I bought my grandson a used 130SLT from a friend in our Astronomy Group for $100. He loves it. I told him if he sticks with it for over a year, I will purchase him the Nexstar 5 se. Thank you for the video. I purchased my 8se over a year ago and love it. But, the downside is that on cold nights, I don't feel like dragging it out.
I agree with Chris. I have compared both the 130slt and 5se side by side. On Jupiter, the 5se was marginally clearer. On the Orion nebula, the 130slt was marginally brighter. It would not be worth the money. New prices, the 5se is $950. For that price range, I would HIGHLY recommend the StarSense Explorer 10"($1100) or 8"($800). Either one will show MANY more objects. Uses a phone and app to point the scope quickly to objects. Those are BIG scopes. Depending on his age and strength, the 8" would be better. If not a concern, a 10" Dob is awesome. If he really wants the compact scope on a tracking mount, then upgrade him to at least the 6se ($1100). Objects will be a little brighter and the mount is a little stronger than the 5se. Worth it for the extra $150.
I'm not sure a 5se is much of a change: 5" = 127mm, so the only differences would be in construction, not any major visual differences. Some nice eyepieces or an upgraded mount might be better gift choices. A nice refractor scope or a larger Dobsonian could be other, complementary gift options.
I recently bought the 4se as my 1st telescope. Im still learning how to use it and all of its functions. This video is extremely helpful and im looking forward to expanding my setup.
I went for for the 5SE model to get the additional aperture and because it also has a slightly shorter focal length than the 4SE. The 5SE is an SCT so you can add a standard 0.63 reducer. This will reduce the 1250mm focal length to 787mm. That will give you a significant increase in the low power field of view. The two scopes share the same mount/wedge/tripod. It's another $300 new but I think its a good investment.
Very good video presentation. But a word of caution. For tracking purposes this scope's tripod and mount are not good near the equator, The single arm would have to be pointing near the horizon to have it polar aligned, basically level with the ground, and the mount cannot be configured that way. I have a Nexstar8i, three degrees south of the equator, so, no polar alignment for me.
i still have the first scope i ever got a 4.5 inch tasco reflector made in japan, i got it in the 70's, i lived in nj so viewing wasnt the best, i recently moved to the middle of no where kansas and this brings me to my point, the comment you made about setting up and going inside was missing one point i bought a new 8se just because the sky is velvet black here, after i set it up i tend to just sit in a chair and look up cause the milkyway is so visible i never get tired of looking at it and when i see something i want to get a closer look at i use the scope. you cant do that from inside.
I purchased my 4se over 10 years ago and its still going strong. I agree with everything you said. Do yo have any thoughts on using a Asiair Plus with the 4se? Thanks again!
The telescope is good - highly recommended. No collimation needed and excellent contrast. Light weight and easily transportable. The flip mirror is very useful to allow you to have both an eyepiece and camera attached at the same time. The mount is not good. The connection to the tripod is plastic which is liable to break.
Just ordered this. Coming in 2 days. So I’m guessing you need a clear night to do the alignment? Also to align the finder and the scope is it easy? How do you adjust the finder?
If you’re not using a DSLR, then I’d go with a planetary camera. ZWO ASI462MM, ASI462MC, or the Player One Neptune C-II is also a good choice. Newer cameras like the ASI678 are also good choices.
Hello. Thanks for the video review and demonstration. Question. How would you rate the 4SE against the 8SE, which has a bigger aperture but lower focal ratio, for viewing and imaging the moon and planets?
No, not on a SkyAlign. You select 3 stars and it figures out where it is pointing using the time, date, and location you input. If you do a two-star align, then yes, you must select the stars and go them yourself.
may i answer this? i have an 8se and the mount is good for planet and moon and orion nebula photos where a short exposure is enough, if your going to want to do deep space you can buy an eq adapter for around 400 dollars and have an eq that you can set up for longer exposures. this mount is a beginner mount for astro photography and for a bit more more then that adapter you can get a better mount more suited for taking deep space pics. this hobby is fun but it can be a bottomless money pit. if you have no equipment this is an ok start
@@perry92964 ok..thanks, my 4SE comes with an EQ wedge which I will align at 51 degrees polar north,...will it still follow the things Im looking at ?..Many thanks
Tried to align it... didnt work out. The scope is best for planets in our solar system anyway. I just put whatever looks cool in the finder scope manually and then fine adjust. So far that's simple, realistic, and I didn't end up spending a thousand on a starsense, gps and wifi connector.
I bought one of these about a month ago. Brand new, cost $280. Haven't opened the box, yet. Have no use for it, but could not pass up the sale price. Should I become interested in lunar or planetary photography I will unbox it.
I started with the 8SE. I love that scope too, but the high price is not a factor to disregard. The 4" scope gives me nice views of many of the objects I mention in the video.
