Celestron 11068 NexStar 6SE Computerised Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron 11068 NexStar 6SE Computerised Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope with Advanced GPS, Astroimaging and AutoAlign Features, Black/Orange
Fast Setup with SkyAlign
Celestron’s proprietary SkyAlign procedure has you ready to observe in minutes. Centre any three bright objects in the eyepiece and NexStar SE aligns to the night sky, ready to locate thousands of stars, galaxies, and more.
Astroimaging Made Easy
Budding astroimagers can use the built-in wedge to polar align NexStar SE. Using simple, inexpensive adapters, connect your DSLR or astronomical camera & capture your own images of celestial objects.
A Lifetime of Astronomy
Compatible with all Celestron’s most popular accessories, including StarSense AutoAlign and SkyPortal WiFi Module, the NexStar SE can grow with you.
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optical Design | Maksutov-Cassegrain | Schmidt-Cassegrain | Schmidt-Cassegrain | Schmidt-Cassegrain |
| Aperture | 102mm (4.02”) | 125mm (4.92”) | 150mm (5.91″) | 203.2mm (8”) |
| Focal Length | 1325mm (52”) | 1250mm (49”) | 1500mm (59”) | 2032mm (80”) |
| Focal Ratio | f/13 | f/10 | f/10 | f/10 |
| Magnification (with included eyepieces) | 53x | 50x | 60x | 81x |
| Limiting Magnitude | 12.5 | 13 | 13.4 | 14 |
| Lowest Useful Magnification | 15x | 18x | 21x | 29x |
| Highest Theoretical Magnification | 241x | 295x | 354x | 480x |
| Assembled Weight | 21 lbs | 27.6 lbs | 30 lbs | 33 lbs |
| Weight: | 21 Pounds |
| Dimensions: | 32 x 26 x 12 centimetres |
| Brand: | Celestron |
| Model: | 11068 |
| Part: | 11068 |
| Colour: | Orange |
| Batteries Included: | 8 AA batteries required. |
| Dimensions: | 32 x 26 x 12 centimetres |
I was at least able to try the scope out, but the focuser is really bad. It must be faulty as I can focus no problem on my kids starter 80m basic scope, but not on this one. The red light on the hand control is very weak and difficult to see in the night. The hand control buttons that are labeled on this model do not match the directions, so that can screw any beginner up trying to follow directions. I figured it out as well as my 11 yr old did so this isn’t even the correct hand control?
What part of this was “like new” ? I’ve purchased “like new” and this is NOT it.
I agree with everyone that says to get the Celestron Powerbank Lithium battery instead of just using the 8 AA batteries. The powerbank has a strap to velcro to a tripod leg or a strap to hang it from the accessory stand.
First and most important, u need to align the finderscope and the eyepiece. If not, nothing will match up after. Second, align the scope with your location.
We found out that when we changed locations around our yard, that u need to realign anytime you move the scope…even a few inches. BUT, with practice and currently trying the solar system alignment on visible Venus (easily spotted right now) getting it aligned again went smooth and quick. There are various methods and u can choose which one will work for you (they’re listed in the direction booklet)
I have used manual Alt-Alz mount scope, GEM type (not for the impatient like me to master in the dead of winter) and just wanted a motorized one this time.
Hopefully Amazon can send me one as correctly described in “Like New” condition to keep.
There’s nothing to dislike about this scope absolutely fantastic using my binoviewer with this scope with celestron 7 mm eyepieces could read the name of the manufacturer on their alarm system just under 4 miles away that’s how crystal-clear it is Scope is expensive but worth every penny.
Only thing I wish is I would of gotten the 8se when the price was lower 4 or 5 months ago.
