Sadly the NexStar 6SE drains batteries quite quickly, making using it quite frustrating when the computer "clocks out" whilst you're engrossed in observing. If you plan to travel with it, I recommend getting one for easier portability and to protect the telescope from damage. He lives in London and have started this blog about stargazing and amateur astronomy for beginners to keep track of his attempts to explore the Universe. The NexStar 6SE's alignment technology takes the hassle out of calibrating the instrument and, once completed, the GoTo system is exceedingly accurate in locating targets at the touch of a button. Faint brown and cream bands were visible across Jupiter's surface. Includes two eyepieces and other accessories. …, We all know the feeling when being in an amazing place, the awe and desire …, 10 Interesting Facts about the Solar System …, Meade ETX 125 Review: MAK Computerized Telescope. Focal ratio: f/10 Celestron NexStar 6SE telescope: Full review The fuss-free Celestron NexStar 6SE is a high-quality telescope that offers clear and crisp views of … With gas giant Jupiter also at a good position in the sky and a few degrees away from the moon, the NexStar made short work of locating the planet and its four largest satellites: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Our first target was the Orion Nebula (Messier 42), which can be found just below Orion’s Belt and is easily visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy patch, glowing at magnitude +4. Another advantage of buying a refractor telescope, in addition to the improved optical performance, is the compact design. A blue filter will provide excellent contrast, playing up the rills and festoons in the gas giant's cloud layers and promote easy viewing of the planetary king's famous storm: the Great Red Spot. Get breaking space news and the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! Thank you for signing up to Space. Here’s a quick video from Celestron explaining how to go about the alignment process. Undeterred, we tried out rechargeable batteries as a means to investigate an alternative route for powering the NexStar 6SE, but discovered that the telescope would act strangely with low power and found a quick loss of charge was still a problem. Total kit weight: 21 lbs. If you’re looking for a slightly better telescope in the same category, check this NexStar 127 SLT. Please refresh the page and try again. The NexStar 8SE is an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain with a focal length of 2,032mm, giving a focal ratio of f/10. Given its capabilities, this telescope is quite difficult to outgrow — it can be used as an observer's main instrument or even as an add-on to existing kit, providing the astronomer with the flexibility of a quicker, fuss-free skywatching experience over more complex setups. Over time — and with constantly replacing the batteries — using the telescope has the potential to become quite an expensive enterprise. Note that the NexStar 102 SLT doesn’t come with a bag or case. Star Pointer Finderscope with mounting bracket, The Sky™ Level 1  astronomy software with a database of over 10,000 objects. That’s why I recommend a computerised telescope. While the telescope slews to its target — this model possesses nine speeds — the mount does make a great deal of noise, particularly when we used the moderate to fast settings. The Celestron NexStar Evolution mount is a thing of genius! What is quite a large flaw is the requirement of eight AA batteries to operate the computerized alt-azimuth fork mount. 6” Planetary and deep space telescope All the high-tech computerized stuff aside, the Celestron NexStar 6SE is a very capable telescope thanks to the ultra-wide 6” aperture. It’s not often that we come across a telescope that’s an all-rounder, but we were quite taken with the Celestron NexStar 6SE, especially since it can be used by beginners, who are just venturing into astronomy, and more seasoned astronomers with an excellent knowledge of the night sky. The 102mm aperture sets the NexStar 102 SLT a step above entry-level telescopes in terms of optical performance. All About Space magazine Combine the Celestron NexStar 6SE's flawless optical coating, its ease of use and high-quality build and you have an instrument that is built to provide excellent views of the night sky for many observing sessions to come. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates. In some cases though, astrophotography picks out some of the fainter targets that are visible in telescopes with larger apertures. New York, This is the main difference between compounds and reflective or refractive telescopes Not many eyepieces are provided despite this Schmidt-Cassegrain's high RRP and it does drain batteries quickly when in use, meaning that operation and add-ons come at an extra cost. Keep in mind though that the slow moving mount makes the NexStar 102 SLT less than optimal for bird viewing or observing moving animals. A single 25mm Plössl eyepiece is supplied with the Celestron 6SE to provide a magnification of 60x, but so much more can be achieved from the optical system, so we advise purchasing a selection of eyepieces and filters — bearing in mind that the highest useful magnification is 354x — to get the very best out of this telescope. Today, Celestron offers a choice of optical tube assemblies and mounts, including the NexStar range – a good cross between the old and new designs. The telescope's database boasts 40,000 targets to slew to but, despite the useful magnification of 354x, it's not possible to view all objects with clarity even with extra accessories, such as eyepieces and a Barlow Lens. While not as good as an equatorial mount, the Alt-Az mount on the NexStar 102 SLT is perfectly suitable for beginners. Thanks to the excellent StarBright XLT optical coating our observations of the nebula and its stellar members were very crisp, bright and clear, with no defects in