NexStar 8SE

Dear Fellow Astronomers... If Buying One, Please read All. When setting up, don't forget the bubble-level supplied. It is an essential part of an ALT-AZ mount. Get the mount "flat" to the ground. If on old grass, with a thatch, or soft ground, tripod pads may help with "drift", over a session. With this sorted, what can I say ?!! Amazing Telescope is the minimum comment. You have gained a Portable, Superb value telescope. It is obvious that other eyepieces may be a requirement. I bought a case of assorted eyepieces and filters (Celestron). I treated myself to a zoom lens too, great fun, but not essential (using many lenses in the construction, shall reduce brightness, but if your target is the moon or planets, or bright nebulae ..is interesting). Having read other reviews (thank you all), I bought a Celestron Power Tank. AA batteries are a great option though. With a corrector plate, dewing over, in the cold, is a possible issue. Again, a Celestron Dew Shield, prevents this. There are electric ones around, but a basic shround has served me well enough with a frosty air. In short you could end up buying many "extras", which are not required. I bought a focal reducer for brighter, wider angled view (Creating effectictive telescope ratio to F6.3 compared to C8 F10, as bought - is easy to screw on/off at the eyepiece holder). Do you need this ? I did for some things, but could have survived without. Decide what you need to add, and don't go mad for "power/magnification". 50x Magnification for every Inch of scope is great, before the loss of resolution starts. I found Jupiter's Red Spot (more light brown at the moment), at 150x. Yes, go higher if image clear and stable. However, know the difference between a clear sky, and good "seeing", when the stars have very little "twinkle". The atmosphere can be be deceptive from day/night. Avoid being disappointed, if a clear view is so different from one night to the next. I do not do astrophotography, Very expensive hobby. Visual is best for me. In a "captured image", the Brighter stars are Bigger. though they are not. In the eyepiece you always get that "needle-point" image, just more intense when brighter. Stunning vistas. Even Barnard's star, was amazing. Tiny faint needle-point star field, with an obvious faint red dwarf. I would not have found this, with any ease, without the GOTO handset where you can enter the celestial co-ordinates (RA-DEC) of any object (the menu options in your manual describing the handset controls - indeed always read your manuals - even though not "trendy" !) I needed that facility to "GOTO" for a few comets too, their constantly moving position, can be found online, each day. However below, for fun, to show what you can have a go at/for, with a mobile phoneholder on the eyepiece, is a limited view of Venus at Crescent phase (minor wobble), and a moon shot. Lastly, Alignment is very easy ! "2 star", if you know the Star Names, or "3 star", for Any Bright objects, but you must be accurate with location, and local time. To note, give a good spread, in compass angle (azimuth), of targets, whichever mode of alignment. Keep it simple, and do as much as you feel happy with, the 25mm eyepiece is fine. AA batteries are fine, don't spend a fortune with add-ons. Grow With the scope and what you want from it. A fantastic telescope. Have fun looking up !!! P.S. I had to add some lovely images of M42. The Great Nebula of Orion. As mentioned above, sometimes it is the night (seeing) that picks Us ! I love the visual of M42 in my 25mm eyepiece. If you Google "Messier 42 in a telescope eyepiece", you shall see images, drawn on paper (sketches), of huge flowing arms of gas. It is stunning in reality ! I could not take my eyes of it, even though a frosty night. What you Cannot See in low light is the colour ! I thought to put my phone over the eyepiece, with my phone holder, with some setting changes (mid-range Samsung, selecting:- Camera/More/Pro - many adjustments available), and was blown away. And had to share with you all. One lovely "still", showing the trapezium quartet of stars in this stellar nursery. One I over-exposed, showing more of M42 ... and M43 popped out, top-right (adjoined), and then for fun, I took a video ! ( you may need to increase screen brightness for full effect). The shimmering/scintillation is only atmospherics, though sure that that would be more the case, nearer to it ! I did a video of Jupiter too, but only one video allowed here. All my shots in this review are my first attempts, with no processing. Just for fun and show a little of what a Celestron C8 can provide. Additional: Don't forget to use the "Sky Tour" button (also number 5), on the handset... for other delights ! I found that it can give me, some targets, very low on the horizon, so if not available, "arrow skip" them and carry on. Enjoy. I do.

