Celestron NexStar 102SLT - 102 mm GoTo Telescope

Celestron NexStar 102SLT - 102 mm GoTo Telescope

NexStar SLT - Goto computer control for everyone!

Ever wanted to use a convenient telescope to view celestial objects at the touch of a button? Celestron´s Star Locating Telescopes allow you to do so at an incredible price! They have built-in GoTo computer control with SkyAlign technology, multi-language menu navigation, and extensive database - all at an excellent value.

With these telescopes you will find any celestial object of your choice instantly and without prior knowledge! Planets, comets, galaxies, comets - all just a keystroke away. A huge spectrum of observable celestial objects is at your fingertips, and the computer will independently suggest what can be observed at the moment if you wish.

The ready-to-use tripod and the quick couplings for connection to the fork mount as well as for the optical tube at the fork head allow an assembly in a few minutes - without any tools! All you have to do is extend the tripod to a comfortable height, screw the mount to the tripod, secure the telescope via the dovetail quick release, and insert an eyepiece - and you´re done.

The NexStar SLT 102 - the large field telescope

Fast refractors with a large field of view are becoming increasingly popular. With this large, powerful 4" telescope, observing is a real pleasure. It collects 63% more light than the widely used 80 mm telescopes, and the optics of the very fast f/6 refracting telescope provide bright images.

The specialty of this refracting telescope is large fields of view. It delivers a 1.7-degree field of view with the 25-mm eyepiece, which is more than three times the diameter of the full moon. This makes the NexStar 102 SLT ideal for observing large areas of the sky or even nature. This way, you always keep an overview: Open star clusters in particular look much more aesthetic at low magnification, since you can then still see the environment in which they are embedded. Extensive gas nebulae and many galaxies also benefit from the large field of view. Of course, bright comets, which simply exceed the field of view of many other telescopes, are also a prime object.

For planetary observation, the use of an optionally available fringe killer filter is recommended; if you mainly want to observe planets, you should still better reach for one of the Maksutov telescopes. This refracting telescope is a deep-sky specialist.

However, the NexStar 102 SLT is not only a wonderful astronomical telescope, but can also be used as a spotting scope for nature observation with an optional image-straightening Amici prism. The included star diagonal mirror is designed for astronomical observation and provides an upright but mirrored image.

Ideal for visual observers

The SLT mount is a single arm altazimuth mount. It is optimized to be quickly deployable and easily transportable. Unlike the classic equatorial mount, you do not have to align the telescope to north, adjust the latitude or carry counterweights. The mount is simply set up horizontally and after alignment (which just involves setting any three bright stars), the computer automatically takes care of moving the telescope to the desired objects and keeping them in the eyepiece: Automatic tracking independently compensates for Earth rotation.

This makes the SLT telescopes ideal for anyone who wants to observe the night sky themselves: quickly ready for use and with all the necessary comfort.

However, this does not mean that you have to do without photography: Lunar photography with an SLR camera or planetary photography with a video module like the Celestron NexImage are also possible with the altazimuthal SLT mount. A T2 thread is integrated into the 1.25" reducer. You can also photograph directly through the eyepiece with a MicroStage camera platform.

However, for photography of deep-sky objects you need an equatorial mount, only this way the necessary long exposure times can be realized. The standardized dovetail bar allows you to place your telescope on a suitable mount with Celestron or Vixen style saddle plate at any time.

Comprehensive star catalogs and TOUR function for overview

The hand controller contains a database with over 4,000 objects. Among them are of course the planets of the solar system as well as countless galaxies, gas nebulae, star clusters and interesting stars. The selection is difficult for you? Then use the TOUR mode, which shows you a selection of the most beautiful objects every evening and explains them on the display.

SkyAlign - setup without sky knowledge.

The NexStar-SLT mount has motors with encoders in both axes and a hand controller with 4,000 objects in the database. To initialize the computer control, all you have to do is enter the time and location (selectable from database) into the hand controller and move to any three bright celestial objects - no matter which ones, you don´t even have to know them! Now the mount knows what the sky above it looks like, and moves to each additional object at the touch of a button.

