Celestron’s signature orange-tube telescope combines advanced features and excellent optics in one easy-to-use system, the NexStar 5SE. It’s the perfect choice for your first serious telescope, offering striking views at an economical price.

Our Founder’s Vision, Reimagined for the 21st Century
In the 1970s, Celestron’s Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes brought the hobby of astronomy to the masses and established Celestron as the world’s premier telescope maker. Our founder, Tom Johnson, invented Celestron’s proprietary method of producing Schmidt corrector plates for superior views and maximum portability. Johnson believed in creating high-quality optical instruments at an affordable price, and inspired a generation of amateur astronomers.

Four decades later, we’ve improved upon this design by adding cutting-edge features, while staying true to our founder’s intent.

View the Universe’s Most Impressive Celestial Objects
The 5SE’s five-inch primary mirror packs enough light-gathering ability to observe the best that the solar system has to offer: Saturn’s rings, the cloud bands on Jupiter, and geographic features on the surface of the Moon. When it comes to deep sky objects, take your 5SE to a dark-sky site and you’ll see hundreds of pinpoint stars in the Hercules Globular Cluster, the spiral arms of the Whirlpool Galaxy, and more.

Revolutionary Single Fork Arm Mount
We know the best telescope is the one you will use most often. That’s why Celestron’s engineers created NexStar SE’s unique, patented single fork arm mount. It’s perfectly portable and makes setup quick and easy. What’s more, the NexStar SE breaks down into several lightweight and compact pieces, making it easy to transport, even in small vehicles. You’ll have no problem getting the NexStar SE to your favorite observing site, or setting it up quickly in your backyard.

Of course, it’s what’s inside the mount that really counts. Sturdy construction from high-quality components give NexStar SE the pointing and tracking accuracy needed to observe and follow your favorite targets with push-button ease. Use the included NexStar+ hand control to locate over 40,000 celestial objects, or take a Sky Tour and let your telescope show you the best objects currently visible.

Aligning your telescope is simple and painless, too, thanks to SkyAlign. This process makes alignment as easy as 1-2-3: just center three bright objects in your eyepiece and press ALIGN. For even easier alignment, attach our StarSense AutoAlign and your NexStar SE aligns itself!

Manufacturer's 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 lbs including the tripod, the ultra portable 5 SE features a precision optical system with 1,250 mm focal length (f/10) standard with our premium StarBright XLT coatings and offers 56% more light gathering power than a 4" 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. 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 new 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. Software package valued at over £120 included free with your NexStar SE!