Every Celestron Nexstar SE telescope is characterized by extraordinary ease of use and offers all the conveniences of a modern, computerized telescope that can find over 38,000 objects itself, that suggests which celestial objects are the most beautiful to observe from your location at the moment, and that is also suitable for beginners in astrophotography.
Thanks to the powerful SkyAlign technology, finding the right position to locate even the most difficult galaxies is no longer a problem. Simply point the telescope at three stars - and it will be ready for use in no time at all. This gives you an outstandingly affordable telescope with a scope of performance that previous generations of amateur astronomers never dared to dream of (you only need to see the three "alignment stars", not know them).
With the optional SkyQ-Link WiFi adapter and the SkyQ app, which is available separately from the Apple AppStore, you can even control this telescope remotely with your iPhone, iPad or Windows PC via WiFi - simply by following the star chart on the screen. So if you are looking for a telescope with the most modern control electronics, then choose the Celestron NexStar SE. With the optional StarSense module, the telescope even takes care of initializing itself in the starry sky - all you have to do is set up the telescope, switch it on and wait three minutes.
The NexStar 6SE - The lightweight all-rounder for deep sky and planets
The NexStar 6SE is the medium Schmidt-Cassegrain of the NexStar SE series with an aperture of 15 cm. It is the ideal compromise between transportability, for example globular clusters are already partially resolved with this aperture, and galaxies and nebulae are easy to see under dark skies. Near cities, nebula filters such as the Baader Planetarium UHC-S or the OIII help to block out the stray light from cities.
The telescope has the usual 1.25" connection used in astronomy. This means that all standard astronomical 1.25" eyepieces (31.7 mm) can be used. This is particularly convenient, for example, with the Baader Planetarium Q-Turret eyepiece turret, which covers all useful magnifications and allows quick changes between different magnifications.
The tube has the standard SC thread of the large Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, so a wide range of accessories can be connected. The optional Baader Planetarium 2" SC Clicklock can also be used to connect 2" accessories directly, for example to use long focal length eyepieces with a larger field of view.
The separately available Celestron T-adapter for C5/C6/C8/C925/C11 and C14 can also be used to connect SLR cameras and numerous other accessories. The T-thread is a standard that can be used to connect almost any accessory - from SLR cameras to binoviewers.
The NexStar 6/8SE mount
The mount of the 6SE and 8SE telescopes is larger and more stable than the mount of the 4/5SE models. This azimuthal single-arm mount is optimized to be quickly operational and easily transportable. Unlike the classic equatorial mount, you do not need to align the telescope to the north, set the pole height or carry counterweights. The mount is simply set up horizontally, and after alignment (in which any three bright stars are simply set), the computer automatically ensures that the telescope moves to the desired objects and keeps them in the eyepiece: Automatic tracking independently compensates for the Earth's rotation.
This makes the SE telescopes ideal for anyone who wants to observe the starry sky themselves: Highly portable, quickly ready for use and with all the necessary comfort.
The telescope is attached to the mount using a standard prism rail with a quick-release coupling, making it easy to remove. The mount can therefore also stably support other telescopes up to approx. 5.5 kg. However, this is not necessary for transportation: the complete mount including telescope is very handy and fits into the separately available, padded transport case, for example. It is simply attached to the sturdy steel tripod with three easy-to-grip screws; a centering pin helps when placing it on the tripod.
The NexStar 6/8SE mount also offers everything for photography: lunar photography with an SLR camera or planetary photography with a video camera such as the Celestron NexImage 5 are also possible without any problems in azimuthal mode; you may also need the Celestron T-adapter for C5 as well as a suitable T2 adapter for your camera bayonet or a 1.25"/T2 eyepiece clamp. You can also photograph directly through the eyepiece with a MicroStage camera platform. Long exposures are also possible using the optional Heavy Duty Deluxe polar altitude cradle: the mount is aligned parallel to the earth's axis, as with a classic parallactic ("astronomical") mount. A software routine in the hand control box helps you to conveniently align the mount with high accuracy even without a polar finder. This not only prevents image field rotation if you are photographing a lunar eclipse over a long period of time, for example - deep-sky images are also possible. An automatic guiding camera such as the Celestron NexGuide can be connected via the autoguider connection.
