35 replies to this topic

[Scuderia]

So I am considering getting my first scope. I want something that is generally easy to use, will last me years, and will also give me great views of many objects in the sky. After some research I feel like the Celestron NexStar 6se would be a great scope.
I am completely new to all of this. I've been interested and have read about space for years. But I've never had a scope. Would this scope be a good starting point, give me fantastic views and open up a new world to me, but also last for years? Or should I go with the 8se for a larger scope... or a different model or even a different brand altogether? I look forward to people's thoughts and experiences. Thanks!

Edited by Scuderia, 29 August 2016 - 11:55 AM.

[jallbery]

I've heard it said that the best telescope to buy is the one you will use the most.    And to quote a classic astronomy book ("The Lighthearted Astronomer"), while a large aperture is a blessing, a large telescope is a mixed blessing.    To me, it's hard to image a telescope that strikes a better balance between aperture and portability than the 6 SE--  it's enough aperture to see many, many wonders of a the universe, while compact and light enough to make it easily transportable.   Add in goto and the fact that the mount will track objects for you, and it really is a great package.

 

Now for the same sort of money, you could get a 10" Dobsonian.    Definitely more aperture for the $$, and a 10"  dob is going to beat the 6" SCT on light gathering ability AND resolution and contrast.  You have to weigh that against the convenience of the 6SE's goto and tracking.   The dob is going to be a lot less forgiving to eyepieces, too.

 

As far as the 8SE, I think the 6SE is better suited to the SE mount.   If aperture is that important to you, you might be better suited to look into the the dob.  However, it you really want an SCT with goto, the 8SE certainly offers a lot of capability.

[rocco13]

Great choice, IMHO.

 

I've always been a dob guy, usually with dobs between 12"-15". But as time went by I eventually downsized to the smaller aperture scopes (5" Mak, 90mm Mak), I was pleasantly surprised by how many objects I could see with the small scopes, even under the city lights.

 

The 6SE will give you thousands of objects to observe, and after a while if you decide to go bigger, you'll always have that option. But for portability, performance, ease-of-use, and overall quality, it should meet your expectations.

[macdonjh]

A 6" scope is a great place to start, and I recommend go-to for people new to astronomy. I started with a fully manual mount and was searching for a go-to mount within three months.  I just couldn't find anything but the moon and Saturn from my urban driveway.  I couldn't even learn to star-hop.  Getting go-to was a revelation.  After I learned how to use it I could see 50-75 objects in a single night.  It was like being "a kid in a candy store".  I can still see that many objects in a single night, but typically choose to take it slower and look for details in familiar objects or try to see ever-fainter objects.

 

Oh, yeah, I also have a manual mount for grab-and-go quick looks, too.

[Hesiod]

If you want the computerized mount, either the 6" and 8" SE can be good choiches.

6" is a already a good aperture, but will suffer light pollution a bit more than a 8"; and the latter has greater reach on both DSOs and planets, while being still small and light (not much larger than the 6").

However the 6" is a bit better matched to the SE mount (this has been addressed by the SE replacement, the heavier and more expensive EVO series), the 8" will be a bit more "shacky" at high power, but IMHO this is not a big deal with a computerized, autotracking mount.

Therefore if you can get the 8", I suggest to purchase this (take note that the telescope itself is far more important than any fancy upgrade, from robot-focuser to ultrewideangle eyepieces: you can observe for years with 3-4 inexpensive eyepieces* and a nebular filter) because probably will "last" longer than the 6".

 

Another option is to get a Dobsonian telescope, either manual (prices are very good, optical quality too) or, if you like, with a goto or push-to device installed.

If you do not have seen a Dobsonian before, I suggest to look at solid tube model up to 8" (10" if in good healt), and to truss-tube for 12" or larger.

