Opinions on the Nexstar 5SE as a beginner scope

[MooEy]

yeah, always air ur equipment after use and keep them in dry box. do not consider a dry box as 100% protection against fungus. items too rarely used, even kept in drybox all the time still can grow fungus.

for obbing trips, just store them in a normal carrying bag and air it a little in the morning, shouldn't grow any fungus. plan to get some nice padded carrying bags.

~MooEy~

[Sam Lee]

Normally i do my observation in Woodlands. You are welcome to join me whenever you can. Drop me a PM to arrange for a time during the weekends.

You can also join us during the Friday observations at the science center observatory.

Sam

[codenamejag]

alright MooEy, i will definately make investments on dry boxes n padded carrying bags when i get the scope. and Sam, i'll try to make it in 2 weeks time probably on the 7th Mar. at the Science Centre Ob. thanx ppl.

[codenamejag]

these r what i'd be getting when i get the Nexstar 5SE

* Optical tube assembly
* 25mm eyepiece (1.25")
* 90-deg star diagonal (1.25")
* Tripod
* Computerized mount
* Computerized hand controller
* Star Pointer finder scope
* RS232 Cable
* Camera Shutter Cable
* The Sky Level 1 Astronomy Software
* NexRemote telescope control software

do i need to get any other items to start gazzing away at the heavens?
is a dew remover necessary for our local weather conditions? wat are the basic things i need to ensure tat my scope is in excellent condition before n after use? using the scope for viewing alone, r vibration pads a must hav?
if scope's lens get stained by fingerprints how should they be removed to ensure no damaged is caused?

[MooEy]

a flexible dew shield is a gd investment,since ur sesssions will more or less be limited to that 2-3hrs before everything fog up. dew remover, if u can afford it, but it just adds to the amt of stuff u have to lug along, more headache in the long run.

vibration pads work quite well, some people consider them costly, but they do work. maybe try out the setup first and see if u really feel the need to get them.

then again, dun think too much for now la. go out and enjoy the scope first, accessories can slowly acquire along the way.

~MooEy~

[Sam Lee]

Haha, remember your batteries !
Dew remover are not necessary when you are observing in Singapore because it isn't as humid.
However, if you do bring it to Malaysia or any high humid areas, you may want to have a dew remover (or i normally use heat packs).

If you are moving the telescope from a low temperature place (eg. air con room) to the observation site, do not open the caps first. If you do , it will be filled with dew. Wait around 15mins with the Caps still on to allow it to reach thermal equilibrium (temperature in the scope = ambient temperature) . You'll have better performance if it is at thermal equilibrium.

I personally do not think vibration pads are a necessity. The nexstar mount should be stable enough. If you have a soft ground to set on (eg. Grass field) , even better because it will act as a natural vibration reducer.

Ignore stains if it is one or two only. Until it gets really dirty, then you can slowly remove them with lens solution. It is normal to see people cleaning their scope once in 3-4 years or not at all.

[acc]

Skip the vibration pads as the mount is very stable. A dew-shield is good enough for short sessions (a few hours). Make your own using foam sheets instead of buying ready-made but over-priced ones. Dew removers are a pain in the ass due to the additional things you have to lug around and setup. For those occasional Mersing trips, disposable heat packs are a much better and cost-effective alternative. And as MooEy said, dun worry too much abt the accessories now as they can be acquired along the way. Concentrate on getting 1 or 2 additional good-quality wide-fov eyepieces first.

[codenamejag]

thank u MooEy, Sam and acc for all the educational info. think as for now should jus get the Nexstar as it is and get used to it first... oh and like Sam said not to forget the batteries. ha ha... for now hav downloaded the manual,
time to do some

[Meng Lee]

By the way, if fingerprints get on the (corrector) lens, they need to be removed. They contain organic acids harmful to the coating of the optics. If there is dust then it is ok.

Cleaning solution must be specifically for multicoated optics, not any cleaning solution. The cheapest one I think would be Orion MC cleaning liquid.

[tungkian]

hi! welcome to the SE family! i'm using a 6SE and i must say that it's a great scope. the GOTO is very accurate when properly aligned. you'll need a dew heater else it'll be fogged up real soon. get one from US, shipped from www.agenaastro.com. the shipping over with US postal service is only USD9.