Product Description

Featuring high-quality Schmidt-Cassegrain optics, the NexStar 5 SE is an ideal telescope for observing and photographing the wonders of space. With a total weight of 28 lbs including the tripod, the ultra portable 5 SE features a precision optical system with 1250 mm focal length (f/10) standard with our premium StarBright XLT coatings and offers 56% more light gathering power than a 4-inch model. The 5 SE includes a camera control feature that allows you to remotely take a series of timed exposures using your digital SLR camera. Plus the tripod featuring a built-in wedge helps make short-exposure astrophotography a heavenly experience. Internal battery compartment to prevent cord wrap during use Ultra sturdy steel tripod features built-in wedge, which allows 5 SE to be used for astrophotography Nearly 40,000 object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple and quadruple stars, variable star, solar systems, objects and asterisms DC Servo motors with encoders on both axes Double line, 16-character Liquid Crystal Display Hand Control with backlit LED buttons for easy operation of go to features

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2082 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Celestron
• Model: 11036
• Dimensions: 30.00 pounds

Features

• 5-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; StarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standard
• StarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objects
• Quick-release fork arm mount, optical tube, and accessory tray for no-tool setup
• SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process
• Nearly 40,000-object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects

Amazon.com Review
Celestron's NexStar 5 SE computerized telescope combines excellent optics and easy computerized GoTo tracking in a convenient portable size. The standard equipment tripod and mount feature easy no-tool setup, and the package even includes a student version of "The Sky" planetarium software for your computer.

The excellent optics of Celestron's classic C5 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope have been updated with premium Starbright XLT optical coatings. This telescope consistently delivers crisp, high contrast views of the moon, the planets, and brighter deep space objects. The standard equipment 25mm plossl eyepiece produces a magnification of 50x, powerful enough to show the rings of Saturn, the cloud bands of Jupiter, and the changing face of the Lunar disk. Optional eyepieces can be added to bring out significantly more detail. I like to use a 12.5mm plossl (100x magnification) or a 7.5mm Ultrascopic eyepiece (166x) for high power views of the planets. With the 7.5mm Ultrascopic eyepiece I can usually see the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings and cloud bands on the planet itself. I like to use a 32mm plossl eyepiece for great low power views of deep space highlights like the Orion Nebula or the Double Cluster in Perseus.

The NexStar 5 SE package also includes a sturdy adjustable tripod, a motorized alt-azimuth mount, and the NexStar hand held computer controller. You won't need a GPS receiver or star charts to operate this telescope. The SkyAlign procedure is easy to use, and experienced observers will like the two-star align and solar-system align options because they are even quicker to set up. The steel tripod and alt-azimuth mount provide a solid base for the NexStar 5 SE. Vibration is not a problem, even while focusing at high power. The computerized tracking is also very good, easily keeping planets in the field of a high power eyepiece. The disadvantage of a computerized telescope, of course, is battery consumption. I like to use a rechargeable Celestron Power Tank because the standard AA alkaline batteries only last a few hours.

This telescope is perfect for visual observing, and allowed me to capture some sweet images of the moon and planets using a Celestron NexImage web-cam. For long exposure deep space photography, however, I'd take a look at Celestron's Advanced Series equatorial telescopes such as the C6 N-GT --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Excellent optics
• Light and portable
• Computerized GoTo tracking

Cons:

• Short battery life
• Too light for deep space photography

Suggested Options: Celestron Nine-Piece Accessory Kit Celestron Power Tank Battery Celestron NexImage Webcam

From the Manufacturer
Manufacturer Description
Featuring high-quality Schmidt-Cassegrain optics, the NexStar 5 SE is an ideal telescope for observing and photographing the wonders of space. With a total weight of 28 pounds including the tripod, the ultra portable 5 SE features a precision optical system with 1,250mm focal length (f10) standard with our premium StarBright XLT coatings and offers 56% more light gathering power than a 4-inch model.

The 5 SE includes a camera control feature that allows you to remotely take a series of timed exposures using your digital SLR camera. Plus the tripod featuring a built-in wedge helps make short-exposure astrophotography a heavenly experience.

