I really like the clear and well paced explanations. Really well done. This video is super helpful in understanding the issues and how to overcome them.
Best video on the 6SE, I've found so far Chris. Really well done with content, pace, and production quality!! Before and after shots are what I aspire to and your kit addresses my current issues. I've subscribed and will recommend your channel in my circle. Please keep 'em coming.
Hi Patrick, I have thought about it but wasn't sure I would be adding much to the conversation. Now that I have a bit more experience, maybe it's time to revisit the laptop setup. Thanks for the suggestion! Here are a couple of channels I would suggest which speak in some way to the 6SE and 8SE: Astro Explorers has many videos about setting up and using an 8SE www.youtube.com/@AstroExplorers Astro Blender has a variety of videos, including some related to Celestron CSTs. I have found his content on focus motors and back focus especially helpful. www.youtube.com/@AstroBlender Clear Skies!
Hi Thomas, I'm glad the video helped you. This is a fun and exciting hobby with a lot to experience at every level. Good luck with your astronomy and astrophotography journey, and Clear Skies!
Cool video! I started with the nexstar 127slt but never went the eq route because I hadnt seen a lot of people do it. Great to see it being pushed to the limit!
2:00 Just looking at all the equipment mounted to the rear of the scope. My vintage 1970s original dual-tine, orange C5 came with two counterweights that could be attached to the front cell, below the corrector plate, when using a 35 mm camera, to balance out the dec axis. BTW, the Schmidt aspheric corrector compensates for the easy to manufacture spherical profile of both mirrors. An excellent, interesting video :-)
Thanks! I've been reading up on the corrector plate since reading your comment. telescope-optics.net/Schmidt-camera.htm I'm getting a much better understanding of the necessity of using a field flattener with the SCT. It seems field curvature is the one thing the corrector plate does not address! Clear Skies!
Exceptionally helpful. Thank you for this. I am currently at the stage prior to what you have done here. I've taken pretty decent planetary shots with my stock 6se and a Canon T6 as well as a zwo 462mm planetary camera but it's time to move on to deep sky objects and was curious about the Celestron wedge and what it might be capable of. I'm also contemplating a backyard observatory but the verdict is still out on that considering the field of view in my yard and the light polution. Keep the videos coming!
Nice review. This set up really is more capable than people give it credit for. It takes some effort. I ended up adding a celestron 8 inch dovetail in place of the original, achieving the same effect as your extension. To get a little better polar alignment I rolled a piece of 8.5x11 paper and pit through the center hole of the wedge and adjusted until Polaris was centered well. My guiding is not as good as yours, but I haven't gotten the drift alignment as precise as you appear to have done. I do like the wedge. I actually started using it for planets. Works as advertised.
Thanks @m1thumb good idea to use a tube to align on Polaris through the wedge opening. I wish there were a right angle on the fork arm to fix a polar scope to. They could have saved a lot of frustrated people with one simple mounting point! Clear Skies!
Very comprehensive review of your journey. For those with an SE mount there is another not thought about feature. The dovetail mounting method allows other OTA/camera options. A DSLR can be mounted via dovetail for wide angle photography. A 60-80mm refractor up to about 500mm focal length can be mounted with dedicated camera.
That is very true! I find the Rokinon 135mm to be a bit too heavy to run off the back of the Celestron 6SE OTA, but connected directly to the mount should work very well! Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for this information! I kept reading negative opinions about the wedge and how the telescope is not fit for astrophotography in several forums. It pretty much frustrated me. Then it hit me to do a little research on the different forums. Turns out some link to companies selling expensive astronomical items. They have made it seem nearly impossible to use the telescope for astrophotography. Your video proved them wrong and inspires me to go ahead with my plans using the Celestron 8 se. I’m not interested in professional photos nor competitions. Just want to enjoy the hobby especially after managing to take clear & sharp photos of Orion and other objects in the solar system using my iPhone.
There's a thread on Cloudy Nights dedicated to Celestron NexStar mounts, many on wedges. There is a recurring quote on that thread attributed to an ancient proverb: the one who says it cannot be done should not get in the way of the one doing it. I have no doubt that there's marketing at play, along with people repeating what they've heard others say. There's also some truth that astro photography is not easy, whether you're using a wedge or GEM! Thank you for your comment, and good luck with your setup! There's a Facebook group called Celestron Telescope Fan Club you might also want to check out. Clear Skies!
Haha! I tried that a few weeks ago, the tab snapped right off. It was incredibly brittle. I have since used two sided Gorilla tape to add tab-like strips of velcro tape, soft side out, from the outside edge to the inside of the dust cap so that the dust cap slips onto the scope without catching. This has worked out very well.
@TornadoCrewStormChasers I've seen that on other Celestron scopes. I thought that the C series and the SE series were basically the same scope with different paint, so I don't understand why they would not put the locking grooves on the 6SE (unless that's a model/year difference?). Anyway, thanks for watching the video and for your comment, I appreciate it!
@Felldisulfide Not too bad thankyou, I live in Ireland, middle of summer here in Ireland so no observing time. We've also had the worst weather too 😫 Hopefully first light soon 😀
You've convinced me to get the wedge for my Evolution 8 with F/6.3 reducer and Starsense! I've been using a DSLR in alt-az mode at outreaches but I'm limited to 20-30 second exposures at very high ISOs (>10,000) to show structure and color in brighter DSOs. Do you find All Star Polar Alignment using the hand controller adequate to get good wedge polar alignment for longer exposures? The wedge seems like a logical next-step from what I'm currently doing.
