Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope Review

[@DMJoyce951]

Great review! This was my first scope after getting back into the hobby and it definitely led me down the astrophotography rabbit hole, but I’m loving it! I ended up selling the SE mount and replacing it with an AVX and now have a wide field refractor along with the C8 to image with.

[@AstroBackyard]

I amazed at how many people took this exact route! It really says something about the quality of that OTA!

[@DMJoyce951]

@@AstroBackyard It has some sharp optics for sure! I’ve been having a blast with it during galaxy season.

[@luboinchina3013]

I also did the same replacing the Nexstar mount with EQ6R Pro. It was not bad, but by putting it on a stable mount, coma was revealed, So I switched to 8HD 😊 My current setup with modified Canon 5D Miii. As you said, 8SE on nexstar mount is perfect for star parties because its observing position is comfortable to observe for long periods of time even for small kids unlike the Dobsonian. I used it many times for that purpose, also for roadside astronomy events. Also the eclipse...

[@mattestabrook]

I have a similar experience--I got back into the hobby a few years ago and got the Evolution 6, a smaller cousin of the 8se. I've added a Hyperstar and an AVX mount and am loving it!

[@titobattaglia7932]

Well, that's the route I've taken too. For now it's a C6, and I mostly use it for lunar, but there's a C8 in my future fo sho

[@skesinis]

The 5" NexStar SLT (SE's Maksutov cousin) back in 2013 was the one that led me down the astrophotography rabbit hole, but buying a DSLR to attach to it, also led me to all around daytime photography too! A couple of DIY improvements that I made on that scope were the following: I made a focuser with a stepper motor and an Arduino nano, which was small enough to fit in the mount's arm. That way the telescope wouldn't wobble when I'd be trying to focus at 10x on my DSLR's back. I've also removed the plastic pointy ends of the tripod, and I've put 2 rubber rings inside each tube, with a hole in them to allow for a long screw to go through them and hold the telescope's weight securely. The long screw was that of a normal articulating furniture pad. This little mod reduced the vibrations when I'd touch the telescope, or when there'd be a slight breeze of air. I know that there are rubber pads that you can use instead, but this was a permanent solution and it also makes it look as if it was part of the original design of the tripod. Upgrading the finder scope with a Celestron 9x 50mm, and an illuminated cross hair eyepiece, had two effects: First it made the star alignment process much more accurate, resulting in a better goto experience, but ultimately, even when the alignment wasn't very good and the scope would end up nearby the object you'd be looking for, the finder scope having a 50mm diameter, would make dark objects bright enough to see and align manually, something that was previously impossible with just the red dot finder and the naked eye. Even with a poor alignment, the scope would turn close enough to the object, to put it in the field of view of the finder scope. One last DIY mod that I did was to make a WiFi interface to the serial port of the hand controller, using an ESP32 and writing a very simple program, that was just passing through the data from my iPad's SkySafary Pro to the telescope mount, making it remotely controlled over the WiFi that way. Overall, having limitations some times helps you find ways to overcome them, and I really enjoyed looking at the skies all these years with that little scope!

[@curronhill2744]

I had the 6se version. It tracked amazingly well. The mount is much more stable in the 6. I set it Mars one evening around midnight and went to bed leaving it on. At 8 am the next morning i awoke to seeing Mars in the daylight still in the eyepiece. I added the Revolution Imager camera to this setup and was able to get lots of deep sky images by stacking images. Even the Horsehead! The SE’s are a great starter set that last you a lifetime visually, get you started in astrophotography, and then let you move the OTA to a heavier EQ mount and add a 6.3 reducer and do some amazing work.

[@myfishingadventures1509]

Wow, thank you I came here to Learn about the mount as I am getting a 5 or 6se. That gave me a bit more confidence

[@aztronomy7457]

@@myfishingadventures1509 The 6 is the better way to go if you want to eventually do AP. I actually think the 6 + Focal Reducer is one of the best ways to capture smaller objects and galaxies. You can put the 6 on an EQ mount, and still have enough weight left over to add accessories to keep it under the AP weight limit (50% of mounts maximum weight). However IMO the 6 for anything other than planets isnt' very good unless you have VERY dark skies. You'll be able to see ring nebula, a couple star clusters, and andromeda but thats about it.

[@myfishingadventures1509]

@@aztronomy7457 thank you so much. And yes, that is my plan eventually. Have a great day.

[@ZeeZee9]

@@aztronomy7457 Hi. Is the 8SE better for deep sky objects?