This is a top notch telescope. Everything about it is quality and it is all heavy, solid stuff. The quality of the optics is superb. Surprisingly, it is very easy to put together. And then to use it, I thought it might be complicated. But it isn't. To start with, you can use the hand control like a joystick to just point it and use the finder scope! The spiret level was a breeze to use because if you extend the tripod on a level surface, it is bang on anyway. I like the useful max power of 500x and the impressive 8inch appature to gather the light. Use this with a computer connected CCD eyepiece and it is even more unbelievable good! Expensive but great quality, built to last and zip running costs. Oh, and you can get a power adapter for 12 pounds to save on the batteries too.

I've always had a keen interest in the skies since I was a little girl...having played around with various cheaper alternatives it has to be said you really do get what you pay for. Although this telescope doesn't come cheap it really is worth every penny so if you have a genuine love of the night sky and want to see the universe in great detail then this is an investment. I purchased this around 3 months ago and the only frustrating thing has been cloudy skies. Weather hasn't been too great up north but on the good few occasions it's been clear it has been worth freezing your socks off in the garden to see the beauty of the night sky ! The moon is spectacular through this scope, also Jupiter and it's moons have been exhilarating ! I've also tried to get my children in on this and it's well worth seeing your kids gasp at the sights you can see through this telescope that are clearly invisible to the naked eye. It's well worth every penny and I'm sure it will last years as this is a sturdy telescope. In agreement with other reviews the only real slight flaw I can give is the vibration of the tripod at times but it's not a big deal and later down the line there are other tripods that can replace it. It is worth investing in other products for instance get a good set of eye pieces and I also purchased the skywatcher power pack as batteries are unreliable. I just hope the overcast skies disappear soon so I can take this out more. After 3 trips to the lakes I found it was a waste of time travelling there as it was so overcast but despite the extra room it takes up in the car, I've decided that this telescope will come with me wherever I go! Highly recommend this piece of fabulous kit!!!!!

Only owning a 2nd hand 5 inch telescope, I have always wanted an 8 inch telescope (size is everything) and decided to buy in xmas sale. I was unfortunately very disappointed. Firstly, the computer needs the date/time set on EVERY usage. Secondly the red dot finder (RDF) is practically useless (you struggle to see anything thru it with one eye) and the focussing requires 32 turns of a cheap knob. The Sky Align said it had worked (point at three bright objects) but I could not get it to find objects (the aim was slightly off) despite checking levelling, date/time, location and so on. Tried again (from scratch) on a clearer night but had exactly the same issues and at the end of the day could not justify the expense of this item (to my wife) with the frustrating experience. I suspect the light gathering optics are probably great, but could not locate any objects (either automatically or manually) with this set up. Cannot believe something this expensive comes without the facility to maintain date/time and has a useless RDF and dodgy focusser ... so I am disappointedly returning as “not fit for purpose” and returning to my 5 inch which at a fraction of the price of this scope at least allows me to view objects (automatically and manually) I.e. it works. Perhaps this scope could be great but not without buying gps (£150) to feed date/time, motorised focus (£150) and better auto finder (e.g. sky prodigy £350) which is outside my budget.

Astronomy made easy or so I was lend to believe. You do need a good knowledge of the stars to setup this up. That’s he moan out the way. This is the best telescope I’ve ever had the pleasure to own. Yes it’s not straight forward to setup but once done the night’s stargazing is an absolute pleasure. That power and clarity of the optics is outstanding. Looking through the telescope for the first time was as if I’d opened my eye for the first time. I could not believe what I was seeing the brightness was incredible. It is not the cheapest of telescope and only get the one lens but I do feel it would be money well spent. The mount is well made and quite sturdy. Easy to fit the goto arm and the telescope is simple to fit too. Take about 5 minutes there’s a few options to align the telescope once done your good to go. The finder scope that come with this I’d don’t rate at all I can’t get on with it and will be replacing it as soon as possible. Everything else about the telescope is great there’s a little lens holder that fits on the mount and help keep everything sturdy. For mobility it’s a good size not to bulky the case for this is £300 up but I do feel with a little effort you use some of the packaging and away you go. I’d recommend this telescope every day of the week Excellent work Celestron this Nexstar 8se is fantastic.