Hi Tom, is that the Starsense autoguider? For longer exposures you would need to fine-tune the polar alignment further than the hand controller's Polar Align feature. A common method which I use as well is drift alignment. You will also need to enable guiding in order to deal with periodic error in the mount gears and any additional drift caused by mount flex and any remaining misalignment. I have a couple of videos on polar alignment with drift using both CPWI/PHD2 or just the hand controller which might help you. The hand controller video goes right from EQ North to drift as I did not know about the controller's ASPA functionality (just called Polar Align) until later. Celestron sure kept that one under wraps in their SE documentation!
@@FelldisulfideThanks for the response! I'm using the original Starsense but am open to upgrading to the autoguider if it would help. Once the wedge is here, I can see how the Evolution mount performs vs what you're achieving with the SE. I also exchange a 4" F/5.5 refractor (Sharpstar N4) on the Evo for wider-field images which should be more forgiving on alignment and tracking. I'll also check out your other videos on drift alignment in case the ASPA is not good enough which is likely based on your experience.
Great video! Very helpful. I have the same mount setup for my 8se. I'm 74 and am attempting to learn this hobby. However, I'm only 2 months in and am very overwhelmed and getting frustrated. My 8se hits the base making alignment a nightmare! I'm afraid of burning up the motor & gears. What extension would you suggest? Thanks
Hi @seniorcordcutter, I'm using the StarPal 40cm dovetail as an extension, and I have it bolted to the original Celestron dovetail. There are two reasons I am doing it this way: 1) the StarPal dovetail is flat, meaning it does not "hug" the curve of the OTA, and would be unstable if bolted directly, and 2) the plastic corrector plate and mirror housings stick out from the telescope tube and would prevent a longer dovetail from sitting flush. I believe (please check yours) that the 8SE has an 8" narrow dovetail. I would suggest going with something 11" or longer. Celestron's dovetails have pre-drilled mounting holes sized for specific telescopes and would therefore not work as extensions, but SVBONY does have an 11" extension bar which is curved, but you would have to mount it such that it sits on the plastic lens and mirror housings and away from the OTA if you want to use it by itself. The other thing to consider is if you push the OTA forward past the primary mirror, you will need some sort of counterweight, which will really push the limits of the NexStar mount, but is doable if you don't have any other options. This is what I'm doing with the 6SE, but the 6 is lighter than the 8. Celestron's Dovetails (for reference) www.celestron.com/products/dovetail-bar-kit-11-narrow SVBONY 11.8" www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Compatible-Accessories-Equatorial-Astrophotography/dp/B0BXNZMNQB/ref=sr_1_5?crid=10YNM3OJGP6VT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LrOcZaSjy7n5v4ibNtsFhUriEAAU96QV9xSSTEFS4NvIsl9R9pGJL9tj9kNy6gv8njYN82gO0wnFopUz8rwr2OR6kcbth59M5jPD2Pla6vlyW9ooJCkid7EeoAVIiL2tSc6xFt2J5yUIpqHZ0MWL7VI2RWdLnQnxx-Cd1gZnOSUg5oppPJJjfcw0c0aKiDopTLn-CPVHMDZ5DV0NnbS3f-9LA5CNhVMK7Qh2SC41cl0.sBeY_gAamZC3KQozerCfV0O5HyjVqckkEy78KzdBvog&dib_tag=se&keywords=telescope+dovetail+long&qid=1723478662&sprefix=telescope+dovetail+long%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-5 StarPal 40cm www.amazon.com/StarPal-Dovetail-Telescope-Equatorial-Binocular/dp/B093GRXKW3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LCE3GOE2PSXE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VAVDm0tzKJhXnBhZSlMZpfWr-58NnXL1Riti18leB7HIrNBHsNwmvEKhqm92TPLsB366unL86ZkbMY_0BaWDQkD-5gNGC_NGUssxuBZG8bHeA-9cZBH4kXJXUBPdwW7poMpCUKrNB6LBg2AuwthTMg.vZnsCV6OONS9Ea9wHs0HByA5fRh8f_TDQcPUALiLFzg&dib_tag=se&keywords=%22StarPal%22+40cm+Dovetail&qid=1723479271&sprefix=starpal+40cm+dovetail%2Caps%2C65&sr=8-1 You can get a better view of my assembly in this video at around the 11:30s mark: th-cam.com/video/c0q-Dg9N1zY/w-d-xo.html Clear Skies!
Very informative and helpful, however I have a 6se and no camera to take pictures with so i don’t have any baseline for what some DSO look like with my setup, which is entirely stock. What do you believe are the necessary upgrades to have to get a good image, because Im on a not very big budget, and I want to know what is more important. Do I buy the wedge and a lower grade camera? Or do i buy a better camera and skip the wedge?
Hi @kibble_eater, if you are budget conscious (and most people are), then a good place to start would be a home-made wedge (whether you make it yourself, or you know somebody with some basic carpentry skills and tools). If you search for home-made Celestron wedge, you'll find a few examples! A stock 6SE in AZ mode will be running at 1500mm focal length. At that focal length, you won't be able to use exposures longer than a few seconds before the field of view starts to rotate and you get star trailing. If you get a camera first, then you'll be able to take video or short images of the planets and the moon, but that's about it. With a home-made wedge, you'll be able to do much more. Also, try looking for used equipment - there's plenty of people looking to trade up by selling their old gear. Good luck, and clear skies!
