Introducing the Celestron NexStar SE, our bestselling computerized telescope, perfect for telescope newbies and seasoned amateur astronomers alike. The Celestron NexStar 5SE combines 5" of aperture with smart design and grab-and-go convenience, making it an ideal choice for your first telescope.

The NexStar 5SE has enough light gathering ability to show you all the best celestial objects. View the cloud bands on Jupiter, separation between double stars, craters on the Moon, and of course the rings of Saturn. At a dark sky location, you'll see hundreds of pinpoint stars in the Hercules Globular Cluster, galaxies, and more. Celestron’s XLT optical coatings aid in light transmission so you get brighter views.

Celestron's NexStar 5SE is anything but bulky thanks to the compact 5" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube. With a lightweight single fork arm computerized mount and collapsible tripod, you can easily transport your 5SE anywhere and carry it to your favorite observing site.

The Celestron NexStar SE is a pleasure to use under the night sky. To get started, the hand control guides you through the simple SkyAlign procedure. Center any three objects in the eyepiece and your telescope can calculate its exact location and generate a list of objects currently visible. Choose from a database of 40,000 objects or let your telescope take you on a Sky Tour of tonight’s best objects.

Reminiscent of Celestron’s classic orange tube telescopes from the 1970s, but with all the latest technological advances, the NexStar SE is designed to grow with you. It’s compatible with all of Celestron’s latest telescope accessories: StarSense AutoAlign, which aligns your telescope automatically in less than three minutes, the SkyQ Link 2 WiFi Module for navigating the sky with your smartphone or tablet, and more. A built-in wedge even allows you to polar align your NexStar SE for long exposure astrophotography.

Discover for yourself why the NexStar 5SE is a TelescopesPlus.com customer favorite.

Celestron NexStar SE Fast Facts

• Computerized altazimuth mount locates and tracks more than 40,000 celestial objects automatically.
• No tools are required for setup.
• All air-to-glass surfaces are coated with StarBright XLT optical coatings to increase transmission.
• It’s easy to keep your telescope’s database up-to-date; download the latest software for your NexStar+ hand control anytime at the Celestron website.
• NexStar SE runs on batteries, AC power (with optional adapter), or an optional rechargeable Celestron PowerTank.
• Control your telescope via your PC with the included NexRemote software.
• Included planetarium software features printable sky maps and enhanced images.

How Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes Work

Since their design was perfected by Celestron founder Tom Johnson in the 1960s, the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope has been a superior all-around performer for both terrestrial and astronomical viewing as well as astroimaging. Celestron’s versatile, cost-effective design has reigned as a top choice for most amateur astronomers.

Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes and other “catadioptrics” use mirrors and specialized lenses to shorten the light path, giving them a much more compact design than other telescopes of a similar focal length.

First, the light passes through the Schmidt corrector lens on the outermost edge of the telescope. Although it appears flat to the naked eye, the Schmidt corrector is actually aspherical; its glass is figured for hours to achieve the desired shape. After passing through the corrector, the light strikes the primary mirror and reflects up to the secondary mirror. From there, it bounces back down and travels through to an eyepiece or imaging sensor at the back of the telescope.

Celestron NexStar SE Features

• Best all-purpose telescope design; works for terrestrial observing, astronomical observing, planetary imaging, and deep sky imaging
• Bright, razor sharp views
• Extremely compact and portable
• Easy to use, durable and virtually maintenance-free
• Much less expensive than refractors of equal aperture
• Compatible with a wide variety of telescope accessories

Schmidt-Cassegrain Advantages

• Best all-purpose telescope design; works for terrestrial observing, astronomical observing, planetary imaging, and deep sky imaging.
• Bright, razor sharp views.
• Extremely compact and portable.
• Easy to use, durable and virtually maintenance-free.
• Much less expensive than refractors of equal aperture.
• Compatible with a wide variety of telescope accessories.

Schmidt-Cassegrain Disadvantages

• More expensive than Newtonians of equal aperture.
• Slight light loss due to secondary mirror obstruction compared to refractors.