[@aztronomy7457]

@@ZeeZee9 yes if you take it to dark skies. In a light polluted backyard you can see some decent stuff with the right filters.

[@brownboom]

The 8SE was our openeing into the hobby, since then we have replaced the mount and gotten a proper DSLR, finderscope, guidscope, ect. but the tube remains our primary telescope and it does so much for us even in our light poluted sky.

[@keithkorthals6183]

Optics of the OTA is good!

[@johnpatterson6205]

Great review and spot on. I've had my 8SE for 8 years and love it. The first thing I did shortly after getting it was replacing the OEM tripod with a heavy CPC tripod. Yes, it is much heavier and not easily transportable but I only take it from the back door to my back yard. I also added a remote focuser to keep the wobble down while I focus it. Its a great scope for the casual observer.

[@ZeeZee9]

Hi! Can you see deep space objects with this scope?

[@johnpatterson6205]

@@ZeeZee9 Some. I've seen the Ring Nebula, Orion Nebula and the Sombrero Galaxy. Andromeda appears as a blue blur. If you want to use it for astrophotography, I've been told that you will have to upgrade it to Hyperstar if your 8 SE is Fastar compatible.

[@petermein4943]

You just confirmed my experience with the 5SE. It's a great scope, but usage of the mount is limited to the solar system for photography. I ended up selling it and boughta C8 on an AVX mount.

[@samraisbeck3079]

totally an awesome telescope... that's why every photo i've ever seen uses an alt az mount... right?

[@jasonwilliams675]

Have owned an 8se for about 4 years and still use the OTA, but on a different mount. I've paired it with a asi224mc and taken great planetary images. Hooking up my asi294mc paired with 6.3 reducer, its also great for galaxies and smaller planetary nebula. Just an all around solid starter scope that can grow with you.

[@user-yh8ce7tg8l]

Been considering pairing the 8SE with the ASI294MC myself to see how it does, any suggestions on where to pickup the reducer?

[@samraisbeck3079]

isn't that interesting... you don't' use the mount being hawked here... because if you did you would know that a celestron 8se mount cant hold even a dedicated astrophotography camera much less all the other parts required to make astrophotography work on any level...

[@jasonwilliams675]

@@user-yh8ce7tg8l I have the Celestron 6.3. Bought it a few years ago from AgenaAstro.

[@jasonwilliams675]

@@samraisbeck3079The mount is pretty pathetic and probably over the max capacity right out of the box...but In all fairness to Celestron, the stock 8se at 2000mm FL and f10 isn't really advertised nor intended as a astrophotography setup. The mounts tracking accuracy only has to be good enough for amatuer visual astronomy, which it is.

[@samraisbeck3079]

@@jasonwilliams675 it took the world famous astrophotographer hocking this telescope on this mount less than 45 seconds of his 11 minute 3 second advertisement to imply that this setup can indeed be used for astrophotography. that's not ok.

[@omenaccipio]

Short video, direct, focused, easy to understand, no embelishement. Subscribed!

[@eyesoftexasskywatch]

Used my 8SE with an AVX mount and a DLSR for my first deep space photos. Very versatile OTA. I actually have it on my Sky Watcher EQ6R Pro right now for galaxy season.

[@mojomojo2091]

Any chance that you have some of your captures up loaded anywhere taken with your 8SE and dslr? i have yet to buy my own because Australia and the inflation down here and can only water from the mouth while looking at other peoples images for now.

[@eyesoftexasskywatch]

@@mojomojo2091 I do have a short video on my you tube channel called "Davis Mountains State Park IC63 M33 M42" that all three images I used the 8SE OTA on an AVX mount with the F6.3 Focal Reducer. The camera was an ASI294MC-Pro. I also have a moon and solar eclipse video I used the 8SE OTA with in the channel. Cheers, hope you can get a scope some time soon!

[@craigwallace6601]

I had the 8SE for 15 years. I bought it for $2500AU back then and sold it 2 years ago for $2300AU. Remarkable resale value. It was sad to see it go, but it funded the new gear... This scope is perfect for outreach events. Countless children and adults looked through this and saw Saturn and Jupiter for the first time. That never gets old!

[@dilip_1997]

What did you upgrade to, if I May please?

[@nickbrown320]

Why would someone pay nearly full price for a 13 year old telescope?! The 8SE retails I’m the US for $1600. Are they harder to find in Australia?