All my reading, research, and video watching keep pointing me to these Celestron telescopes. The "knee" on the price vs aperture rises sharply at 8 inches.
They are good value, but if you're interested in astro photography, have a look at what you can fit into your field of view before you commit! Check out Telescopius telescopius.com/telescope-simulator Big scopes which are meant for visual tend also to have very long focal lengths, which is great for tiny galaxies, but will prevent you from fitting in most nebulas! Clear Skies!
Wow you made me splurge money on my 6se i just bought your guide scope and camera. I really needed this video lol. And i already have a eq mount im so excited any tips?
@CodaSloth haha, congratulations! Best thing you can do for guiding is really good polar alignment. The guide scope/camera can help quite a bit to make your alignment better through methods like Drift Alignment. If you are using a reducer, then you should get pretty good results with guiding error under 1.8", but ideally closer to 1". Welcome to longer exposure times. Now you're going to need filters! CS!
I only have experience with the Celestron f/6.3 reducer, but there are other options, including some unnamed brands, and some more expensive options like the Starizona reducer, which is at least $100 more than the Celestron version. The Celestron reducer is not perfect, and still leaves a bit of lensing. As far as filters go, stay away from cheap light pollution filters. I also have not had much luck with the high-contrast filters when it comes to imaging. Get a good UV/IR Cut filter to start with. UV/IR Cut filters give you most of the broadband spectrum. I leave mine on unless I'm imaging in narrow-band. From there, most people get an Ha filter or a dual band Ha/OIII. Dual band is more expensive, but you can't go wrong with it! There are additional, more expensive filters which are broader than the narrow pass Ha/OIII/SII filters, but still tighten to limit which colours they permit through, such as RGB. I just ordered the Antlia Quad Band filter for the fall galaxies, hoping to use it as an all-in-one broader spectrum filter.
Hello, An educational video! I'm just hesitating between the 6slt and the 6se. What do you advise me about this? I know you have a 6se, but the price difference is quite high, €500 in my country.
Hi @GamesofAnunna, great question. Optically, I don't know 100% but I'm fairly certain that the same optical tube is used for the C6, the 6SE, the 6SLT, and the Evo 6" - namely a 6" SCT with StarBright XLT coatings. What this means is that the viewing capacity would likely be the same, and importantly, the tubes come with the same visual back. The difference then is in the mounts. The SLT has the least capable mount, with just 4,000 objects in its go-to database, and only 8lbs weight capacity. You would have a harder time adding a camera to the 6SLT because of this weight limit. This mount is not compatible with the Celestron wedges. Have a look at the following site which does a pretty good job of comparing the different product lines: skiesandscopes.com/celestron-nexstar/ The good news is that the SLT line is supposed to work with CPWI: www.celestron.com/pages/celestron-pwi-telescope-control-software If you are looking for a starter scope which will work for visual, and which you might be able to transfer to a different mount in the future for imaging, the SLT looks like a good option. If you want to start with imaging, and don't mind spending a bit more, the AVX line comes to mind (keeping in the Celestron family). CS!
Hi @GamesofAnunna, as luck would have it, I came across someone selling a 102GT, which is the Costco version similar to the 102SLT, for 1/5 the retail price of a new scope. I was looking for something with a go-to mount that I could potentially use for visual, and/or rig up with a makeshift wedge to run as a star tracker for my Samyang/Rokinon lens. I can now tell you from experience that the SLT mount is about 1/2 the size of the NexStar SE mount. It feels much more flimsy, and the tripod it comes with is very wobbly and in bad need of reinforcement (something I'm planning on doing). However, on the plus side, it does connect to my laptop. I have tested it with CPWI and my x-box controller, and it works great. If you are still considering the SLT, go see it in person and compare it to the SE before you make a decision! Check out this comparison video: th-cam.com/video/DD_2p6x12-E/w-d-xo.html CS!
Hello. Thank you very much for the explanations contained in your video. My question is related to a change of mount: Wouldn't it be possible to change the tube to an equatorial mount of the Sky Watcher adventurer AZEQ6 PRO GOTO type?; What drawbacks could there be?
Hi @1966Publio, in my opinion, the AZEQ6 Pro has more than twice the capacity of the NexStar mount, and would be able to drive the 6SE tube well. I think your guiding precision, and overall stability would be better with the Sky Watcher. As far as drawbacks go? You would have to deal with Meridian flips, but there are software tools can help automate those. CS!
I’m very New and purchased both my wife and I a 6SE with All the bells and whistles but this becomes overwhelming and I give up trying to find anything and end up just looking at the moon or Jupiter :-(
Hi @24kGanksta, I went through the same thing when I first got my telescope. The hand controller had (and continues to have) an arcane menu, and came with 40k objects I knew nothing about. I might as well have been pressing random buttons. It helps to have a guide to plan out your observing sessions. You can use planetarium apps or online websites like Stellarium: stellarium-web.org/ Personally, I've been using the book Practical Skywatching as it has a section for each constellation along with the catalog designations for all the objects worth seeing within the constellation. www.goodreads.com/book/show/355236.Practical_Skywatching Either way, if you have a list of targets for your observing session, you can then navigate the controller menu to get to objects you know will be visible. Here's a link to a post which contains the menu tree: www.cloudynights.com/topic/509712-nexstar-hand-control-menu-tree/ It goes without saying that you also need to make sure you have your location and time zone, and time set, and your telescope aligned. Here's a helpful guide: www.nexstarsite.com/download/manuals/NexStarHandControlVersion4UsersGuide.pdf I also urge you to check out the @AstroExplorers channel on TH-cam: www.youtube.com/@AstroExplorers He does a great job of explaining the basics of using an 8SE, including connecting to a laptop if you would like to use CPWI to navigate the sky instead. Clear Skies!