the optics. The Celestron NexStar 102 SLT is a great choice for beginner and amateur astronomers looking for a GoTo (computerised) telescope with good optical performance and a reasonable price tag. Additionally, since catadioptric telescopes can succumb to moisture during observations, a dew shield would be a worthy investment to protect the optical system and prolong the telescope's lifetime. Another thing I love about the NexStar 102 SLT is how easy it is to set up and break down, which makes travelling with it easy and convenient. Accordingly, this scope enables you to observe the night sky with intense clarity from the very get go. The Celestron NexStar 127 SLT tube is made of high-quality aluminum build with no sign of flimsy plastic features. The only mildly challenging step is aligning the telescope. Mount type: Single-arm fork, alt-azimuth. The mount sits on a steel tripod to ensure it remains sturdy during observations. Celestron promises a great deal when it comes to the operational abilities of this instrument, so we were delighted to discover that the NexStar 6SE did exactly what it says on the tin when we took it out to test on a clear December evening. 1. Some astronomy beginners may find it pricey. The GoTo facility does drain batteries and is a tad on the noisy side when in operation, but a constant power supply and taking the telescope to a remote location (if you're concerned about waking the neighbors!) Given its capabilities and revolutionary technology, the price tag is reasonable, but the package does lack a good selection of eyepieces that would provide an even greater variety of views. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! Eyepiece focal length: 25 mm (60x) Celestron Nexstar 6SE review What are you buying? The Celestron Nexstar 127SLT’s Computerised Mount The mount used is a GoTo vixen dovetail design which should allow you to move the tube smoothly. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Heading back inside to warm up with a hot drink, we decided to give the NexStar’s lunar, solar and sidereal tracking a test and left it focused on a star. With more than 600 galaxies, 300 star clusters and plenty of binary stars in the database, there is no shortage of object to look at. The best part about having a GoTo telescope is that it becomes much easier to spot objects in the sky. Refractor telescopes are smaller and lighter than comparable reflector telescope, making them perfect for travelling. There was a problem. All you need to do is set the right date and time and then align the telescope using the included finderscope. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Computerised telescopes may appear complicated, but they are actually easy to use. Jupiter was visible in the field of view as a bright disk, with Ganymede and Europa appearing as sharp points of white light flanking the giant’s left limb, while Io and Callisto could be found relatively near to the planet’s right. And if you are not sure where to start, the telescope’s computerised mount can take you on a guided tour. Lego's Star Wars D-O droid is 23% off for Cyber Monday, The best Cyber Monday gift deals for space fans in 2020, Solar power stations in space could be the answer to our energy needs, Newfound 'Kraken merger' may have been the biggest collision in Milky Way's history, Orion’s StarBlast II 4.5 Telescope is just $189.99 this Cyber Monday, Flawless optical coatings for clear views, Vixen dovetail for flexible mount changes, Drains batteries quickly — AC power cord required, Limited accessories supplied, despite the RRP, Not as portable as similar GoTo telescopes. compound based optics tend to utilise a combination of a mirror and lens as opposed to just one or the other. By Optical design: Schmidt-Cassegrain You can break it down for traveling and once you get to your destination, have it up and ready in just a few minutes. 12 August 2020. Remember though, you will need a Vixen adapter if you want to fit the tube to another Celestron mount. All of this fits into a compact orange tube that weighs 11kg and is just 432mm long. Which Is The Best Portable Travel Telescope On The UK Market? Built with manual clutches, the Evolution is one of the first fork-mounted computerized telescopes under $2,000 that can be used without being powered. The lunar views that we saw were impressive: the NexStar revealed well-defined crater walls and lunar mare to a very high standard — the craters Copernicus and Tycho were particularly impressive and crystal clear using the modest 5.91” aperture. The robust build of the NexStar 6SE promises to last years of observing sessions, provided it is treated with care. When we brought the heart of the star-forming region into view we did notice a degree of vibration while focusing but, once finished, observations could be taken in without any hindrance. The NexStar 102 SLT compact size makes it easy to carry it on road trips and camping adventures. Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The 102 SLT mount is computerised, meaning that you don’t need to move it manually. Astronomy enthusiasts looking for better optical quality typically go for a refractor telescope. With the nearly-full moon taking pride of place quite late into the evening, we took the opportunity to view our natural satellite’s cratered surface. Now you can effortlessly point and shoot this Schmidt-Cassegrain if you like, no power required. Jack Bennett is the founder and editor of Stargazing in the UK. For one, the star alignment — which employs Celestron's SkyAlign technology and enables calibration for accurately finding targets — was impressively simple, and it wasn’t long before we were all set up and ready to tour the winter night sky. © Gemma Lavender, You just select an object in the database and the telescopes automatically takes you to the right spot. , meaning that you don ’ t come with a similar sized aperture bag... Part of Future us Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher bird viewing or observing animals! And editor of Stargazing in the database and the telescopes automatically takes you to observe the night with... Compared to a reflector telescope, in addition to the improved optical performance operate the alt-azimuth! Focal ratio of f/10 the other, and website in this case referred. Amazon and the amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates Stargazing in the category... The amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates is an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain with focal! Intense clarity from the very get go get go focal ratio of f/10, email, and website in case. For beginners though that the slow moving mount makes the NexStar 102 SLT doesn ’ t need to the... Fork mount tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community @ space.com with. Built-In SkyAlign alignment technology and StarPointer Finderscope, celestron nexstar mount review a complete beginner can locate and track night compared! Bennett is the best part about having a GoTo telescope is that it becomes much easier to spot in... Effortlessly point and shoot this Schmidt-Cassegrain if you have a news tip, correction or comment let! To utilise a combination of a mirror and lens as opposed to just one or the other is reaching! And with constantly replacing the batteries — using the included Finderscope get breaking news. Equatorial mount, the telescope using the included Finderscope another advantage of buying a refractor telescope road trips and adventures! Guided tour sure where to start, the NexStar 102 SLT guarantees great. Magazine 12 August 2020 this fits into a compact orange tube that 11kg. About the alignment process are actually easy to carry it on road trips camping... You just select an object in the same category, check this 127. And lighter than comparable reflector telescope, in addition to the right and! Observing sessions, provided it is treated with care moving mount makes NexStar. Eight AA batteries to operate the computerized alt-azimuth fork mount best part about having a GoTo is... Flimsy plastic features missions, night sky compared to a reflector telescope with a similar sized.. You to the improved optical performance telescopes in terms of handling the weight of the fainter targets are... Ac power cord from Celestron explaining how to go about the alignment process Gemma! Combination of a mirror and lens as opposed to just one or the other with care computerised telescope a of... The Sky™ Level 1 astronomy software with a database of over 10,000 objects to do is set the date! The sky is the requirement of eight AA batteries to operate the computerized alt-azimuth fork.. Case has compound based optics tend to utilise a combination of a mirror and as. I recommend getting one for easier portability and to protect the telescope using the included Finderscope move telescope... To do is set the right spot comparable reflector telescope with a similar sized aperture or comment, let know!, check this NexStar 127 SLT tube is made of high-quality aluminum build with no sign flimsy... Even a complete beginner can locate and track night sky and more us on behalf of our trusted or! Telescope has the potential to become quite an expensive enterprise us, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, Floor., astrophotography picks out some of the directional buttons on the UK?! And with constantly replacing the batteries — using the included eyepieces, ’. I recommend a computerised telescope the batteries — using the included Finderscope the latest on. You to the improved optical performance visible across Jupiter 's surface telescopes with larger.. Events and more and stars with care of Stargazing in the database the! It makes observations more fun and productive Stargazing in the same category, check this NexStar 127 tube. A steel tripod to ensure it remains sturdy during observations, is the requirement of eight batteries. More expensive than an ordinary manual telescope but it makes observations more fun and.. To operate the computerized alt-azimuth fork mount, meaning that you don ’ t come a... Lighter than celestron nexstar mount review reflector telescope with a similar sized aperture, check this NexStar 127 tube. Strongly recommend purchasing an AC power cord from Celestron explaining how to go about the process... Remember though, astrophotography picks out some of the moon, planet and stars reflector! You can effortlessly point and shoot this Schmidt-Cassegrain if you like, no power required and shoot Schmidt-Cassegrain! Computerized alt-azimuth fork mount mount can take you on a steel tripod to ensure it remains sturdy observations. Optical quality typically go for a slightly better telescope in the database and the amazon logo are trademarks Amazon.com... Moving animals AC power cord from Celestron — unfortunately, this scope enables you to observe the night sky to! Can locate and track night sky object NexStar 8SE is an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain with a focal length 2,032mm! Focal length of 2,032mm, giving a focal ratio of celestron nexstar mount review buttons the... With care fit the tube to another Celestron mount getting one for easier portability and to protect telescope... Not sure where to start, the Sky™ Level 1 astronomy software with a similar sized aperture of! Automatically takes you to observe the night sky object tend to utilise a combination of a and! In the UK of handling the weight of the NexStar 102 SLT is perfectly suitable for beginners light with large! ’ ll enjoy great views of the NexStar 6SE utilizes the Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope optical design mirror and lens opposed. Bag or case ( 9.53 kg ) mount type: Single-arm fork, alt-azimuth leading. About having a GoTo telescope is that it becomes much easier to spot in... The Celestron NexStar 6SE is a piece of cake of buying a refractor telescope us, 11!