Is this scope ---> Celestron - NexStar 5SE any good?

[HawkeyeDaNew (Rob)]

Ok,

so i'm impatient

only just posted in the "new users" or whatever it's called thread, and no-bodies even said 'hi' yet. Worry not, that because i'm to impatient to wait for someone to do it . So the last forum i was in was a motorbike forum in Perth (some may know it...) so hope i'm not too out of place. Selling bike and still recovering from a nasty possibly unfix-able injury. Anywho none of that really matters, this is me saying 'hi' on a larger scale, and, well asking advice at the same time.

As i said in my other post, i'm totally new to the star-gazing scene (hope that's not a term that despised around here, no ill-offense intended). I plan on, as the title states, buy a Celestron – NexStar 5SE, not because i have that larger budget, but because buying online (from the US) is SO much cheaper thanks to the awesome exchange rate (exporters not quite so happy with it). So what i'm curious about, is, is that a decent telescope.

What i want to do with it, is, well gaze upwards, see the rings of Saturn, some detail of Mars, and Jupiter, and see some other galaxy's. Simialrly i want to be able to take pics from it, (although may need a new camera for that...)

If anyone's got one i'd love to hear their opinion, or, if anyone has an opinion of a better telescope to get i'd equally love to hear that too. I have no definite ideas yet, just read a few interesting things about it, seems what i want, but honestly i know bugger all about them...

Thanks for the read

Hawk(danew)

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

G'day Hawk, welcome aboard.

Nearly everyone would advise you to get something else, almost always a dobsonian telescope, which is cheap yet stable, and has enough aperture to allow you to see some galaxies (not really the case with the Nexstar. I consider the Nexstar a good second scope, but perhaps not really optimal as an only scope. And it is pretty limited from the astrophotography point of view, too.)

But how limiting is your praps unfixable injury? Will it prevent you from carrying stuff? Will you mainly observe from home? If not, how big is your car? Do you need to negotiate stairs?

Cheers,

Brian.

[duncan]

Hi Rob,
In answer to your question- if all you want to do is look and not get into photography you may be better off looking at a much larger aperture dobsonian style scope. Much cheaper and you will see a hell of a lot more. The downside is they don't track and are a push pull scope. I own a 12" Bintel dob and am very happy with it. But to put into perspective, Planets are great as are some nebulars, Galaxies are still feint to the eye (relative to planets (Major planets). Globular clusters are brilliant and so on---.
So you need to decide on what you want to do with the scope and how portable you want it as well.
I like 'em BIG!!!!! (just can't afford bigger)LOL
Hope this rant helps you.
Cheers,
Duncan
Ps Welcome to the Hobby?!!!!?

[HawkeyeDaNew (Rob)]

A reply

My injury won't stop me doing anything really, i could talk about it for ages, but will spare you the grimness, it's all good, hoping to get surgery for it, but need to talk to some lawyers.

Anywho, as i said, it looks specky, and expensive, but cheap considering exchange rates.

What i plan on doing (apart from shocking the hell out of my dad with a new blingy scope) is taking my scope (after i get one hehe) down to my farm (parents that is.......) in Margaret River (any West Aussies will know the pleasure it is down that end) and opening it up on an empty field, not far from the house and gazing. almost nothing in the way, so i see it as a perfect stop to use it, only some tress around the perimeter of 2-3 hectare field, so lots of field of view. about 33° 55' 9" S 115° 14' 0" E give or take a second or two...
It will need to be carried a few meters, but my physical condition is fine, i ignore my injury or i'd be useless on the farm, which i love....

So what i really want is a decent scope i can get for under $1k (from US as the exchange rate is sooo good!) and, if it's worth it, a motorized mount... I really want to be able to see the far planets and make out some detail on them, but want a decent scope too. So i know i'll have to compromise, but am always willing to do so (yes i am in a relationship - it's forced that fact )

Any suggestions will be read and considered, as know about as much about this stuff as Perth drivers know how to drive in the rain!