Also, the Moon and Jupiter are great viewing targets! Try to find all the lunar mission landing sites, identify all of Jupiter's Galilean moons, or catch the great red spot during its transit times. Apollo Landing Sites: yt3.ggpht.com/dN9xnhQpvJe0kRkdM3bgQhoDIyuk1suBA29xTBTsTKwk_YYyt8w0OFGdvVoZbyld1hewbuY_H69xqQ=s640-c-fcrop64=1,37fe0000c801ffff-nd-v1 th-cam.com/channels/Rh-5HLPZy7AeAdyvUNGaKw.htmlcommunity?lb=UgkxnBCjWODqgLqrBZkaHaCEGunFWeTcr-U3
Hopefully you picked up the threads! The 6SE is a great telescope, but the mount is certainly not self-instructing … it took me a few months to figure it out, but boy was I happy when it did work! I did a lot of imaging with it, too, although your limited to maybe 15 second exposures, that was fine with me. Cloudyskies was a great resource for me. Maybe starting with just a startracker and a camera with different lenses is easier, since this is much more forgiving and great fun as well. Thats what I usually use at the moment since my time and the number of clear skies is limited and I can still do some astrophotography.
Reach out to a local astronomy group. I’m sure they’d be happy to coach you on getting more out of your telescope. We have weekly meetings, depending on weather of course, and many people have brought their scopes for help.
Hi Sandaruwan, I can't speak from experience, but others have done it before. Looks like there might be some challenges but have a look at the following post with the evo mount: m.facebook.com/groups/ASIAIR/posts/hi-everyone-i-just-received-an-asiair-and-have-set-it-up-on-my-8-evolution-with-/2479663598863515/ Looking at the compatibility list, ASI Air Plus supports NexStar mounts. The process to setting up should be similar. I urge you to do more research before you try!
Hi @jatinpunga9054, yes, the NexStar SE line were primarily visual telescopes. The 6SE is a favourite grab-and-go telescope for many people and can be used for deep sky and planetary viewing. The 8SE gathers more light, but the 6 is lighter and therefore more portable. In fact the whole point of my channel is showing what you could expect if you were to try using the 6SE for imaging, as it is not something most people would think to do! Clear Skies!
Hi @jjmcwill1881, I've been thinking about how to respond to your comment. Alt-Az scopes have been a gateway to astronomy for many people, especially those who were interested in visual before discovering photography. This video is not meant as an endorsement of any one type of telescope over another (good luck stepping into that snake pit), however it is meant to demonstrate that you can do a lot with this type of setup. If you already have a NexStar 6SE, you can certainly get into astrophotography without spending thousands on a new mount as described in this video. Personally, if I were starting out and had the money to spend, I'd think about the 6" Edge HD for a flatter field of view. However, if you're looking for an all around scope with enough light gathering ability to work in light polluted suburbs, a wide enough FOV to get at some interesting nebulae, but also have the focal length and resolving power to capture planets, globulars, planetary nebulae, and galaxies, you'd be hard pressed to find a more cost-effective compact scope than a 6" SCT. Some examples of people who say that it is worth it to do astro photography with alt-az/wedge setups, including NexStar 6SE and 8SE: www.cloudynights.com/topic/744217-altaz-on-a-wedge-works-great/ Old proverb: 'The Person Who Says It Cannot Be Done Should Not Interrupt The Person Doing It' Clear Skies!
Awesome I have the 6 SE and have been considering getting a wedge they are getting up there in price ($630 Australian ) but looks a fair bit of kit so will probably invest in one. My computer and camera skills aren’t my forte either so I have to get my head around them. Thanks for the awesome video has answered so if my queries 👍
I really like the clear and well paced explanations. Really well done. This video is super helpful in understanding the issues and how to overcome them.
Thanks @CreateListenCreate, I appreciate the comment. CS!
Best video on the 6SE, I've found so far Chris. Really well done with content, pace, and production quality!! Before and after shots are what I aspire to and your kit addresses my current issues. I've subscribed and will recommend your channel in my circle. Please keep 'em coming.
Any thoughts on similar video for your PC & SW setup? Any other channels you would recommend?
Thanks Patrick, I appreciate the comment, and welcome to the channel!
Hi Patrick, I have thought about it but wasn't sure I would be adding much to the conversation. Now that I have a bit more experience, maybe it's time to revisit the laptop setup. Thanks for the suggestion!
Here are a couple of channels I would suggest which speak in some way to the 6SE and 8SE:
Astro Explorers has many videos about setting up and using an 8SE
www.youtube.com/@AstroExplorers
Astro Blender has a variety of videos, including some related to Celestron CSTs. I have found his content on focus motors and back focus especially helpful.
www.youtube.com/@AstroBlender
Clear Skies!
Thank you for your time and knowledge. This video is 👌
Great vid, im a senior in highschool with one and this vid really helped explain what I can aim for when im older.
Hi Thomas, I'm glad the video helped you. This is a fun and exciting hobby with a lot to experience at every level. Good luck with your astronomy and astrophotography journey, and Clear Skies!
Phenomenal! I rarely touch my 6SE but your extremely thorough explanation of its potential has me inspired!
Thanks Tom, I appreciate the comment. Good luck with your 6SE and Clear Skies!