[@gerard518]

$1600 USD is roughly $2500 USD so it seems like the prices are similar. I have a 4se new in the box I've never opened. Bought is almost 4 years ago. This has inspired me to open her up and set the telescope up.

[@GuiPb]

15 years ago 2500 was a lot of money 😂😂😂😂😂

[@michaeledmonds3027]

My senior return to astronomy led me to this very scope. But, after more research and reflection, I ended up with a Evolution 6" loaded up with a ZWO ASI183MC, EAF and ASIAIR Plus. The Evo mount is great with the 6" and extras for bright show and tell with our grandsons.

[@mattestabrook]

This is almost my experience exactly!

[@pyroreapernick8116]

Just got this scope as my first Goto scope and I love it, definitely see why it costs what it does, but it's what I could afford and I couldn't be happier. Clear sky's 🔭

[@jackmuchukot7201]

Congrats man! Enjoy the scope.

[@Noncenx]

I have the 6SE and loved it so much, I went down the rabbit hole you mentioned. I now have a 8HD on an AVX mount and going deeper and deeper…

[@Rob_1472]

Started with the Nexstar 4se 2 years ago during lockdown then discovered your channel as I wanted to do more than planetary. I think we can all relate to the rabbit hole. 2 years on and there’s a 9.25 EdgeHD, Rasa and a 10 micron mount. So much for “babe I’ll only get the 4se and will never need anything else” 😆

[@mickmoonstudycansell1889]

Spot on 🤣🤣🤣, I think we've all said that to our partner, then a year goes along with several thousand ££££'s spent.

[@mattestabrook]

@@mickmoonstudycansell1889 Don't worry honey, this is my "Forever Scope!"

[@mickmoonstudycansell1889]

@@mattestabrook 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍👍

[@EnuffsEnuff318]

"....down the astrophotography rabbit hole." How true for any cool hobby.

[@ConhecimentosemFronteiras875]

AstroBackyard hey man, most of the time I see your astrophotographs which are amazing, I'm from Brazil and I really like astronomy, congratulations for your work

[@RL112871]

Got this for my son & I a couple years ago for Xmas. Nixed the mount and stuck the tube on an AVX last year. Picked up a 2nd 8se and did the same. Now we have two 8se tubes sitting on AVX mounts and thoroughly enjoy them.

[@yorl418]

Hey ! Nice to see that you tried this telescope, I have a 5SE and it is really good even for astrophotography for the budget. Keep the good work !

[@jamesgu1467]

8SE is a great first scope! It is my first telescope. Excellent optics. The mount is definitely wobbly. With starsense, the alignment is spot on and can track objects a lot better than sky align or 2-star align.

[@dunmer26]

You speak like Mark Roper. Very intelligently and precise. Nice video

[@donaldmartin7109]

I am a member for a long time. You always speak the facts. I own too much equipment and was thinking of this but what I learn to avoid. Thank you for sharing as always .

[@lukomatico]

Super review dude! I think you touched upon the pros & cons of this kit very nicely :-) Such a neat package and a great entry to astronomy in general! Hope you enjoy Cherry Springs and get plenty of clear skies! 😀

[@douglassmith1215]

I got this combo many years ago. I found the mount was not really good enough even for planetary imaging because it tended to move in small rapid jumps. So I sold the mount and got an HEQ5 Pro. This improved planetary imaging considerably. After awhile, I sold the Celestron 8 inch and upgraded to the 9.25 inch, which the HEQ5 Pro could handle for planetary work without a problem. I then got a 4 inch APO refractor which complemented the 9.25 SCT quite well and fit the HEQ5 Pro mount very nicely. The good thing about Celestron equipment is it keeps its value and there is always a used market for it.

[@_Rodrigo_Inacio_]

😱

[@spacep0d]

Great review, thanks! This will be my first telescope now that I have a patch of reasonably dark sky right in my backyard with plenty of room to move around.

[@RaspberryRockOffGridCabin]

Thanks for the review. That was great. Probably going to get the 8SE for my wife. We have zero light pollution at our cabin, so it seems an obvious hobby to take up. One suggestion from a person who wages a war with armies of bugs: spray the juice on the back of a hand and rub it on your forehead, cheeks, neck, etc. No reason to spray it in your eyes, nose, or mouth. Cheers!

[@davestelling]

Good advice, Russell!

[@Tommyr]

I have the older non SE 5" Nexstar. Nice little scope. Excellent optics.