PS one thing I’d like to add in regards to some of the negative reviews on here a telescope is an investment in both money and time it is not something you can just buy turn it on and be an expert at it it takes effort it takes research it takes finding what applications work best. It also takes a lot of practice and I am by no means an expert I ended up buying the Wi-Fi adapter and also I bought the auto go to starsense camera to assist but by no means are those items 100% effective at finding your target every time. Astronomy and specifically astrophotography is about patience and enjoying what you are doing so many people buy a telescope and think they can just throw it in their backyard and take a picture like I did instantly no that’s not the case they do have fully automated ones that cost upwards of 3,000 Plus but that takes a lot of the fun and personality out of it. Each time you use it it will be different your results will come out different every time. You will experience frustration but sometimes that frustration pays off in something Grand with a great photo or seeing something very cool. So if you don’t have that for and then drive or the willingness to spend some time to learn don’t buy any type of telescope more than 150 bucks you will be severely disappointed and upset. If you do want to learn and have the willingness to spend some time and effort and to the practice and art of astronomy and astrophotography then by all means buy one but don’t complain and say oh it’s a worthless pile of garbage that does nothing. Celestron mix some great telescopes and they make some great cheaper ones if you’re not sure about the hobby yet buy one for $150.
Package delivered with no damage, but a couple of bits were loose inside the boxes. Overall good scope with quick setup if you are familiar with scopes. Definitely recommend an adapter instead of battery supply. Not too heavy to move around.
Haven’t yet had a good night to use the telescope, but I did manage a short view of the moon. Looking forward to using it more once the clouds disappear….
Size and weight – it’s pretty big and it’s heavy. With the stainless steel tripod it must be close to 20kg.
Scope and eyepiece – the telescope has a maximum magnification of 354x but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to use it at it’s full capability off the bat (as I eventually discovered). The eyepiece it comes with gives you 60x magnification and in order to increase this, you’ll need to invest in other eyepieces. Mars, Saturn and Jupiter are visible with the naked eye where I live but the eyepiece available isn’t powerful enough to make out any of the distinct features on these planets – except you can just about make out Saturn’s rings. The scope also comes with a red dot finder and it is vital that this is aligned perfectly with the scope. I suggest using the moon as a target to help you do this as it worked for me.
Handset and power – the handset is a very useful feature of the telescope. After entering basic details like location, time and date the database will present you with celestial sights which are available to see from where you are. The handset also enables you to control the scope, moving it in any direction as needed.
To power the telescope you need either 8AA batteries or a power adapter (fortunately I had one lying around at home, which works).
Conclusion – overall this is a good telescope which I am still learning about but it has the features and capabilities for some great long term observing.
City View:
This telescope does great in city lights. During the week i use it in my backyard and it’s amazing the different things i am able to see with this telescope. I am able to look at jupiter and it’s clouds, Saturn (even though smaller than Jupiter) has great details from it’s rings and 4-5 moons. Mars you can see the red planet but hard to see it’s features, Uranus you can see a kinda gray dot and Neptune a blue dot. Don’t expect to see images like you see from the Hubble Space Telescope. That’s a 1.5 billion dollar telescope compared to $500+ telescope. But the images you do see and the satisfaction of finding the planets and stars is priceless. You will see details thought the lens just not like the pictures.
In the city it will be hard to look at nebulas because it is just so bright. The only one that i have been able to see small details would be Andromeda Galaxy. What you will see is a blurry cloud. It is still amazing to find it.
Outside of City:
Outside of the city this telescope is amazing. Planets and stars look amazing. Clusters and Nebulas have better detail and you are able to see stars that normally you cannot see in the city environment.
Set up:
The set up is very easy. Tripods are very sturdy and i like how it has a leveler that you can attach to your stand. As for the Nextar at first it might be confusing to use if you have never used a hand remote telescope before like me but after practice and reading the manual it should be self explanatory. Make sure stand is balance when using the 3 star alignment and it should sync to the night sky and make it easy to track and find objects fairly easy. That is one thing i love about it. Once it aligns the menu displays items available to watch and you can just select from the list and the telescope will automatically find it.
I did receive a defective hand remote at the beginning where i tried to update the software on my computer and it would not detect it. After contacting support (which took about 1-2 months of email conversations because they do not answer right away) They sent me a replacement.
