Farpoint Dovetail Plate - Celestron 8 Inch SCT

Product Overview

The Farpoint FDC8 is a complete mounting kit that puts a Celestron 8″ SCT onto any D-size (Losmandy-style) saddle. It pairs a 13.5″ dovetail bar with radius blocks machined to the curve of the 8″ tube, and the mounting screws are included. The same kit also fits the HD8. Everything is CNC-machined in the USA from black anodized aluminum, and the kit weighs 2.375 lb.

Who It’s For

This is a good match if you…

• Own a Celestron 8″ SCT or an HD8 and are moving it onto a mount with a D-size saddle.
• Want the wider D standard under the tube rather than the narrower Vixen rail.
• Are replacing a factory rail that flexes with a camera and diagonal hanging off the back.
• Prefer a single kit with bar, blocks and screws rather than sourcing the parts separately.

Key Features & Design

• 13.5″ dovetail bar: the bar length matched to the Celestron 8″ tube, giving the saddle a long clamping span.
• Matched radius blocks: machined to the curve of the 8″ optical tube so the bar sits flush against the round body.
• D-size (Losmandy-style) standard: the wider of the two common dovetail formats, for saddles that accept a D bar.
• Fits the HD8 as well: the same kit covers both the standard Celestron 8″ SCT and the HD8.
• Black anodized aluminum: a hard, non-reflective finish that resists handling marks.
• Mounting screws included: the kit arrives complete, with the hardware needed to attach the bar to the tube.

Mechanical Design

An SCT tube is round and a dovetail bar is flat, so bolting one straight to the other concentrates the load at the bolt holes. The radius blocks in this kit are cut to the exact curve of the Celestron 8″ tube and sit between the two, spreading the clamping force across the contact surface instead of pinching it at two points. The result is a stiffer connection between tube and saddle, with less stress placed on the optical tube itself — which matters most when a long imaging train adds leverage at the back of the scope.

Recommended Uses

• Mounting a Celestron 8″ SCT or HD8 on a Losmandy or other D-size saddle.
• Long-exposure imaging where a stiffer tube-to-mount joint reduces flexure between frames.
• Carrying the tube by the bar when setting up and tearing down, with a dovetail handle fitted.
• Standardising an equipment set on D-size bars so tubes swap between mounts without re-rigging.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

The kit fits the Celestron 8″ SCT optical tube assembly and the HD8. The bar is a D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail, so it drops into any saddle cut for the D standard; a mount with only a narrow Vixen saddle needs a D-size saddle or a saddle conversion to accept it. Celestron tubes in other sizes take their own bar lengths — 17.25″ for the 9.25″ and 11″, 23.75″ for the 14″. If a D-size bar is already on hand, the Celestron 8″ radius blocks are available on their own. Tell us your telescope model and saddle and we’ll confirm the fit.

Good to Know Before You Order

• The telescope is sold separately. This is the mounting kit only — bar, radius blocks and screws.
• The radius blocks are tube-specific. They are cut for the Celestron 8″ tube diameter and the HD8, not for other sizes in the range.
• The bar is D-size, not Vixen. A mount with a Vixen-only saddle needs a D-size saddle or conversion to take this bar.
• Hole pattern varies by tube. The product drawing on the manufacturer page shows the hole pattern and measurements for this bar.
• Kit weight is 2.375 lb. That figure adds to the tube’s own weight when working out the load on the mount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to install?

Installation is a bolt-on job: the radius blocks locate against the tube, the bar sits on the blocks, and the supplied screws pass through into the existing threaded holes on the optical tube. No drilling or machining is involved.

What is included in the kit?

The 13.5″ D-size dovetail bar, radius blocks machined to the Celestron 8″ tube, and the mounting screws.

Does it fit the Celestron HD8?

Yes. The same kit covers the standard Celestron 8″ SCT and the HD8.

What mounts will this work with?

Any mount whose saddle accepts a D-size (Losmandy-style) bar. Mounts supplied with a narrow Vixen saddle can be upgraded with a D-size saddle or conversion.

Why does the kit use radius blocks rather than bolting the bar to the tube?

The blocks match the curve of the round tube, so the clamping load spreads across the contact surface instead of concentrating at the bolt holes.

Bottom Line

In short: a complete 13.5″ D-size dovetail kit — bar, matched radius blocks and screws — that puts a Celestron 8″ SCT or HD8 onto a Losmandy-style saddle.