About the NexStar SE Series:

NexStar 5 SE Highlights:
The NexStar 5 SE has all the same features as Celestron's most advanced computerized GoTo telescopes, including our revolutionary SkyAlign alignment technology, a sky tour feature, a database of nearly 40,000 celestial objects, and easy-to-use hand control.

Plug the optional CN-16 GPS accessory into NexStar's auxiliary port and download data from orbiting GPS satellites for truly quick and easy alignments. The universe may be full of mysteries, but using the NexStar 5 SE isn't one of them.

In the tradition of Celestron's famous orange optical tubes, the NexStar SE Family combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with state-of-the-art features including a fully computerized operating system, flash upgradeable hand control, our superior StarBright XLT coatings, our revolutionary SkyAlign telescope alignment software, and much more.

Whether you are a seasoned astronomer looking for a portable scope with advanced features or just starting your astronomy adventure and looking for an easy way to enjoy the night sky, a NexStar SE will help you take a closer look.

Every NexStar SE includes a version of The Sky software Level 1 Planetarium software for exploring the Universe on your PC and printing out custom star charts of the sky. In addition, you receive our NexRemote software that allows you to operate your telescope via your PC. This software package, valued at over $100, is included free with your NexStar SE!

General Features:

• 5-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
• SE combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with the latest state-of-the-art features
• StarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standard
• StarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objects
• Quick-release fork arm mount, optical tube, and accessory tray for no-tool setup
• Sturdy computerized altazimuth mount
• Internal battery compartment to prevent cord wrap during use
• Ultra sturdy steel tripod features built-in wedge which allows 5 SE to be used for astrophotography
• Includes CD-ROM "The Sky" astronomy software which provides education about the sky and printable sky maps

Computerized Features:

• Proven NexStar computer control technology
• Nearly 40,000 object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects
• SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process
• Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet
• Includes a camera control feature and shutter release cable that allows you to remotely take a series of exposures using your digital SLR camera
• Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple, and quadruple stars; variable star; solar systems; objects and asterisms
• DC Servo motors with encoders on both axes
• Double line, 16-character liquid crystal display hand control with backlit LED buttons for easy operation of go-to features
• NexRemote telescope control software and RS-232 cable included for advanced control of your telescope via computer
• GPS-compatible with optional CN16 GPS accessory

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Customer Reviews

Good telescope, but Celestron does not give full specs upfront
This is a very nice telescope. I have been using it the past week and have viewed the Moon, Venus, Jupiter. Overall the optics are excellent. But there are a few issues, which had I known earlier I may not have purchased this scope.

1. Celestron advertises that the scope can be used with 8 AA batteries. This is not completely true. The batteries drain very quickly and will probably not even last one viewing session (say 30 mins).

2. Without power the telescope cannot be moved along the azimuth (left-right direction). So you cannot use it at all.

So essentially if you want to take this telescope out of the city to some dark sky location you have to buy a powertank (or maybe run it off your car). I would have liked a design that allows me to use the goto feature when I want it but still be able to slew the telescope manually, without power.

Why do I still give it 3 stars. Well, Celestron tech support is very responsive (over e-mail). The telescope itself is excellent (optically). I have gotten very good views of planets. It has been a little too cloudy and light polluted (I live in a city) for me to try seeing nebulae.

Details:
The DC motors that slew the telescope are very sensitive to the voltage and current of the power supply. If you use the telescope for 20-30 minutes after that the batteries drain down and the scope becomes unusable (till you replace the batteries of course). Celestron tech support told me that they recommend using the battery only as an emergency back up!!! Strange that they don't mention on their website that batteries are only for "backup" and you have to run the telescope on wall socket, or a "power tank".

Celestron Nexstar 5 SE
It was cold as heck out, but I've owned my Celestron NexStar 5 SE telescope (my first scope) for three days now and the sky was fairly clear; so out I go. I whip through the Sky Align auto alignment process and then ask the telescope to show me Saturn (FYI: I had already aligned my finder scope during the day, something I highly recommend). There it was, rings and all, as advertized near the center of my eyepiece. Awesome!! I took a quick peak at Mars and then went back inside before my fingers fell off from frostbite. I am hooked!

Celstron Review
Nice... wish I lived under a blacker sky. My only complaint is that I wish the controller display was large-format TFT LCD for my tired old eyes. Otherwise, love it.