Celestron CGEM II 1100, 11" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

Most awesome telescope I've ever had. Have wanted one of these for years. Was worth the patience.

This might sound lame given the price, but people who are new to astronomy might be better off not starting with this. We had bought are son a few telescopes before, but all were really bad, to put it bluntly. We thought that by splurging for this, we’d all be able to enjoy seeing stars, the moon in detail, etc. I consider myself reasonably tech savvy, and after buying the GPS unit for this, I can’t figure it out to save my life. Attempted to set GPS alignment with the closest major city in the unit’s database (15 mins away) and set alignment for the moon. The telescope aimed about 90 degrees off it. After setting alignment manually, we tried searching for various stars (none of which we know the names of) and it repeatedly attempted to aim at the ground. I don’t doubt that it works properly, I just think it’s probably intended for people who are already well versed in the field. Here’s hoping we figure it out - haven’t given up yet, but so far, it’s been a frustrating process to say the least. Even when aimed at the moon very clearly, all we see is a vague bright spot in the eyepiece. Focus knob doesn’t help regardless of which way it’s adjusted.

This is an amazing instrument. It breaks down into small pieces that a fit, single person can carry and setup in his or her backyard. Deep sky objects are bright, which lessens the need for averted vision to view many Messier and Herschel objects. With an OIII filter, nebula are stunning. Planets are sharp. Once the scope is aligned, it flawlessly locates thousands of objects in the sky. It can even find objects that are not in its database using celestial coordinates. It is impressive just watching it slew to different sky locations. I recommend purchasing a focal reducer and a polar alignment scope, but these are not required. Be careful with the mount. The azimuth knobs are large, but do not overtightening them because the threads can strip. Turn them carefully. Realize the mount is made of a softer metal to make it lighter. The screws in the mount can work themselves loose over time as the telescope is attached using the dovetail, so it is best to check them periodically. However; these are minor issues that do not detract from the enjoyment of the product. I did not regret me purchase.

Definitely an upgrade from my old Celestron Ultima C8