Product Review
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The NexStar 60 is better than the numerous trashy scopes on the market in that the manufacturer has chosen the eyepieces reasonably and omitted the ridiculously high power ones along with the exaggerated claims. The scope also has the convenience of computerization. But the fact remains that a telescope is only as good as its optics, and this is a low-end model. What, then, should you expect with this scope and what should you not expect?
What you should not expect is an easy ticket to stunning views like those in picture books. Those pictures were taken with time exposures. In an amateur telescope, most celestial objects are dim smudges whose vague glow is barely visible against the sky background. This is especially so for a scope as small as this one. In it, some star clusters will show up dimly but decently; most galaxies and nebulae will be barely visible, if at all.
What you can expect is a partial bypass of the often frustrating process of finding objects in the sky. Given how miserable that task is with the inferior eyepieces and finders so prevalent on mass-market telescopes, there is something to be said for go-to scopes like this one.
But finding is only one of the challenges you face in stargazing. Looking through an astronomical telescope is a learned skill, less like playing an MP3 file and more like playing a guitar. The more time--I'm talking months and years--you spend training them to see detail just barely at the edge of visibility, the more you will get out of observing. You will also see a lot more if you take the time to get to a relatively dark observing spot and dark-adapt your eyes for a half hour or more. If all this disappoints and deters you, do not even consider this scope.
If, instead, you are fascinated by this prospect, this scope may possibly be for you. But before buying it, think about what you really want from astronomy and consider the alternatives.
If computerized finding attracts you, is it because you simply want to see the wonders of the sky without investing too much effort? Maybe a better alternative would be to contact your local astronomy club and attend one of their star parties. The members love sharing their hobby, and their scopes will show you far more than you will see in a 60mm model like the NexStar 60.
Or are you attracted by the price and see this scope as a way to get started in a fascinating hobby without spending too much? Consider instead dropping the computerization and concentrating your limited resources on better optics. Manual finding must be learned, but it is fairly easy with good quality finders and eyepieces. For little, if any, more, you could get a new noncomputerized 150mm (6") Dobsonian, available here on Amazon (though not always in stock), that would offer 3 times the useful magnification, (more importantly) gather 9 times the light, and keep you busy for years. You could even get a used 150mm Dob on the Astromart website for less than you would pay for the NexStar 60.
Another affordable alternative is 10x50 binoculars with a tripod and mounting bracket. For most objects, they will show every bit as much as a 60mm scope like this one. In fact, binoculars are the best way to get started in astronomy. The Amazon website offers some good choices in binoculars.
Maybe you want computerization and money is not an object. Then I suggest you skip the low-end stuff and get a computerized 125-200mm (5-8") Meade or Celestron Schmidt-Cassegranian model. Amazon also sells these.
Have I flooded you with too many things to think about? Well, this is precisely the point. You need to do your homework before you buy. Buying a telescope without prior experience is like buying a car without knowing anything about driving. I suggest you start by learning the sky with your unaided eye, a chart, and a night-vision-saving red flashlight. Then graduate to binoculars. Before you buy a scope, try out different ones and get advice. The best place for this is at star parties with your local astronomy club.
For more information on buying telescopes, see my encyclopedic guide on Amazon: "So you want to buy a telescope."
What you should not expect is an easy ticket to stunning views like those in picture books. Those pictures were taken with time exposures. In an amateur telescope, most celestial objects are dim smudges whose vague glow is barely visible against the sky background. This is especially so for a scope as small as this one. In it, some star clusters will show up dimly but decently; most galaxies and nebulae will be barely visible, if at all.
What you can expect is a partial bypass of the often frustrating process of finding objects in the sky. Given how miserable that task is with the inferior eyepieces and finders so prevalent on mass-market telescopes, there is something to be said for go-to scopes like this one.
But finding is only one of the challenges you face in stargazing. Looking through an astronomical telescope is a learned skill, less like playing an MP3 file and more like playing a guitar. The more time--I'm talking months and years--you spend training them to see detail just barely at the edge of visibility, the more you will get out of observing. You will also see a lot more if you take the time to get to a relatively dark observing spot and dark-adapt your eyes for a half hour or more. If all this disappoints and deters you, do not even consider this scope.
If, instead, you are fascinated by this prospect, this scope may possibly be for you. But before buying it, think about what you really want from astronomy and consider the alternatives.
If computerized finding attracts you, is it because you simply want to see the wonders of the sky without investing too much effort? Maybe a better alternative would be to contact your local astronomy club and attend one of their star parties. The members love sharing their hobby, and their scopes will show you far more than you will see in a 60mm model like the NexStar 60.
Or are you attracted by the price and see this scope as a way to get started in a fascinating hobby without spending too much? Consider instead dropping the computerization and concentrating your limited resources on better optics. Manual finding must be learned, but it is fairly easy with good quality finders and eyepieces. For little, if any, more, you could get a new noncomputerized 150mm (6") Dobsonian, available here on Amazon (though not always in stock), that would offer 3 times the useful magnification, (more importantly) gather 9 times the light, and keep you busy for years. You could even get a used 150mm Dob on the Astromart website for less than you would pay for the NexStar 60.
Another affordable alternative is 10x50 binoculars with a tripod and mounting bracket. For most objects, they will show every bit as much as a 60mm scope like this one. In fact, binoculars are the best way to get started in astronomy. The Amazon website offers some good choices in binoculars.
Maybe you want computerization and money is not an object. Then I suggest you skip the low-end stuff and get a computerized 125-200mm (5-8") Meade or Celestron Schmidt-Cassegranian model. Amazon also sells these.
Have I flooded you with too many things to think about? Well, this is precisely the point. You need to do your homework before you buy. Buying a telescope without prior experience is like buying a car without knowing anything about driving. I suggest you start by learning the sky with your unaided eye, a chart, and a night-vision-saving red flashlight. Then graduate to binoculars. Before you buy a scope, try out different ones and get advice. The best place for this is at star parties with your local astronomy club.
For more information on buying telescopes, see my encyclopedic guide on Amazon: "So you want to buy a telescope."
