Celestron 11049 NexStar 4SE Computerised Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope with Advanced GPS, Astroimaging and AutoAlign Features, Black/Orange

Product Information

Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple and quadruple stars; variable stars; solar system objects and asterisms

On that note, it’s worth keeping the box the OTA arrives in as this makes for useful storage and a lot cheaper than a dedicated storage box. The NexStar 4 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. The 4SE performs very well with double stars, as we’d expect for the given specifications. Don’t be afraid to use shorter focal length eyepieces here to tease out tight separations with high magnification. There are multiple modes for using the SkyAlign system, but we will go only over the two most important ones as you will be using those two most of the time.The battery compartment on this finderscope is located on top of the unit. Use a Philips-head screwdriver to loosen the screw holding the battery door closed. The screw is captured and will not fall out when you open the battery door. Depending on what you’ve read so far, you’re either ready to take the plunge and buy a NexStar 4SE, or you’re thinking it’s not quite the right model for you.

Don’t forget that the highest useful magnification for the Celestron Nexstar 4SE is 240x, so don’t go lower than 6mm eyepiece.There are better telescopes for astrophotography. But, if you are into hardcore astronomy, this telescope likely wouldn’t cut it for you.

The mount head weighs 7 lbs (3.2kg), and the tripod adds a further 10 lbs (4.5kg). The telescope itself weighs 6 lbs (2.7kg), so the whole setup comes in at 23 lbs or 10.4 kg. SkyAlign is the process of telling the telescope’s SkyScan controller where in the world you are and which way it is facing, this is essential for the goto functionality to work. The Maksutov Cassegrain design is mostly used in combination with smaller aperture telescopes. It has excellent quality optics, sometimes better than SCT.The Celestron NexStar 4SE computerized telescope comes with a single 25mm Plossl eyepiece, yielding 55x. This is good as a low-power or “finder” eyepiece for viewing deep-sky objects and initially aligning the telescope. But for optimal usage of the telescope, you’ll want something for higher magnifications, such as a 9mm or 6mm “goldline” or some other good eyepieces, and perhaps a 32mm Plossl for the widest field of view possible. The only other accessory included with the 4SE is its StarPointer red-dot finder, which is used for aligning the telescope’s GoTo system. The NexStar 4SE Mount As well as the OTA, motor drive and mount, Celestron include a red dot finderscope and 25mm ExCel Plössl eyepiece in the box, as well as software and connector lead that enables a PC to control the telescope’s GoTo motor. Alignment Procedures SkyAlign, 1-Star Align, 2-Star Align, Auto 2-Star Align, Solar System Align, EQ North / EQ South Alignment (EQ align requires an equatorial wedge) The NexStar 4SE telescope is the smallest entry in Celestron’s famous SE range of compound scopes. Its bigger siblings are the Nexstar 5SE, 6SE and 8SE.

You’ll want to add to the single eyepiece that comes in the box – more on that shortly – but the included 25mm ExCel Plössl is good quality, as we found in our ExCel eyepieces review. Set-up & General Use Out of the box, the NexStar 4SE is well collimated and should not need adjusting if the OTA is treated well. Collimation for these scopes normally means a return to the manufacturer or professional retailer, so it is best to look after them. Insert batteries: Open the telescope cover, insert 8 AA batteries ensuring correct polarity, and replace the cover. The Celestron NexStar 4SE is capable of astrophotography, but it has some limitations. The built-in equatorial wedge will not make this telescope capable of long-exposure astrophotography. Because of the Maksutov Cassegrain design, the 4SE can provide high magnifications. Magnification is calculated by dividing the telescope’s focal length by the eyepiece’s focal length. Therefore the long focal length of the 4SE is a significant advantage if you are looking for a high-magnification telescope to observe planets.A fair amount of open clusters are visible with the 4SE, but many will be visually unappealing to beginners or won’t fit in the field of view. There are also a couple dozen nebulae visible with the scope, but overall, if you’re looking for mind-blowing views of deep-sky objects, you should probably look elsewhere. Visible does not mean spectacular. Astrophotography with the NexStar 4SE