Best begginer telescope? think About it again, I would rather buy An 14 Inch Skywatcher Flextube Go-To at the same price, Tbh, I’m hesitant to recommend the 8SE due to its less-than-steady mount, super-long focal length, and fairly high price for what you get. There are other scopes worth considering from Celestron and other manufacturers, with or without computerized or go to system, A manual Dobsonian With 10" And up Aperture Is worth getting It than the nexstar because It's cheaper and has a lot more aperture There's also Skywatcher Flextubes Go-to dobs which you can buy for 1000$ to 2000$ That has bigger Apertures.
Thanks mate, this video is so detailed that I don’t need to ask anything else about it. Really really thanks! I’m going to buy it right now!
I’m glad it helped!
I bought my grandson a used 130SLT from a friend in our Astronomy Group for $100. He loves it. I told him if he sticks with it for over a year, I will purchase him the Nexstar 5 se. Thank you for the video. I purchased my 8se over a year ago and love it. But, the downside is that on cold nights, I don't feel like dragging it out.
The 130 is really good just as good as the 5se
I agree with Chris. I have compared both the 130slt and 5se side by side. On Jupiter, the 5se was marginally clearer. On the Orion nebula, the 130slt was marginally brighter. It would not be worth the money.
New prices, the 5se is $950. For that price range, I would HIGHLY recommend the StarSense Explorer 10"($1100) or 8"($800). Either one will show MANY more objects. Uses a phone and app to point the scope quickly to objects.
Those are BIG scopes. Depending on his age and strength, the 8" would be better. If not a concern, a 10" Dob is awesome.
If he really wants the compact scope on a tracking mount, then upgrade him to at least the 6se ($1100). Objects will be a little brighter and the mount is a little stronger than the 5se. Worth it for the extra $150.
I'm not sure a 5se is much of a change: 5" = 127mm, so the only differences would be in construction, not any major visual differences. Some nice eyepieces or an upgraded mount might be better gift choices. A nice refractor scope or a larger Dobsonian could be other, complementary gift options.
Nah, buy him a 6SE
@@hunter133official i agree, there about the same price
I recently bought the 4se as my 1st telescope. Im still learning how to use it and all of its functions. This video is extremely helpful and im looking forward to expanding my setup.
Glad it was helpful! Enjoy the 4 SE, it’s a great little scope.
I went for for the 5SE model to get the additional aperture and because it also has a slightly shorter focal length than the 4SE. The 5SE is an SCT so you can add a standard 0.63 reducer. This will reduce the 1250mm focal length to 787mm. That will give you a significant increase in the low power field of view. The two scopes share the same mount/wedge/tripod. It's another $300 new but I think its a good investment.
what does the reducer bring the focal ratio to?
Thank you for a thorough instruction on alignment and how to use this telescope .
Very good video presentation. But a word of caution. For tracking purposes this scope's tripod and mount are not good near the equator, The single arm would have to be pointing near the horizon to have it polar aligned, basically level with the ground, and the mount cannot be configured that way. I have a Nexstar8i, three degrees south of the equator, so, no polar alignment for me.
How well would it work to replace the wedge rod with some simple threaded rod? Seems like that would allow for a decent polar alignment.
i still have the first scope i ever got a 4.5 inch tasco reflector made in japan, i got it in the 70's, i lived in nj so viewing wasnt the best, i recently moved to the middle of no where kansas and this brings me to my point, the comment you made about setting up and going inside was missing one point i bought a new 8se just because the sky is velvet black here, after i set it up i tend to just sit in a chair and look up cause the milkyway is so visible i never get tired of looking at it and when i see something i want to get a closer look at i use the scope. you cant do that from inside.
I purchased my 4se over 10 years ago and its still going strong. I agree with everything you said. Do yo have any thoughts on using a Asiair Plus with the 4se? Thanks again!
Well said. I really enjoy and learn from your videos. Thanks!
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy them!
Do any other scopes in this price range have a flip mirror?
Hello from Australia :) That was a fantastic tutorial thankyou so much , I'm excited to get started
You can also screw the t adapter into the astro camera and mount on the back as well
Could you mention the brand of the planetary camera you’re using ? , thank you ❤
This is the best review for this product, thanks alot
The telescope is good - highly recommended. No collimation needed and excellent contrast. Light weight and easily transportable. The flip mirror is very useful to allow you to have both an eyepiece and camera attached at the same time. The mount is not good. The connection to the tripod is plastic which is liable to break.
Just ordered this. Coming in 2 days. So I’m guessing you need a clear night to do the alignment? Also to align the finder and the scope is it easy? How do you adjust the finder?
Great video and addressed almost all my questions on this telescope. Just one quick one, one model of camera, non dslr, do you use? Thank you!
If you’re not using a DSLR, then I’d go with a planetary camera. ZWO ASI462MM, ASI462MC, or the Player One Neptune C-II is also a good choice. Newer cameras like the ASI678 are also good choices.
