Description
ADVANCED TECH MEETS ICONIC DESIGN: The NexStar 5SE pairs Celestron’s legendary orange tube with a fully computerized GoTo system—ideal for those ready to step up from manual scopes and explore more of the night sky with precision and ease.
5-INCH SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAIN OPTICS: The 5″ aperture gathers enough light to reveal fine lunar details, cloud bands on Jupiter, and deep-sky objects like galaxies and globular clusters—all in a compact, portable form factor.
FULLY AUTOMATED GoTo MOUNT WITH NEXSTAR+ HAND CONTROL: Use the NexStar+ hand control to select from a 40,000+ object database. The computerized mount then automatically slews to your target and tracks it—no star charts or manual alignment needed.
FAST & EASY ALIGNMENT WITH SKYALIGN TECHNOLOGY: SkyAlign gets you observing fast—just center any three bright stars or planets, even if you don’t know their names. The system then calculates your position and aligns the mount in minutes.
BUILT-IN WEDGE FOR ASTROIMAGING: Capture long-exposure images of the night sky—perfect for entry-level astrophotography. The integrated wedge lets you polar align the mount, reducing field rotation for improved tracking during imaging.
COMPATIBLE WITH CELESTRON ACCESSORIES: Easily upgrade your setup with all our latest accessories to enhance automation, wireless control, or location accuracy as your skills grow.
UNBEATABLE WARRANTY & CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Buy with confidence from the telescope brand, based in California since 1960. You’ll also receive a 2-year warranty and unlimited access to technical support from our team of US-based experts.
Product Description
The Celestron NexStar 5SE is a powerful, feature-rich telescope designed to launch beginners into their journey through the night sky. With its iconic orange tube and advanced Schmidt-Cassegrain optics, the 5SE offers impressive light-gathering ability in a compact, portable form—perfect for detailed views of the Moon, planets, and deep-sky objects like nebulae and galaxies. The fully automated GoTo mount makes finding objects effortless. Use the included NexStar+ hand control to choose from a database of over 40,000 celestial objects, and the mount will automatically locate and track your target with precision. Getting started is easy with SkyAlign technology: simply center any three bright stars or planets in the eyepiece—even if you don’t know their names—and the system calculates your position and aligns the telescope in minutes. For those interested in astrophotography, the built-in wedge allows for polar alignment, enabling longer exposures and more accurate tracking of celestial objects. The NexStar 5SE is also compatible with a wide range of Celestron accessories, including StarSense AutoAlign for hands-free setup, SkyPortal WiFi for wireless control, and SkySync GPS for enhanced accuracy. With its combination of optical performance, smart technology, and upgrade potential, the NexStar 5SE is built to grow with you. Backed by Celestron’s 2-Year Warranty and US-based technical support.
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Celestron's NexStar 5 SE computerized telescope combines excellent optics and easy computerized GoTo tracking in a convenient portable size. The standard equipment tripod and mount feature easy no-tool setup, and the package even includes a student version of “The Sky” planetarium software for your computer.
The excellent optics of Celestron's classic C5 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope have been updated with premium Starbright XLT optical coatings. This telescope consistently delivers crisp, high contrast views of the moon, the planets, and brighter deep space objects. The standard equipment 25mm plossl eyepiece produces a magnification of 50x, powerful enough to show the rings of Saturn, the cloud bands of Jupiter, and the changing face of the Lunar disk. Optional eyepieces can be added to bring out significantly more detail. I like to use a 12.5mm plossl (100x magnification) or a 7.5mm Ultrascopic eyepiece (166x) for high power views of the planets. With the 7.5mm Ultrascopic eyepiece I can usually see the Cassini Division in Saturn's rings and cloud bands on the planet itself. I like to use a 32mm plossl eyepiece for great low power views of deep space highlights like the Orion Nebula or the Double Cluster in Perseus.
