrophotography. Its 55 lb load capacity easily handles the 27.5 lb optical tube plus cameras and guide scopes, while the low-profile head enhances stability by lowering the center of gravity. The mount rests on a heavy-duty tripod with 2" (50.8mm) diameter steel legs, and features a dual-fit saddle plate compatible with both CGE and CG-5 style dovetails for maximum versatility.

• Ergonomic Design: Integrated carrying handles and ergonomic latitude and azimuth adjusters make setup and polar alignment faster and more comfortable.
• Cable Management: Internal cabling for power and accessories prevents snags and keeps your setup clean. Power and accessory ports are fixed on the base, so they do not move with the mount during slewing.
• Stable Tripod: The 2" steel tripod provides a rigid foundation, with graduated markings on the legs to make leveling on uneven ground simple and repeatable.

DC Servo Motors: 4°/Second Slewing and PPEC for Imaging

High-torque DC servo motors drive the CGX, providing responsive slewing at up to 4° per second to quickly locate any of the 40,000+ objects in the database. For imagers, the mount's belt-drive system minimizes backlash for smooth tracking, while built-in Periodic Error Correction (PPEC) allows you to train out the worm gear's periodic errors, leading to sharper long-exposure images. The system offers Sidereal, Solar, and Lunar tracking rates to follow any celestial object precisely.

NexStar+ and CPWI: 40,000+ Objects with PC Control

Navigate the night sky using the classic NexStar+ hand control, which features a database of over 40,000 celestial objects and multiple alignment procedures for a quick start to your session. For a more advanced experience, connect the mount to your PC via its USB 2.0 port and use the included Celestron PWI (CPWI) Telescope Control Software. CPWI provides a complete graphical planetarium interface for point-and-click control of your telescope.

CGX 1100 vs. Smaller SCTs: The 89% Light-Gathering Advantage

Choosing an aperture is a balance between light-gathering power and portability. While the CGX 1100's optical tube weighs a manageable 27.5 lbs, its performance is in a different class compared to smaller instruments.

• Against an 8" SCT: The CGX 1100 captures 89% more light, which means significantly shorter exposure times for deep-sky imaging and the ability to resolve fainter stars and galactic detail.
• Against a 9.25" SCT: It still provides over 40% more light-gathering power, a noticeable jump that brings out the faint outer arms of galaxies like the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) and resolves dimmer stars in globular clusters like M13.