[@ryanfaulkner6842]

This is a great gateway scope. I've had mine for about 4 months and now I've fallen into that Astrophotography rabbit hole with a William Optics GT71 and Star Adventurer GTi on order... With the smartphone adapter I've been able to get images of Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, the Orion Nebula & the Sombrero Galaxy. I'm hoping to get Andromeda this weekend during a camping trip. For travel, the ota isn't too heavy and I use the Celestron duffel. The mount goes into the original shipping box and the tripod goes into a duffel.

[@girlenedesouza2829]

Just purchased one today. What’s else I need? Any tips welcome,thank you.

[@ryanfaulkner6842]

@@girlenedesouza2829 start slow. Power adapter, dew shield and an 18mm eyepiece. I’ll be getting a 10mm soon. I’ve tried 5mm & 7mm and they were too much for my seeing conditions.

[@girlenedesouza2829]

@@ryanfaulkner6842 : thank you for respond so quickly 😉

[@skygazerII]

I have an older Celestron 8. I deforked it, added a dovetail, now i use the OTA on my go-to mount. I can still use it on the original mount, too. win-win.

[@dougtaylor7724]

Nice job on the review. I’ve had a CPC1100 and the older version of the twin fork before the CPC in an Eleven inch for years. They are bulletproof in the optical department. Never had an electrical issue like my buddies with a Meade. I highly recommend a hard case. I bought an SE mount used for my Orion Mak. Very easy to use even for a newbie.

[@denodan]

The 9.25 evolution is a legend, meant to have one of the best sct mirrors out there due ti being f2.2 rather than f2, the f2.2 is easier to produce and the 9.25 has rhe reputation of the better mirror in its class and flatter field. That was until the HD series

[@marchoude2303]

You're absolutely right about the astrophotography rabbit hole. I feel I have gone as far as I can with my 6se on a Alt-az mount and now I' thinking things like an EQ mount and even a dome! Now if I can only talk my neighbors into cutting down their cedars.

[@thanurawishwagithkahandawa1010]

Great job,Astrobackyard.some day I observed through this telescope, Great the 8SE.almost I think yours photographs are great than others,

[@thanurawishwagithkahandawa1010]

Some day I observed through this telescope, great the 8SE,

[@jackmuchukot7201]

I got this as my first scope. Loved it for visual astronomy but hated the wobble in the mount. since then I've harvested the optical tube from it and attached it to an iOptron CEM70NUC mount on the iOptron Tri-Pier stand. I have a ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera, a focus motor, heater ring, autoguider, mini pc, f/6.3 focal reducer for larger targets, and prob some other stuff I'm forgetting. I'm working on bettering my skill however its difficult due to light pollution and school commitments.

[@amdizack]

Great review! This was my first non-department store, Black Friday scope and got me hooked onto astronomy.

[@greglight5808]

Great video Trevor 👍! Been watching since 10k subs. I love your reviews. They are honest and reliable. Please keep up the great work

[@davidaaaa4611]

I sure agree with you. After using a Celestron Super C8 plus for years I bought one of the first Nextstar 8's in the year 2000. It was the gray one. But the mirror is not so good any more, and the electronics do not work any more .I have a New Nextstar 5 it is a great scope also. But the Nexstar 8 SE is an excellent telescope.

[@titobattaglia7932]

Thanks Trevor for stoking the gear-acquisition lust again for a C8 ;D I have and love a C6 I bought used and I'll never part ways with it until we both stay functional. It's a killer, hyper-portable OTA. I'll second what other SCT users suggested: factor in the cost for a 0,63 reducer. It does not magically turn a SCT into a rich field telescope but greatly augments the range of objects it can show satisfactorily.

[@area51xi]

Been waiting to buy this since I was a kid in the 1980s. It's now 2022 and I'm heading to my local camera shop to get one soon.

[@ITProjectManagerMan]

Vibration Suppression Pads help with the high magnification focus shaking and you can eliminate that problem altogether with a auto focuser by JMI.

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

Also for better night optics you turn the tube till it is facing down, remove the eyepiece adapter and let the hot air escape from the telescope. Having properly cooled optics makes a MAJOR difference in the quality of the image. Having the optics pointing strait up will just heat the air in the scope.

[@chrismiller6934]

Great video! I just ordered mine a few hours ago. I'll eventually get a phone mount for it. It will be my first step down the rabbit hole!!

