telescopecomparison · 2-way
Celestron RASA 8 vs SharpStar 76EDPH
Celestron
RASA 8
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a backyard imaging setup.
Key differences
+167% aperture
Faster by 3.5 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | Celestron RASA 8 | SharpStar 76EDPH |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | SCT | Refractor |
| Optical design | Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt | Doublet APO |
| Aperture | 203mm | 76mm |
| Focal length | 400mm | 418mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/2.0 | f/5.5 |
| Image circle | 32mm | 42mm |
| Full-frame support | No | Yes |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 7.7kg | 3.2kg |
Advantages of Celestron RASA 8
- 167% more light-gathering aperture
- Faster optics at f/2 vs f/5.5
Advantages of SharpStar 76EDPH
- Larger image circle (42mm) — supports bigger sensors
- Lighter (3.2kg 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 — SharpStar 76EDPH
- Large emission nebulae and star clusters
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
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
SharpStar 76EDPH — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 4.93° × 3.29°Scale: 1.86"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 3.22° × 2.15°Scale: 1.86"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.55° × 1.55°Scale: 1.86"/px
Celestron RASA 8 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a backyard imaging setup.
SharpStar 76EDPH — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.