Celestron NexStar 8SE, or 6SE or 5SE

[Abbots]

After ordering up a Celestron 130 SLT - I have now decided that perhaps one of the SE's might be a better option.

I am in the mind set that if I can get a top, - easy to use scope to start with, then it will last me years (with the addition of accessories as I go along) and who knows what I may or may not be able to afford in future with things being so uncertain.

So I thought the 8SE would be the best way to go, as I can just stretch to it, but having done a little research, it would appear the 5SE offers nearly as much technically at a lesser cost. I have not found much in the way of write ups on the 6SE - so perhaps that would be better?

So you experienced peeps here, who have knowledge on these scopes, would you say that using one of the above SE's in the UK, - the 8SE would not necessarily be beneficial due to too much light pollution in general (I will be mainly use this is my back garden and I live in a town).

I just can't make up my mind and would greatly appreciate your views....

I am not necessarily looking to do imaging for the forseeable - just gazing... If you all suggest that the 5 or 6SE will offer pretty much everything the 8SE offers for general town use, then I will take it all on board...

Ty...

[baggywrinkle]

I have the 6SE and I am very pleased with it. I have some but not a lot of light pollution in my area, but out in the bush it is fantasic.

If you can get the 6SE at a good price do it. The light gathering power is obvisouly more than the 5SE but not as good as an 8SE and as you say if you have bad light pollution then an 8SE might not be the way to go.

The 6SE is easy to move around and set up. The Goto mount when properly set up tracks very well for visual observation and some astro-p work, but not for long exposures.

For viewing the moon, planets and many DSO the 6SE is very good, it would of course be better than the 5SE.

With regards EP's for a 6 SE, I bought the Celestron EP kit and in some ways wish I had not as the quality is not that great and I am now spending money on some alternative EP's plus a better diagonal.

[Cath]

I too have a 6SE but given the chance I'd have the 8SE myself, not so much for the extra light gathering (we have large LP here) but more for the increased resolution.

I'm sure their are people on here who have had both the 6SE and 8SE who could perhaps advise better.

[nytecam]

If you've got to set-up every time [most need too!] then weight and portability is important - the 6" seems a happy medium

[red dwalf]

i`ve had both, the 6se is good but the 8se is better, better light gathering, longer focal length so better image scale when viewing planets, the same mount as the 6se.

if you can afford the 8se then i`d go for it. one thing to consider also is that if you ever were going to image dso`s with it then i`d thing about the option of the eq mount that Celestron do with the sct scopes.

imaging planets on a 6 or 8 se is no problem as you are taking very quick shots, but for longer image subs a eq mount would be better.

[Abbots]

Thank you all for your comments. My last thoughts on this particular subject, - looking for advice of course, is for the same money as the 8SE, - would anyone advise the purchase of a completely different telescope? I realise it is a hard question to answer not knowing exactly what I am looking for from a telescope, but the truth be known, I am a little uncertain myself.

I guess I am trying to get the best 'all round' telescope in the same price band.

[red dwalf]

If your looking for a good arounder then the 8" sct is a very good buy, good for planets, and using a reducer they aren't bad for imaging, although I would buy one on a eq mount

[Abbots]

If your looking for a good arounder then the 8" sct is a very good buy, good for planets, and using a reducer they aren't bad for imaging, although I would buy one on a eq mount

Thanks for that - having had an e-mail back from FLO - Martin from FLO has suggested the celestron C8 SCT VX GOTO as a viable alternative - so hard to know of the advantages though?

[Sobel]

In my very limited experience, I own an 8SE, I find it's the best solution personally for portability/storage/ease of use/future proofing than the other options I looked at. For purely visual stuff, planets and the moon are the main stay of my usage, the 8SE was ideal, although sadly not as cheap as I'd hoped.

I'd imagine the C8 + VX Goto would be more an imaging setup and probably provides better future proofing in terms of the mount than the 8SE. But then it all depends on if you want something to do serious imaging with I guess. I personally will never do anything more than say snap a quick pic with a webcam so I don't need an EQ mount, whereas if you are thinking of one day doing imaging, spending a little bit more now to have a fully capable setup would be worth it.

All in my humble opinion of course

[red dwalf]

The setup surgested by Martin from flo is the one I'd go for, if you ever buy another scope then you'll already have the mount, and the new celestron mount is very nice.

[LukeSkywatcher]

In my very limited experience, I own an 8SE, I find it's the best solution personally for portability/storage/ease of use/future proofing than the other options I looked at.

Those are the very same reasons why i picked the 8SE over other scopes of a similar apeture.

[Donkeiller]

I have both the 6 and 8Se. Whilst I agree with the above comments about better light gathering etc. it is the 6SE I use most.Easier to setup, move and alot less "cool down" time.You have to plan your 8SE sessions, the 6 is alot more flexible.

[Dunkster]

The 8" has almost 2x the light grasp of the 6", so if money is no object go for the 8". It makes a difference, light polluted or not. In my street, it makes a big difference on something like M13, for example.