@AstroBlender Thank-you.
Question for newbie.. how would I know where to look for those 3 objects? To get the align to work
All you need is to find 3 bright stars, you don’t even need to know their names. :)
Hello. Thanks for the video review and demonstration. Question. How would you rate the 4SE against the 8SE, which has a bigger aperture but lower focal ratio, for viewing and imaging the moon and planets?
Don't you have to tell the scope what stars you are using to align? I'm so confused... 🤔🤔😯😯
No, not on a SkyAlign. You select 3 stars and it figures out where it is pointing using the time, date, and location you input.
If you do a two-star align, then yes, you must select the stars and go them yourself.
Thank you so much for the video!
When you have 3 star aligned it, does the scope follow the star, planet, galaxy so you can take long exposure photos?
may i answer this? i have an 8se and the mount is good for planet and moon and orion nebula photos where a short exposure is enough, if your going to want to do deep space you can buy an eq adapter for around 400 dollars and have an eq that you can set up for longer exposures. this mount is a beginner mount for astro photography and for a bit more more then that adapter you can get a better mount more suited for taking deep space pics. this hobby is fun but it can be a bottomless money pit. if you have no equipment this is an ok start
@@perry92964 ok..thanks, my 4SE comes with an EQ wedge which I will align at 51 degrees polar north,...will it still follow the things Im looking at ?..Many thanks
@@rubikclockweights it will, you have to make sure you set it up for eq, as he said in the video good luck getting it set at 51
@@perry92964 I suppose it will be as near as damn it..thank you very much !!
I have Nexstar 8 great scope and I've had a lot of scopes. Don't need anything over 8".
You can use that mount with other telescope ? Like Skywalker or something ? Thanks
This video helped me so much thank you
which planetary camera is this ? i just bought one of these scopes
good review! Thanks!
Is the there a risk during automatic searching the OTA look at the zenith destroying the eye piece if 2’’ or the dslr
how do i align my 4se if the sky is almost completely black for me 😭
Tried to align it... didnt work out. The scope is best for planets in our solar system anyway. I just put whatever looks cool in the finder scope manually and then fine adjust. So far that's simple, realistic, and I didn't end up spending a thousand on a starsense, gps and wifi connector.
What type of red-dot finder is that? Looks different from those I've seen/used.
Celestron updated it. It comes standard and is much better than the old ones.
Can the telescope on this mount also be moved manually if I do not want to use it computerized?
No, it does not have any clutches, so it must be powered to use it.
Im having trouble focusing mine, the moon is just a big white dot and the stars look like black holes in the eye peice
I bought my kid a C70 mini mak for 150. You can see the two biggest cloud bands on jupiter and you can use 1,25 eyepieces or a camera.
Nice, mini maks are great grab and go options as well.
If it has horizontal and vertical motors, why would you need to put it in equatorial mode?
So long exposure images don’t blur due to field rotation.
@@AstroBlender ooooh, OK I wasn't thinking in 3D, thank you.
I have the 5se. What's your favorite eyepiece?
Does anyone know if the Celestron NexStar 5SE improves on the equatorial mode difficulties stated in the video?
No, the 4 SE and 5 SE use the same tripod, so you get the same challenge.
@@AstroBlender Thank you! Great video by the way got everything I wanted to know from it.
I bought one of these about a month ago. Brand new, cost $280. Haven't opened the box, yet. Have no use for it, but could not pass up the sale price. Should I become interested in lunar or planetary photography I will unbox it.
Perhaps it is a good idea to open it and check for damage, missing items, and if all is functioning?
940€ Thats too much for a kid.
My Meade lx85 goto mount will blow away any nextstar Telescope hands down
The Meade Autiostar is alot easier to setup and use
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
The best beginner telescope is 8se, lol. There is nothing to see except the Moon and Jupiter in 4”
I started with the 8SE. I love that scope too, but the high price is not a factor to disregard. The 4" scope gives me nice views of many of the objects I mention in the video.
@@AstroBlender Me too. Do you know I loved stock equatorial wedge in 4" Would it be good enough for Pleiades or M42?
what? No!
@@ConstantineSky I've shoot M42 by using this mount a years ago.
Best begginer telescope? think About it again, I would rather buy An 14 Inch Skywatcher Flextube Go-To at the same price, Tbh, I’m hesitant to recommend the 8SE due to its less-than-steady mount, super-long focal length, and fairly high price for what you get. There are other scopes worth considering from Celestron and other manufacturers, with or without computerized or go to system, A manual Dobsonian With 10" And up Aperture Is worth getting It than the nexstar because It's cheaper and has a lot more aperture There's also Skywatcher Flextubes Go-to dobs which you can buy for 1000$ to 2000$ That has bigger Apertures.
Și unde plm sunt imaginile?!😂
i can see the moon better with this cheap scope i have way clearer then the moon in this vid that was all fuzzy