Celestron Nexstar 5 Telescope (Telescope Only)

by Celestron

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 29 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B00004ZD39
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,383 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The NexStar 5 combines deluxe features with Celestron's legendary Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system to provide amateur astronomers with a sophisticated and easy-to-use telescope. It has a 5-inch diameter refractor, a focal length of 1250mm, a focal ratio of f/10, and one multicoated 25mm (50x) 1.25-inch Plossl eyepiece.

After locating just two alignment stars, you'll have the NexStar 5 up and running. If you are new to astronomy, you may wish to start off by using the NexStar's built-in sky tour feature, which commands the NexStar to find the most interesting objects in the sky and automatically moves to each one. The experienced will appreciate the comprehensive database of over 18,000 objects, including customized lists of all the best deep-sky objects, bright double stars, and variable stars. Here is an example of the actual text from the telescope's database as it describes M87: "Elliptical galaxy equal in size to 790 billion solar masses. More than 1,000 globular clusters are known to surround this galaxy and it is believed to have a giant black hole at its center. Distance: 50 million light years."

The NexStar has alt-azimuth operation (no need to polar align). Even if you can't find the location of two bright alignment stars, NexStar will find them for you using the "go-to" hand control that can be mounted on the fork arm for hands-free operation. The hand control is fully computerized, and it has red back-illuminated buttons that help retain your night vision. Just enter the date, the time, and your location, and the NexStar will align itself to the necessary stars. The hand control includes a built-in RS-232 communication port allowing you to control the NexStar from a computer and use popular astronomy software (like The Sky, which is included) for point-and-click slewing ability.

Finding objects is easy with the Star Pointer finderscope, which is like having a laser pointer that you can shine directly onto the night sky. Just align the red dot seen through the Star Pointer with the desired star in the sky.

Additional features include:

Star diagonal--1.25 inches
Visual back--1.25 inches
Heavy duty base with rubber feet
RS-232 port to communicate with a PC
Nine available slew speeds
Incredible 6.5-degrees-per-second slew speed
Powered by standard AC adapter or eight AA batteries (not included)

Mounted on a sturdy metal base, the NexStar 5 sits securely on any flat surface and has three rubber gripping feet for vibration suppression and traction. Weighing under 18 pounds, it is extremely portable.

Manufacturer Product Description

Equipped with the standard electronic hand control, you can manually slew your NexStar across the sky in seconds or track a star equatorially as the Earth rotates beneath you. The electronic hand controls allows you to move the telescope at six different rates and has a "double button" feature that lets you instantly increase the slew speed without having to change rates. When used with the optional Computerized Hand Control these models include all of the same features as our most advanced GPS and CGE telescope models in an affordable and expandable system. Most important, these two new NexStars will fully align themselves when used with the CN-16 GPS accessory. Put the power of our newest software features and expanded object database to work for you with Celestron's most versatile telescope.

Add the NexStar Hand Control to your NexStar i telescope and transform it into a completely automated GoTo system. Just plug it in to access features like automatic star alignment capability, GoTo slewing to over 40,000 objects and the expandability to use your NexStar with the external GPS accessory (CN-16) for a virtually hands-free alignment.

Celestron's optional computerized hand control, with a myriad of powerful new functions, is the next evolution of the most user-friendly, intuitive hand control in the industry.

A breakthrough in GoTo telescope design, the NexStar 5 features Schmidt-Cassegrain 5" aperture optics with StarBright multi-coating, powerful 1,250mm focal length and f/10 focal ratio. Ready to take the optional Computerized Hand Control, the NexStar 5 expands into a fully automated GoTo telescope. With features like AutoAlign two-star alignment, a sky tour feature, a database of over 40,000 celestial objects and easy to use hand control, the NexStar 5 is the perfect combination of power and portability.