[@steppen57]

Nice review. I have a Nester 6SE and an Evolution 8HD. They are both great. I did manage to image M81 with the Evolution. A bit of an experiment with short exposures just to see if it could be done. But where they excel is with the larger planets and the Moon. Great scopes!

[@Gumba213]

I've had this telescope now for a few years, would love a follow-up video on some upgrades you'd recommend to taking it to the next level for astrophotography. Thanks

[@zacharybalov5353]

Deep sky astrophotography is possible with this alt az mount, it just requires time to figure out what is possible and how long you can push the exposure length, depending on the location of the object. I've taken some decent photos with mine.

[@barrytdrake]

I use it with the Celestron EQ adapter for deep sky astrophotography. It works well enough for me.

[@martynh5410]

I have the Nexstar 8 EdgeHD and quickly fell into the Astrophotography rabbit hole - on my 4th camera now (An ASI 294MC), 0.7 focal reducer and Wedge. I also added a guidescope with ASI224 mini. It’s capable of good EAA images using live stacking in SharpCap 4.0. Typically I’m using between 3 and 20 second exposures but sometimes manage 30 seconds. I’m not able to get guiding working smoothly enough yet to enable longer exposures. I have the StarSense auto align as well and that makes alignment pretty easy. Love the scope and I’ve compiled a few videos myself on KZbin showing what I’ve captured. Thanks for this review!

[@JesterG3]

8SE OTA + HEQ5 for me! Loving it so far.

[@The.RandomTube]

1:32 I feel you brother! XD

[@GuybrushThriftweed]

I have the Meade LX90 8". The fork makes it more stable than this single arm solution but also quite a bit more heavy too :)

[@eottoe2001]

I wish the controller could be integrated with the phone. Rack-and-pinion focus would be nice, too. With my Celestron the focusing knob is kind of pain without a motor. However, the optics are really fine with their scopes and price is good.

[@astrodad656]

Well because of your channel I went down that rabbit hole a couple years ago thanks 💰😐🐇

[@stephenwebber3850]

I had its baby sister - the 6SE - same mount but smaller OTA and easier to haul in and out of car when out ina field. Aligning the mount was always frustrating which is why I ditched it for a HEQ5 Pro mount and I have never looked back. The OTA is ok, but when trying to image something like the flame, the nearby alnitak is warped because of the way the focus has to be tight at the centre. I have imaged loads of deep sky obejcts with mine - but never on the Alt Az Mount - so I would say, invest in the OTA but get a decent skywatcher mount. the on board power is very old school on the original mount - I ditched using AA batteries for external power supply which was more reliable. I lke the fact that you get a long focal length in a compact package - a comparable refractor would be much longer in the boot of my car. It also comes with option to build in a dew heater and not just wrap some wire in some material around the outside. I also intend to use this OTA and HEQ5 Pro mount with my ASI Air (using eqmod cable) for better GOTO and guiding capabilities Overall I really like my 6SE

[@KenCrawford1]

Nicely done! Great information and well presented. Was great to meet you at AIC 2022!

[@dustingibson5153]

Incredible video Buddy. As always, great stuff!

[@natejackman6161]

Great review Trevor. This series of scopes although best seller get ignored by the telescope KZbinrs besides Chuck. LOL. I started with the 6SE and later changed the mount to an AVX mount. I now shoot with an EdgeHD8 and EdgeHD11. My comment about the single arm…it keeps the scope light weight and VERY portable. Yes the arm Is a little weak but the weight on the double arm scopes…well The CPC1100 weighs 110lbs. You have to pick up the whole thing and land it on a small nail. These Nextstar scopes are fun, capable and get used because they work without much trouble.

[@paulmotta3138]

It is a great scope. But I wish I knew more from the starting gate. When I first purchased it I live on a 3rd for a complex and I went to the balcony to use it. I mainly used it there and if I wanted to point south I'd point it out the window. I didn't want to carry everything all the time down and back up so may flights of stairs. My only grip was the power head that connects to the arm was loose, since I never really could see in all directions I always manually pointed the scope and never really realized this problem. Saying all that I like the scope a lot. I was able to show my family the moon and planets. The smile on all our faces were so worth.

[@HowzitMan96]

Started with the Evolution 8 which is pretty similar in all aspects and sure enough, the simplicity lead me straight down the rabbit hole

[@conradsanders8475]

This telescope was similar to my first which was my Evolution 8. I added a Hyperstar and did EAA for years until I bought a equatorial mount and now use the same OTA on my CGX mount.

