The Celestron CGEM DX 1100 HD combines Celestron"s newly designed CGEM DX Computerized Equatorial mount with its new EdgeHD optical system. With an optical tube assembly weighing only 28 lbs, this telescope is still portable enough to be taken to dark skies, and has 89% more light gathering power than an 8"" telescope and 40% more than the 9.25"". Celestron CGEM DX Equatorial Mount The Celestron CGEM DX mount is the newest member of our fully computerized Equatorial mount series capable of carrying Celestron’s high-end 11"" and 14"" optical tubes. The CGE PRO style, 2.75"" leg tripod holds even our 14"" optics securely and vibration free, which is ideal for both imaging and visual observing. Capable of holding 50 lbs of payload and slewing at 5° per second, you will be able to instantly point to any of the celestial objects in the database. German Equatorial mounts are recognized for their rock solid stability, simple balancing and easy accessibility for attaching accessories. With sophisticated software features like the Hibernate function, the CGEM DX can maintain its star alignment night after night without needing to be re-aligned, making it an excellent choice for a permanent observatory facility. Ergonomic Design - CGEM DX was designed to be ergonomically friendly with large Altitude and Azimuth adjustment knobs for quick and easy polar alignment adjustment. The internal RA and DEC motor wiring provides a clean look and an easy and trouble free set up. Innovation - The CGEM DX series has a new innovative Polar alignment procedure called All-Star™. All-Star allows users to choose any bright star, while the software calculates and assists with polar alignment. Another great feature of the CGEM DX sure to please astroimagers, is the Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PEC) which will allow users to train out the worm gears periodic errors, while the mount retains the PEC recordings. Performance - For objects near the Meridian (imaginary line passing from North to South), the CGEM DX will track well past the Meridian for uninterrupted imaging through the most ideal part of the sky. The CGEM mount has a robust database with over 40,000 objects, 100 user defined programmable objects and enhanced information on over 200 objects. Power Management - Redesigned electronics deliver constant regulated power to the motors making them capable of driving the telescope even when not perfectly balanced. This allows the CGEM DX to have the payload capacity of that of much larger mounts without sacrificing smooth tracking motion and pointing accuracy across the entire sky. New Optical Design - EdgeHD The EdgeHD optical system takes all of the compact power popularized by the Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope (SCT) and combines it with an improved high definition optical system for wide field, astrograph quality images. As a visual instrument, EdgeHD optics deliver pinpoint images even with your widest field eyepiece. You can search for all of the Messier Catalog objects, and see hundreds of other equally interesting NGC, IC and Caldwell objects with amazing clarity. For astroimaging, the EdgeHD optics produce aberration-free images across your favorite CCD or DSLR camera. All EdgeHD optics are designed to produce an extremely flat focal plane precise enough to match t