Celestron 11069 NexStar 8SE Computerised Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope with Advanced GPS, Astroimaging and AutoAlign Features, Black/Orange

Product Information

The Celestron NexStar 8SE includes a NexStar hand controller, with over 40,000 objects in its database. Others have done it, but unless you’re willing to put the time in using a phone for deep-sky, stick to solar system objects.

It is important to use an eyepiece that does not have a high magnification when aligning the telescope. On the back of the NexStar 8SE optical tube, you’ll find 2″ threads to attach a star diagonal, focal reducer, and photography accessories such as a T-Adapter for your DSLR or Mirrorless camera. Well, I think I was surprised to learn that most photos I viewed were taken with relatively small (80 mm - 100 mm aperture) telescopes.If I were to do a long-exposure of Saturn, the disc of Saturn would stay centered but, like a snow-angel’s wings, Saturn’s rings would fan out into blurry arcs and its moons would trace star trails.

You can mount the 8SE on an equatorial mount and the Celestron C90 T-adapter and T-mount let you attach your DSLR camera to the 8SE.Sturdy construction from high-quality components give NexStar SE the pointing and tracking accuracy needed to observe and follow your favorite targets with pushbutton ease. If there are other issues, like the red-green-blue channels being misaligned due to aberrations, you align them to fix the color. Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes require collimation from time to time (some say about once a year), and this can be a daunting task if the process is new to you. The NexStar 8SE is a reimagining of the classic Celestron 8 which revolutionized amateur astronomy in the 1970’s. It has never been so easy to align a telescope: no spirit levels, aligning with the North Pole, compass, or finding of Polaris is necessary (a balcony observatory).

It was a bit late in the summer before I figured out how to get good planetary photographs and Saturn was already past its peak. I wouldn’t advise taking this process on until you are certain that your telescope is suffering from bad collimation. Within the interferometer is a calibrated laser that is pointed through the optical test surface, then onto a high quality reference sphere, then back through the test subject then to an internal camera which gives us the measurement on the screen.The star diagonal is a requirement for observing with this type of telescope so you don’t crane your neck. For planetary imaging, there’s no better choice than a NexStar 8SE paired with one of our NexImage cameras. While we think the Celestron NexStar 8SE is a great telescope, it’s also the case that, like all things in life, it is not perfect (sadly). The NexStar series of SCTs have been around for over a decade, and I was finally able to experience this beginner-friendly telescope for myself. From the SkyProdigy, a telescope so smart it can align itself, to our high-performance EdgeHD optical system, we’ve revolutionized the hobby of astronomy for beginners and advanced amateurs alike.