[@samraisbeck3079]

did you do that on the original 8se mount you received or did it require you to spend nearly $1200 extra to get a mount that could even begin to carry the telescope and equipment?

[@conradsanders8475]

@@samraisbeck3079 the Evolution Alt/AZ Mount was designed to handle this large of a OTA. A 9.25 OTA would be pushing it and is not recommended larger than a 8 inch OTA.

[@samraisbeck3079]

@@conradsanders8475 what it wasn't designed to do was hold even a miniscule amount more weight than the OTA, or track an object without field rotation...

[@conradsanders8475]

@@samraisbeck3079 that’s because it’s a alt/Az mount on the field rotation

[@troliskimosko]

@@samraisbeck3079 Fyi buddy, it is "rated" for 12 but it can easily hold over 20 pounds. Stop being silly

[@stew_redman]

I have a 1997 C8 that I use on a tuned and belted HEQ5 Pro mount. A great visual and planetary scope. I throw a focal reducer/flattener on for deep sky astrophotography.

[@Mrcloc]

I wish you had mentioned (or elaborated on) the built-in wedge. Great review!

[@crovax17]

Orian XT8 first timer. Lol the 8" dob is so fun and a manual movement is fun to use chasing the ISS. Lol trust me astrophotography is awesome but being a kid learning that thing like a master was a lot of the fun in astronomy for me.

[@caseman247]

Great review. Can you expand on the astrophotography rabbit hole? I would like to be able to use my mirrorless camera to take pictures.

[@TexasBulldogs2007]

Great Review! I appreciate you sharing your experience with this telescope.

[@carlsidea2542]

I was really hoping to get your opinion with the wedge you can buy for these. Always love your videos.

[@smartbutcher1]

Another great video Trevor. Thanks for the shout out on my Jupiter.......my kids always get a kick out of seeing dads hobby on KZbin

[@kari53]

Finally found Canadian content. 👍 Awesome review.

[@etepstudios]

First time I've ever watched a premiere. That was cool. Thanks Trevor! Great video!

[@Wombatzone31]

my friend just bought a 2nd hand one for $700Au..... cleaned the glass and mirrors for her and it's perfect. Love the focal length from such a small scope considering I use an 8inch reflector on my EQ6-R... want to try this on an EQ6-R

[@langers503]

Great to see you review something old school Trevor. This is absolutely classic and I really do regret selling mine a few yrs back. Would of been great to hear you mention more of the C8’s capabilities/options such as attaching a focal reducer or using hyperstar. Using the OTA with a more capable mount. Lots of avenues to go down to achieve great results. That being said, I think the C8 to an extent can be a all in one as long as you have the cash to splash.

[@kumarsrinivasan8842]

Great review, Trevor! Couldn’t agree more with you on the AP rabbit hole😄 While I have had & enjoyed doing visual astronomy with the C8 SCT for a long time, it was also my first scope for astrophotography… and boy, it’s not just a rabbit hole… it’s more like a black hole! Now my AP toolset includes a HEQ5 mount, two other refractor scopes, a cooled CMOS camera, a planetary camera besides an assortment of filters. As I heard it said elsewhere, “a black hole is what is left in my wallet after I got into astrophotography!”😂😂

[@henrymazariegos1148]

Muy buena revisión, sería más interesante y hubieran imágenes que tú obtuviste con este telescopio.

[@chadderboxist]

Cool editing skills. Can you do a review of the telescope please? What was this? Is it any good? Did it show a quality picture? Shown it in action or something.

[@petef.4361]

Hoping sometime within the next year or two, you can do a review on the new harmonic mounts that are about to burst onto the scene. ZWO has obviously released their Harmonic AM5, Pegasus Astro will soon be releasing their NYX-101 Harmonic Gear Mount, then we have the Sharpstar Mark III Harmonic German Equatorial Mount, and finally iOptron will be offering their HEM27 and the HEM27EC hybrid harmonic mount. It would be interesting to have a comparison chart showing their features and specs side by side, and then maybe a part II video where the performance is analyzed and given scrutiny, such as guiding at short and long focal lengths to stretch their capabilities.

