When slewing the telescope at slower speeds (4 or below), I noticed that the response is “laggy”, meaning that the telescope does not move for a second or two after pressing the arrow button. Then center the star, and confirm these 3 positions. Once that is done, your telescope knows exactly where to point. The aperture of the telescope is large enough to pull in enough starlight to reveal the planets in detail, as well as some of the best deep-sky objects in the night sky. Final Thoughts

The NexStar 8SE’s hand controller contains a catalog of about 40,000 objects. While the 8” aperture can show an impressive number of deep-sky objects and double stars, most of the 40,000 objects in the NexStar database are simply uninteresting, unaccompanied stars. If the price of the 8SE is too steep for you, you have options. This telescope comes in 4, 5, and 6-inch versions. When tightening the cover plate screws, hold the brass cylinder concentric with the cover plate while tightening the three screws by a small amount each. Follow the arrows in the illustration below for the tightening sequence. This will require two or three passes. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SCREWS! This can cause the focuser bearing to bind. The screws should be tight enough to prevent any lateral movementof the focuser knob, but not so tight that it binds. The cover plate must install flatly onto the machined surface in the recess without tilting. For example, the Celestron StarSense Explorer Dob delivers a brighter view at F/5.9, at the cost of a heavier kit to transport (about 42 pounds). GoTo Computerized Mount

The big aperture on the NexStar 8Se will show dimmer objects like galaxies and nebulae in detail and, with its ability to deliver high magnification, it’s ideal for seeing the Moon and observing the planets. You can comfortably push it beyond 200x for bright objects in good seeing.

In reality, the batteries only serve to retain programmed information from set up, i.e. date, time, and location when the unit is switched off.​ At night, when you’re ready to use the scope, enter your location. You can use the nearest town, but you’ll have a better experience if you put in the coordinates of where you’re observing from (link opens a new tab to work out your latitude and longitude). While your overall satisfaction with this telescope depends on what you want to use it for most, the NexStar 8SE is absolutely worth the money.

Is the Celestron NexStar 8SE Good for Beginners?

You get an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope with excellent optics and a computerized mount that can point to objects in the night sky for you. The Celestron NexStar telescope range is a series of catadioptric telescopes in four sizes. Catadioptrics, which are also known as compound telescopes, combine mirrors and lenses to provide a long focal length in a relatively short body. The NexStar 8SE is a reimagining of the classic Celestron 8 which revolutionized amateur astronomy in the 1970’s. The 8SE features the same iconic “orange tube” design but has been updated with all of the latest features to ensure that the user receives the best stargazing experience whether they be an amateur or experienced observer. Prefers a computerized motor to do the object hunting – which is ideal if you have a light-polluted sky or your astronomy joy comes from seeing objects, rather than star-hopping for them

I was loaned this telescope from OPT for testing purposes, and was under no obligation to provide a positive review, nor was I compensated in any way for this article (or video). Where to Buy:

The higher the magnification of the eyepiece, the more “searching” you will have to do to align the telescope mount to a bright star. Portability Since 1970, when the orange tube C8 made its debut, Celestron has been producing C8s in basically the same format. Despite revisions to the exact design of the tube, as well as the addition of Celestron’s StarBright XLT coatings and Hyperstar compatibility, the C8 is still essentially the same scope nearly forty years later. Aperture directly affects brightness and detail. The dimmest object you can see is determined by aperture. While I believe that a manual Dobsonian telescope is the ultimate choice for beginners, I understand that many people need help finding objects. Although the red dot finderscope is simple and inexpensive, it is surprisingly effective at confirming the pointing direction of this high-magnification telescope. Powering the NexStar 8SE

Outside the solar system, you can complete the entire Messier catalog, given half-decent skies, and even the Herschel 400 catalog with effort. Thousands of galaxies and star clusters, as well as hundreds of nebulae, are yours to explore – all readily accessible with the 8SE’s GoTo system. How Good Is the 8SE For Astrophotography? Submit a valuation request and we'll provide guide prices with no delay. Plus, we'll collect your gear from your home or work for FREE. Those small scopes make a little more sense now. They all have very fast lens with medium focal lengths and are built for astrophotography. Could you use them for visual astronomy? You could, but for eyeballs the big guys like the Nexstar 8SE will do a much better job.Never use your optic to project an image of the Sun onto any surface. Internal heat build-up can damage the optic and any accessories attached to it.