 

 

 

 

*with the C6/C8 Plossl-like eyepieces works very well; usually the scope is sold with a 25mm EP, so you need only a 10mm or so one

[North of Sixty]

Recently a good friend needed room to store his 8se so brought it to my place and said I could use it all I wanted. Great optics, light weight, the goto and tracking is easy and very sweet but for my observing style of wandering randomly all over the sky I can't stand having to use the hand controller. A deal breaker for me. So take that limiting facotor into consideration. A push-to 6" dob maybe or sct on an alt-AZ maybe. My beat up old 8" dob still gives me the most joy and is fairly grab n go but I have dark skies. You can't go wrong whatever your choice is. Good luck

[REC]

A 6" scope is a great place to start, and I recommend go-to for people new to astronomy. I started with a fully manual mount and was searching for a go-to mount within three months.  I just couldn't find anything but the moon and Saturn from my urban driveway.  I couldn't even learn to star-hop.  Getting go-to was a revelation.  After I learned how to use it I could see 50-75 objects in a single night.  It was like being "a kid in a candy store".  I can still see that many objects in a single night, but typically choose to take it slower and look for details in familiar objects or try to see ever-fainter objects.

 

Oh, yeah, I also have a manual mount for grab-and-go quick looks, too.

+1 on this choice. Get a decent pair of bino's too!

[kfiscus]

Welcome!  This is not a bad choice.  The go-to works well & tracks nicely.  Decent views, very portable.

 

You'll need a dew shield and will soon want an external power source or rechargeable AA batteries on board.

[GOLGO13]

I think the 6 SE is a great choice for a first scope. I had a very similar scope as my second scope (Celestron 5i).

 

I'd do some more research and consider what you want to do with a telescope. Such as, what do you want to see? Do you have access to darker skies? etc.

 

The benefit of the 6 SE is pretty good aperture with tracking/object finding.

 

I'd say the normal first scopes are the 6-8 SE and 8-10 inch Dobsonians. Both have pluses and minuses.

[gnowellsct]

I think it will serve you well although I tend to be leery of scopes with a lot of plastic in the mount.   The C6 gets a lot of good word of mouth though.  There's plenty to do with a 6 inch aperture.  You have many people who are content to spend the entirety of their time with a 3 inch aperture (80mm range). 

 

One of the good things about the 6SE is that the OTA can be removed and you can, for example, use an 80mm or maybe even a 100mm refractor in the same mount.   That's kinda cool.  

 

I think for many of us the "one scope that will last for years" thing turned out to be a bit of a mirage.  Once you have one scope you want more.  

 

Depending on where you live you may need to factor dew control in to your situation.  That could be twenty bucks for an insulated dew shield (a roll of foam used under camping sleeping bags will do) and a bungee cord, a fancy dew shield, or a dew heater with a controller....these are all possibilities.  So $20 to $150 for dew control.

]

If you're lucky you won't need it.  If you observe at home, and outside extension cord and a hair dryer will serve, if you do need it.  If you are carrying it around you'll need some other solution.

 

So dew is one issue.  Another is that in the 5 and 6 inch SCTs you really are limited to 1.25 inch eyepieces.  If you get a c8 you can move to two inch eyepieces and that will make a difference in the quality of the viewing experience.  But OTOH you'll save bundles by not having two inch eyepieces so you might let that issue wait till you see someone else's views and get the bug.

 

Greg N

[neaptide]

The 6se was my first scope and it really got me hooked on Astronomy. The goto performance is outstanding and the tracking is great for visual observing. It is easy to use and it won't break the bank leaving you more money for eyepieces and other accessories. A must have is an external power supply. You will burn through batteries like crazy and some weird things happen when the 8 AA batteries start getting low. 

 

That being said I upgraded to an 8" OTA 8 months later and use it on the se mount no problem.I bought it used here on Cloudy Nights and I sold the 6" OTA to help offset the cost. You can't go wrong with the 6se. Celestron customer service is top notch as well.

Edited by neaptide, 29 August 2016 - 02:33 PM.

[Abhat]

Its great choice. I have C6. ( Same OTA as 6SE). Its amazingly lightweight, compact and versatile. I love it so much that it is getting little more use than my 8" Dob.

[BigRyan]

Great Idea for a first scope. I started with the Omni XLT 120 on the CG4 which cost about the same back then, but being an achromat refactor it suffered from false color so bad that I almost gave up. Also being a manual mount I was constantly having to manually track objects. I'm afraid this probably ruins it for a lot of people that are interested in astronomy starting out. I'm glad I hung in there and looking back I'm glad I started with that scope because It really makes me appreciate my other scopes now, and also forced me to learn where things are in the sky.