Overall if you are new to this, the 6SE for the price is a great telescope and you will not be disappointed. Save the money that you would have spent on the 8SE, and that money use it to buy other features like a powerbank, eye pieces, filters, and other amenities that you will need later on.
Brilliant. Came early witch is always a bonus. Well packaged and not damaged. I struggled to align it at first but I then realised I was forgetting to focus it. After that it was a treat.
It’s a great telescope the only thing I found hard was the alignment kept saying not recognised so have only got it to work on 2 or 1 star alignment. Waiting for the moon to come back into view then will try again.
Otherwise it’s one of the best beginners telescopes and I was surprised to see what I could from only a 4 inch one.
Finally got a scope that aligned, so was no longer a door stop.
If you are a beginner, this is a great scope, but, not on its own.
I was totally confused at aligning it using sight to 3 stars I didnt have a clue what and where.
I bought the starsense and this aids alignment.
So, on its own its not easy unless you have some idea what is in the sky.
I also got the GPS so it knows where it is and what time it is.
Once you have the kit, everything connected and communicating, get aligned, now you can ‘go to’ and view what you wish.
You will need to buy some different lens and you can research this online with youtube etc.
For photography, you can attach an SLR but really, forget it, webcams are the way to go.
All in all a great scope but there is a lot to learn to know how to use it, it is not as simple to set up as would be indicated, also for the UK get a dew guard.
Great starter scope, had a few issues with auto three star align, best to use auto two star align. Put in your long and lat location rather than closest city and it is much more reliable.
Celestron Nexstar 6se: I would suggest this is the only telescope you need.
A great all rounder… I’ve had it a year. if you get a good copy (a quality example) the sky’s your limit.
Lots of fun accessories to get ; sky portal, solar filter, dew shield, focal reducer, etc. etc. etc.
This 6se scope is the perfect balance between performance and portability.
Never underestimate the importance of portability and accessibility.
You do not want a massive scope which will tire you out setting it up.
Highly recommended. Probably a more friendly size than the 8″ version.
In addition I have the Celestron power supply and dew shield, Telrad finder, and wide screen eyepiece.
I used the Auto Two Star Align which took a couple of minutes to set up, asked it to find M31 and straight away the Andromeda Galaxy was there. Unbelievable, just enter what you want to see and if its above the horizon this thing will find it. I have other stuff and am impressed with the optics, which gave a clear view of Mars.
All I need now are the fingerless gloves I’ve just ordered, coldest night of the year!
Here were some of my initial concerns/fears, based on other reviews I had read:
1. Go-to does not align easily – so far I’ve been able to align it very easily using “solar system” align, and pointing it to a planet. You can download plenty of apps on your phone which will help you identify a planet. Two-star (named) supposedly works well too.
2. Entering time/date every time you power it on – some reviews made it seem like this is a real chore, but really it takes less than 60 seconds to enter the time, then date. The location is saved between power-ups, and is easily selected if you are in a major urban centre.
3. Red dot finder – some people have trouble aligning it out of the box, or otherwise complain about it. Mine was fine, I just aligned it during the day by pointing the telescope to a distant object. Mine holds alignment well, I have not had to mess with it since.
4. Powering it – definitely pick up the AC adapter or car charger, and forget about using batteries. You don’t have to buy the expensive Celestron power tank, I have a car battery booster that I bought for $50 on sale at the local hardware store that has a cigarette adapter port. Works just as well. The cover for the battery compartment doesn’t seem to want to open easily on my scope anyways.
5. No manual left-right slewing – you can rotate the tube up and down by hand, but not left and right. It’s easy enough to use the buttons on the hand remote to move the tube around, doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. Mine moves fairly quickly when the buttons are held down. Tapping the buttons allows micro-movements, and it’s easy to change the motor slewing speed (read the manual).