I had always had an interest in astronomy, and was stimulated to take it further by seeing the rings of Saturn in a telescope demonstrated at Whitby. Then, how much to spend? Patrick Moore said don't spend less than £400. In a way it was rather like buying a boat. It would not be something I would use every day or even every week, I might not continue to use it for the rest of my life, it would take some time to get to know how to use it in a satisfying way. My first choice of equipment might not be the most suitable. I had always found Amazon a good source of products, and reading the reviews pointed me towards the Celestron Nexstar 8SE. Hearing from a retailer that they flew off the shelves as soon as they came in confirmed that impression. Amazon delivered right away, which the retailer couldn't. The telescope worked straight away after assembling, though I had to buy 8 AA batteries. The instruction book needs a bit of updating - it alleged that the telescope is delivered pre-assembled, which it wasn't. Fortunately it was fairly obvious. The delivery packaging can be reinforced with Duck tape for use as storage. The only significant problem I've had was when the hand controller screen froze into the "Transmit Data" mode. The Celestron website advised switching on and off repeatedly, which didn't work, and then said download new software, which was fairly easy and did work. I think this telescope will suit me for quite a long time.

I've been an amateur astronomer for about 18 months and owned this scope for the last year, and I'm absolutely delighted with it. The major factors in this scope's favor are: - Excellent light gathering for deep sky observations (less than 8 inch aperture is generally considered too small) - Superb resolution on the moon and planets (0.58 arc seconds, which will get you to 400x magnification but needs outstandingly clear, still skies) - Easy to use, respectably accurate computer control (you do need to know some stars, and should read the instructions though) - Exceptional portability (I can carry the entire scope downstairs and into the garden fully assembled) Things to be aware of when buying are: - It only comes with one eyepiece, which gives 80x magnification and seems good quality. I strongly recommend using this for at least a month and reading up before buying any more (they are at least as difficult to choose between as telescopes), and advise against the frequently advertised eyepiece sets. - A power tank is an absolute necessity, unless you intend to buy 8xAA batteries every other week. Search for "7Ah 12V Power tank" on your favorite search engine (Amazon really should sell these as well!) I'd also recommend you get a copy of "Turn Left at Orion", to give you an idea of what you point it at, and that you join an astronomy society. Other than that, you're ready to go. Clear skies.

The first unit arrived but was faulty. It kept coming up with a fault on the handset. This unit arrived with tape on the boxes so I’m assuming it was a returned item resent out. As always, Amazon support was great, they arranged for a collection and a replacement to be sent to me. The new unit works just fine. Now, the unit has proven to be not the easiest scope to use. Mine is more complicated as I’ve added an EQ wedge onto it. My suggestion for anyone new to this hobby is to not add an EQ wedge from day one. Leave the scope as is from the factory and use it until things like alignment etc become familiar with you. Only then, add a wedge. Trust me, it will save a lot of headaches and cold nights stood outside cursing. One final comment. Be prepared to spend some extra money on accessories. This is not a cheap hobby, everything cost a fortune. Invest wisely and buy the best quality you can afford.

