Celestron SkyProdigy 6 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

Description

THE SMARTEST TELESCOPE IN THE UNIVERSE!

A truly revolutionary product with ground breaking technology, SkyProdigy is the product of a culmination of decades of telescope advancements.  It combines electronic motors, an intelligent on-board computer, a digital camera and StarSense™ technology to create an automatic, instant alignment telescope that requires no input from the user.  Simply turn it on, push a button and enjoy the view!  It’s that easy.

The SkyProdigy’s automatic alignment process takes only a few minutes, and you will be ready to select from thousands of objects in its database to view.  Not quite sure what to look at?  Select the Sky Tour option; this feature offers a customized list of the best objects in the sky to view for your exact time and location anywhere in the world!

No knowledge of the night sky is required.  One touch innovation turns anyone into an instant astronomer!

Celestron’s SkyProdigy telescopes use an integrated imaging camera and patented StarSense Technology to automatically align with the night sky and determine where the telescope is currently pointing. The camera automatically captures an image of the sky, which is processed internally to positively identify stars in the image. Once a positive match is found, SkyProdigy determines the coordinates of the center of the captured image. The process is automatically repeated two additional times so that the system has three known alignment points that can be used to make an accurate model of the night sky. With this information, the user can select any celestial object in the hand controller’s database, and SkyProdigy will automatically move itself to the correct position.

*The SkyProdigy’s internal camera does not have an external output allowing users to view or save captured images. The captured images are used internally solely for the purpose of self-aligning the SkyProdigy telescope.

FEATURES

General Features

• Nearly Three Times the Light Gathering Power of the SkyProdigy 90
• Fully Automatic Alignment Procedure
• Fully Computerized Altazimuth Mount
• Quick-Release Fork Arm Mount and Optical Tube for Easy, Quick No Tool Set Up
• Sturdy Stainless Steel Tripod and Accessory Tray
• CD-ROM The SkyX First Light Edition Astronomy Software Which Provides Education About the Sky
• Battery Pack Providing Over 30 Hours of Power

Computerized Mount Features

• Proven Computer Control Technology
• Database Allows Telescope to Automatically Locate Over 4,000 Celestial Objects
• Proprietary StarSense Technology Provides a Completely Automatic Alignment Process With No User Intervention Required
• Flash Upgradeable Hand Control Software for Downloading Product Updates Over the Internet

About Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes

Celestron’s excellent Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes are compact and portable and represent the best all-purpose design for a wide variety of uses from terrestrial and deep sky viewing to astrophotography.

Catadioptrics use a combination of mirrors and lenses to "fold" (reflect) the light path and form an image. In a Schmidt-Cassegrain, the light enters through a thin aspheric Schmidt correcting lens. It then strikes the spherical primary mirror. It is reflected back up the tube and intercepted by a small secondary mirror which reflects the light out an opening in the rear of the instrument where the image is formed at the eyepiece.

Catadioptrics are the most popular and most modern type of telescope optical design and are marketed throughout the world in 3.5" and larger apertures. Catadioptric telescopes combine the practical advantages of lenses and mirrors while eliminating their disadvantages. They offer the clarity and contrast of refractors with the low aberration of reflectors. Catadioptrics have an average focal ratio of f/10, which is wide enough for all types of photography. They are also easier to maintain because all optical elements are solidly mounted and rigidly collimated. Catadioptric telescopes provide the best possible combination of light gathering power, long focal length, portability and affordability.

Schmidt-Cassegrain Advantages

• Very versatile, best all-purpose telescope design
• Combines the optical advantages of both lenses and mirrors while eliminating their disadvantages
• Excellent optics and razor sharp images over a wide field
• Excellent for deep sky observing and astrophotography as well as terrestrial viewing
• Very good for lunar, planetary and binary star observing
• Focal ratio generally around f/10, it also has the best near focus capability of any type of telescope
• Closed tube design reduces image-degrading air currents
• Extremely compact and portable
• Easy to use, durable and virtually maintenance free
• Large apertures at reasonable cost and less expensive than equivalent aperture refractors
• More accessories available than with other types of telescopes

Schmidt-Cassegrain Disadvantages

• More expensive than Newtonians of equal aperture
• Slight light loss due to secondary mirror obstruction compared to refractors The Maksutov-Cassegrain is similar to the Schmidt-Cassegrain with essentially the same advantages and disadvantages. It uses a thick meniscus correcting lens with a strong curvature and a secondary mirror that is usually an aluminized spot on the corrector. The Maksutov secondary

Supplier SKU

11076

Shipping Restrictions

Only ships in contiguous USA.