Celestron Nexstar 60GT 60mm Go-To Refractor Telescope
The NexStar 60 GT is one of Celestron’s most affordable telescopes, helping you turn starry nights into space odysseys at the touch of a button. It has a 2.4-inch diameter refractor, focal length of 700mm, focal ratio of f/12, and includes three 1.25-inch (35x, 70x, and 175x) eyepieces. Finding objects couldn’t be easier with the Star Pointer finderscope, which is designed so you can point the telescope while scanning the sky with both eyes. NexStars represent a sophisticated combination of precision engineering, advanced electronics and exceptional optics. The only simple thing about NexStar is its operation.
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The thing that makes the NexStar 60 a “GT” version is the best feature of all: a “go-to” hand control that can be mounted on the fork arm for hands-free operation. The hand control–with an illuminated numeric key pad and dual 16 character LCD display–is fully computerized, allowing it to take you on a guided tour of the most spectacular objects visible. It has red back-illuminated buttons that help retain your night vision. At the touch of a button the NexStar 60 GT will go to the stars of your choice, change motion rate, get information on an object, or simply tell if an object is visible. The NextStar catalog contains over 4,000 celestial objects and categorizes them in an organized fashion. Here is an example of the actual text from the telescope’s database as it describes M87: “Elliptical galaxy equal in size to 790 billion solar masses. More than 1,000 globular clusters are known to surround this galaxy and it is believed to have a giant black hole at its center. Distance: 50 million light years.” The NexStar 60 GT also comes with a sturdy, preassembled, adjustable aluminum tripod, as well as The Sky, Level 1 CD-ROM software.
If the 4,000 object computerized database and automatic alignment capabilities aren’t inspiring enough, add to that the easily assembled, quick-release fork arm and you have the smartest, most user-friendly telescope available today. And NexStar telescopes love to travel. Sturdy and solid, they provide rigid low-vibration performance, with quiet, high precision servo motors. Powered by 8 AA user supplied batteries or an optional AC adapter (#18770), NexStar telescopes aren’t tethered to civilization - they carry it with them. Best of all, those sophisticated electronics are designed by the highly skilled engineers of Celestron, right down to the circuit boards, for tested superior performance.
Moon viewing 101
The moon is often one of the first celestial objects a beginner will look at through his or her telescope. Here are a couple hints for you once you get your hands on your new NexStar 60.
Often, it is tempting to look at the Moon when it is full. At this time, the face we see is fully illuminated and its light can be overpowering. In addition, little or no contrast can be seen during this phase. One of the best times to observe the Moon is during its partial phases (around the time of first or third quarter). Long shadows reveal a great amount of detail on the lunar surface. At low power you will be able to see most of the lunar disk at one time. The optional Reducer/Corrector lens allows for breath-taking views of the entire lunar disk when used with a low power eyepiece. Change to higher power (magnification) to focus in on a smaller area. Choose the lunar tracking rate from the NexStar’s MENU tracking rate options to keep the moon centered in the eyepiece even at high magnifications.
Observing the Planets
Other fascinating targets include the five naked-eye planets. You can see Venus go through its lunar-like phases. Mars can reveal a host of surface detail and one, if not both, of its polar caps. You will be able to see the cloud belts of Jupiter and the great Red Spot (if it is visible at the time you are observing). In addition, you will also be able to see the moons of Jupiter as they orbit the giant planet. Saturn, with its beautiful rings, is easily visible at moderate power. Remember that atmospheric conditions are usually the limiting factor on how much planetary detail will be visible. So avoid observing the planets when they are low on the horizon or when they are directly over a source of radiating heat, such as a rooftop or chimney.
The Nuts and Bolts of the NexStar 60 GT
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Customer Review: Best telescope
This is my very first telescope and to tell you the truth I know nothing about Astronomy and bought this on a whim to *look at pretty things in the sky*. Just Kidding. But this telescope is quite powerful and the remote control is absolutely wonderful. THe instruction manuel was easy to follow and the actual set up took no time at all even for a noob. I defintely recommend this.
Customer Review: Great performer vs cheap dept. store units !
Agree with other positive posts. Compared to those dept. store units this is a no brainer purchase ! You also get additional eyepieces and these are the 1.4″ not the .96″ size that the cheap units include. You can also get the optional pc patch cord and run the scope from your laptop ! Buy 16 nimh aa rechargeable batteries and you’ll never run low on battery power for your scope. Check out this website from the show on PBS ! http://www.jackstargazer.com/ Keep looking up !
Posted in Astronomy
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