This is my second scope. The first was a Bushnell 4.5 inch reflector of disputable quality. The mirror was good, but I had to replace the flimzy tripod and get better eyepieces to even attempt to see anything clearly. This telescope is superior a hundred fold . The image of jupiter, for instance, is crisp and clear with the included 25mm eyepiece, Seeing hasn't been very good here, in Quebec City, these last few days, but I was able to observe the king of planets with a 10mm eyepiece and enjoy details impossible to discern with my old reflector. Allignement of the go to is relatively simple. The hand controller has a red backlight to preserve night vision. However, with the backlight on during allignement, the scrolling of instructions on the hand controller display is unreadable. Tracking is good, but I have noticed that occasionaly, the scope seems to loose track of the object, which makes it necessary to use the hand controller to bring things back on track. One of the reasons I purchased this scope was because it can be easily transported and assembled. The tube need not be removed from the mount. It can be rotated vertically to align with the mount arm into a neat compact package easily storable in my OTA bag. The tripod is also compact and light. Contrary to other comments, I find the tripod and mount well built and sturdy enough for the nexstar. A question of opinion, I suppose. I purchased the 18774 power tank with this scope, which I think is essential. The tracking motor will eat through the required AA batteries in no time. I also burchased the AC adapter. There is only one 25mm eyepiece included with the scope. The purchase of a few more of different magnification, a barlow and a few filters such as a lunar filter is a good idea. However, the nexstar is highly usable with the included accessory. There are many resources on the web which are helpful in the use of this SCT. Michael Swanson's Nexstar site, for one, has a lot of good info, although some of it seems outdated. Youtube is also a good source of valuable information. Included in the box: Scope and tripod (obviously) , tripod accessory tray, level for the tripod, 25mm eyepiece, 1.25 inch Star diagonal, Starpointer finderscope, The Sky Level 1 Astronomy Software, NexRemote telescope control software, RS232 Cable (you'll need an RS232 to USB adapter for newer computers) The good: Crisp image Easy assembly Easily transportable and storable Sturdy enough tripod Easy alignement with the hand controller The Bad: Scrolling text on the hand controller is unreadable when backlight is on. Tracking sometimes lost. To conclude, I have so far no regrets with my purchase. And although I have only a few hours of observations with the scope, I am quite satisfied. With mars and saturn soon to be in opposition, I believe the next few weeks will bring loads of astronomical fun. ***After a couple months of use, I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience with this scope. I had mentionned in my initial review that the scrolling text on the hand controller (HC) was unreadable at night, with the red backlight on. As I navigated through the numerous menus on the HC, I realized that I could set the speed of the scrolling, which pretty well solved that problem. So scratch that from the "Bad". The gears in this scope produce some backlash. This problem is well documented on the web and must be taken into consideration when attempting to do a proper star alignement and expect the scope to center on planets. Without some ajustements in the settings of the HC, planets will never align properly in your eye piece once the star alignement has been performed. I've found some very helpful astronomy forums with valuable info regarding different settings to minimize the impact of this backlash. I've added a spotting scope which makes the optical tube back heavy. I had no idea that this could have an impact on the the alignement, but it does. Call that a newb's mistake, I suppose . All in all, my experience with this telescopes has greatly improved with the knowledge collected on the web. So, the second point on my "bad" list still applies, but it can be remedied. My allignements are still not perfect. I still have to test some settings, but I'm getting very close. It's only a matter of time. But all this does not minimize the fact that this great telescope has enabled me to observe the marvels of our solar system and beyond with a clarity that truly amazes me. It's easy to set up, light and transportable. A great buy for a beginner like myself, and certainly for more experienced amateur astronomers. And worthy of its fifth star. (PS. The celestron GPS for this scope is a very helpful addition, by the way.) Celestron 93969 SkySync GPS Accessory

Very nice and easy-to-use and assemble final i saw Jupiter

Il prodotto è di buona fattura, non ho trovato difetti di sorta. Buono anche l'imballaggio che può essere usato anche per lo stoccaggio dello strumento. Il treppiede è ben fatto e solido ed è di rapido montaggio con la testa della montatura. Per i principianti come me, consiglio di scaricare il software Celestron per aiutare l'allineamento del telescopio e per l'update del computer della montatura. Sono molto soddisfatto dell' acquisto.