 

So in my opinion, true color, portability, tracking and goto, computer connectivity, all of these things will make you want to get out there and use it. I say GET IT and start looking up!

[PXR-5]

6SE is a great scope, I use my 6sct on a StarseekerIV, just happen to be what a had lying around, similar to the SE.

Enjoy,
Oh order the dew shield and either a AC adapter or a power tank.

[Scuderia]

Wow. I didn't expect so many replies! Thanks guys. Well, I need to save a bit more, then I could make it happen. Thanks for all the advice everyone. I thoroughly read every response, although a lot of the technical terms I am not familiar with. I'm sure that will come in time.
My last question would be then, am I correct in understanding that if I can afford the 8se to go for that, but if not the 6se will be a fine choice? I mean, is the difference up to the 8se THAT much more visually? Would I be able to see much more distant objects and would they be a lot clearer than the 6se? If it's not really that much of a difference then I may as well stick with the 6se and use the extra money for extras I may need.

Edited by Scuderia, 31 August 2016 - 09:14 PM.

[GOLGO13]

Scuderia,

 

A couple of points to think about. One, you may want to check out the website astromart.com (a $15 fee per year) or the Cloudy Nights Classifieds (free). 8 and 6 SE scopes come up for sale quite a bit (not because they are not good, but because a lot of people buy them). If you are looking to save money that's a possible way. I've seen 6SEs go for $500ish on the used market (just be careful for shipping/paypal fees).

 

Between 6 and 8 inches for an SCT, there is a bit of a difference. But it's not too significant. At a $400 difference, I may be inclined to get the 6SE. You could quite possibly be able to get an 8 inch OTA later if you felt the need and sell your 6 inch OTA. I've seen 8 inch SE OTAs go around $400-500 used. Then your 6 inch OTA would fetch $300-400.

 

I've looked though both and both were pretty good. The 8 inch would be a bit brighter on deep space objects. The 6 SE would probably cool down faster (important for these scopes to be cooled down for best images). Cool down can take up to an hour or so depending on the difference from inside to outside on the 6 SE.

 

The biggest potential difference is 6 inch SCTs are basically limited to 1 and 1/4 inch eyepieces (not necessarily a bad thing). Whereas you could pretty much utilize a 2 inch setup with an 8 inch (extra money to get that all setup though).

 

If it were me I would get the 6SE. Spend the extra money on a little nicer Diagonal and eyepieces. If the cost used was $500 shipped, that's not bad. If it was plus shipping, it'd be a bit harder to buy used (unless it had some bonus stuff with it).

 

An alternative to the SE line, and a bit lower cost would be an 8 inch Dobsonian telescope. For under $400 new you can have a very capable scope. But it would not have "go to" (to help you find an object). You'd still want to add a few things to that like a tool for lining up the mirrors (around $40). The 6 inch is OK also at around $300, but it (like the 6SE) doesn't have a 2 inch focuser. Orion Telescope telescope.com sells these. There are other companies that have dobsonians as well.

 

That being said, I think the 6SE may be better given the electronics and tracking (following the object as the earth turns). The 6SE would be lighter weight (not by too much). The 6SE looks a little better to me, but that's subjective and not really a big deal probably.

 

On the used market it's tough because of shipping. But if you can find one locally (I hate to suggest Craig's list because of security, but it's a possibility) you can find good deals. Most beginners start with either the SE line or the 8 inch dob. Both are good scopes...so it just kind of depends on if you want electronics or not. I personally like electronics in some ways, but I can also see the benefit of larger aperture for less money.

 

Just some things to consider.

[GOLGO13]

I looked on my Craigslist and found a 6 SE bundle with a powertank (portable battery for powering the scope) and the Celestron eyepiece and filter kit for $600.

 

Also found an older 6 inch dob for $100 (probably not worth much more than that).

 

If you did find ones on Craigslist and are OK with buying off there, people on here can let you know if it's a good deal or not.

 

The 6SE above is a pretty good deal for what they have.