Also, at the prices listed, the 8"+ VX mount is well worth the extra £125 IMO. The 6SE is a great setup, the 8SE introduces a little focussing wobble, but if you're careful you can work around it. It's also a great portable setup. But the VX isn't large or heavy (although heavier than the SE mount) and is only a bit more complicated to setup. It's the easiest EQ I've ever seen (but that's not exhaustive!), and was very stable with a C8 on board.

[LukeSkywatcher]

If you can push the boat out, the universe really starts to become alive with an 8" scope.

[jonathan]

The 8SE is easily manageable to lift and carry on its own, if you're strong you could lift it already attached to the goto mount. From this I can only imagine that the 6SE is slightly lighter, as the mount is the same, so in terms of storage and portability they are probably going to be about the same.

Mount an 8SE on a sturdier mount and you're laughing - a future upgrade to HEQ5 Pro or NEQ6? The kit goto mount won't take many accessories / attachments to the scope before it becomes unbalanced and too wobbly, that is the only real drawback. I had a problem with poor power connection but I solved it by installing a BNC connection, which is much much better although sadly I haven't used the mount since as I now use the NEQ6. Definitely a heavy setup with the NEQ6, but the steady views are worth it.

[jonathan]

Just had a peek at that C8 VX kit, to be honest I don't think the mount really looks like it would be any better than the 8SE one, compared to the NEQ6 it looks positively light-weight (and is probably at its limit with the C8). Between this and the 8SE I think it's just horses for courses, AZ vs EQ.. EQ will be easier to do astrophotography with, but I wouldn't use that one with a C8 fitted if it's near the weight limit. A C6 on that same mount, however, should be more stable... but you would almost halve the light gathering capability so miss out on some dim objects. The C6 and C8 (or 8SE) don't really lend themselves to DSO photography anyway due to their long focal length (they are like a slow camera lens). For purely visual, knowing what I know now, I would probably go with the VX option as it's otherwise going to be exactly the same as the 8SE but with the added benefit of EQ - once you get used to it it's great, only one motor is required to track and you would have no problem fitting a small refractor to it (maybe one more suited to photography than the C8).

[starman1969]

I can vouch for the 6SE because I have one and it was my very first telescope. Despite purchasing an 8" reflector since, I still grab the 6SE if I want to set up a scope quickly to view something.

It is quite portable too, as long as the scope remains on the mount. I've carried it to the beach before now.

[LukeSkywatcher]

The SE range are very portable. I have recently found the trick with the 8SE is to leave it attached to the mount and carry OTA and mount as one pice, while the tripod is another piece. Thats is just me in a wheelchair though.

Any able-bodied person could easily transport the whole 8SE setup outside to the garden in on go. A few months ago i went into a shop that was selling the 4-6" SE and either scope (while on the tripod) was a one piece operation for me to carry (albeit carefully).

[peteftm]

If i were you i'd get a HEQ5 pro and build from there.A C8 on that and your laughing :-)

[Markinaboat]

I have both the 6 and 8Se. Whilst I agree with the above comments about better light gathering etc. it is the 6SE I use most.Easier to setup, move and alot less "cool down" time.You have to plan your 8SE sessions, the 6 is alot more flexible.

Hi,

Can you give an approximation of the cool down times for both the 6SE and 8SE?

Thanks

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi,

Can you give an approximation of the cool down times for both the 6SE and 8SE?

Thanks

Cool down time is about 5mins for every inch of aperture. This really only applies to reflectors. Refractors need much less time,if any. SCT's also dont really need much if any cooling down,however they do tend to dew up badly, so you need some type of dew prevention. 

[Donkeiller]

Hi,

Can you give an approximation of the cool down times for both the 6SE and 8SE?

Thanks

Depends on the inside/outside temperature difference, but I reckon at least 2X as long, if not more, for the 8SE, compared with the 6SE.

Some nights this can mean never!

I have since got a "Cat Cooler" for the 8SE. This helps a lot but adds to the faff-factor!

[CodnorPaul]

If it were me I would look at the C8 on the AVX mount - money is about the same but the mount is much more capable.  I started with an 8SE - loved the OTA but couldn't live with mount - now put it on an NEQ6 and it is so much better.

All down to personal preference of course - but the SE mount was not for me

[Markinaboat]

Cool down time is about 5mins for every inch of aperture. This really only applies to reflectors. Refractors need much less time,if any. SCT's also dont really need much if any cooling down,however they do tend to dew up badly, so you need some type of dew prevention. 

Thanks for the quick reply guys!

You know, the more I study this (and it's been months!) the more convinced I am that I should go for my original choice which is the 100ED DS PRO Apo on an Alt-Az! Time or lack of it is the essence for me.

Cheers

[TwinkleTwinkle]

hi sorry for bringting up an old post, im about to upgrade the 6se to 8se, can you tell me if its worth me doing this?

the reason im doing it ( or hoping) i was disappopointed with the view 

i dont expect hubble pictures or views! no, but something to actually see other than faint stars. maybe the 8se are just as faint? advice appreciated xxxxxxxx of fuzzies in the 6se, infact very disheartened, and was hoping a 8se may be more of an improve