Where to start...first, I am so happy with this telescope! We transitioned from the Celestron 80MM Star Sense Explorer to this scope. Quite a jump, I know but so glad we did. So...it was a bit heavier than expected but manageable. I had to do a lot of reading and I am still learning about the "utilities" and settings and it definitely took some time to get used to. The manual is okay but you will find more on You tube and on the Celestron website for tutorials. Putting the scope together was simple enough. The red dot finder is not great, definitely need to upgrade that if you choose not to purchase the Star Sense Auto Align. More on that later. The 25 mm lens that comes with the scope is actually really good and we pair it with the Barlow lens. The scope arrived in great condition and was packaged nicely. The tripod is decent and easy to adjust. So back to the Auto Align. the first few times we took the scope out we attempted to use the 3-star alignment....never could get it to work correctly....having said that...we live in a light polluted area near Nashville so we expected some issues. After attempting this alignment several times we decided to purchase the Star Sense Auto Align...I know it is fairly pricey but wow, so glad we did!!! The Star Sense aligned the first time and has worked great each time (read my review on that one as well, hopefully it will help if you decide to purchase it). I had never seen the Orion Nebula before and my first early morning viewing was breathtaking! Views of Saturn, the Moon, and Jupiter are fantastic...you can see the Cassini division in Saturn's rings. Images are clear and detailed. The one thing that I was unaware of when purchasing this scope and only found out after watching some You Tube videos is that you have to upgrade the firmware on the mount....the joy of being a newbie! So things we purchased for this scope that may be of use for someone purchasing it: 1. Celestron X-Cel 12 MM lens 2. Celestron X-Cel 3x Barlow 3. Celestron Oxygen iii Filter 4. Baader UHC-S Nebula Filter 5. Celestron Solar Filter (8" for the 8 SE) 6. Celestron Lithium Power Tank 12 V (a must have or you will be replacing batteries every 30 minutes) 7. Colored filters but mainly Red, Violet, Blue, and a Moon filter...haven't used the other colors yet. Orion has a great set, although it is expensive. 8. A carrying case- we travel a lot....Celestron has one for this tube size, otherwise use the boxes it came in- they work just as great! 9. A pelican case for your eyepieces and filters....we purchased one with pullouts and made our own...or you can buy one from Celestron. 10. And a must have for those living in the South or colder climates...a dew shield or heater! 11. A red flash light or just use the red light on the Lithium Power tank. 12. Last but not least....for newbies...there are several companion books you can purchase....The Backyard Astronomer's Guide, Night Watch, The Total Skywatcher's Manual, and National Geographic has some great books. We love locating things in the sky, then looking them up and reading about them. The books also contain great tips and suggestions from purchasing eyepieces to filters, and how to best view objects in the night sky. All of these items were purchased on Amazon and we bought them over time but each purchase has enhanced our viewing and really made our nights out so enjoyable. Pros: So many but to name a few... Great, clear images, mostly newbie friendly- just have to educate yourself on operating the telescope to get the most out of it, a lot of items available for purchase to upgrade your experience, and with the star sense auto align you can spend hours outside enjoying clear skies. Not to say most people cannot get the 3-star alignment, we just lost patience with it and purchased the auto align :-) Cons: Manual not so great...You Tube has great videos from knowledgeable enthusiasts, it seems a bit heavy but manageable for one person. My husband is always with me so portability isn't an issue but just going out alone it may be somewhat heavy. Overall, I am so happy with this purchase and would recommend it for anyone wanting to add a more advanced telescope to their collection. There are several tutorials available online at Celestron and via You Tube that I encourage you to view. The telescope can be a bit intimidating for those that are new to the hobby but with a little research you will be loving it! We take it out at least 3x per week (skies permitting). The most beautiful site seen was the other morning I went out at 5 am and viewed Venus...the moon, and Orion's Nebula...so clear and amazing...it was definitely a treasure trove that morning, spent about 90 minutes viewing the sky until the Sun started to come up...very peaceful! We are still learning this telescope and each thing we learn just enhances our experience. I was hesitant on this purchase at first...a lot of money to spend plus accessories but we are so glad we decided to buy it! Definitely do your research to determine which telescope is best for you and your goals but this is a great one for those just entering the hobby or graduating from a starter scope. Now if we could only afford to buy another one of these so my husband and I don't fight over viewing time!

This is my first telescope since I was a teen. Setting up the telescope wasn’t easy. Need patience, but once set up great views. As the telescope only comes with one lens, you should include additional lenses with greater magnification.