Celestron · Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron CGEM II 1100
11 inches of light-gathering power on a computerized equatorial mount, built for serious deep-sky and planetary work.
Price updated Mar 22, 2026
Performance Scores
Overview
The Celestron CGEM II 1100 is a substantial telescope aimed at amateur astronomers who are ready to move beyond entry-level equipment. The 11-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube delivers a 279mm aperture and 2800mm focal length at f/10, which means it excels at high-magnification targets like planets, globular clusters, and the Moon, while still being capable on brighter deep-sky objects like galaxies and nebulae. StarBright XLT coatings improve light transmission meaningfully compared to standard coatings, so you will notice better contrast and slightly brighter images across the board.
The CGEM II equatorial mount with GoTo and a 40,000-object database handles alignment and tracking automatically, which frees you to spend more time observing instead of star-hopping. The equatorial design also makes it a reasonable platform for astrophotography, though serious imagers should research its payload limits and polar alignment process before committing. Keep in mind that the full system is heavy and not quick to set up.
This is a backyard telescope, not something most observers will haul to a dark site regularly. At $3,999, it is a significant investment, but the optics and mount capability are genuinely strong for the price.
At a Glance
279.4mm
Aperture
f/10
Focal Ratio
2800mm
Focal Length
Specifications
Key Features
- 11-inch aperture gathers enough light to resolve detail in galaxies, nebulae, and planetary surfaces that smaller scopes simply cannot reach
- At f/10 and 2800mm focal length, this scope is particularly well suited for planetary observing and high-magnification work on tight targets
- StarBright XLT coatings improve contrast and light transmission over standard coatings, producing noticeably sharper and brighter views
- The CGEM II equatorial GoTo mount automates object location and tracks targets smoothly, reducing setup friction on any observing session
- Equatorial tracking makes guided long-exposure astrophotography possible, giving photographers a credible path into deep-sky imaging
- The 2-inch steel tripod provides solid vibration dampening, which matters at the high magnifications this telescope is designed to use
- At 27.5 lbs for the optical tube alone, this is a permanently or semi-permanently stationed telescope, not a portable grab-and-go setup
Customer Reviews
5 reviews
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...
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 ar...