Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope

by Celestron

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 30 x 12 x 8 inches ; 16 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 52 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000GUFOC8
• Item model number: 11069
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,315 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #52 in Camera & Photo > Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics > Telescopes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 1, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Amazon.com Review Celestron's Nexstar 8 SE telescope combines excellent optics and computerized "GoTo" tracking in a package that's light, portable and affordable. The legendary performance of Celestron's orange tube C8 telescope has been updated with high performance Starbright XLT coatings, and the single arm Nexstar mount now includes Celestron's easy to use "SkyAlign" technology.

Jupiter as seen through the Celestron NexStar 8SE special-edition computerized telescope.

The Nexstar 8 SE upholds Celestron's reputation for quality optics. When I use an 11mm Plossl eyepiece (almost 200x magnification) for example, I can easily see the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings. When I look at Jupiter, the pale orange color of Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot is visible, and I've even been able to identify the polar caps and spot dust storms on the planet Mars. A 20mm Plossl eyepiece (about 100x magnification) is a good choice for viewing galaxies and star clusters. When I look at globular cluster M13 in the constellation Hercules the high contrast XLT optics show me a glowing snowflake made of hundreds of tiny pin-point stars! And a low power 32mm Plossl eyepiece is a good choice for views of larger deep space highlights like the Andromeda Galaxy and the Orion Nebula.

The moon seen through the Celestron NexStar 8SE telescope. (See larger image.)

Celestron's patented "SkyAlign" system makes the Nexstar 8 SE very easy to use. I just pick the nearest town from the built-in list, enter the date and time, and point the telescope at three bright stars. I don't need a star chart because "SkyAlign" identifies the stars for me. When I just want a quick look at the moon or a planet, I like to use the "Solar System Align" option. After entering the date and time, I just point the telescope at the moon and press the "Align" key. That's all it takes, the computer takes over and the telescope begins tracking quietly and accurately. At star parties I often have my Nexstar up and running while older computerized telescopes are still waiting for their alignment stars to appear in the twilight.

The Nexstar 8 SE comes with a simple red-dot finder scope and a basic 25mm eyepiece. You'll want to add a few good eyepieces to take full advantage of the Nexstar 8 SE's excellent optics. At the very least get Celestron's bargain priced Accessory Kit which includes high and low power plossl eyepieces, or treat yourself to some top rated Tele Vue eyepieces. At twenty-four pounds total weight, the Nexstar 8 SE is unusually light and portable for an eight-inch telescope. The drawback of course is that some people will find it too light. Like other Schmidt Cassegrain (SCT) telescopes there are plenty of optional accessories to upgrade this telescope with, such as heavy duty tripods and an optical finder scope. If you want to try astro-photography, however, check out Celestron's CPC 800 Telescope which features a heavy duty mount and tripod and an 8x50 optical finder scope right out of the box. --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Excellent optics
• Easy computerized GoTo tracking
• Light, portable and affordable

Cons:

• Plastic accessories
• Short battery life
• Too light for astro-photography

Product Description

The Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope offers a multitude of features, including the 2032mm focal length and SkyAlign. Viewing the stars will never be the same, as you expand your horizons with the stimulating and technological advances included in the Celestron Telescope. Inside the Celestron NexStar, you find an autoguider port to enable long exposure photos, as well as the exceptional Go To button to quickly locate and position the star of your choice. The Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope lets you peer deep into the universe with the largest model in this deluxe series of computer-controlled telescopes.Features:8" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with 203.2mm aperture78% more light gathering power than 6" models2032mm focal lengthFocal ratio: 10Portable – weighs 33 lb including the tripodCombines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with the latest state-of-the-art featuresStarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standardCelestron's unique patented single fork arm with integral hand control design provides a rigid and smooth operating structure for the optical tubeStar diagonal provides more comfortable viewing position when observing objects that are high in the skyProven NexStar computer control technologySkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment processIncludes:Quick release fork arm mount, optical tube and accessory tray for no-tool setupStarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objectsSturdy computerized altazimuth mountInternal battery compartment to prevent cord wrap during useUltra sturdy steel tripod with accessory tray40,000 object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objectsFlash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the InternetAutoguider port for long exposure astrophotographyDC Servo motors with encoders on both axesCustom databa

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

160 of 166 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice scope, but please read about customer service., January 23, 2007

