Is Celestron 4SE a good beginner option ?

[emi_damian]

Hello, I hope I've found the right place. I want to buy a telescope for my son for Christmas, he is 15 years old, quite passionate about technology and astronomy, but I got lost in the multitude of options. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to do proper research, so until now I've been looking at articles/reviews and I think the best options (in our budget) are Celestron 4SE or Celestron 100AZ. Here it says that 4SE is the better option but here it says that it needs many accessories and then I was thinking maybe it's better to start with something else. Does anyone have a 4SE? Would it work as a beginner option or should I look for something simpler?

[Cosmic Geoff]

The 4SE is a reasonable option if you want that sort of thing i.e. a Maksutov GoTo with 4" aperture.  You should ignore the comment about it needing accessories as no telescope kit comes with a full set of accessories.  Typically one has to buy two or three good quality eyepieces and (for Goto or motorized scopes) a power pack.  On the plus side, the 4SE has a built in flip-mirror, potentially useful if your son wants to image various objects.

There are (as you may have discovered already) many other options in your budget of 4SE-price, including Dobsonians of larger aperture.

[NGC 1502]

Very tough call to decide for someone else!  You are likely to get a wide range of differing advice….

Here’s mine, for what it’s worth.  A friend bought a Celestron 100az against my advice. The build “quality” was absolutely appalling, cheap and shoddy. It’s now gathering dust rather than starlight.

The 4se is much better made. However please note that with entry level hi-tech scopes much of the cost goes into the electronics and less into the optical parts.  But used with care it gets the job done.

If it were me I’d sooner buy a 6” or 8” Dobsonian where much more of the cost goes into the optical parts and much less into the basic but effective Dobsonian mount.  BUT- to effectively use it you have to learn the sky, manually find and track objects.

Like I said, tough call giving advice……

[Ags]

A 4SE was my only scope for 10 years. There's plenty to like - sharp optics, no collimation hassles and reasonable goto. 

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @emi_damian and welcome to SGL. 

As @NGC 1502 said above, buying for someone else is a tough call and I will add by saying that no ‘scope does everything.

Maksutov ‘scopes are very good for lunar and and planetary viewing and being a compact size, they can go almost anywhere, (even as a carry-on item with some airlines), if packed in a suitable case or backpack. They do however have a few minor issues. One issue is that they are dew magnets. So if you decide to go for the Celestron 4SE, remember to get a dew shield at the time of purchase. Why they are not included is anyone’s guess. They need to cool down before use during cold weather when taken from a warm room inside the house to the cold of a garden or back/front yard. I have a ‘re-modded’ Meade ETX, (about the same specs), and usually allow 30-40 minutes to acclimatise before I start using it. The other issue is the field of view. They are narrow, compared to other ‘scope designs.

[emi_damian]

Thank you all for your answers. The 4SE seems like the better option for us,  hopefully my son will agree.

[VNA]

Hello, a 5" is by far more appropriate, anything under 5" is very limiting: a Newton on a Dobson mount will give flexibility with the accessories/