The NexStar 5 SE package also includes a sturdy adjustable tripod, a motorized alt-azimuth mount, and the NexStar hand held computer controller. You won't need a GPS receiver or star charts to operate this telescope. The SkyAlign procedure is easy to use, and experienced observers will like the two-star align and solar-system align options because they are even quicker to set up. The steel tripod and alt-azimuth mount provide a solid base for the NexStar 5 SE. Vibration is not a problem, even while focusing at high power. The computerized tracking is also very good, easily keeping planets in the field of a high power eyepiece. The disadvantage of a computerized telescope, of course, is battery consumption. I like to use a rechargeable Celestron Power Tank because the standard AA alkaline batteries only last a few hours.
This telescope is perfect for visual observing, and allowed me to capture some sweet images of the moon and planets using a Celestron NexImage web-cam. For long exposure deep space photography, however, I'd take a look at Celestron's Advanced Series equatorial telescopes such as the C6 N-GT —Jeff Phillips
Pros:
- Excellent optics
- Light and portable
- Computerized GoTo tracking
Cons:
- Short battery life
- Too light for deep space photography
Suggested Options: Celestron Nine-Piece Accessory Kit Celestron Power Tank Battery Celestron NexImage Webcam
From the Manufacturer
Manufacturer Description
Featuring high-quality Schmidt-Cassegrain optics, the NexStar 5 SE is an ideal telescope for observing and photographing the wonders of space. With a total weight of 28 pounds including the tripod, the ultra portable 5 SE features a precision optical system with 1,250mm focal length (f10) standard with our premium StarBright XLT coatings and offers 56% more light gathering power than a 4-inch model.
The 5 SE includes a camera control feature that allows you to remotely take a series of timed exposures using your digital SLR camera. Plus the tripod featuring a built-in wedge helps make short-exposure astrophotography a heavenly experience.
About the NexStar SE Series:
NexStar 5 SE Highlights:
The NexStar 5 SE has all the same features as Celestron's most advanced computerized GoTo telescopes, including our revolutionary SkyAlign alignment technology, a sky tour feature, a database of nearly 40,000 celestial objects, and easy-to-use hand control.
Plug the optional CN-16 GPS accessory into NexStar's auxiliary port and download data from orbiting GPS satellites for truly quick and easy alignments. The universe may be full of mysteries, but using the NexStar 5 SE isn't one of them.
In the tradition of Celestron's famous orange optical tubes, the NexStar SE Family combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with state-of-the-art features including a fully computerized operating system, flash upgradeable hand control, our superior StarBright XLT coatings, our revolutionary SkyAlign telescope alignment software, and much more.
Whether you are a seasoned astronomer looking for a portable scope with advanced features or just starting your astronomy adventure and looking for an easy way to enjoy the night sky, a NexStar SE will help you take a closer look.
Every NexStar SE includes a version of The Sky software Level 1 Planetarium software for exploring the Universe on your PC and printing out custom star charts of the sky. In addition, you receive our NexRemote software that allows you to operate your telescope via your PC. This software package, valued at over $100, is included free with your NexStar SE!
General Features:
- 5-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
- SE combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with the latest state-of-the-art features
- StarBright XLT high transmission coatings come standard
- StarPointer finderscope to help with alignment and accurately locating objects
- Quick-release fork arm mount, optical tube, and accessory tray for no-tool setup
- Sturdy computerized altazimuth mount
- Internal battery compartment to prevent cord wrap during use
- Ultra sturdy steel tripod features built-in wedge which allows 5 SE to be used for astrophotography
- Includes CD-ROM “The Sky” astronomy software which provides education about the sky and printable sky maps
Computerized Features:
- Proven NexStar computer control technology
- Nearly 40,000 object database with 200 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects
- SkyAlign allows you to align on any three bright celestial objects, making for a fast and easy alignment process
- Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet
- Includes a camera control feature and shutter release cable that allows you to remotely take a series of exposures using your digital SLR camera
- Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple, and quadruple stars; variable star; solar systems; objects and asterisms
- DC Servo motors with encoders on both axes
- Double line, 16-character liquid crystal display hand control with backlit LED buttons for easy operation of go-to features
- NexRemote telescope control software and RS-232 cable included for advanced control of your telescope via computer
- GPS-compatible with optional CN16 GPS accessory
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