Do you use something else? Would you recommend the 6se?
Incredibly useful and coherent review; thanks!
Thanks @camanderson9132!
Thank you very much for this informative video. I have a reference for when I'm ready to take the next steps with my SCT.
You are welcome, CS!
Something very calming about your videos. The calm music helps. Sweet video. Thanks!
Cool video! I started with the nexstar 127slt but never went the eq route because I hadnt seen a lot of people do it. Great to see it being pushed to the limit!
Hey Samuel, thanks for the comment, I appreciate it!
Great review, I am still amazed at how well you’ve adapted this scope for imaging!!
Thanks, I think part of it is that the guiding accuracy of the mount on the wedge is just at the edge of visual performance of the telescope. CS!
Hi Chris,
Another awesome follow up video. Love all the info. You really have pushed this rig to the limit. Thank you. Keep the videos coming.
Thanks Dennis!
2:00 Just looking at all the equipment mounted to the rear of the scope. My vintage 1970s original dual-tine, orange C5 came with two counterweights that could be attached to the front cell, below the corrector plate, when using a 35 mm camera, to balance out the dec axis. BTW, the Schmidt aspheric corrector compensates for the easy to manufacture spherical profile of both mirrors. An excellent, interesting video :-)
Thanks! I've been reading up on the corrector plate since reading your comment.
telescope-optics.net/Schmidt-camera.htm
I'm getting a much better understanding of the necessity of using a field flattener with the SCT. It seems field curvature is the one thing the corrector plate does not address! Clear Skies!
Exceptionally helpful. Thank you for this. I am currently at the stage prior to what you have done here. I've taken pretty decent planetary shots with my stock 6se and a Canon T6 as well as a zwo 462mm planetary camera but it's time to move on to deep sky objects and was curious about the Celestron wedge and what it might be capable of. I'm also contemplating a backyard observatory but the verdict is still out on that considering the field of view in my yard and the light polution. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks for the comment Marc, and good luck with the DSOs!
Nice review. This set up really is more capable than people give it credit for. It takes some effort.
I ended up adding a celestron 8 inch dovetail in place of the original, achieving the same effect as your extension.
To get a little better polar alignment I rolled a piece of 8.5x11 paper and pit through the center hole of the wedge and adjusted until Polaris was centered well.
My guiding is not as good as yours, but I haven't gotten the drift alignment as precise as you appear to have done.
I do like the wedge. I actually started using it for planets. Works as advertised.
Thanks @m1thumb good idea to use a tube to align on Polaris through the wedge opening. I wish there were a right angle on the fork arm to fix a polar scope to. They could have saved a lot of frustrated people with one simple mounting point! Clear Skies!
Very comprehensive review of your journey.
For those with an SE mount there is another not thought about feature. The dovetail mounting method allows other OTA/camera options. A DSLR can be mounted via dovetail for wide angle photography. A 60-80mm refractor up to about 500mm focal length can be mounted with dedicated camera.
That is very true! I find the Rokinon 135mm to be a bit too heavy to run off the back of the Celestron 6SE OTA, but connected directly to the mount should work very well! Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for this information! I kept reading negative opinions about the wedge and how the telescope is not fit for astrophotography in several forums. It pretty much frustrated me. Then it hit me to do a little research on the different forums. Turns out some link to companies selling expensive astronomical items. They have made it seem nearly impossible to use the telescope for astrophotography. Your video proved them wrong and inspires me to go ahead with my plans using the Celestron 8 se. I’m not interested in professional photos nor competitions. Just want to enjoy the hobby especially after managing to take clear & sharp photos of Orion and other objects in the solar system using my iPhone.
There's a thread on Cloudy Nights dedicated to Celestron NexStar mounts, many on wedges. There is a recurring quote on that thread attributed to an ancient proverb: the one who says it cannot be done should not get in the way of the one doing it. I have no doubt that there's marketing at play, along with people repeating what they've heard others say. There's also some truth that astro photography is not easy, whether you're using a wedge or GEM! Thank you for your comment, and good luck with your setup! There's a Facebook group called Celestron Telescope Fan Club you might also want to check out. Clear Skies!
this video inspired to me so much.. thanks dude.
Glad to hear it, good luck with your astro journey! Clear Skies!
Your dust cap. There are little slotted tabs. Take a pair of pliers, and very gently and slightly bend them outwards. The cap will lock on there snug.
Haha! I tried that a few weeks ago, the tab snapped right off. It was incredibly brittle. I have since used two sided Gorilla tape to add tab-like strips of velcro tape, soft side out, from the outside edge to the inside of the dust cap so that the dust cap slips onto the scope without catching. This has worked out very well.
@@Felldisulfide my c8 has grooves and locks in. I don't know why the 6 would be made like this. Quite a nice setup you have and presentation.
@TornadoCrewStormChasers I've seen that on other Celestron scopes. I thought that the C series and the SE series were basically the same scope with different paint, so I don't understand why they would not put the locking grooves on the 6SE (unless that's a model/year difference?). Anyway, thanks for watching the video and for your comment, I appreciate it!
Very well done. I have the 8se and wondered about the wedge. Thanks, your good at explaining things.
Thanks for watching Raymond!
Nice video, thanks for this.
Thanks for the comment! I saw some of your observatory build videos. How's it coming along? Cheers, and CS!
@Felldisulfide Not too bad thankyou, I live in Ireland, middle of summer here in Ireland so no observing time. We've also had the worst weather too 😫
Hopefully first light soon 😀
Well done man.
