Celestron NexStar 5 SE

Celestron NexStar 5 SE

Short profile

• 5" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
• classic orange tube with state-of-the-art features
• StarBright™ XLT multi-coating for maximum light transmission and absolutely clear image
• StarPointer™ red dot finder scope for easy and precise alignment
• Dovetail quick clamp; tube and support plate can be mounted without tools
• stable azimuthal mount with computer control
• Internal battery compartment - accessible from above - no tangled cables during operation
• Stable, height-adjustable tripod (4-SE and 5-SE with integrated polar cradle)
• Tried and tested NexStar computer control
• over 40,000 objects, 100 user-definable objects, in-depth information on over 200 objects
• SkyAlign technology: you only need to aim at any three objects to align the telescope
• Flash-updatable control software, motor controller and hand controller software; update via Internet.
• With camera control and remote trigger cable, so you can remotely control your connected digital SLR camera
• Special database with the most popular deep-sky objects by name and catalog number: the most beautiful double and multiple stars; variable stars; solar system; star patterns
• DC servo motors with encoders in both axes
• Double-line, 16-character LCD hand control with backlit LED buttons
• Includes NexRemoteTM telescope control software to control your telescope with your computer
• GPS compatible with optional SkySync GPS receiver

Product description for Celestron NexStar 5 SE

Invest in pure observing pleasure
Every Celestron Nexstar SE telescope is characterized by extraordinary ease of use and offers all the conveniences of a modern, computerized telescope.

Thanks to SkyAlign technology, finding the right position to locate even the most difficult galaxies is no longer a problem. Simply point the telescope at any three stars and it will be ready for use in no time at all. With the optional StarSense module, the telescope even takes care of initializing itself in the night sky - all you have to do is set up the telescope, switch it on and wait three minutes.

With the optional SkyQ-Link WiFi adapter, you can even control this telescope remotely with your iPhone, iPad or Windows PC via WiFi - simply by following the star chart on the screen. So if you're looking for the telescope with the most advanced control electronics, choose the Celestron NexStar SE.

Further advantages at a glance:

• all telescopes can be placed either on the stable tripod or with the stand on a table, wall or similar.
• the devices are also ideal for other areas of nature observation (birds, lake, mountains). Both the Maksutov and Schmidt-Cassegrain optical designs provide an absolutely scatter-free, high-contrast image even during the day in bright sunlight.
• The new revolutionary "SkyAlign" method enables even the absolute layman to align a telescope astronomically accurately in just a few minutes. You don't need to know the north direction, nor do you need to level the telescope - and you don't need to know a single star by name! Adjustment can be done from any balcony, even without a compass (which would only be deflected by surrounding iron).
• With all devices, the optical tube is coupled to the mount by means of a standard dovetail and quick clamp - you can separate the optics from the mount during transport, e.g. on an airplane, and only carry the optical part as hand luggage. You can just as easily leave the astronomical mount at home for nature observation and digital photography and place the optics alone on an optional photo tripod.
• The NexStar SE mounts adapt to the interests of the user! In addition to the supplied optical tube, other devices can be mounted alternately for different purposes, such as a solar telescope, camera + guide scope or a widefield telescope!
• NexStar 4 SE and NexStar 5 SE are extremely compact and even fit in the overhead luggage compartment of an airplane!
  The mounts of the NexStar 4 SE and NexStar 5 SE feature revolutionary control software for remote control of digital cameras. This makes it possible to control standard DSLR cameras for continuous exposures. The devices can also be used as monitoring devices for long distances.
• The extremely compact Maksutov-Cassegrain and Schmidt-Cassegrain optics are built in the "Celestron quality" that has been praised for 40 years. The Celestron 5 has been used several times on NASA space shuttle flights.

The NexStar 5SE - The planet hunter for visual observations and photography
The NexStar 5SE is the smallest Schmidt-Cassegrain in the NexStar SE series. Due to the larger aperture, it collects significantly more light than the NexStar 4SE at an almost identical focal length, making faint objects appear brighter and more conspicuous in the eyepiece. Provided the sky is dark, all objects in the Messier catalog, for example, are clearly visible - this list contains over 100 of the most beautiful objects for amateur telescopes. Near cities, nebula filters such as the Baader Planetarium UHC-S or the OIII help to block out the stray light from the cities.

The focal length is even slightly shorter than that of the NexStar 4SE, so that somewhat larger fields of view can be achieved. The larger aperture at a similar focal length means brighter images - deep-sky objects such as galaxies or planetary nebulae can be seen more clearly.

The telescope has the 1.25" connection commonly used in astronomy. This means that all standard astronomical 1.25" eyepieces (31.7mm) can be used. This is particularly convenient with the Baader Planetarium Q-Turret eyepiece turret, for example, which covers all useful magnifications and allows you to switch quickly between different magnifications.

The tube has the standard SC thread of the large Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, so a wide range of accessories can be connected. Using the separately available Celestron T-adapter for C5/C6/C8/C925/C11 and C14, SLR cameras and numerous other accessories can also be connected, turning the telescope into a 1250mm telephoto lens. The T-thread is a standard that can be used to connect almost any accessory - from SLR cameras to binoviewers.

The NexStar 4/5SE mount with polar wedge and camera control
The SE mount is an azimuthal single-arm mount that can be set up without tools. Thanks to the large, easy-grip screws, this is also possible with gloves. It is optimized to be quickly ready for use and easy to transport. Unlike the classic equatorial mount, you do not need to align the telescope to the north, set the pole height or carry counterweights. The mount is simply set up horizontally, and after alignment (in which any three bright stars are simply set), the computer automatically ensures that the telescope moves to the desired objects and keeps them in the eyepiece: Automatic tracking independently compensates for the Earth's rotation.

