Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Product Details

• Description
• Specifications
• Included Items
• Recommended Products
• Reviews

• Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized GoTo Telescope

  The Celestron NexStar 8SE is one of the most versatile, user friendly, and portable telescopes available today. Featuring a large 8-inch aperture, the NexStar 8SE gathers a lot of light to give stunning views of the night sky. The computerized GoTo mount lets you easily find any of the 40,000+ objects in the hand controller that you'd like to observe, hit "enter," and the telescope will automatically point to it.

   

   

  Celestron NexStar 8SE Planetary Observing

  Thanks to a long focal length of 2032mm, the NexStar 8SE especially excels at close-up views of the Moon and planets. The Schmidt Cassegrain design's long native focal length means the telescope will already give a much more zoomed in view than other telescopes in its price range. The included 25mm eyepiece can give fantastic views of deep sky objects like the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades Cluster, the Hercules Cluster, and the Andromeda Galaxy, among others. Though the included low-power 25mm eyepiece is enough to get started with, we strongly recommend purchasing a high-power eyepiece to complement it for views of objects in the solar system. A high-power eyepiece will allow you to see significantly more detail on the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and even Mars.

  NexStar 8SE GoTo Computerized Mount

  The NexStar 8SE is one of the best beginner telescopes money can buy since it's so user friendly. Once the NexStar 8SE is properly aligned, you can simply type in any of the 40,000+ objects you'd like to observe, hit "enter," and the telescope will automatically point at that object. This takes the guesswork out of finding objects manually, which can be difficult for a beginner.

   

   

  NexStar 8SE Portability

  Unlike most other telescopes, the Celestron NexStar 8SE comes with everything you need to get observing right out of the box: the telescope, a finder scope, a computerized mount with tripod, a hand controller, and an eyepiece. The entire kit weighs just 24 lbs (10.8 kg) in total and can break down into individual parts. So whether you set up in your backyard or drive hours to a dark sky site, you can take the NexStar 8SE with you anywhere.
  

   

  Celestron NexStar 8SE Images & Astrophotography 

  The Celestron NexStar 8SE can produce phenomenal astrophotography images with the right accessories. The simplest add-on is the Celestron NexYZ 3-Axis Universal Smartphone Adapter, which allows you to use virtually any smartphone as your camera. It works by holding your smartphone perfectly steady and allows you to precisely adjust it with knobs so that your smartphone camera is aimed directly through the eyepiece.

  If you have a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, you can attach it directly to the back of the telescope with the use of a Celestron T-Adapter for SCT Telescopes and the corresponding T-Ring for your specific camera. If you need help figuring out which T-Ring is right for you, don't hesitate to contact our helpful Sales Team. Connecting your DSLR or Mirrorless camera will let you take high-resolution photos of the Moon, planets, and bright deep sky objects.

  If you want to take even more sophisticated photos of deep sky objects with your DSLR, Mirrorless, or dedicated astronomy camera, the Celestron NexStar SE & Evolution Wedge for 6" & 8" Telescopes is the perfect addition. By adding an equatorial wedge to your NexStar 8SE, you can increase your exposure time from about 30 seconds to around 2-3 minutes, which makes a huge difference in deep sky imaging.

   

  Celestron NexStar 8SE Top 3 Features

  • A fully automated GoTo mount, with a database of 40,000 plus celestial objects, will automatically locate and track objects for you.
  • SkyAlign technology gets your telescope aligned and ready to observe in minutes. For beginners, easily set up your telescope on any three bright objects in the sky.
  • Its unique single fork arm design and sturdy steel tripod can be disassembled and reassembled into separate components for easy transport.

  Astrophotography with the Celestron NexStar 8SE

  Planetary Imaging

  With a planetary imaging camera, you can use your NexStar 8SE to capture stunning images of the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and more. These cameras are lightweight and will fit right into the 1.25-inch barrel of your telescope so you don’t need any special parts to get started. We strongly recommend using a 2x Barlow lens when doing planetary imaging with this telescope to increase detail.

   Here are a few planetary imaging cameras we recommend:

  • ZWO ASI462MC - Color planetary camera

  • ZWO ASI178MC - Color planetary camera

  • ZWO ASI290MM- Monochrome planetary camera (requires filters & filter wheel)

  Deep Space Imaging

  The NexStar 8SE is capable of taking deep space photos with a few additional accessories. An equatorial wedge can convert the Alt-Azimuth mount into an equatorial fork (a fork-shaped tool that holds the optical tube between it and above the mount)giving it the ability to take exposures for more than 30 seconds. This will help you capture the faintest details in galaxies and nebulae. Check out the image below! It was taken with the NexStar 8SE on a wedge with a Pentax K DSLR.

  The Celestron NexStar 8SE for DSLRs & Telescope Cameras

  If you want to use this telescope with a Canon, Nikon, or Sony E-mount APS-C sized DSLRs, or a dedicated CCD/CMOS Telescope camera, you will need several accessories.

  Celestron f/6.3 Reducer corrector
  

  Celestron T-adapter for SCTs
  

  T-Ring Appropriate for your DSLR
  

  For CCD/CMOS Deep Space Telescope Cameras, most will fit the threads of the rear of the Celestron t-adapter. Depending on the model of camera you are using you will likely need to add additional spacers. To have it come to focus, you need to make sure that the camera sensor is spaced 55 mm from the back of the threads of the T-adapter. 
  
  If you need any help with this feel free to contact us.

• specifications

  Aperture	203 mm (8")
  Camera/Eyepiece Connection	1.25" Nosepiece
  Computerized	Computerized
  Dawes Limit	0.57 arcseconds
  Drive Type	DC Servo motors
  Encoder Resolution	.26 arc sec
  Encoder Type	Onboard DC Motors
  Focal Length	2032 mm
  Focal Ratio	f/10
  Free Shipping	Yes
  Highest Magnification	406x
  Light Gathering Power	841x
  Limiting Magnitude	15.3
  Optical Design	SCT
  Ports	AUX
  Ports	Camera Control
  Ports	Hand Control
  Ports	RS232
  Secondary Obstruction	35mm
  Slew Speed	5 Degrees Per Second
  Tracking Rates	EQ North
  Tracking Rates	EQ South
  Tracking Rates	Lunar
  Tracking Rates	Sidereal
  Tripod Weight	10 lbs
  Tube Diameter	226mm
  Tube Length	432mm
  Tube Weight	12.5 lbs
  Warranty	2 Year Warranty

• included items

  • 8-inch NexStar SE Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA.
  • NexStar SE Mount: Motorized Alt-Azimuth/ GoTo.
  • Tripod with Adjustable Steel Legs.
  • StarPointer Red Dot Finderscope
  • Accessory Tray.
  • NexStar+ Hand Controller.
  • 1.25-inch Star Diagonal.
  • 1.25-inch, 25 mm Eyepiece.
  • Mini-USB Port.
  • Insert Card w/ Starry Night Software.
  • 2 Year Warranty.