[Hesiod]

 If it's not really that much of a difference then I may as well stick with the 6se and use the extra money for extras I may need.

 

"Extras" like eyepieces, filters, etc...are IMHO far less important than the optical tube and mount. You will see the galaxies better with a SE8 and the stock eyepiece than with the SE6 and a Nagler eyepiece. The same for any other kind of target.

 

These telescopes are sold with an already farily complete accessory kit (due to the telescope's nature you can be set with a 20-25mm and a 8-12mm eyepiece, the former is included as a 25mm Plossl, and the latter can be purchased at low price*), and you really need only a good powersource, like a 12V car battery or a smaller and lighter Lithium battery (can be found easily at electronic stores, or from e-commerce).

 

 

* ex another Plossl (even the good ones, like Tele Vue's, are relatively inexpensive), an "ortho" (check for the Volcano Top), a BST Paradigm, etc...

[jallbery]

Scuderia,

 

A couple of points to think about. One, you may want to check out the website astromart.com (a $15 fee per year) or the Cloudy Nights Classifieds (free). 8 and 6 SE scopes come up for sale quite a bit (not because they are not good, but because a lot of people buy them). If you are looking to save money that's a possible way. I've seen 6SEs go for $500ish on the used market (just be careful for shipping/paypal fees).

 

Between 6 and 8 inches for an SCT, there is a bit of a difference. But it's not too significant. At a $400 difference, I may be inclined to get the 6SE. You could quite possibly be able to get an 8 inch OTA later if you felt the need and sell your 6 inch OTA. I've seen 8 inch SE OTAs go around $400-500 used. Then your 6 inch OTA would fetch $300-400.

 

I've looked though both and both were pretty good. The 8 inch would be a bit brighter on deep space objects. The 6 SE would probably cool down faster (important for these scopes to be cooled down for best images). Cool down can take up to an hour or so depending on the difference from inside to outside on the 6 SE.

 

The biggest potential difference is 6 inch SCTs are basically limited to 1 and 1/4 inch eyepieces (not necessarily a bad thing). Whereas you could pretty much utilize a 2 inch setup with an 8 inch (extra money to get that all setup though).

 

If it were me I would get the 6SE. Spend the extra money on a little nicer Diagonal and eyepieces. If the cost used was $500 shipped, that's not bad. If it was plus shipping, it'd be a bit harder to buy used (unless it had some bonus stuff with it).

 

An alternative to the SE line, and a bit lower cost would be an 8 inch Dobsonian telescope. For under $400 new you can have a very capable scope. But it would not have "go to" (to help you find an object). You'd still want to add a few things to that like a tool for lining up the mirrors (around $40). The 6 inch is OK also at around $300, but it (like the 6SE) doesn't have a 2 inch focuser. Orion Telescope telescope.com sells these. There are other companies that have dobsonians as well.

 

That being said, I think the 6SE may be better given the electronics and tracking (following the object as the earth turns). The 6SE would be lighter weight (not by too much). The 6SE looks a little better to me, but that's subjective and not really a big deal probably.

 

On the used market it's tough because of shipping. But if you can find one locally (I hate to suggest Craig's list because of security, but it's a possibility) you can find good deals. Most beginners start with either the SE line or the 8 inch dob. Both are good scopes...so it just kind of depends on if you want electronics or not. I personally like electronics in some ways, but I can also see the benefit of larger aperture for less money.

 

Just some things to consider.

 

I generally agree with golgo13's points above, but have a few minor comments...

 

While it is true that a 2" diagonal is a better match for an 8SE than a 6SE, you can max out the field of view in either scope with a 1.25" diagonal and the F/6.3 reducer/corrector.   As a result, when it comes to maximum true views, a C6 with the reducer/corrector (because of its shorter focal length) will go wider (before vignetting) than a C8 with a 2" diagonal:  6SE + RC + 24mm 68-degree AFOV eyepiece yields 1.7 degree true field;  while an 8SE + 2"diag + 31mm 82 degree AFOV eyepiece yields 1.25 degrees.   Furthermore, the R/C costs about the same as a good 2" diagonal and a high-quality max field 1.25" eyepiece is relatively affordable compared to a similar quality max field 2" eyepiece.  For example, if you go the Televue route, a 24mm panoptic is $310 compared to 41mm panoptic at $510 or a 31mm Nagler at $650.  Similarly, the Explore Scientific 24mm 68 is $150, vs the 40mm 68 at $350.

