Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope

Celestron NexStar Telescope

Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope

Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope
by Celestron
(10 customer reviews)

Technical Details

-6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; StarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standard
-StarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objects
-Quick-release fork arm mount, optical tube, and accessory tray for no-tool setup
-SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process
-Nearly 40,000 object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects

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Reviews

We used our scope for the first time recently. I had read the manual and a lot of online materials before we received our scope so I was somewhat familiar with how to use it. I input our location using our place's longiture and latitude and used the unit's "two star" alignment setting since I could only make out two bright stars in our light-polluted location (Tokyo, Japan). After this, I input "Jupiter" into the hand controller and the scope slewed to the planet and placed it right in the center of the eyepiece's field of view. My family and I spent the next hour letting the scope swing around to various stars and binary systems that I couldn't see with my unaided eyes but showed up beautifully in the eyepiece. I recommend taking a look at Albireo in the list of "named stars" on the hand controller very highly.

I knew that a telescope, much like a camera, is a device that needs accessories. Therefore, before I bought the scope I purchased (used) a 9mm ocular, a barlow lens, a better star diagonal and a battery pack to power this thing. The car battery adapter I purchased with the scope. A lot of people don't use a case so I can understand why Celestron didn't include one with this to keep the price down. One of those plastic storage boxes should work well if you use the foam that comes with the scope to keep it in place.

The optics of the telescope and the special coatings on the optics are a great improvement over what I experienced 20 years ago with my first 5" SCT scope. The images are sharp and this scope is suitable for both planetary viewing and deep space objects. However, the deep space objects will require you to find a dark site to be really visable. Our first night of viewing included a look at M13, a globular cluster. It was there but the local light pollution required me to use "averted vision" to see it.

I highly recommend this product for those who want to get into Astronomy at a reasonable price. There are bigger scopes out there but the prices and size of these telescopes make this one a great compromise on size, performance and "bang for the buck." I don't think that you will be disappointed. You will need a few accessories but buy those as you need them.

Celestron NexStar 114 SLT Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar

Celestron NexStar 114 SLT Computerized Telescope

 

Celestron NexStar 114 SLT Computerized Telescope

by Celestron
See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Celestron NexStar 114 SLT Technical Details

-Computerized hand control with 4,000-object database
-SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects
-Motorized Altazimuth mount
-f9 focal ratio
-1000mm focal length

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Review

I had always been interested in astronomy, but had never used a GOOD telescope. That all changed when I opened this up attached the tube to the tripod and headed outside! Setup takes just minutes and the alignment process is foolproof. I've used both Jupiter and the moon for alignment. The telescope gets pretty close to the objects you tell it to go to. I did find however that when it moves to certain objects it seems to take the long way most of the time and tangles the power cord and hand held cord around the base.

So far looking at Jupiter is extraordinary! I have seen the cloud bands and up to four of its moons with just the 25mm lens and a Barlow 2X. The moon? Don't get me started clear as day and all of those wonderful craters seen to pop out at you! Wonderful. Still trying to get myself out at 2:30 am to see Mars and Venus. Maybe tonight! Looking at stars with this telescope seems to make them look brighter and looking at archturus (I think that's what its called) seems to yield a wonderful array of flashing colors

I highly recommend getting Celestron's accessory kit with this telescope. With it comes lenses from 25mm to 4mm. The 4mm is great and makes Jupiter very big in the eyepiece, but the built in focusing knob in the eye piece becomes nearly impossible to use. I have yet to use any of the filters that come with the kit but I have read great things on what they do.

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There have been some complaints about the batteries going dead too fast. There is an AC adapter available from some other sellers on amazon, or if you have a lot of electronics lying around the house like I do I bet that here is a 12 volt adapter lying around just screaming USE ME! USE ME! and that will work fine.

The only con I have -if it can be considered a con ;)- is the other night when i was really putting it through its paces a horrible stink came from the lateral drive box while it was moving to a new location. It did go away after a few minutes so maybe it was the gear lube heating up? Anyway it's still working perfectly and seems to be well built.