Thank you!
I really enjoy your take. Very informative. Celestron should be sending you a check and take notes from you. I know wishful thinking.
Thank You.
👍
Thanks @RMh297, I'm not holding my breath on endorsements, but if this helps anybody with their setups then it will have been worth it. CS!
You've convinced me to get the wedge for my Evolution 8 with F/6.3 reducer and Starsense! I've been using a DSLR in alt-az mode at outreaches but I'm limited to 20-30 second exposures at very high ISOs (>10,000) to show structure and color in brighter DSOs. Do you find All Star Polar Alignment using the hand controller adequate to get good wedge polar alignment for longer exposures? The wedge seems like a logical next-step from what I'm currently doing.
Hi Tom, is that the Starsense autoguider? For longer exposures you would need to fine-tune the polar alignment further than the hand controller's Polar Align feature. A common method which I use as well is drift alignment. You will also need to enable guiding in order to deal with periodic error in the mount gears and any additional drift caused by mount flex and any remaining misalignment. I have a couple of videos on polar alignment with drift using both CPWI/PHD2 or just the hand controller which might help you. The hand controller video goes right from EQ North to drift as I did not know about the controller's ASPA functionality (just called Polar Align) until later. Celestron sure kept that one under wraps in their SE documentation!
@@FelldisulfideThanks for the response! I'm using the original Starsense but am open to upgrading to the autoguider if it would help. Once the wedge is here, I can see how the Evolution mount performs vs what you're achieving with the SE. I also exchange a 4" F/5.5 refractor (Sharpstar N4) on the Evo for wider-field images which should be more forgiving on alignment and tracking. I'll also check out your other videos on drift alignment in case the ASPA is not good enough which is likely based on your experience.
Awesome, good luck and clear skies!
Very informative thank you sir
Thank you! I was aiming for informative!
Great video! Very helpful. I have the same mount setup for my 8se. I'm 74 and am attempting to learn this hobby. However, I'm only 2 months in and am very overwhelmed and getting frustrated. My 8se hits the base making alignment a nightmare! I'm afraid of burning up the motor & gears.
What extension would you suggest?
Thanks
Hi @seniorcordcutter, I'm using the StarPal 40cm dovetail as an extension, and I have it bolted to the original Celestron dovetail. There are two reasons I am doing it this way: 1) the StarPal dovetail is flat, meaning it does not "hug" the curve of the OTA, and would be unstable if bolted directly, and 2) the plastic corrector plate and mirror housings stick out from the telescope tube and would prevent a longer dovetail from sitting flush.
I believe (please check yours) that the 8SE has an 8" narrow dovetail. I would suggest going with something 11" or longer. Celestron's dovetails have pre-drilled mounting holes sized for specific telescopes and would therefore not work as extensions, but SVBONY does have an 11" extension bar which is curved, but you would have to mount it such that it sits on the plastic lens and mirror housings and away from the OTA if you want to use it by itself.
The other thing to consider is if you push the OTA forward past the primary mirror, you will need some sort of counterweight, which will really push the limits of the NexStar mount, but is doable if you don't have any other options. This is what I'm doing with the 6SE, but the 6 is lighter than the 8.
Celestron's Dovetails (for reference)
www.celestron.com/products/dovetail-bar-kit-11-narrow
SVBONY 11.8"
www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Compatible-Accessories-Equatorial-Astrophotography/dp/B0BXNZMNQB/ref=sr_1_5?crid=10YNM3OJGP6VT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LrOcZaSjy7n5v4ibNtsFhUriEAAU96QV9xSSTEFS4NvIsl9R9pGJL9tj9kNy6gv8njYN82gO0wnFopUz8rwr2OR6kcbth59M5jPD2Pla6vlyW9ooJCkid7EeoAVIiL2tSc6xFt2J5yUIpqHZ0MWL7VI2RWdLnQnxx-Cd1gZnOSUg5oppPJJjfcw0c0aKiDopTLn-CPVHMDZ5DV0NnbS3f-9LA5CNhVMK7Qh2SC41cl0.sBeY_gAamZC3KQozerCfV0O5HyjVqckkEy78KzdBvog&dib_tag=se&keywords=telescope+dovetail+long&qid=1723478662&sprefix=telescope+dovetail+long%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-5
StarPal 40cm
www.amazon.com/StarPal-Dovetail-Telescope-Equatorial-Binocular/dp/B093GRXKW3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LCE3GOE2PSXE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VAVDm0tzKJhXnBhZSlMZpfWr-58NnXL1Riti18leB7HIrNBHsNwmvEKhqm92TPLsB366unL86ZkbMY_0BaWDQkD-5gNGC_NGUssxuBZG8bHeA-9cZBH4kXJXUBPdwW7poMpCUKrNB6LBg2AuwthTMg.vZnsCV6OONS9Ea9wHs0HByA5fRh8f_TDQcPUALiLFzg&dib_tag=se&keywords=%22StarPal%22+40cm+Dovetail&qid=1723479271&sprefix=starpal+40cm+dovetail%2Caps%2C65&sr=8-1
You can get a better view of my assembly in this video at around the 11:30s mark:
th-cam.com/video/c0q-Dg9N1zY/w-d-xo.html
Clear Skies!
Very informative and helpful, however I have a 6se and no camera to take pictures with so i don’t have any baseline for what some DSO look like with my setup, which is entirely stock. What do you believe are the necessary upgrades to have to get a good image, because Im on a not very big budget, and I want to know what is more important. Do I buy the wedge and a lower grade camera? Or do i buy a better camera and skip the wedge?