 

But you do have to live with taking the reducer on and off if you go that route.

 

Since a 6SE OTA can be purchased for under $400 (see https://telescopes.n...e-assembly.html ), expecting to get much more than $300 when selling used is optimistic.

 

To me, the pluses of the 6SE are greater mount stability, greater portability and quicker cool down.  The 8SE offers more aperture.   If you think your first scope is going to be your last scope (at least for quite a while), you may want to opt for the 8SE.  However, if you think a larger scope may be in your future anyway, the 6SE still has plenty to offer you initially, and could be considered a better companion to a larger scope on down the line.   Either scope is an excellent pick, IMO.

 

The 8SE will see a little fainter, and on the best nights provide a bit more detail.  The difference in the views under good conditions will be noticeable and not insignificant, but not huge.

Edited by jallbery, 01 September 2016 - 08:28 AM.

[thomasr]

I bought the NexStar 6SE as my first telescope back in April of last year. While it has a few annoyances, overall it's been a great purchase and a great introduction to astronomy.

 

There are many advantages to the 6SE as a first telescope:

• 6" is really quite a lot of aperture, and you'd be surprised what this scope can do under dark skies. There is always a "next size bigger" scope out there, but the 6SE can and does reward your patience. Earlier this summer, I surprised myself and a few other seasoned observers out at a dark site, when I was able to see supernova SN2016coj in the galaxy NGC 4125. The supernova was only detectable with averted vision in my little C6, while bigger scopes could show it directly, but it was still an amazing feeling to pick up a target like that
• GoTo is a godsend under light polluted skies. Set up and alignment take a few minutes, after which the scope will typically land each target right in the field of view of my 15mm Luminos eyepiece
• While SCT scopes have a reputation for collecting dew, my experience hasn't been too bad. Many, many nights I have been able to skip the heater bands altogether and just rely on my dew shield ... and I live in the Great Lakes basin where dew (or frost) can be a significant problem
• Cool down is typically 30 minutes or less. Bigger SCTs are known to take much longer
• It's compact and transportable - especially once you've figured out your "system" for teardown/transport/setup
• There are tons of accessories available, and a huge user community ready to help with questions or problems
• Because the 6SE is smaller and lighter than the 8SE, and they both share the same mount, you have a little more headroom to add some of those accessories before you start to seriously overtax the mount. On my 6SE, I have a 9x50 RACI finder, a stock red dot finder, and a piggyback mount (for binoculars or camera). I'm not sure I'd want to throw all that stuff - plus a C8 tube - on the same mount.

 

However there are a few disadvantages:

• Under light polluted skies, 6" starts to feel like a whole lot less aperture. Many deep sky objects become an exercise in detection rather than viewing
• The hand controller is the only way to slew the scope. Celestron's newer Evolution series has clutches that can be unlocked so the scope can be slewed manually. Having owned the 6SE for 1.5 years, this is a bigger deal than I'd imagined and there are lots of times I wish I could slew the scope manually - even if just to put the tube in position for teardown and transport
• Having to plug into an external power source (in my case, a huge battery pack) gets old kinda quick. One associated hassle is when the power connection gets interrupted for a split second (easy to do when you've got multiple cables and connections lying around a dark site) and the scope loses all the alignment information. It only takes a few minutes to realign, but when you're right in the middle of a challenging observing list it's an unwelcome interruption (that can also mess up your dark adaptation). Again, the Evolution mounts have a built in battery, so you can save your external battery box for things like dew heaters
• Even on the best of nights, the views through my 6SE look a little "watery". My refractor is much sharper

There is no such thing as the perfect telescope, but the 6SE is incredibly popular for a reason. I'm not sure if there's a better "does most everything rather well" telescope out there. If I were doing it all over again, I might choose the Evolution 6 or Evolution 8 instead, but in both those cases I'd be looking at a lot more money ... money which can be directed instead toward useful accessories.