6. Weight – I’ve read the 8SE is heavy, so I decided on the 6SE. However I find the 6SE very compact and easy to move around, it doesn’t seem to weigh much (granted I’m a 6′ male, so YMMV). It’s SCT dimensions mean it has a nice center of gravity, and can be fairly easily picked up and taken outside. Almost makes me wish I sprung for the 8SE…
7. Mount quality – I don’t have any complaints here. Perhaps because I don’t know any better, and haven’t seen/used a mount costing thousands of dollars. The go-to works well, the tube seems well supported when it’s moving around. No excessive vibrations at high magnification, the telescope settles down fairly quickly.
8. Motor noise – yes, you can hear the gears/motor when it’s moving the tube around, and it makes some barely audible noise while tracking. The noise seems reasonable, I would not call it loud by any stretch.
9. Leveling the scope – apparently you don’t need to bother leveling it, it will align and work just fine if you eyeball it.
Things I like about it:
1. Good optics – when I had a clear night, I was able to make out the smudge of Orion’s Nebula, get a good glimpse of Venus and Mars, explore the Moon and see the cloud bands on Jupiter. I took it up to about 320x power, and it worked well, but I was limited by seeing conditions. Honestly I was expecting “more” in terms of optics, as most reviewers rave about it. It didn’t seem to be significantly better than other telescopes I’ve played with, but definitely on the good side, no complaints.
2. Go-To works quite well, and the database has more than enough objects to keep you busy. Slewing from one end of the sky to the other worked well, and the object I was looking for came into view every time.
3. It tracks well – I have not left it to track an object for more than a few minutes, but it seems to work fine.
4. Relatively light weight and easy to move around. Specifications say it’s 21lbs, which seems about right. Breaks down into two main pieces (mounting fork & scope, and the tripod) for easy transport in your car, if you plan to drive out to a dark-site.
5. Did not take long to put together out of the box, maybe 30 min max.
6. I’m glad it only came with one decent 25mm eyepiece, as other “starter” scopes typically come with a bunch of crappy eyepieces. The one it came with seems to be of good quality, and you’ll want to pick up some more in the 4mm to 25mm range.
7. You “can” hook up a DSLR to it and take some pictures, although this scope is not really designed for any kind of serious astrophotography. I bought the adapters for my Canon DSLR, and will try this soon just for fun.
A few complaints:
1. The manual is outdated in the sense that my 6SE came with the updated “plus” hand controller, with USB. The manual refers to the old hand controller, and there is an additional insert regarding the “plus” controller. To be honest I just skimmed the manual, but I would think Celestron can do better and have an updated manual.
2. Battery compartment is hard to open on mine – not using it anyways though, as I got an AC adapter and car adapter for it.
3. I’m not sure why the diagonal comes packaged separately, and you have to install it. Seems like they can cut down on the customer’s assembly time by putting that on at the factory. Less chance of dust getting inside the tube as well.
Keep the box packaging, and you can retrofit it to a suitcase to store the telescope. Personally I decided to spring for the Pelican 1610 case to protect the scope for travel/storage.
As you can see, there’s a lot to like about this scope, and only some minor gripes. Be prepared to get sucked in to this hobby, and spend lots of $$$ on eyepieces, filters, etc!
For the money its a quite good scope. By attaching my 6D I managed to get some amazing shots of the moon, however shooting planets is a little bit out of reach. I just ordered a barlow lens to get the planets a little closer. The goto system is really good and extremely easy and self-explanatory to setup. Easy to carry around. I would recommend this for a first scope easily.
The sky in UK these days is often too overcast, but nevertheless I managed to use it a couple of times.
Unfortunately once you start, an hour later you still enjoying the views before realising it. With this, time just fly!
I didn’t manage to look at planets yet as these were mostly below the horizon… But If looked at stars and the details were so impressive as I could even look at stars which I couldn’t see with the naked eye!
All these just from my back garden, and I was undisturbed by any of the lights pollution around here!
I just wish I bought this much earlier!!
Clear sky’s !!!!
Also be wary that if you see yourself wanting to photograph what you are seeing up in the sky with this, this mount is extremely limited. You will need an equatorial mount for doing tha
I am now looking forward to many hours of happy gazing. Psalm 19
I decided on a “go-to” scope because I read that it makes it much easier to find faint things. It’s also easier to share with friends because it tracks automatically. I chose a six inch over a four inch because I wanted the increased resolution, and over a 8 inch for portability. I chose Celestron because it has a reputation for high quality and good service.