Hi @kibble_eater, if you are budget conscious (and most people are), then a good place to start would be a home-made wedge (whether you make it yourself, or you know somebody with some basic carpentry skills and tools). If you search for home-made Celestron wedge, you'll find a few examples! A stock 6SE in AZ mode will be running at 1500mm focal length. At that focal length, you won't be able to use exposures longer than a few seconds before the field of view starts to rotate and you get star trailing. If you get a camera first, then you'll be able to take video or short images of the planets and the moon, but that's about it. With a home-made wedge, you'll be able to do much more.
Also, try looking for used equipment - there's plenty of people looking to trade up by selling their old gear.
Good luck, and clear skies!
All my reading, research, and video watching keep pointing me to these Celestron telescopes. The "knee" on the price vs aperture rises sharply at 8 inches.
They are good value, but if you're interested in astro photography, have a look at what you can fit into your field of view before you commit!
Check out Telescopius
telescopius.com/telescope-simulator
Big scopes which are meant for visual tend also to have very long focal lengths, which is great for tiny galaxies, but will prevent you from fitting in most nebulas!
Clear Skies!
Wow you made me splurge money on my 6se i just bought your guide scope and camera. I really needed this video lol. And i already have a eq mount im so excited any tips?
@CodaSloth haha, congratulations! Best thing you can do for guiding is really good polar alignment. The guide scope/camera can help quite a bit to make your alignment better through methods like Drift Alignment. If you are using a reducer, then you should get pretty good results with guiding error under 1.8", but ideally closer to 1". Welcome to longer exposure times. Now you're going to need filters! CS!
@Felldisulfide what filters would you recommend. Also, I have been looking at focail reducers. What would you recommend for that as well.
I only have experience with the Celestron f/6.3 reducer, but there are other options, including some unnamed brands, and some more expensive options like the Starizona reducer, which is at least $100 more than the Celestron version. The Celestron reducer is not perfect, and still leaves a bit of lensing.
As far as filters go, stay away from cheap light pollution filters. I also have not had much luck with the high-contrast filters when it comes to imaging. Get a good UV/IR Cut filter to start with. UV/IR Cut filters give you most of the broadband spectrum. I leave mine on unless I'm imaging in narrow-band. From there, most people get an Ha filter or a dual band Ha/OIII. Dual band is more expensive, but you can't go wrong with it! There are additional, more expensive filters which are broader than the narrow pass Ha/OIII/SII filters, but still tighten to limit which colours they permit through, such as RGB. I just ordered the Antlia Quad Band filter for the fall galaxies, hoping to use it as an all-in-one broader spectrum filter.
Hello,
An educational video! I'm just hesitating between the 6slt and the 6se. What do you advise me about this? I know you have a 6se, but the price difference is quite high, €500 in my country.
Hi @GamesofAnunna, great question. Optically, I don't know 100% but I'm fairly certain that the same optical tube is used for the C6, the 6SE, the 6SLT, and the Evo 6" - namely a 6" SCT with StarBright XLT coatings. What this means is that the viewing capacity would likely be the same, and importantly, the tubes come with the same visual back.
The difference then is in the mounts. The SLT has the least capable mount, with just 4,000 objects in its go-to database, and only 8lbs weight capacity. You would have a harder time adding a camera to the 6SLT because of this weight limit. This mount is not compatible with the Celestron wedges. Have a look at the following site which does a pretty good job of comparing the different product lines:
skiesandscopes.com/celestron-nexstar/
The good news is that the SLT line is supposed to work with CPWI:
www.celestron.com/pages/celestron-pwi-telescope-control-software
If you are looking for a starter scope which will work for visual, and which you might be able to transfer to a different mount in the future for imaging, the SLT looks like a good option.
If you want to start with imaging, and don't mind spending a bit more, the AVX line comes to mind (keeping in the Celestron family).
CS!
Thank you for your fast reply and advise. I will look further into it! 👍🏼
Hi @GamesofAnunna, as luck would have it, I came across someone selling a 102GT, which is the Costco version similar to the 102SLT, for 1/5 the retail price of a new scope. I was looking for something with a go-to mount that I could potentially use for visual, and/or rig up with a makeshift wedge to run as a star tracker for my Samyang/Rokinon lens. I can now tell you from experience that the SLT mount is about 1/2 the size of the NexStar SE mount. It feels much more flimsy, and the tripod it comes with is very wobbly and in bad need of reinforcement (something I'm planning on doing). However, on the plus side, it does connect to my laptop. I have tested it with CPWI and my x-box controller, and it works great. If you are still considering the SLT, go see it in person and compare it to the SE before you make a decision!
Check out this comparison video:
th-cam.com/video/DD_2p6x12-E/w-d-xo.html
CS!
Hello@@Felldisulfide ,
Thank you very much! I will think about it! Thank you again for your time and effort!
Hello. Thank you very much for the explanations contained in your video. My question is related to a change of mount: Wouldn't it be possible to change the tube to an equatorial mount of the Sky Watcher adventurer AZEQ6 PRO GOTO type?; What drawbacks could there be?
Hi @1966Publio, in my opinion, the AZEQ6 Pro has more than twice the capacity of the NexStar mount, and would be able to drive the 6SE tube well. I think your guiding precision, and overall stability would be better with the Sky Watcher. As far as drawbacks go? You would have to deal with Meridian flips, but there are software tools can help automate those. CS!