Expandable for state-of-the-art technology - high value retention

If the SkyAlign is still too complicated for you, you can always expand the telescope. With the optional Celestron SkySync GPS module you save the input of date, time and observation location. Via the GPS satellites, this data is automatically taken over by the telescope.

Can it be even more convenient? The SLT telescopes are compatible with the StarSense module. Behind this is a small camera that is mounted on the telescope and with which the telescope orients itself fully automatically in the sky - without GPS. With StarSense, all you have to do is set up the telescope, turn it on, and wait about three minutes. Since StarSense is compatible with all modern, computer-controlled Celestron telescopes, you can continue to use it if you ever get a larger telescope - StarSense also works with observatory-class telescopes.

This way, a NexStar-SLT telescope can be updated any time there are technical innovations - ensuring that your telescope retains its value!

Control via PC and smartphone

Like all Celestron NexStar telescopes, the NexStar-SLT can be controlled via PC. All you need is the USB cable. You can then control the telescope from a Windows PC via the NexRemote software or the widely used ASCOM interface.

But the SLT telescopes also support wireless control! Using the optional SkyPortal WLAN adapter, you can control the telescope wirelessly - either via a Windows PC or via smartphone/tablet (with the optional SkyPortal planetarium program for iOS and Android). So you don´t need to take a laptop with you to your observing nights, a smartphone is enough and you have a modern graphical telescope control in addition to the hand controller, whose large buttons can be operated even with thick gloves. All possibilities are open to you!

Designed mount

The mount of the Celestron NexStar-SLT telescopes is a solid single-arm altazimuth mount that can be set up without tools. Due to the large, easy-grip screws, this can be done even with gloves on. The sturdy steel tripod has an accessory tray for accessories and a holder for the hand control box. The SLT mount carries devices up to approx. 4 kg weight, depending on the design. This allows, for example, refractor telescopes up to approx. 10 cm aperture or reflector telescopes up to approx. 13 cm aperture to be mounted stably. The clamping device on the arm of the mount fits any standardized Vixen (V) dovetail bar and holds it securely.

A circular bubble integrated into a tripod leg facilitates setup.

Power supply

The computer control system relies on power, of course. The mount offers several options for power supply: Either via eight standard AA batteries if you want to be completely independent, or via an optional connection cable for a car´s cigarette lighter socket, or via an optional AC adapter.

The battery compartment integrated into the mount avoids cable clutter and allows maximum mobility.

Especially for the Celestron telescopes, the separately available cold-resistant Baader Planetarium Outdoor Power Supply was developed. It provides the necessary voltage even at low temperatures - cheaper power supplies designed for indoor use often provide too little current at cold temperatures.

Compatible with almost all astronomical accessories.

The NexStar SLT 102 offers the two 1.25" and 2" connections commonly used in astronomy. This means that all common astronomical 1.25" eyepieces (barrel size: 31.7 mm) can be used. This is particularly convenient, for example, with the Baader Planetarium Q-Turret eyepiece turret, which covers all useful magnifications and allows rapid switching between different magnifications. With 2" eyepieces, even larger fields of view are possible - ideal for observing extended objects or observing star clusters with their surroundings.

With an optional, camera-specific adapter to T2, you can also use the telescope as a telephoto lens with 600 mm focal length. To position it precisely despite the high magnification, you can switch off the automatic tracking and still move the mount using the hand control - in fast mode or at lowest speed. A T2 thread is integrated into the 1.25" reducer.

Future proof

The NexStar-SLT mount can be used not only with the included telescope, but also with many other telescopes or spotting scopes using the standard dovetail connection. Thanks to the hand controller, which can be updated via the Internet, you can always keep the software up to date, and upgrade to the latest technologies such as SkyPortal or StarSense at any time via the AUX connection. The telescope can also be used on many other mounts via the standardized dovetail bar, for example if you want to do deep-sky photography one day. A computer-controlled Celestron telescope has everything you need to get started right away - while keeping all your options open for the future.

Avoid electronics damage - remember to use the proper power supply!

For trouble-free operation of the instrument, please use only high-quality power supplies that meet the specifications even in astro, i.e. outdoor use - cheap power supplies often deliver the specified voltage and power only at room temperature and may even damage the electronics in the worst case. Suitable high-quality power supplies can be found in the accessory recommendations below this section.