The instrument arrived overnight. The packaging was impressive. It’s intended to protect a precision instrument and it shows.
Even though I am a lifelong technical man I read the instructions first. The full color setup manual was clearly written and illustrated and I had my scope unpacked and ready in an hour or so.
The only negative aspect of this system is the computer interface. It’s rs232 serial interface is rather retro and software is limited to windows. My main laptop is a MacBook and uses USB, so I’ll need to drag out my old XP machine if I ever want to use those tools. But since the stars and planets are not likely to change their orbits during the useful life of the instrument I doubt I will ever need to. Just nit picking.
I was impressed by the high quality of the materials and workmanship and the simplicity of the design of the Nexstar. I waited a day for a windstorm to pass and the dust to settle while I spent time with the user manual getting to know the instrument. The next day I set it up in my backyard (where shade trees obscure 50% of the sky). The stainless steel tripod is rock solid and the rubber leg tips provide a nice cushion against vibration. I sat the scope on the tripod head using the center pin and foot pads to align the mounting bolts, a much easier process than setting up my German EQ. Then I aligned the red dot spotting scope on a street light a few blocks away and waited for it to get dark.
As soon as bright stars began to appear I went through the 3 star alignment. It sounds simple in the manual but it’s even easier than it sounds. The hand controller has a cool red screen that stepped me through the process. I did it a few times so until I could do it with my glasses off.
Then I picked Alcor as my first star.
AMAZING! Just as advertised, the scope slewed around, stopped, and right in the center of the field was the double double, crystal clear. What optics! I went to Jupiter which was partially obscured by a tree, but through the branches I saw the disk clearly and 3 or 4 moons. And it wasn’t even dark yet. One after another I looked for stars I knew and the Nexstar found them quickly.
I am very impressed after my first evening with the Nexstar 6. The construction is high quality although some of the plastic components are, well, plastic. The optics seem well done and sharp. The mechanical elements are sturdy and appear to be quite robust. Setup and takedown are a snap. The entire rig fits in the boot of my MINI roadster which means getting to a better viewing site tonight will be all kinds of fun.
Compact and easily portable, good quality optics, and the GoTo technology allows you to find lots of objects easily in an observing session. I like the Nextour software that comes with it, which allows you to compile your own tours of the sky. I have made five lists of objects from the Messier + Caldwell catalogues, one for each season and one for circumpolar objects, sorted into a convenient sequence.
Bad points:
There is a lot to learn to get the most out of your scope, although getting started is not difficult, but the instructions are not particularly clear. In the NexRemote software there is nothing to tell you how to get your tour into the scope (you need to right click).
The remote control cannot be placed in a convenient position when in use, a bracket to hold it would be handy (such things are available in the USA).
The time has to be put in at the start of every session because there is no inbuilt clock, which is a surprising omission.
In conclusion, although Celestron should have put more thought into making it easy to use, it is great fun to use and gives sharp images, without the hard work of searching for dim objects. Recommended.
I’ve used the scope on virtually every clear night for the last month and am very impressed. Sky Align is a breeze. The only times it has failed I either forgot to enter the correct date or time. After that it is a matter of finding 3 bright objects in the night sky and centering them in your eyepiece. HINT: I use the 27mm eyepiece to initially find each object (after using the finder scope) and then add the 2X Barlow to more accurately center the object. I usually pick some star in the Big Dipper, Capella, and for the time being Jupiter as my alignment objects. Works every time I input the right info. There is a bit of a learning curve so don’t expect the unit to bend to your will until you’ve learned the system. The ‘Identify’ feature is great for a newbie astronomer like me: Point at the object and NextStar tells you what it is. I’ve spent a lot of time viewing Jupiter and images of it and the 4 visible moons are clear and crisp using the provided 27mm eyepiece as well as the 9mm and 15mm eyepieces I purchased separately, all 3 alone and with the 2X Barlow. Tracking is not all that accurate unless you sync to the object (in the ‘Align’ menu. Then it is much better. A list of Strengths and Weaknesses as I see it:
Strengths:
