Celestron's NexStar 6SE 150mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo Telescope is a powerful, portable, and user-friendly Schmidt-Cassegrain-style scope that can be used for observing everything from the Moon and planets to deep-sky objects like stars, galaxies, and nebulae. Using Celestron's proprietary StarBright XLT multi-coating system, light transmission is increased throughout the entire optical path with anti-reflection multi-coated lenses, highly reflective multi-coated mirrors, and crown optical glass elements. While the focal ratio is a relatively slow f/10, the mount's precision tracking system allows it to be a competent shorter-exposure astrophotography imaging platform for the Moon and planets.
Driving the dual servo motors on the mount is the brain of the NexStar 6SE: the iconic NexStar+ computer hand controller. Packed with 40,000+ celestial objects, it can hold up to 100 additional user-defined destinations and is updatable via the Celestron website. It has multiple alignment procedures to get you observing fast—including the super-easy SkyAlign system. Capable of being used in the Northern or Southern Hemispheres, the NexStar has sidereal, lunar, and solar tracking speeds to accurately follow near- and deep-sky objects, plus nine slew speeds and the ability to automatically trigger a camera's shutter release for Fastar or piggyback wide-field photography or conventional prime-focus astrophotography.
- 6" (150mm) aperture
- f/10 focal ratio
- 1500mm focal length
- Crown optical glass primary mirror
- StarBright XLT optical coatings: Multi-layer aluminum/SiO2 (quartz)/TiO2 (titanium dioxide) mirror coatings with flat reflectivity across the light spectrum for both astrophotography/astroimaging and visual observation
- Multi-layer MgF2 (magnesium fluoride) and HfO2 (hafnium dioxide) anti-reflective lens coatings
- High-transmission water white glass corrector lens with 97.4% light transmission
- Internal focusing mechanism
- Resolution: 0.93 arcsec (Rayleigh); 0.77 arcsec (Dawes)
- Secondary mirror obstruction: 2.2"; 37% by diameter; 14% by area
- Fastar capability: Secondary mirror can be removed and a DSLR or imaging rig mounted in its place for fast f/2 wide-field astrophotography
- 2-line, 16-character LCD display
- 19 fiber optic backlit red LED buttons
- Database of over 40,000 celestial objects plus 100 user defined
- Automatically slew to planets, stars, constellations, and a variety of catalogs
- Camera control: For piggyback wide-field or conventional astrophotography through the optical tube assembly, the controller can automatically trigger the shutter release to capture the image
- Anti-backlash compensation programs out play between gears for more precise tracking
- Tour Mode: Shows a selection of the most popular objects for the time and date you are observing
- Constellation Tour: Allows you to take a tour of all the best objects within a particular constellation
- Alignment procedures: SkyAlign, Auto 2-Star, 1-Star, 2-Star, and Solar System
- SkyAlign alignment: Takes minutes, with minimal effort or experience—point the telescope at three bright objects in the sky, and the telescope does the rest
- Nine slew speeds: 5°/sec, 3°/sec, 1°/sec, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x, and 64x
- Sidereal, Solar, and Lunar tracking rates for observing the fast-moving Moon to slower-moving deep-space subjects
- Tracking modes: Alt-Az, EQ North, EQ South, Off (no tracking when using as a terrestrial spotting scope)
- Mini-USB communication port allows for computer control
- Flash updatable via the Celestron website
- Solar system objects including the Sun, Moon, and planets
- Named objects
- Stars: Asterims, variable stars, double stars, named stars
- Caldwell catalog
- Messier catalog
- NGC catalog
- SAO catalog
- Constellations
- Single-fork alt-az
- Dual-axis servo motors allow for precise tracking with virtually no vibration
- Motor resolution: 0.26 arcsec
- Optical encoders track mount movement to improve tracking and GoTo accuracy while allowing the mount to maintain alignment when moved manually
- Communication ports: Autoguider port, Aux port, hand controller
- Runs on eight user-supplied AA batteries or optional 12 VDC power supply
- Stainless steel legs
- Adjustable height accommodates a variety of observation positions or users
- Tray holds accessories such as eyepieces and filters and adds stability and vibration reduction
- Weight: 10 pounds
- 1.25"-diameter barrel
- 25mm focal length produces 60x magnification
- Anti-reflection multi-coated glass improves color rendition and contrast
- Threaded barrel accepts most 1.25" astronomical filters
- Fold-down rubber eyecup for use with or without eyeglasses
- 44' field of view at 1000 yards
- 1.25" input and output accepts most 1.25" astronomical eyepieces and accessories
- 90° angle puts head in a comfortable position when observing at or near the zenith
- Corrects view horizontally, but not vertically
- Projects a single red dot in line of sight
- Unmagnified view ensures a wide field of view to make finding objects faster and star-hopping navigation easier