Hawk

[Matty P (Matt)]

Hi Rob,

Just to let you know that Celestron dealers in the US are prohibited from selling or sending any Celestron products out of the country. Not good for us.

The Celestron Nexstar SE series are great for beginners IMO. I own a Nexstar 8SE and would highly recommend it to you but if you are picky about what and how much you want to be able to see. I would recommend a larger aperture no less than 8".

Hope this helps.

[AlexN]

I second MattyP's comments on aperture... I bought my first scope only a few months ago... an 8" Dobsonian, and already im itching to move up to a 12". Considering you have a nice (and i assume DARK) place to view from, an 8" dob would be a great (and cheap) starting point.. Dobsonians, as was mentioned earlier, are a very simple, non-motorized telescope system with which you will need to have some knowledge of where the object you wish to view is.. The upside however is that you can see a hell of a lot more in an 8" than you can in a 5"..

With a budget limit of $1k in mind, I would be looking at a 10" Dobsonian, these can be purchased for around the $550 - $600 mark.. and will give great planetary views, and similarly good views of brighter galaxies and nebulas.

To this, you could add Digital Setting Circles (DSC). These are (in the most basic terms) an electronic system that will tell you where your scope is pointing, and more importantly, where you need to move it to in order to view the object of your choice..

Photography : Astrophotography is Expensive. You wont find many people taking pictures of galaxies or nebulae with less than $2k worth of gear (not including cameras in most cases). I and a few other members of these forums have taken images of Jupiter, Saturn and the moon using dobsonian telescopes. It can be done, but it is a fairly frustrating task without a motorized mount.

There are a few sayings that get used a fair bit when new members are contemplating their first scopes...

1. Aperture Rules. Buy the biggest scope that you can afford
2. The best scope for you is the one you will use. Dont buy something too big and bulky/difficult to set up, this will only be a deturance to getting out and using the telescope.
3. Aperture Rules!!!!

You may want to contact an astronomical society near you, and attend an observation night... That way you will be able to have a look at a few different scopes, and get more of an idea of whats right for you...

Hope I've helped somewhat.

Alex.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Originally Posted by AlexN

You may want to contact an astronomical society near you, and attend an observation night... That way you will be able to have a look at a few different scopes, and get more of an idea of whats right for you...

Yeah, this is the best advice so far. (And the most economical. It is easy to make costly mistakes in this hobby. And you might as well get a taste of what sort of weirdo it will turn you into.)

And a lot of people say don't even think about buying a scope until you've explored enough of the sky with a basic star atlas and 10x50 binoculars to know your way around pretty easily. (Things like Orion nebula, 47Tuc, Omega Centauri, Magellanic Clouds, Silver Coin galaxy... Yes, there are galaxies you can see through binoculars!) Also good, economical advice, that.

[asterisk (Geoff)]

Hi Rob

Welcome to IIS

Regarding your choice of telescope. What has been previously said is correct - the bigger the aperture, the better.

What i want to do with it, is, well gaze upwards, see the rings of Saturn, some detail of Mars, and Jupiter, and see some other galaxy's. Simialrly i want to be able to take pics from it, (although may need a new camera for that...)

A fairly wide range of targets, and one that your proposed choice of telescope (5") will allow you to see, but not see as well as with a larger aperture.
If you are patient and prepared to star hop using charts to find objects, then a non-goto, larger reflector would be ideal.
However, if you lack this patience, then a goto / push-pull mount would be the choice for you - this is the more expensive option.
Photography - a motorised equatorial mount capable of accurate tracking is vital and also expensive - not to mention the cost of the other accessories.
Importing from os - as Matt writes, dealers in other countries are not allowed to export by the manufacturer - can be got around using services such as http://www.usa2me.com/site/default.aspx .
Alex's advice is good - find a local astronomical society and attend one of their observing nights - explain your decision about buying a new telescope and have a look through their telescopes before deciding on what you want. For existing owners, I took my wife to an observing night - she had a look through larger telescopes and told me I had to get a bigger telescope - no argument - I did.