1. The price and low cost of accessories.
2. The clear images.
3. Ease of setup and alignment.
4. Portability of the SC design.
Weakness:
1. The provided level is junk. I use a 4″ builders bull’s eye level for much better accuracy.
2. You must remove the telescope from the tripod for leveling. Leveling with the scope attached to the tripod produces an error of approximately 1.5 degrees. In that respect it would have been nice if Celestron built an accurate level rather than the logo into the base.
3. The AC adapter turns with the scope so it is possible to unplug it or entwine your tripod during a night’s viewing. If you unplug you lose your alignment, so always have batteries installed even if you use the AC adapter. A nice future upgrade would be to install the plug for the adapter in the non moving part of the base. It merely requires 2 contacts on 2 spiral tracks between the movable and stationary parts of the base.
4. Unless you use the Sync option, alignment seems to deteriorate over the course of a couple of hours. I am careful with the initial alignment as detailed above so I do not think that is the problem, rather something in the software. This is evidenced over the course of an evening by slewing back to an object (Jupiter in my case) using the GOTO Planet on the keypad. Over a period of time each return is farther to the left of center and lower in the field of view.
5. Keeps me outside on cold nights exploring the skies rather than inside by the fire.
Still a 5-star product I am very happy with.
When I recently renewed my passion for astronomy earlier this year (2010), I started pulling out my little ETX-90 on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the aperture size and long focal length really limited my viewing to Saturn. I decided it was time to go for something with a bit more power. I bought the 10″ DOB I mentioned above. It wasn’t passed than the third trip outside, precariously carrying the OTA (Optical Tube Assembly) while “butting” the door open and avoiding hitting my dining room table, that I decided I needed to return that monstrosity for something more portable (by the way, it was a wonderful scope! If you can store it where moving it isn’t a problem, it’ll do the job!).
Enter the Celestron NexStar 6SE.
When the scope arrived, I opened the box and pulled out the parts. Having watched the instructional video on how to assemble the item earlier in the day, I didn’t even need to look at the directions to get it put together. The tripod was solid and had little play. The OTA was easy to “drop” onto the pins on the tripod, and then I only needed to lock down the three knobbed screws to mount the scope completely. I did need to align the viewfinder, which was easy enough by lining up on Venus.
I had forgotten how much I liked the GOTO system (my old ETX-90’s mount had long ago stopped functioning). For the 6SE, I used the NexStar alignment method on my first attempt, which simply required 3 bright objects in the sky – I did not need to know what the objects were (you will, however, have to enter some other info like your latitude and longitude, time zone, date and time. Your latitude and longitude is easily found online). It was now time for the first viewing. I selected my old standby, Saturn. The scope slewed very quickly to the object, even going back and forth a bit to account for any play in the gears. When I looked through the low powered eye piece (25mm), Saturn was just left of center (likely my fault on the initial alignment). I then manually centered the planet and replaced my eye piece with a higher powered piece – a 9mm lens. All I can say is wow. I live a few miles from the Pittsburgh International Airport, so light pollution is a real problem for me. But, Saturn came in as crisp as I have ever seen it, and 4 of her moons were very easily discernible.
However, planetary viewing isn’t so difficult with even the most basic scope. I decided to try a few more difficult targets. I could see that The Big Dipper was out, so I typed in M51 – The Whirlpool Galaxy. After a few quick moments of slewing, I took to the eyepiece again (back to the 25mm, btw), and there were two “eyes” looking at me (M51 is actually two galaxies). Of course with bad seeing conditions and a 6″ scope, I could not make out any of the “arms” of the galaxy, but I could easily see the telltale fuzzy eyes. I was quite surprised I was able to resolve them that easily with the smaller aperture on this scope! I don’t remember my old 6″ DOB having that easy of a time, but maybe that was due to the GOTO capability of this item.
