Celestron Nexstar 60GT 60mm Go-To Refractor Telescope

by Celestron

Product Details

Product Manual [4.75mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 16 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004ZD36
• Item model number: 60-GT
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,084 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #38 in Camera & Photo > Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics > Telescopes > Refractors
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 29, 2000

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Amazon.com Review The Nexstar 60GT is Celestron's most affordable computerized telescope. For a surprising price, you get a complete telescope with three eyepieces (and a finder), an adjustable tripod, and a computerized tracking system with a database of 4000 objects.

With the help of the well-illustrated manual, it takes only minutes to assemble the Nexstar 60GT and connect the batteries or optional AC adapter.

The NexStar handset is your user-friendly guide to more than 4,000 celestial objects.

Nexstar's "quick align" feature allows me to track bright objects like the moon and planets right away, but to get the most out of the tracking system the computer needs to be oriented to two bright alignment stars. Celestron includes some basic star charts, but if you don't already know a few constellations, you'll want a guide book like Nightwatch or a magazine like NightSky to introduce you to the bright alignment stars by name.

Once the Nexstar alignment is completed, the fun of seeing star clusters and planets and galaxies is as easy as pushing a few buttons. The low power 20mm eyepiece (35x) is best for viewing open star clusters and finding objects; I use the 10mm (70X) and 4mm (175X) eyepieces to zoom in on stars and planets. The planets show up quite nicely at 70x, and they're even better with a 6mm plossl eyepiece at 117x. Venus looks like a tiny crescent moon, Jupiter shows off its two major cloud bands, and Saturn's rings are sharply separated from the planet. Bright double stars also show up well. Castor, one of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini, turns out to be a double star only four arc-seconds wide. You'll need that 6mm eyepiece (117x) or the included 4mm (175x) to separate Castor into two beads of light.

Students from middle school on up will find the Nexstar 60GT just the right size. It's affordable, it's light and portable, and it's an easy introduction to the world of computerized telescopes. My first telescope, made of telescoping cardboard tubes, came from an ad in Popular Mechanics magazine. I would have been thrilled to have a telescope as good as the Nexstar 60GT. An adult with a serious interest in astronomy, however, is likely to outgrow a 60mm telescope rather quickly. It takes a larger scope to see the divisions in Saturn's rings or resolve globular clusters into individual stars; if you want that kind of detail, take a look at the telescope buyers guide for some larger ideas. --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

• Complete package is light, portable, and affordable
• Classic refractor design for good planet views up to 120x
• Nexstar computer finds planets, star clusters, and galaxies for you

Cons:

• It's small--the only way to see more detail is with a bigger telescope
• Batteries only last a few hours

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!, October 12, 2002

By 

Phillip E. Schmidt (Earlham, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 60GT 60mm Go-To Refractor Telescope (Electronics)

I have owned both reflector and refractor scopes over the years. Unfortunately, they were always cheap store models. This is my first real telescope! The optics are great but the hand held control is awesome!! It is so nice not having to loosen and tighten things to center on objects. It was easy to sight in and it centered M-31 (Adromeda Galaxy) on the 1st try!! I really love the finder scope system also. I centered it during the day and when I went out that 1st night, it worked like a charm. If you have owned alot of cheap telescopes this thing will make you feel like your in heaven!!

70 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Celestron Nexstar 60GT Powerful Little Scope!, July 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 60GT 60mm Go-To Refractor Telescope (Electronics)

The Nexstar 60GT is a very good scope for the money you get it complete with tripod, eyepieces, and of course the Telescope. It takes very little time to assemble only about Ten minuets. When I first used the scope I aimed it at the moon, the views were wonderful, if you focus the scope very well you can actualy see the meteroites inside the craters. After I was done looking at the moon I told the scope to goto Venus. Venus was in its almost half phase and was visible on the High Power eyepice and when focused properly. This telescope is very well constructed and the "go-to" feature is as easy as 123.

99 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My first Telescope, February 24, 2002

By 

"namyzzo" (fort wayne, IN. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 60GT 60mm Go-To Refractor Telescope (Electronics)

This being my first telescope I am pretty happy with this model.. Using the hand control to goto a specific Star/Planet is SOooo Sweet,, and once you are on your specific target it will "track" and follow so you don't have to constantly move the telescope to compensate for the earths movement..etc.... The built in motors are pretty fast and doesn't take long to get to a new target.... Also you can hook up your computer to the handheld and control the telescope via a laptop!!... The kit does not include the computer cable or an ac adapter to power the telescope, which I would recommend.
The software that comes with the unit is ok - allowing you to see on a computer - what you should be seeing in the sky...