[@ITProjectManagerMan]

I added vibration suppression pads and a JM motorized focuser, problem solved. My club was doing an outreach event just north of the San Fernando Valley at Castaic Lake in California and there were a bunch of cub/boy scouts. One of the boys after looking into my 8SE went around to the front of the telescope and then looked me right in the eye and said I was trying to trick them. I asked why he said that and he said that he had just looked thru 10 other scopes that were all lined up from other club members and none were showing a picture perfect image of Saturn as my scope. The image in my 8SE that night was indeed picture perfect! As I have said, vibration suppression pads and a JM Motorized focuser solve the primary deficiencies with this telescope. Optically, it is Picture Perfect. 😊

[@_stardust62]

I have one...my complaint is no manual clutch system, it only moves by electric power...hate that! I guess they learned their lesson because the new versions have a helpful clutch system like most SCTs should have.

[@AstroDenny]

It's got a Vixen dovetail for easy portability to an equatorial mount and it can easily accept a 0.63 focal reducer and it's ready for a Hyperstar for seriously fast imaging.

[@alexanderzheliazkov6984]

that makes it the best budget scope for astrophotography....;)

[@AstroDenny]

@@alexanderzheliazkov6984 And a great platform to build on.

[@MCsCreations]

Sweet! Thanks for the review, dude! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@avt_astro206]

I have One Those Telescope on an Alt-az mount With Gotos. And I have Been Doing Astrophotography with It, and Don't Get Me wrong🤣. It Does Work If You use The Right Technique Of Not Taking longer Exposures and Lots Of Them. great Review Trevor!

[@jackchesnut1956]

I have the 8" Celestron Evolution (which is pretty much the same scope) and I've taken pretty good images of nebulas, star clusters and galaxies with my iPhone running Nightcap. You will need the 6.3 focal reducer, but you are certainly NOT limited to taking pictures of objects in the solar system with this scope.

[@samraisbeck3079]

with that mount you are limited to 30 seconds or less exposure time due to field rotation. You're also limited to less than 1lb of extra weight. the ota is 11.5 lb's and the mount can only hold 12lb's--you just used up a third of that remaining load capacity with a reducer... how were you mounting your camera without exceeding the max weight?

[@jackchesnut1956]

@@samraisbeck3079 My mount has absolutely no problem with the weight. My cell phone weighs less than 1/4 pound and the focal reducer is probably 2 ounces. I understand the limitations with exposure time due to having an Alt/Az mount.. Using Nightcap in long exposure mode with my iPhone, I have captured many DSOs with this scope and the photos look pretty good.

[@samraisbeck3079]

@@jackchesnut1956 LOL! that's a good one.... for a second there i thought you were serious and then you said your pictures of DSO's taken at f/6.3 with a 5.6x4.2mm uncooled color sensor on a mount limited to less than 30 seconds by field rotation are good...

[@jackchesnut1956]

@@samraisbeck3079 Why are you being a jack ass? I'm telling you what I like to do and have gotten decent results that I'm happy with and you mock me... Astronomy is a hobby I love. Why you choose to insult me only indicates you are over compensating for your own obvious shortcomings...

[@donstimson6655]

@@samraisbeck3079 It is simply false that you are limited to less than 30 seconds total exposure time nor is the Evolution mount limited to only 12 lbs. Try 25 lbs. Field rotation can be compensated for by software like Sharpcap (and is a function of your latitude and the object's altitude and azimuth. I do EAA with this scope and typically use 10-20 second exposures for up to 20-30 minutes with a ZWO ASI 1294 MC Pro. Sure they aren't AstroBackyard quality, but I still consider them "good."

[@ayush_p]

Hi Which is the best telescope for me I'm 15 And my budget is around $200

[@DRARD-zd7vx]

For a beginner who wants to get into astrophotography what would u recommend a 6se or a 8 dob?

[@CursedV0id]

Such an underrated channel 🪐 🖤

[@Rych]

I have a 5se and really enjoy it when I get chance. Going to look at that smart phone adapter you mentioned

[@vishalsingh-jd7id]

Thank you for your review , I was planning to one and you made video right on time (y) I would love if you can post some more on Celestron 8SE.

[@ogshotglass9291]

I'm currently using a Celestron Travel Scope 70 and a vintage Jason Explorer 400 for viewing. I plan to upgrade to a larger version of this scope, the Evolution 9.25. For me, when I researched the 8SE, there were a few things that were off-putting for me. The lack of a manual clutch system combined with the need for 8 AA batteries or the AC adapter unit was a big one. I have a huge back yard in the middle of nowhere, and would have to string together several extension cords to reach my usual observing spot there. The Evo 9.25 solves this problem by having both a rechargeable battery that lasts 10 hours PLUS the manual clutch system in case you need it. Once I'm able to buy a computer, I'd also hook it up to the mount to get better tracking on things from inputting of GPS coordinates and control it from there.

