This review, “Astronomy tests Celestron’s CPC 1100 GPS,” appeared in the August 2007 issue of Astronomy magazine
The Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope has come a long way since Celestron International introduced it in 1970. Celestron’s original orange-tube C8 is memorable for its somewhat-radical optical and mount designs and reasonable cost. Back in the 1970s, most amateur astronomers used commercial 4- or 6-inch Newtonian reflectors or small refractors. Also, homebuilt telescopes abounded. But Celestron and the 8-inch C8 changed all of that.
Unpacking and setup
Celestron’s CPC line of Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes comes in three sizes: 8-inch, 9.25-inch, and 11-inch. The CPC 1100 — the 11-inch version — arrived with the tripod in one box and the telescope and accessories in a second. After unpacking, I set the tripod up first, then placed the fork-mounted telescope on it.
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