Best of luck with you decision

cheers

[Kal (Andrew)]

I've viewed through a nexstar 5 and I think it is a great little scope - it will give pleasing planetary images and it has enough aperture to see alot of deep sky objects as well. You won't resolve as much detail as the larger scopes though, for example, when looking at a globular clustter you may resolve a handful of stars against a grey smudge of a background, while on a larger aperture dobsonian you will more likely see a nice sprinkling of tiny dots against the grey background. The end decision comes down to whether you want the better views from the larger aperture, or the convenience of a computerised goto mount.

My first telescope was a computerised Meade ETX 90 - a 3 1/2 inch telescope, and I loved it. Of couse the aperture bug bit (and I have moved on and up), and a small scope will limit you on what you can see, but as an introduction to astonomy I absolutely loved it. To have no knowledge of the night sky apart from a couple of bright stars for my initial alignment, and then to select a 'tour' and in the next couple of hours see 30 or 40 deep sky objects (even with the small aperture) was alot of fun!

As others have stated, Celestron and Meade stop their US retailers from selling overseas (Free Trade agreement my @$$!) and local dealers are alot more expensive for celestron gear.

Whichever path you decide to go, I'm sure you will love the views from that farm with the great dark skies! (grrrr to city lights!!!!)

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Yeah, to have access to dark skies and to not have a big aperture scope seems a travesty to me.

[HawkeyeDaNew (Rob)]

Hi all

Thanks for your replies, read all of em and they all make sense. What i'm thinking of doing, is, well tomorrow is Thursday, and i know a shop which says they do night viewings with their scopes tomorrow, which i'll frequent. I'm also doing some thinking, saying that i intend on moving state soon (and sadly loosing my farm, dark skies nothing in the way field), so need to spend less. So i'm thinking of a bigger apeture scope, but maybe one not so advanced or something simpler.

Question though. I know most have said that US dealers arn't allowed to sell things to Aus (*******s!) but i've seen, on the international site for amazon, Celestron scopes. I'm going to shoot them an email to ask if they do in fact sell them to Aus, as that would make things so much cheaper.

anywho i'll let all know what happens. Appreciate the imput

Hawk

[HawkeyeDaNew (Rob)]

Originally Posted by Miaplacidus

Yeah, to have access to dark skies and to not have a big aperture scope seems a travesty to me.

Oh, sometimes they're not at all dark. In fact, when it's not overcast (almost always during summer) it's bloody light!

Too many stars and planets lighting up the sky! (and sometimes a great big moon too hehe)

Soz couldn't resist , so true though

[garyp]

Hi Rob,
I have an 8" dob. The reason I chose it over something smaller (for the same money) on a different mount with tracking etc..came down to the more aperture you get for the money. I stared out wanting to see as much as possible and enjoy the simplicity of just veiwing the night sky and get a feel for astronomy.

Then I will know if I want to get serious with astrophotography and be in a better position to know what equipment is needed etc...

But even with the dob and no tracking some astrophotography is possible.

That's just my approach, hope it helps

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

I found this from one of the other forums. check it out
http://www.usa2me.com/site/default.aspx
Kinda gets around the ...We arn't allowed to sell to over sea's as it was said in the thred.... what about FREE TRADE????? grumble

I havn't tried it but it would have been handy to know

[HawkeyeDaNew (Rob)]

So here's the news... Went to the telescope (and binocular and microscope) shop, and was, well blown-away.... but how small it was! hehe, This, however was simply my first impression, had a long chat to the person who i'm assuming is the owner, talk about all sorts of scopes, and he said i'd be best of with an 8" dob. Shows good things really, considering that is probably the cheapest option there is for me, so top points to him!

So what i'm thinking now is an 8" dob, although only problem is, i don't know if i want something THAT big... plan on leaving the open fields soon. So maybe something a little smaller. Good thing is i have a week to think about it..

Hawk

[AlexN]

I will definitely say the 8" will give great views under dark skies