telescopecomparison · 2-way
Celestron RASA 8 vs Celestron RASA 6
Celestron
RASA 8
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a backyard imaging setup.
Key differences
+19% focal length
+34% aperture
Specifications
| Specification | Celestron RASA 8 | Celestron RASA 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | SCT | astrograph |
| Optical design | Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt | Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph |
| Aperture | 203mm | 152mm |
| Focal length | 400mm | 335mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/2.0 | f/2.2 |
| Image circle | 32mm | 16mm |
| Full-frame support | No | No |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 7.7kg | 3.8kg |
Advantages of Celestron RASA 8
- Tighter framing — 400mm vs 335mm focal length
- 34% more light-gathering aperture
- Larger image circle (32mm) — supports bigger sensors
Advantages of Celestron RASA 6
- Wider field — 335mm vs 400mm focal length
- Lighter (3.8kg vs 7.7kg) — easier to travel with
Best for — Celestron RASA 8
- Large emission nebulae and star clusters
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Faint-object imaging under dark skies
Best for — Celestron RASA 6
- Wide-field nebulae and Milky Way regions
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
Celestron RASA 8 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 5.16° × 3.44°Scale: 1.94"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 3.37° × 2.25°Scale: 1.94"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.62° × 1.62°Scale: 1.94"/px
Celestron RASA 6 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 6.16° × 4.11°Scale: 2.32"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 4.02° × 2.69°Scale: 2.32"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.93° × 1.93°Scale: 2.32"/px
Celestron RASA 8 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a backyard imaging setup.
Celestron RASA 6 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