An AUX port enables the connection of additional accessories - from GPS receivers to StarSense modules.
Extensive star catalogs and TOUR function for an overview
The hand controller contains a database with over 38,000 objects. These naturally include the planets of the solar system as well as countless galaxies, gas nebulae, star clusters and interesting stars. Finding it difficult to choose? Then use the TOUR mode, which shows you a selection of the most beautiful objects every evening and explains them in German on the display.
SkyAlign - setup without knowledge of the sky
The NexStar SE mount has motors with encoders in both axes as well as a hand controller with 38,181 objects in the database. To initialize the computer control, all you have to do is enter the time and location (selectable from the database) into the hand controller and move to any three bright celestial objects - it doesn't matter which ones, you don't even have to know them! After this SkyAlign, the mount knows what the sky above it looks like and moves to any other object at the touch of a button.
Upgradeable for the latest technology - high value retention
With the optional Celestron SkySync GPS module, you no longer need to enter the date, time and observation location, making commissioning even easier. This data is automatically transferred from the telescope via the GPS satellites.
Could it be even more convenient? The SE telescopes are compatible with the StarSense module. This is a small camera that is mounted on the telescope and allows the telescope to orient itself fully automatically to the sky - without GPS. With StarSense, all you have to do is set up the telescope, switch it on and wait about three minutes. Since StarSense is compatible with all modern, computer-controlled Celestron telescopes, you can continue to use it if you ever buy a larger telescope - StarSense also works with observatory-class telescopes.
This means that a NexStar SE telescope can be brought up to date at any time if there are technical innovations - this ensures that your telescope retains its value!
Control via PC and iPhone
Like all Celestron NexStar telescopes, the NexStar SE can also be controlled via PC. All you need is the optional Celestron RS cable and, if necessary, an adapter from RS232 to USB. You can then control the telescope from a Windows PC via the NexRemote software or the widely used ASCOM interface.
But the SE telescopes also support wireless control! Using the optional SkyQ Link WLAN adapter, you can control the telescope wirelessly - either via a Windows PC or via iPhone or iPad (with the optional SkyQ Planetarium program). This means you don't have to take a laptop with you on your observation nights, an iPhone is all you need and you have a modern graphical telescope controller in addition to the hand controller, whose large buttons can also be operated with thick gloves. All options are open to you!
Sophisticated mount
The mount of the Celestron NexStar SE telescopes is a solid azimuthal single-arm mount that can be set up without tools. Thanks to the large, easy-to-grip screws, this is also possible with gloves. The sturdy steel tripod has a shelf for accessories and a holder for the hand control box. The SE mount supports devices weighing up to approx. 5.5 kg, depending on the design. The clamping device on the arm of the mount fits any standardized Vixen (V) dovetail and holds it securely.
The hand controller is neatly integrated into the fork arm and can be removed if required. However, the telescope can also be conveniently operated when it is in the fork arm mount.
Power supply
The computer control is of course dependent on power. The mount offers several power supply options: Either via eight standard AA batteries if you want to be completely independent, or via an optional connection cable for the cigarette lighter socket of a car or via an optional mains adapter. The battery compartment integrated into the mount avoids cable clutter and allows maximum mobility.
The separately available cold-resistant Baader Planetarium Outdoor Telescope Power Supply #19 was developed especially for Celestron telescopes. It supplies the necessary voltage even at low temperatures - cheaper power supplies designed for indoor use often supply too little power in cold temperatures.
Future-proof
The NexStar-SE mount can not only be used with the supplied telescope, but also with many other telescopes or spotting scopes thanks to the standard prism clamp. Thanks to the hand controller, which can be updated via the Internet, you can always keep the software up to date and upgrade to the latest technologies such as SkyQ Link or StarSense at any time via the AUX connection. The telescope can also be used on many other mounts via the standardized dovetail bar, for example if you want to do deep-sky photography one day.
A computer-controlled Celestron telescope offers everything you need to get started right away - and at the same time keeps all your options open for the future.
