Our last consumer opinion post was about Celestron’s NexStar 6 SE telescope. This post looks at actual owner’s feedback reports on its bigger brother the Celestron NexStar 8 SE.
Just to ensure that new readers understand the aim of these posts, here’s some background:
We obviously cannot review all optical instruments ourselves and we have therefore decided to collect opinions from consumers and post them in a single place for a single instrument. Real user accounts are excellent at cutting through the hype and marketing that traders use so well online to bamboozle consumers into making a purchase.
We feel that this strategy also counteracts our own biases and provides consumers with a more accurate idea of the quality and real world ease-of-use of the instruments we post here.
Just to be clear: these are not recommendations, but do provide a kind of ‘user opinion poll’.
OK, let’s have a closer look at the Celestron NexStar 8 SE:
Owner’s opinions:
“… easy for me to align, and the GoTo really helps to find objects when viewing from my semi light-polluted back yard… …Worth every penny…”
snippet of an owner’s feedback at telescopes.com
“… a great product, in fact the best scope I have ever owned… … eats double A batteries pretty quickly - You will need the power tank accessory…”
snippet of another owner’s feedback at telescopes.com
“… really loved everything about this telescope and the dislikes are trivial (and hence the 5 star rating)…”
snippet from an owner’s feedback at Amazon.com
“… Once I used SkyAlign to set it up, I was finding nebulas and galaxies that I had never seen before. 8 “AA” batteries do not last long in this scope, so if you plan to use it for hours at a time, I would suggest that you purchase the AC Adapter, Car Adapter, or Power Tank to go with it…”
another owner’s feedback at Amazon.com
“… There are two streetlights fairly nearby, the first about 80 feet away and the second roughly 100 feet away. In spite of that, I have been able to see objects I never expected I would be able to see, even given these less than ideal viewing conditions… … a magnificent instrument for visual observation. Its expansive 8″ aperture, high quality optics, and nearly flawless, easy to use, GoTo and tracking systems, make it a joy to use…”
snippet from an expert user’s review at cloudynights.com
Manufacturer’s description
An 8 inch telescope is the right amount of aperture for viewing just about anything in the night sky. This telescope sets up and breaks down quickly and is great for taking to dark sky locations. The largest of the NexStar SE family with 78% more light gathering than a 6-inch model, the NexStar 8 SE will enable you to see deep into the universe. The distinctive patented fork arm with ergonomically designed integrated hand control cradle gives solid support to Celestron’s classic 8-inch optics. The NexStar 8 SE features Schmidt-Cassegrain 8-inch aperture optics with our premium StarBright XLT coatings and a powerful 2,032mm focal length and f/10 focal ratio.
The NexStar 8 SE has all the same features as Celestron’s most advanced computerized GoTo telescopes, including our revolutionary SkyAlign™ alignment technology, a sky tour feature, a database of over 40,000 celestial objects and easy to use hand control.
Plug the optional CN-16 GPS Accessory into NexStar’s auxiliary port and download data from orbiting GPS satellites for truly quick and easy alignments. The universe may be full of mysteries, but using the NexStar 8 SE isn’t one of them.
In the tradition of Celestron’s famous orange optical tubes, the new NexStar SE family combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with state-of-the-art features including a fully computerized operating system, flash-upgradable hand control, our superior StarBright XLT coatings, our revolutionary SkyAlign™ telescope-alignment software, and much more.
Whether you are a seasoned astronomer looking for a portable scope with advanced features, or just starting your astronomy adventure and looking for an easy way to enjoy the night sky, a NexStar SE will help you take a closer look.
Every NexStar SE includes a version of The Sky® software Level 1 Planetarium software for exploring the Universe on your PC and printing out custom star charts of the sky. In addition, you receive our NexRemote software that allows you to operate your telescope via your PC. Software package valued at over $100 included free with your NexStar SE!
Celestron’s Revolutionary SkyAlign
The days of complicated telescope assembly and setup are over. NexStar SE telescopes can be set up in a matter of minutes with no tools required!
Using Celestron’s patented SkyAlign, simply input the date, time, and location into the hand control, then point the telescope at any three bright celestial objects and the telescope does the rest. You do not need to know the names of the stars; you can pick the moon or bright planets.
General
- 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
- SE combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with the latest state-of-the-art features
- StarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standard
- Quick-release fork arm mount, optical tube, and accessory tray for no-tool setup
- Celestron’s unique patented single fork arm with integral hand control design provides a rigid and smooth operating structure for the optical tube
- StarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objects
- Sturdy computerized altazimuth mount
- Ultra-sturdy steel tripod with accessory tray
- Star diagonal provides more comfortable viewing position when observing objects that are high in the sky
Our rating: 9.5
We have put this scope through it’s paces many times and our opinions coincide with the owner’s independent feedback reports we have found on the Internet.
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