This makes the SE telescopes ideal for anyone who wants to observe the starry sky themselves: Highly portable, quickly ready for use and with all the necessary comfort.

The telescope is attached to the mount using a standard prism rail with a quick-release coupling, making it easy to remove. However, this is not necessary for transportation: the complete mount including telescope is very handy and fits into the separately available, padded transport case, for example. It is simply attached to the sturdy steel tripod with three easy-to-grip screws; a centering pin helps when placing it on the tripod.

The mount can also stably support other telescopes up to approx. 4.5 kg via the dovetail bar - for example lens telescopes up to approx. 10 cm aperture or reflector telescopes up to approx. 13 cm aperture.

The NexStar 4/5SE mount also offers everything for photography: Lunar photography with an SLR camera or planetary photography with a video camera such as the Celestron NexImage 5 are possible without any problems; you still need the Celestron T-adapter for C5 as well as a suitable T2 adapter for your camera bayonet or a 1.25"/T2 eyepiece clamp. You can also photograph directly through the eyepiece with a MicroStage camera platform. Long exposures are also possible using the built-in polar altitude cradle: the mount is aligned parallel to the earth's axis, as with a classic parallactic ("astronomical") mount. A software routine in the hand control box helps you to conveniently align the mount with high accuracy even without a polar finder. This not only prevents image field rotation when photographing a lunar eclipse over a long period of time, for example - deep-sky images are also possible. Many SLR cameras can be controlled directly via the hand control box. This means that even extensive exposure series can be run automatically. The best results are achieved by piggybacking an SLR camera onto the telescope using the separately available piggyback adapter.

The hand controller is neatly integrated into the fork arm and can be removed if required. However, the telescope can also be conveniently operated when it is in the fork arm mount.

An AUX connection enables the connection of additional accessories - from GPS receivers to StarSense modules.

Extensive star catalogs and TOUR function for an overview
The hand controller contains a database with over 38,000 objects. These naturally include the planets of the solar system as well as countless galaxies, gas nebulae, star clusters and interesting stars. Finding it difficult to choose? Then use the TOUR mode, which shows you a selection of the most beautiful objects every evening and explains them in German on the display.
SkyAlign - set up without knowledge of the sky

The NexStar SE mount has motors with encoders in both axes as well as a hand controller with 38,181 objects in the database. To initialize the computer control, all you have to do is enter the time and location (selectable from the database) into the hand controller and move to any three bright celestial objects - it doesn't matter which ones, you don't even have to know them! After this SkyAlign, the mount knows what the sky above it looks like and moves to any other object at the touch of a button.
Upgradeable for the latest technology - high value retention

With the optional Celestron SkySync GPS module, you no longer need to enter the date, time and observation location, making commissioning even easier. This data is automatically transferred from the telescope via the GPS satellites.

Could it be even more convenient? The SE telescopes are compatible with the StarSense module. This is a small camera that is mounted on the telescope and allows the telescope to orient itself fully automatically to the sky - without GPS. With StarSense, all you have to do is set up the telescope, switch it on and wait about three minutes. Since StarSense is compatible with all modern, computer-controlled Celestron telescopes, you can continue to use it if you ever buy a larger telescope - StarSense also works with observatory-class telescopes.

This means that a NexStar SE telescope can be brought up to date at any time if there are technical innovations - this ensures that your telescope retains its value!
Wireless control with SkyQ Link
With the optional SkyQ Link WiFi module, the SE telescopes can be controlled remotely via iPhone/iPad or Windows PCs.

Control via PC and iPhone
Like all Celestron NexStar telescopes, the NexStar SE can also be controlled via PC. All you need is the optional Celestron RS cable and, if necessary, an adapter from RS232 to USB. You can then control the telescope from a Windows PC via the NexRemote software or the widely used ASCOM interface.

But the SE telescopes also support wireless control! Using the optional SkyQ Link WLAN adapter, you can control the telescope wirelessly - either via a Windows PC or via iPhone or iPad (with the optional SkyQ Planetarium program). This means you don't have to take a laptop with you on your observation nights, an iPhone is all you need and you have a modern graphical telescope controller in addition to the hand controller, whose large buttons can also be operated with thick gloves. All options are open to you!
Power supply

The computer control is of course dependent on power. The mount offers several power supply options: Either via eight standard AA batteries if you want to be completely independent, or via an optional connection cable for the cigarette lighter socket of a car or via an optional mains adapter. The battery compartment integrated into the mount avoids cable clutter and allows maximum mobility.

The separately available cold-resistant Baader Planetarium Outdoor Telescope Power Supply #19 was developed especially for Celestron telescopes. It supplies the necessary voltage even at low temperatures - cheaper power supplies designed for indoor use often supply too little power in cold temperatures.

Future-proof
The NexStar-SE mount can not only be used with the supplied telescope, but also with many other telescopes or spotting scopes thanks to the standard prism clamp. Thanks to the hand controller, which can be updated via the Internet, you can always keep the software up to date and upgrade to the latest technologies such as SkyQ Link or StarSense at any time via the AUX connection. The telescope can also be used on many other mounts via the standardized dovetail bar, for example if you want to do deep-sky photography one day.

A computer-controlled Celestron telescope offers everything you need to get started right away - while keeping all your options open for the future.

Avoid damage to the electronics - remember the right power supply unit!
To ensure that the device operates correctly, please only use high-quality power supply units that also meet the specifications for astro, i.e. outdoor use - cheap power supply units often only deliver the specified voltage and power at room temperature and can even damage the electronics in the worst case. Suitable high-quality power supply units can be found on the left under Optional accessories.