By 

R. Bunch (Henderson, Nevada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope (Electronics)

The five stars represent my opinion about the scope. I'm a novice at astronomy, so I can't really make any comparisons. I can tell you, however, that this scope does everything I've ever read about it. I pulled it out of the box and put it together and it went to work just the way the book said. I've done some solar viewing and a little digital astrophotography. My major purpose for this scope is in the area of deep-sky astrophotography without spending multiple thousands of bucks. It may be a little overkill for a novice like myself, but I wanted a scope that I wouldn't outgrow, and one that is easy to accessorize. The only thing I can nit-pick on this scope is the motor drives on the mount. They work fine, but they make a little too much noise, and the sound indicates to me that the gear train is not high quality components. It does seem to run very smooth, though! And accurate, every time! If YOU take the time to accurately set it up and aim it, then IT will put what ever you ask for right in the middle of your field of view. The battery holder is a little tight on the 2000mah NiMH AA batteries that I bought for it, but since I plan to use the AC adapter I bought for it, that's not really a big problem. I wish Celestron had designed the bubble-level INTO the base of the mount rather than just leave it loose for the user to install with the double stick tape on it's bottom. I bought a larger level from an RV store and epoxied it to the top of the battery cover. It seems to be very accurate and my alignment seems to work every time. I recommend a good variety of eyepiece filters, a solar filter for the main aperture, a 45deg. upright diagonal, and several eyepieces to cover the range from about 4mm to 32mm. Zhumell and Celestron both offer good filter/eyepiece sets at very good prices here on Amazon. For the astrophotographer, there's a whole world of accessories to chose from for this scope, and this is where I learned just how bad Celestron's customer support is! A lot of accessories out there state they are compatible with the Celestron C8 and 8i scopes, but this 8SE is so new that it isn't mentioned very often. I was concerned about the differences in the three 8" scopes, so I submitted an inquiry to Celestron's customer support, asking for a description of the differences in the C8, 8i and the new 8SE scopes. After four days they closed my ticket without answering my questions, so I submitted another request. After 14 days there was no response. I called them and the fellow I talked to had to put me on hold three times for about ten minutes each while he went to ask someone for answers. Shouldn't they man the tech-support phones with people that know the differences in their own products? All I was asking is if the visual back from a C8 will fit the 8i and 8SE, and if the solar filters for a C8 will fit the 8SE. He didn't know! I just hope my scope doesn't break because their tech support is less than helpfull. [...]. Just don't expect Celestron to be there for you without a lot of prodding.
By the way, for anyone considering this scope, the best info I've found is that all of the eyepiece accessories that will fit the rear cell of the C8 will also fit the 8i and the newer 8SE. The Celestron tech had to go actually test fit a visual back from the C8 to an 8SE to find out! He did say that any filters for the main aperture (the big end where light enters) of the C8 will not fit the 8i or 8SE! There was a significant dimension change made there.
I hope this helps eliminate the frustration I had in selecting and buying any accessories that anyone buying this scope may have. Happy star-gazing!

73 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Scope, August 27, 2007

By 

V. Farelli (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope (Electronics)

I love astronomy and have to say this was my first real purchase of a telescope. I placed my order and in 2 days my product was at the door. I was shocked how fast it came. I was very excited about viewing the planets and hopefully some deep sky objects. Novice would be the best way to describe my viewing experience. However, I was able to get the scope setup and struggled with the star alignment. Then I used the CD that came with the product and got to know the night sky. Yes I know, read the material first then play but I was like a kid in a candy store and just couldn't wait to start viewing.

I did get the sky align to work and then tested the alignment by having it go to the easiest target in the sky. (The moon). Boom it was center view. In a full moon phase right now so the obvious light polution is tremendous but I was able to view Jupiter and see 3 moons (due to the light conditions it wasn't to detailed). Everything else was bleed out by the moon.

I read the reviews before I purchased and did alot of research on scopes and have to say this one hit the nail on the head. It does take 8 AA batteries to operate and I read someone elses review that the batteries do not last long, so I purchased the power pack along with it.

The power pack was a good idea however, take heed that it plugs into where the scope rotates and if you are not careful you can find that your power cable is getting wrapped around the scope as it rotates.

GPS - I was considering purchasing the GPS but decided that google earth will provide me the Long and Lat just as easy.

Leveling - the little bubble level they give you works fine but make sure you keep track of that little bugger cause it's very easy to loose. They give you some double sided tape which proves to by useless because it throws off the bubble. Don't bother with the tape and just place it on the mount to level it.

Accessory pack - I did purchase the Celestron 94304 Nine-Piece Accessory Kit and feel that was a wise purchase. You get the barlow scope, some filters and my son loves the "shakey flashlight" (what he calls it).

Motors - Yes the motors are just a tad noisy but not that bad. It lets you know that it's working :). It tracks very well.

Mounting your scope: Do not make the same mistake I made and just slide it into it's mount and not pay attention to the vertical alignment. Make sure you mount it far enough in so that your scope can go vertical without it hitting the angle lens and preventing it from hitting it's target.