[@JustinSteereMusic]

Also a good tip for anyone buying this scope. The hand controller can be a PAIN. It's in a very awkward position and if you have to unplug it you might have a bit of trouble getting it back in. I would also recommend using electrical tape to tape the controller in place because it falls out of it's holder constantly. You don't want the wiring to start getting pulled and yanked too much because the Controller itself is almost $100 to replace. Once I taped it down I never had another issue with it falling out of it's holder.

[@kapttainK]

You don't show any pictures

[@marqsPsycho]

Came here to say the same

[@princemarkanthony500]

Cuz there nothing there

[@afonso4133]

​@@princemarkanthony500you should buy one and point at jupiter or something like that

[@omirrrr]

He did? Watch again

[@Astroesbee-gm1de]

He showed it.

[@michaelyackovich155]

That’s on my WISH LIST, I have the NextStar 130 SLT, but want that one

[@mawage666]

I have the NexStar 127SLT with an adapter for my Nikon D3200. Plus a solar filter for the telescope. Got some really awesome pics of the last Solar Eclipse. Next one in the United States is Monday April 8th 2024.

[@andrewwareing7291]

Make sure the scope mounting bar is well seated in the saddle. When I was at Efstonscience, I was setting one up for public observing and it wasn't seated properly. That sound of a telescope hitting the concrete is a sickening sound!

[@Teknoman300]

I wonder if you would be willing to do a more serious astrophotography review on this scope. By that i mean a more advanced setup where you showcase different uses and not just how to take a pic with a cellphone. There is a lot of people who own this scope but better mounts than the Alt Az it comes with stock. There are a lot of beautiful pics out there made by setups using this OTC but RQ / AM 5 mounts etc and they have produced amazing results. I think this is a scope with so much potential for both planetary and DSO imaging. Just a thought!!

[@terrymaurice6285]

Wow! I was truly amazed to see you looking into an eyepiece!! :) :)

[@KimSevern]

8:58 down the rabbit hole 😉😎❤🐰📷🐇🎥 Thanks for the video.

[@Ked778]

What does it mean?

[@dgdave2673]

Completely agree with your review and this is a great solar system visual observation telescope!

[@rebsredone450]

I am a beginner and I bought the Celestron Nexstar C6 Evolution based on a review by Ed Ting. Besides the facts that the C6 has lower light gathering capabilities and the design of the motor/battery/ arm assembly is different, I can say that my experiences fully support things mentioned in your review. Especially that 15$ starfinder is a crime. I guess I should have bought the cell phone holder. I bought the DSLR-adapter and I am too clueless to make it work. I tried shots of the moon, but I couldn’t get the focus right. I guess I need to put more of an effort in.

[@Astro_Ash_Jeremy]

I leave the red dot finder on all the time on my 130 slt 😂😂😂 Somehow it never dies 😂 I just purchase the 8se telescope, waiting for delivery 🙌🏻 Good video by the way

[@irenemedina8836]

I am Going to get a 8se next year and cool video

[@ditto1958]

I am soooo fascinated by these telescope videos…. but I’m never getting a telescope because I’m always asleep when the stars are out. 😢 This telescope looks like a good value, and one that would make astronomy fun.

[@southerneruk]

I use my Celestron 1100 Edge HD that I have on my Pentax camera, don't look up at the sky to often, but for those long distance nature photos it's a great bit of gear.

[@hugoramirez212]

Good review, thank you. Could you make other video showing the "super easy" set up of the arm controller?, cheers.

[@chrisevantapman]

I used that exact setup for 4 years, the 8SE and NeXYZ smartphone adapter doing mainly planetary and lunar astrophotography, but I also dabbled in some of the brighter deep sky objects. It is amazing, especially for me who had just upgraded from a 2 inch refractor. Being able to actually see detail in Jupiter's bands and Saturn's rings was amazing, and I was able to observe nebulae and galaxies for the first time. I still use the OTA, but I've since upgraded the mount to an AVX.

[@samraisbeck3079]

Wow! you used an 8se alt az mount for four years... let's see your awesome astro photos! oh wait you're limited to 30 second shots at f10 by your awesome set up! so you don't have anything except fuzzy photos of m42....

[@chrisevantapman]

@@samraisbeck3079 iPhones aren't really great for long exposure astrophotography, so I never really went above 7 second exposures. However, I was actually able to get some pretty cool planetary and lunar photos.