@@Felldisulfide Thank you very much for your reply
I’m very New and purchased both my wife and I a 6SE with All the bells and whistles but this becomes overwhelming and I give up trying to find anything and end up just looking at the moon or Jupiter :-(
Hi @24kGanksta, I went through the same thing when I first got my telescope. The hand controller had (and continues to have) an arcane menu, and came with 40k objects I knew nothing about. I might as well have been pressing random buttons.
It helps to have a guide to plan out your observing sessions. You can use planetarium apps or online websites like Stellarium:
stellarium-web.org/
Personally, I've been using the book Practical Skywatching as it has a section for each constellation along with the catalog designations for all the objects worth seeing within the constellation.
www.goodreads.com/book/show/355236.Practical_Skywatching
Either way, if you have a list of targets for your observing session, you can then navigate the controller menu to get to objects you know will be visible. Here's a link to a post which contains the menu tree:
www.cloudynights.com/topic/509712-nexstar-hand-control-menu-tree/
It goes without saying that you also need to make sure you have your location and time zone, and time set, and your telescope aligned. Here's a helpful guide:
www.nexstarsite.com/download/manuals/NexStarHandControlVersion4UsersGuide.pdf
I also urge you to check out the @AstroExplorers channel on TH-cam:
www.youtube.com/@AstroExplorers
He does a great job of explaining the basics of using an 8SE, including connecting to a laptop if you would like to use CPWI to navigate the sky instead.
Clear Skies!
Also, the Moon and Jupiter are great viewing targets! Try to find all the lunar mission landing sites, identify all of Jupiter's Galilean moons, or catch the great red spot during its transit times.
Apollo Landing Sites:
yt3.ggpht.com/dN9xnhQpvJe0kRkdM3bgQhoDIyuk1suBA29xTBTsTKwk_YYyt8w0OFGdvVoZbyld1hewbuY_H69xqQ=s640-c-fcrop64=1,37fe0000c801ffff-nd-v1
th-cam.com/channels/Rh-5HLPZy7AeAdyvUNGaKw.htmlcommunity?lb=UgkxnBCjWODqgLqrBZkaHaCEGunFWeTcr-U3
Hopefully you picked up the threads! The 6SE is a great telescope, but the mount is certainly not self-instructing … it took me a few months to figure it out, but boy was I happy when it did work! I did a lot of imaging with it, too, although your limited to maybe 15 second exposures, that was fine with me. Cloudyskies was a great resource for me. Maybe starting with just a startracker and a camera with different lenses is easier, since this is much more forgiving and great fun as well. Thats what I usually use at the moment since my time and the number of clear skies is limited and I can still do some astrophotography.
Reach out to a local astronomy group. I’m sure they’d be happy to coach you on getting more out of your telescope. We have weekly meetings, depending on weather of course, and many people have brought their scopes for help.
Thanks lot... can i connect Asi Air box for celestron 6se 8 se telescope
Hi Sandaruwan, I can't speak from experience, but others have done it before. Looks like there might be some challenges but have a look at the following post with the evo mount:
m.facebook.com/groups/ASIAIR/posts/hi-everyone-i-just-received-an-asiair-and-have-set-it-up-on-my-8-evolution-with-/2479663598863515/
Looking at the compatibility list, ASI Air Plus supports NexStar mounts. The process to setting up should be similar. I urge you to do more research before you try!
Hi, Can this telescope used for deep sky viewing?
Hi @jatinpunga9054, yes, the NexStar SE line were primarily visual telescopes. The 6SE is a favourite grab-and-go telescope for many people and can be used for deep sky and planetary viewing. The 8SE gathers more light, but the 6 is lighter and therefore more portable. In fact the whole point of my channel is showing what you could expect if you were to try using the 6SE for imaging, as it is not something most people would think to do! Clear Skies!
This Celestron vedge is quite an expensive thing. I would have rather sold this mount, and bought a used AVX.
Thank you for your comment - that is certainly an option, as is buying a used wedge or making your own.
everything I read says it isnt worth it to astro photoragphy with 6se
Hi @jjmcwill1881, I've been thinking about how to respond to your comment. Alt-Az scopes have been a gateway to astronomy for many people, especially those who were interested in visual before discovering photography. This video is not meant as an endorsement of any one type of telescope over another (good luck stepping into that snake pit), however it is meant to demonstrate that you can do a lot with this type of setup.
If you already have a NexStar 6SE, you can certainly get into astrophotography without spending thousands on a new mount as described in this video. Personally, if I were starting out and had the money to spend, I'd think about the 6" Edge HD for a flatter field of view. However, if you're looking for an all around scope with enough light gathering ability to work in light polluted suburbs, a wide enough FOV to get at some interesting nebulae, but also have the focal length and resolving power to capture planets, globulars, planetary nebulae, and galaxies, you'd be hard pressed to find a more cost-effective compact scope than a 6" SCT.
Some examples of people who say that it is worth it to do astro photography with alt-az/wedge setups, including NexStar 6SE and 8SE:
www.cloudynights.com/topic/744217-altaz-on-a-wedge-works-great/
Old proverb: 'The Person Who Says It Cannot Be Done Should Not Interrupt The Person Doing It'
Clear Skies!
Awesome I have the 6 SE and have been considering getting a wedge they are getting up there in price ($630 Australian ) but looks a fair bit of kit so will probably invest in one. My computer and camera skills aren’t my forte either so I have to get my head around them. Thanks for the awesome video has answered so if my queries 👍
Good luck, and Clear Skies!