Next, I turned my attention to M81 and M82, two other galaxies very close to The Dipper. They came in great, with M82 showing off its profile nicely even with my (relatively) bad seeing conditions.
Finally, I hit M3, which is a brilliant globular star cluster. The cluster was a wonderful view in this scope. Switching to a higher power eye piece caused many stars to shimmer in and out of view – it was jaw dropping.
Anyway, I wanted to point out that, if you need a portable scope that is capable of showing you some wonderful astronomical sights, this scope fits the bill. Although another reviewer is right in that the stock eye pieces aren’t incredible (nor are any other stock pieces!), you would certainly be happy with this scope for the occasional “quick” viewing session. Heck, put a few additional dollars (well, a few hundred!) down for some better eye pieces, and you’ll be thrilled for years to come!
One final note: due to the design of the Schmidt Cassegrain scope, you are almost required to buy a dew shield, unless you live in Phoenix or some other really dry area. Here in the northeast, my scope fogged up very quickly. I was able to build a temporary dew shield with some black construction paper that worked fine, but that’s no long term solution. Astronomy is certainly not a cheap hobby!
Overall, I am very pleased with this scope. And, unless you are more than casually into this hobby, I think you will be, too.
The scope came with a single 25mm eyepiece, and although it gave me my first views of the sky through a telescope, I had to buy some new eyepieces and filters to get the most of the night sky, so expect to make another investment shortly after purhcasing.
Other accessories that I think are essential are a power adapter, batteries can be used but these are meant to be used in tandem with a mains supply incase the power cord temporarily comes free, meaning you would lose your alignment if there were no batteries providing backup. Some sort of dew shield is also crucial as most SCTs provide no protection, and dew collects on the main lense literally all the time meaning you won’t see anything. A battery pack is also a necessary piece of kit if you’re planning on taking your telescope to rural locations for dark sky viewing, a power tank is available for purchase from Celestron, however any battery pack for jump starting cars is more than sufficient.
In terms of what you can see through it, spectacular views of the lunar surface, Saturn’s rings and moons, Jupiter and its moons, and also Mars are available. I would say don’t expect to be seeing colourful gas clouds and nebulae through it as many people often do.
It’s computerised mount enables you to align it to the stars, so that you can punch in which object you want to look at, the Andromeda Galaxy for example, and the telescope will automatically point itself at the object. Alignment is relatively easy and can be done in a few moments. Astrophotography is probably a main aspect influencing most of the telescope’s design, and stunning images can be produced with a little bit of practice. There is also a Nexstar book that is written specifically for use with these telescopes that is most useful.
The tripod, often not mentioned in descriptions, is extremely sturdy and ensures that few wobbles disrupt observation.
On the whole an excellent telescope for the price, and well worth the investment. If you’re stuck for choice with telescopes and quite like the look of this one then it’s probably the one for you.
I got a 12V rechargeable “Power Tank” as it was tending to get through the AA batteries.
On its tripod it’s just about portable for one person to cart in and out of the house.
Positives:
– Works. Great for the novice. Schmidt-Cassegrain so from what I read it should be maintenance free and should be great for both planetary and deep sky objects.
– Looks great
Improvements needed:
– When it’s tracking an object that passes vertically overhead, aside from not being able to physically get your head in to look into the eyepiece, the tracking gets completely confused. When you pick the next object to view it inverts its direction of movement and points somewhere to the ground! This means you have to realign from scratch. Hope they sort this out with a software upgrade
– The remote takes some fiddling to get back into its attachment. Will probably get easier with practice.
– It would have been better to have an integrated bubble level. It comes with a small level with a sticky back but there is no real place to conveniently stick it permanently.
A few notes:
– Don’t try to take the battery cover off with your nails – painful.
– I was charged 20 for a power adapter which ends up being just a generic power adapter with different ends that you can probably get for a few quid from Argos.
– PC Cable should have been USB rather than an older type RS-232 cable as I’ll now have to buy an adapter.