Celestron NexStar 5 SE Telescope Review – The Sophisticated Minimalist

Celestron NexStar 5 SE Telescope is a convenient portable telescope with excellent optics. Using Celestron’s classic C5 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope coupled with the updated Starbright XLT optical coatings, it delivers consistent superior image quality. It produces 50 x magnifications, powerful enough to show the rings of Saturn, the cloud bands of Jupiter, and the changing face of the lunar disk. It has more light gathering power compared to 4” model, and its camera control feature is a heaven for photographers.

Its maker, Celestron, manufactures telescopes since 1960’s. It has grown to become one of the world’s leading telescope makers. Its brand name is well recognized because of their superior optics, outstanding design, and innovative technology.

Price and Main Feature list

This amazing telescope is a combination of Deluxe Nextstar feature and Celestron’s superior optical standards. This low-cost telescope is priced at $699. It is a great value for a superior optics.

Here are its features:

• 5” Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
• Original orange tube telescopes
• Accurately locate objects
• Quick release fork arm mount and optical tubes
• Stable althazimuth mount
• Internal battery compartment
• Durable steel tripod with built-in wedge
• Includes CD-ROM astronomy software, “The Sky”
• Nexstar computer technology
• SkyAlign for precise, easy-to-use alignment
• Built-in comprehensive database of more than 40,000 celestial objects
• Storage for programmable user-defined objects
• Available software and motor units online upgrade
• Includes a camera control feature and shutter release cable
• NexRemote software and RS-232 cable
• GPS compatible

Who is it for?

If you’re a budding astro-photographer, this telescope is perfect. It is great for beginners and serious amateurs. For beginners, it is recommended to start off with NexStar built-in Sky feature, NexStar will find the best object in the sky and it would automatically slew each one. For serious amateurs, the comprehensive database of more than 40,000 objects and customized list of all the best deep-sky objects is readily available to be explored. This shows that this telescope is for everyone who loves astronomy.

Pros and Cons

It is quite surprising how this little telescope has the capability to provide clarity and details that might seem to outshine some big telescopes. Its camera control feature allows you to remotely take a series of timed exposures using your digital SLR camera while the tripod’s built-in wedge helps make short-exposure photography. It is great for observing and photographing terrestrial and celestial views. Its dew shield blocks stray lights from entering into the telescope thus, reduces contrast.  It is very compact which makes it easy to use when travelling to get good skies.

It has great slew rates but the red dot finder is somehow inaccurate. Other than its standard Tour mode, it also has a Constellation tour which would allow users to view the best objects within a particular constellation.

Why you should buy it?

This is a good starter telescope. It allows you to view extremely faint objects with detailed clarity. What’s more, it is one of the market’s most sophisticated and easy to use telescopes. For advanced users, the storage can keep up to more than 100 user defined objects in its memory.

Verdict

This little yet powerful Celestron NexStar 5 SE Telescope deserves a 5 star. This ultra-portable telescope encompasses one’s expectations. Designed like a minimalist with sophisticated optics.