Home > Consumer Reviews > Celestron Nexstar 8 Telescope (Telescope Only)

I wasn't really looking for a 'GOTO' scope when I purchased the Nexstar 8. I have owned several telescopes over the years (from 4" refractors to 12" reflectors) and wanted something that would be easy to carry into the back yard for a quick look. I can walk around with the Nexstar 8 in one hand (carefully). It took me less than twenty minutes to set up the scope the first time and perform the auto-align of two stars. At first I was very disappointed as the images were not sharp, and the GOTO function was way off each time. After spending another 20 minutes to collimate the secondary mirror and then CAREFULLY go through the auto-align procedure I had totally changed my mind about this telescope. The optics are near textbook perfect, showing stars as tiny pinpoints, and good contrast when viewing Mars. The GOTO function is awesome. After spending years 'star hoping' and then later using manual setting circle to find deep sky objects I really didn't think I would need much more than digital setting circles to make me happy. Now I am spoiled rotten. Instead of viewing on or two deep sky objects an hour (because of the time needed to look up and find them) I am able to easily look at as many as I want. The 'TOUR' function on the controller is a blast. Just plug in the month and have the telescope slew to object after object. Each time the scope would put the target somewhere near the center of field of the supplied 40mm eyepiece. Although the scope has a slightly 'cheaper' feel for the tripod, and finder scope than some of the other SCTs that I have owned, the optics and electronics are top notch. I have used the scope a dozen times over the last two months and I am still extremely pleased with it, and certainly feel it was money well spent. I highly recommend an additional 12-15mm eyepiece and a good 2X barlow as accessories.

This telescope is wonderful. I love the goto - it's very easy to align and put the target in the FOV w/o fail.

My rational for getting the goto was to maximize my viewing times in the evening since I don't get much time to do so. For this it works very well. I spend much less time looking for objects and more time looking at them.

Jupiter, Saturn look great - good detail. I live in light polluted area (don't we all) but detail still looked good.

Haven't had a good dark night yet with it (moon has been out every night I've had it so far) - but could still see Andromeda galaxy (albeit faintly) and Orion nebula (not so faintly!) with it. This is literally on my driveway with mercury vapor lights in the street about 30 yds away (I could read my star maps by them).

Needless to say - detail on the moon is breathtaking.

Be sure to get more than the supplied 40mm eyepiece. I got a 25mm, 10mm, and a barlow with it and that seemed to provide a good variety for magnification.

This is a nice telescope, but beware of distributors that sell it for a low price, but don't include what Celestron says is included, like the tripod. The tripod is required to use this telescope and you'll have a hard time finding the tripod if you didn't receive it with this scope. Now I have to return the scope and buy from a distributor that correctly includes it. (sigh.)

Considering myself an advanced beginner or a low level intermediate enthusiast, the N8 is astounding. My main interest is viewing, so the added expense of GOTO is reasonable. If I take my time during the required set-up, I would estimate 80% pointing accuracy, so I spend my limited time looking, not finding! Optics are reasonable, set-up is simple, and using it is easy (once it finds what you want to view, it automatically tracks it so it stays in your field of view). Portability is excellent (I pick it up and go). For quick looks or traveling across town for slightly darker skies, it is a joy to use. Far less expensive, quieter, easier to set on tripod (which is important because it is usually dark), and more aperature then competing GOTO telescopes I had researched before purchasing. One function of computer controlled GOTO, Tour, is useless. Best Toy I Own!!!

This telescope is great for viewing those planets, stars, deep sky objects, the sun(with a solar filter), and the moon. No more star hopping with this scope. Just enter the appropriate numbers in the handcontroller for the Messier, NGC, and Caldwell Catalogs,as well as, the Planets, selected stars and double stars, select Enter on the handcontroller and it slews to the object selected. You can also enter Right Ascension and Declination coordinates for your favorite objects and save them.
The Celestron instructions are clear but not exactly accurate. To get the best instructions, go to the Yahoo Groups and join the "nextstar" group for complete and accurate instructions for the initial setup and operation for this scope. These guys have most of the answers about the NextStar telescopes. Dark Skies!