Finder Scope: Very nice- and once aligned works great. I love the red dot LED. It's nice to be able to adjust it's brightness so that it doesn't bleed out what you are trying to target.

Over all. If you are just starting out in astronomy and love to view the night sky. If you ever sat outside at night and wished you owned a telescope because it was a great night to view some planets and deep sky objects. If you were afraid of a telescope because your night sky knowledge was limited. This is the scope for you. I can't say enough good things about it. Not only does it find the stars and planets for me it is also teaching me as it goes.

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Okay Tube, Bad Mount, February 21, 2010

By 

Andrew Senske (Spokane, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Celestron NexStar 8 SE Telescope (Electronics)

I've used this telescope since June 2009. The NexStar 8 SE provides pretty good views, but the computerized mount is literally a piece of junk. I'll tell you why.

Problems with the mount:

1. Battery compartment: Lots of space taken up for batteries, but batteries only work for a few minutes. This thing eats batteries, and doesn't come with a power cord! Further, the battery compartment design is poor, with two battery holders dangling by their wires. The battery holders must be placed a certain way after batteries are installed into them. There's only one way to place the battery holders and still be able to close the compartment cover, but there are a few ways to place the battery holders incorrectly. If you want to be able to close the battery compartment, you'll probably have to look up the instructions on the internet. You'll need to by the optional AC power cord (which is what I did since I'm always observing within an extension cord's length of an electrical outlet), or the 12V cord along with a 12V battery in order to use this scope.

2. Noise: I know everything seems louder at night... in the dark... when you're supposed to be quiet. But slewing at moderate to fast speed with this thing is like a freight train coming down the tracks. It's not a problem if you're not near anyone, but the many times I've been in my backyard or up at the lake with this scope, I've worried about disturbing neighbors.

3. No clutch in azimuth: This means you can't move the mount in a sideways direction without using the power-hungry, fantastically noisy motor. You can move the mount in altitude manually, but not in azimuth. Truly a bummer.

4. Spur gears: There's a lot of slop in the gears, so when you begin to slew the scope it often doesn't actually begin to move for a short period of time. No big deal, but it's annoying.

5. Time isn't saved: As others have mentioned, having to enter the time each time you turn on the mount is just ridiculous.

6. Cheap hand controller: The screen on my hand controller came loose and tilted within a couple of weeks of use. LCD screen doesn't work well in cold weather. I know this is a common problem with these types of controllers, but cold weather is a common condition for astronomical observing. Celestron and all other manufacturers really should take this into account and install a heating element in the controller. (I know all the workarounds - use handwarmers, put the controller in your jacket, attach your own heating element, etc. - but they're just not convenient.) There's obviously no intention of minimizing power consumption with this mount, so adding a heating element wouldn't be a big deal.

7. Built-in bubble level: There isn't one.

8. Defective (at least mine is): I'm in the process of sending my mount to Celestron for warranty repairs because it no longer slews properly at slew speeds slower than 8 or 9 during alignment. So, at a slew speed of 5 which is the default for alignment, the mount doesn't move at all. It's too bad I have to pay for sending it in, when I'd really rather just get a better mount.

Problems with the tube:

1. Focus knob: The focus knob shakes and moves the mirror way too much. If I didn't know better I'd think it was a defect. But I know better. It's not considered a defect. It's just a bad design that amateur astronomers apparently don't mind too much.

2. Accessory mounting holes: Ideally, you'd have a red-dot finder and 9x50 finderscope mounted to the top of the tube. You can't do that with this scope unless you're willing to get out your drill. There are mounting holes at approximately the 2 o'clock position and 4 o'clock position, so most people will probably use those using the topmost holes for the red-dot finder and the lower ones for the magnified finderscope. There should be another set of holes on the top of the tube somewhere between 10 and 2 for the purpose of mounting accessories.

There are a few things I like about the scope:

1. Portable: Compared to my 10" dob, the 8 SE is quite portable, and this is the primary reason I bought it. I've been able to take it to the lake (where the sky is much darker) on many occasions.

2. Tracking: Once aligned the mount tracks pretty well. I've left the scope tracking for over an hour, to find that the object of interest was still in the field of view when I returned.

For me, the bottom line is that the NexStar 8 SE has too many problems, and shouldn't be considered by anyone new to astronomy. Considering the design quality, the 8 SE is overpriced. You can get a bigger and better telescope for less than half the price if you're willing to give up the computerized object locator and the tracking ability that's inherent in such a mount. Trust me. If you're a beginner in reasonably dark skies (meaning you can actually see and locate stars with just your eyes) then a computerized mount like this one will frustrate you far more than it will help you.