The NexStar Series 5 Specifications:

• 127mm (5") diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain
• Focal Length of 1250mm
• Focal Ratio of f/10
• Six slew speeds: 6º /sec, 2º /sec, 128x, 64x, 16x, 8x
• Fully enclosed high speed motors on both axes
• Integrated hand controller built into the side of the fork arm
• StarBright Multi-Coating
• Designated AutoGuider port
• Auxiliary Port for optional Accessories, including CN-16 GPS module
• Battery Compartment for 8 (user supplied) AA batteries
• Weight: 17.6 lb.

The NexStar Series 5 Standard Accessories:

• 1-1/4" - 25mm Plössl (50x) Eyepiece
• StarPointer Finderscope
• 90° 1-1/4" Star Diagonal
• 1-1/4" Visual Back
• Electronic Hand Control

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the small automated scopes, December 9, 2000

By 

Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 5 Telescope (Telescope Only) (Electronics)

Both Celestron and Meade have come out with scores of automated scopes in the last few years, and of the 5" and smaller scopes, the Nextstar 5 is the clear winner. It's large enough and optically fine enough to deliver a sharp image at magnifications of up to 250x, and bright enough to resolve thousands of dim objects. For lunar viewing it's first rate. Quality wise it's somewhat better built than the similar Meade scopes, with fewer plastic pieces.

You can buy smaller scopes with automation, but when shopping atthe inexpensive end of the market, it's better to put your money into optics instead of automation. But if you can budget over a thousand dollars, and you're looking for an automated scope, this is the clear choice.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun, May 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 5 Telescope (Telescope Only) (Electronics)

I purchased this product about 2 Months ago, even though it came with all accessories to get you started, I am surprised how much money I have spent trying to get all the add ons to get the most out if the telescope. As most of you who own telescopes know, one you start to explore you want more.

The Nexstar 5 clarity is outstanding, the included computer and motors makes it cool, however it does take some time to get it aligned before you can start observing.

The Moon and Sun are incredible clear, I have not have a chance to observe any of the planets yet, for terrestrial viewing it is also outstanding

I am enjoying it, I will let you more as I explore more

PS: before you go an invest on any sophisticated eyepieces, invest your money on a Zoom eyepiece, it is much better than spending hundreds of dollars and having multiple eyepieces that you have to carry and change depending on what you are observing.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What I see through this scope, February 10, 2002

By 

Brent V. Miller (Chapel Hill, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celestron Nexstar 5 Telescope (Telescope Only) (Electronics)

I originally ordered the Nexstar 80 GT because I wanted to see the bands of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn during winter of 2001-2 while those planets were high and bright. Before it shipped, an astronomer friend suggested that I save [price] on a 5" or 8" scope by not buying that one. So I bought the Nexstar 5 instead. Overall, I am very happy with it, but now I wish that I had saved [price] on an 8" or 10" scope by not buying the 5".

With the Nexstar 5 and [price] worth of accessory filters and lenses, I see clearly five or six bands of Jupiter, I watch the four largest moons change positions as they orbit, but cannot see the moons' shadows on the face of the planet. On a clear, still night I can just distinguish the red spot. Saturn is beautiful, but I cannot make out separate rings, they blur into one. I see the Great Andromeda Nebula as an indistinct splotch of light. My favorite targets are, by far, the sun and moon. With proper filters (mandatory for solar observing) I can see sunspots, but solar flares require another very expensive filter. The moon is spectacular through this scope; I can easily see many interesting features of craters and mare. These are just my observations and not meant to criticize the scope - it does exactly what it is capable of doing.

While it does seem logical to spend your money on optics, until you become an expert skywatcher, the Nexstar goto and tracking features are a must. The sun, moon, and planets move so quickly across the sky that without some type of tracking system they quickly exit the field of view. Without the goto features it would be impossible for moderately experienced observers to point the scope at, say the Christmas Tree Nebula (never mind whether you can actually see anything once it gets there). The Nexstar does indeed have an internal database of 18,000 objects and 17,995 of them are either invisible or nondescript points of light - but that does not mean that they are not worth pointing the scope at.

Astronomy is an expensive addiction. Even those who use the Hubble space telescope would prefer a bigger and better scope. So in summary, buy this scope if it is what you can afford, otherwise do your homework and then buy a more expensive one.