#TELESCOPE TO SEE PLANETS NEAR ME MANUAL#
#TELESCOPE TO SEE PLANETS NEAR ME SOFTWARE#
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The Celestron NexStar 5SE is quite portable, and since it's comprised of three different components – the optical tube, mount, and steel tripod – assembly takes no more than about 10 minutes. We found views and resulting images clear and crisp, especially craters along the Moon's terminator where night meets day.īeginners and seasoned astrophotographers will also enjoy picking out detail on the surface of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn we highly recommend accessorizing this telescope with a range of filters for optimum results. Given its focal ratio of f/10, the NexStar 5SE is a fast telescope, so it's best suited to lunar and planetary astrophotography. The telescope's design is exquisite given the cost and we're impressed with the optical performance. What's more, the SkyAlign technology is a breeze to use and, in our experience, aligned the instrument within minutes. It features a computerized mount, which enables the astronomer to spend more time imaging and observing instead of spending huge amounts of time tracking down targets in the night sky: at the simple touch of a button on the included hand control, you can lock onto your chosen object and get stargazing right away. Very popular among amateur astronomers worldwide, the Celestron NexStar 5SE is an extremely user-friendly option for those who are not just starting out in observing, but who are also keen to try their hand at astrophotography. Not ideal for longer exposure astrophotography Read our Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ telescope review for more details For example, it doesn't come with a Barlow lens, which will improve viewing and imaging further. And, if you're a complete beginner, practice, and patience will help you to yield some impressive images – more so, provided you accessorize the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ with eyepieces that are respectful of the optical tube's useful magnifications. Overall, the package is a sound choice as the first serious telescope for astrophotography.

#TELESCOPE TO SEE PLANETS NEAR ME SOFTWARE#

Be warned though: you won't see all 36,000 objects in the software database using the 130mm aperture.

#TELESCOPE TO SEE PLANETS NEAR ME DOWNLOAD#

The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ comes fairly well equipped, and features two good quality eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a StarPointer red dot finderscope, and a free download of Starry Night Basic Software, allowing you to choose your targets and plan your observing session before heading outside. The optical performance is very good, with no major visual defects visible and we enjoyed the stunning contrast and clarity in the field of view.

#TELESCOPE TO SEE PLANETS NEAR ME MANUAL#

This process can be tricky for beginners, but with practice, it's easily achieved – especially given Celestron has supplied a manual that walks you through the process. However, in order to get the very best from the optical system – which is a Newtonian reflector – you'll need to collimate the setup.

Meanwhile, its decent aperture will show a good amount of detail on the solar system and deep-sky targets. The equatorial mount assists with tracking, which is essential for longer exposure astrophotography. If you're after the best telescope for astrophotography and serious stargazing, we recommend the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ, which offers a great package for the slightly more experienced amateur astronomer – especially given that it comes with a CG-3 equatorial mount, which requires more practice and patience to use over the basic alt-azimuth. Meanwhile, the kind of mount you use will determine whether long-exposure astrophotography is possible.

The focal ratio is also an essential number to consider – fast telescopes with ratios of f/4 or f/5 are great for wide-field and deep-sky imaging, while slow instruments with ratios of f/11 to f/15 will offer dazzling high-power images of the Moon and planets. The aperture (or objective lens) of the telescope will be your guide on whether it's capable of capturing 'faint fuzzies' or just enough to make the planets and lunar surface pop. If your needs are slightly more advanced, you should consider whether you're a deep-sky or Solar System imager. These instruments often come with a tripod, mount, eyepieces, finderscope, and, often, a smartphone adapter. If you're a beginner, we recommend setting your sights on an inclusive package that lets you try a bit of everything, from general observing to afocal astrophotography. So which model should you buy? Well, that depends a lot on your level of experience.

Telescope to see planets near me