Within the interferometer is a calibrated laser that is pointed through the optical test surface, then onto a high quality reference sphere, then back through the test subject then to an internal camera which gives us the measurement on the screen. Galaxies are not one of the strong points of the Nexstar 8SE when shooting with an alt-az mount, mainly because your exposures will be 10-15 seconds and you need more signal for the faint structures of galaxies. Camera owners are very familiar with f/stops and know that “fast’ lenses will let a lot of light in, allowing shorter exposure times. The included eyepiece and red dot finder are useful accessories that allow you to start using the telescope right away.

You will get impressive views of the Moon and planets, along with deep sky objects like the Orion Nebula, while retaining a compact form factor. The electronics of your camera produce inherent noise in the sensor, which shows up in the bias photos. The 8″ NexStar is more popular than both the 4” and 5” models and collects 77% more light than the 6″ model.

The use of high quality materials such as CNC-milled aluminium components, cast steel and stainless steel guarantees extreme robustness with low weight. Happily, this is a great telescope to part with a significant chunk of cash for, which is why we declared it one of our best telescopes for seeing galaxies and DSOs.

The largest of the NexStar SE family with 78% more light gathering than a 6" model, the NexStar 8 SE will enable you to see deep into the Universe.

The Nexstar 8SE will perfectly track Saturn across the sky, keeping it centered in frame, but, like the arrow, Saturn’s rings will start pointing up at 45 degrees, flatten, and then point down over time. This simply means that the telescope is a little too heavy for the tracking mount that is supplied with it, and I would have to agree with this. From seeing their first-ever view of the planet Saturn to surprisingly impressive astrophotography, the NexStar 8SE is a widely appreciated piece of kit. Celestron’s signature orange-tube telescope combines advanced features and excellent optics in one easy-to-use system, the NexStar 6SE.

When deciding if the 8SE is the best telescope for you, there are several key factors you need to consider. If you look at the specifications for this telescope, it highlights some pretty impressive potential for a variety of visual observations. I may upgrade to an EQ mount for longer exposures, or I may get a lightweight camera-only EQ setup, such as a Star Adventurer.A similar discussion about what the 8SE can see was had in the Stargazers Lounge forum, and you can read the conversation here. However, I do not recommend mounting any other telescope on the NexStar 8SE base due to its weight limitations and shallow profile.