Celestron's NexStar 5SE 125mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo Telescope is a powerful, versatile, and user-friendly Schmidt-Cassegrain-style scope that can be used for observing everything from the Moon and planets to bright deep-sky objects like stars, galaxies, and nebulae. Using Celestron's proprietary StarBright XLT multicoating system, light transmission is increased throughout the entire optical path with antireflection multicoated lenses, highly reflective multicoated mirrors, and crown optical glass elements. While the focal ratio is a relatively slow f/10, the mount's precision tracking system and integrated equatorial wedge allow it to be a competent astrophotography imaging platform for the Moon and planets.
Driving the dual servo motors on the mount is the brain of the NexStar 5SE: the iconic NexStar+ computer hand controller. Packed with 40,000+ celestial objects, it can hold up to 100 additional user-defined destinations and is updatable via the Celestron website. It has multiple alignment procedures to get you observing fast—including the super-easy SkyAlign system. Capable of being used in the Northern or Southern Hemispheres, the NexStar has sidereal, lunar, and solar tracking speeds to accurately follow near- and deep-sky objects, plus nine slew speeds and the ability to automatically trigger a camera's shutter release for Fastar or piggyback wide-field photography or conventional prime-focus astrophotography.
- 5" aperture
- f/10 focal ratio
- 1250mm focal length
- Crown optical glass primary mirror
- StarBright XLT optical coatings: Multilayer aluminum/SiO2 (quartz)/TiO2 (titanium dioxide) mirror coatings with flat reflectivity across the light spectrum for both astrophotography/astro imaging and visual observation
- Multilayer MgF2 (magnesium fluoride) and HfO2 (hafnium dioxide) antireflective lens coatings
- High-transmission water white glass corrector lens with 97.4% light transmission
- Resolution: 1.11 arcsec (Rayleigh); 0.91 arcsec (Dawes)
- Secondary mirror obstruction: 2"; 40% by diameter; 16.6% by area
- Secondary mirror can be removed and a DSLR or imaging rig mounted in its place for fast f/2 wide-field astrophotography
- 2-line, 16-character LCD display
- 19 fiber optic backlit red LED buttons
- Database of over 40,000 celestial objects plus 100 user defined
- Automatically slew to planets, stars, constellations, and a variety of catalogs
- Camera control: For piggyback wide-field or conventional astrophotography through the optical tube assembly, the controller can automatically trigger the shutter release to capture the image
- Anti-backlash compensation programs out play between gears for more precise tracking
- Tour Mode: Shows a selection of the most popular objects for the time and date you are observing
- Constellation Tour: Allows you to take a tour of all the best objects within a particular constellation
- Alignment procedures: SkyAlign, Auto 2-Star, 1-Star, 2-Star, and Solar System
- SkyAlign alignment: Takes minutes, with minimal effort or experience—point the telescope at three bright objects in the sky, and the telescope does the rest
- Nine slew speeds: 4°/sec, 2°/sec, 1°/sec, 0.5°/sec, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, and 32x
- Sidereal, Solar, and Lunar tracking rates for observing the fast-moving Moon, to slower-moving deep-space subjects
- Tracking modes: Alt-Az (default, for general GoTo use), EQ North (use for long-exposure astrophotography in Northern Hemisphere with EQ wedge engaged), EQ South (use for long-exposure astrophotography in Southern Hemisphere with EQ wedge engaged), Off (no tracking when using as a terrestrial spotting scope)
- RS-232 communication port allows for computer control
- Flash updatable via the Celestron website
Database Details:
- Solar system objects including the Sun, Moon, and planets
- Named objects
- Stars: Asterims, variable stars, double stars, named stars
- Caldwell catalog
- Messier catalog
- NGC catalog
- SAO catalog
- Constellations
- Single-fork alt-az
- Dual-axis servo motors allow for precise tracking with virtually no vibration
- Motor resolution: 0.26 arcsec
- Optical encoders track mount movement to improve tracking and GoTo accuracy while allowing the mount to maintain alignment when moved manually
- Communication ports: Autoguider port, Aux port, hand controller
- Runs on eight user-supplied AA batteries or optional 12 VDC power supply
- Stainless steel legs
- Adjustable height accommodates a variety of observation positions or users
- Built-in equatorial wedge enables more precise tracking accuracy during long-exposure astrophotography
- Tray holds accessories such as eyepieces and filters and adds stability and vibration reduction
- Weight: 10 pounds
- 1.25"-diameter barrel
- 25mm focal length produces 50x magnification
- Antireflection multicoated glass improves color rendition and contrast
- Threaded barrel accepts most 1.25" astronomical filters
- Fold-down rubber eyecup for use with or without eyeglasses
- 52.5' field of view at 1000 yards
- 1.25" input and output accepts most 1.25" astronomical eyepieces and accessories
- 90° angle puts head in a comfortable position when observing at or near the zenith
- Corrects view horizontally, but not vertically
- Projects a single red dot in line of sight
- Unmagnified view ensures a wide field of view to make finding objects faster and star-hopping navigation easier