 

Speaking of accessories, you'll want some. Whether you're getting a 6SE or 8SE, you will absolutely want to consider:

• an additional eyepiece in the 14-16mm range, and one in the 9-10mm range
• a dew shield at a minimum, and possibly an active dew control system (heater bands)
• an observing chair. You will see much more sitting behind a 6SE than standing behind an 8SE

Edited by thomasr, 01 September 2016 - 09:38 AM.

[jallbery]

The hand controller is the only way to slew the scope. Celestron's newer Evolution series has clutches that can be unlocked so the scope can be slewed manually. Having owned the 6SE for 1.5 years, this is a bigger deal than I'd imagined and there are lots of times I wish I could slew the scope manually - even if just to put the tube in position for teardown and transport

 

Isn't positioning the tube for teardown or transport about the only use of the clutches on the evolution?     I suppose they are still useful if you want to use the scope terrestrially, and/or operate the scope without electricity.  However, my understanding is that you lose alignment if you use the clutches.  If that is the case, using the clutches on an alt-az mounted evolution will mess up both tracking and goto...

 

I'd be pleased as punch to be wrong on this matter. If you could manually slew a scope on an Evolution mount and keep your alignment and goto, I'd buy one right away...

[GOLGO13]

Thanks for the corrections Jallberry. I had not thought of the reducer (not much experience with them). Quite frankly I like to stay with non-2 inch eyepieces as much as I can as I do not like heavy eyepieces.

 

I've seen the 6 inch SCTs go for around $300 used, but yeah, I got my 6 inch SCT new for $400 (not the SE version though, it's the normal black tube one). Though it was somewhat of a closeout on Optcorp.com.

 

I will say my 6 inch is very sharp images, which surprised me a bit. I've seen soft images in some 8 inch SCTs, which could be either collimation or differences in quality control, or even cool down situaitons.

 

I do think either the 6 or 8 would be OK. And certainly there is a difference. That being said, I'd be comfortable with a 6 inch scope of any design...but of course the 8 inch will provide an improvement. But that can be said for any increase of aperture. It's all about what size one can afford/handle. For instance, I found a 10 inch dob to be the largest I would want to handle, and I do find it's worth it over an 8 inch dob for me. For many, the 8 inch would be fine.

 

So I think it really comes down to the individual user and what they want to do. Aperture fever can keep going and going until you figure out what sizes you are comfortable with. For me, Refractors up to 5 inches, SCTs up to 9.25 (but more 8 inch probably), Tube reflectors up to 10 inch, Truss Reflectors up to 15 inch, etc.

Edited by GOLGO13, 01 September 2016 - 12:15 PM.

[cpurick]

I love my 6SE, but it's not a "grab and go". Including the power pack and eyepieces, it's well over 30lbs of stuff you have to lug outside in at least three trips if you want to do some observing.

 

Kind of wishing I'd gotten something a bit lighter, on an EQ mount, except that I do love the GoTo system on the SE's.

[GOLGO13]

Cpurick,

 

I'd say the 6SE is much more grab and go than an EQ mount. So it may be better than it seems. EQ mounts also weigh quite a bit (especially for the sturdy ones).

 

You may consider someday getting a alt/az mount for your 6SE tube. The Vixen Porta mount is a good low cost version...and that would give you grab and go for situations where you don't need tracking/goto.

 

Know what you mean though about trips out the door.

My best grab and go is my Televue 60 on my Dwarfstar mount. Eyepiece tray included and the whole setup is under 10 pounds. But it's also extremely limited aperture. I can also use my Vixen 81S on that mount, though it's about the max it should support.

 

I upgraded the legs on my Vixen porta mount to wooden legs, but it also adds weight to the setup. Still, it's pretty easy to transport.

[cpurick]

Sure, it's more grab and go than putting the same 6" SCT on an EQ, but that's mainly because such a scope requires heavier counterweights.

 

While something like a 130mm Newtonian on an EQ is a bit bulky to carry out the door, it's light enough that you can get the whole thing out to the yard in one trip, maybe two for accessories like eyepieces.  You could counterbalance it with half the weight required by a 6SE OTA.

 

Remember, the best scope is the one you use...