A long focal length folded into a short tube · review
Celestron's NexStar 4SE: a 4-inch Maksutov-Cassegrain with StarBright XLT coatings on a computerized single-arm GoTo mount whose tripod has a built-in wedge, 21 lb with tripod.
Celestron’s listing names the feature that sets the 4SE apart: a tripod with an integrated wedge. Tilted to your latitude, it turns the alt-azimuth GoTo mount into a polar-aligned one, which reduces field rotation during long exposures. Most computerized telescopes at this price need a wedge bought separately.
The focal length and ratio are published: 1325 mm at f/13. That is a planetary telescope. A 10 mm eyepiece gives 132x, enough for Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s cloud belts, and the long ratio keeps the image sharp and free of false color.
Celestron gives the total weight, 21 lb (9.5 kg), tripod included. It can be carried out in one trip.
The description says the 4SE was the first Maksutov to carry Celestron’s StarBright XLT coatings. It also has a flip mirror with a straight-through photographic port, and a camera-control feature that fires a series of timed DSLR exposures from the hand control.
The NexStar+ hand control holds 40,000+ objects and uses SkyAlign: center any three bright stars or planets and the mount aligns itself. Most of those objects are far too faint for 4 inches; the count says what the computer knows, not what the telescope shows.
No cool-down advice. A Maksutov’s thick corrector needs 30 to 60 minutes outside before the image settles.
On November 7, 2026, Amazon.com sold it directly at $649.00. Celestron states a 2-year warranty.
Figures as Keepa reported them on the day this page was last updated. Stock and pricing shift without warning.
Prices quoted in this text were read on November 7, 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.
Same aisle, closest price — what the same spend else shows.
| Aperture | 102 mm (4 in), stated as 4-inch |
|---|---|
| Folded focal length and ratio | 1325 mm (52.2 in) at f/13, stated |
| Corrector design | Maksutov-Cassegrain · StarBright XLT coatings, the first Maksutov from Celestron to carry them, stated |
| Obstruction | Not published by the maker. |
| Back focus | Not published by the maker · flip mirror with a straight-through photographic port, stated |
| Cool-down guidance | Not published by the maker. |
| Tube weight | Not published separately · 21 lb (9.5 kg) total with tripod, stated |
| Mount supplied | Computerized single-arm GoTo mount · NexStar+ hand control with 40,000+ objects · SkyAlign · tripod with built-in wedge · DSLR camera-control feature |
| Amazon reference | B000GUFOBO |
| EAN | 0050234110495 |
It tilts the mount so its axis points at the celestial pole. An alt-azimuth mount tracks by moving two axes, which makes the field slowly rotate in a long exposure; on the wedge the field stays fixed. For visual use the wedge can stay level.
For the Moon, planets and double stars, yes: f/13 and 1325 mm give high, sharp magnification. For faint galaxies and nebulae, the [6SE](/reviews/catadioptric-telescopes-celestron-6se/) and [8SE](/reviews/catadioptric-telescopes-celestron/) gather 2.2 and 3.9 times more light.
You enter date, time and location, then center any three bright stars or planets in the eyepiece, without needing to know their names. The mount works out where it is pointing and can then find any of its 40,000+ objects.
This model is listed on Amazon.com, at ≈ $649 at the last reading. Listed is not the same as in stock: availability changes daily, and the buy box shows the live price.
Details checked on November 7, 2026.
A first computerized telescope for the Moon and planets that can also take short-exposure photos
Listed because the eyepiece or part names this scope.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for telescopes and observing optics and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
100 mm (3.94 in) Maksutov · 1400 mm (55.1 in) focal length · f/14 · EQ3 equatorial mount
A 100/1400 Maksutov-Cassegrain on an EQ3 equatorial mount, supplied with a 25 mm Plössl eyepiece (56x), a 90° star diagonal and a smartphone holder.
Best for: Moon, planets and double stars from a town, on a mount with real slow-motion controls
≈ $734
6-inch (150 mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain · computerized GoTo single-arm mount · 40,000+ objects · SkyAlign
Celestron's NexStar 6SE: a 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain on a computerized single-arm GoTo mount with the NexStar+ hand control, a 40,000-object database and SkyAlign.
Best for: Six inches of aperture on a mount that finds things, for an observer who will look rather than photograph
≈ $1,039
6-inch (150 mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain · 1500 mm at f/10 · Advanced VX German equatorial with PEC · 7° to 77° latitude
Celestron's Advanced VX 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain: a 1500 mm f/10 tube with StarBright XLT coatings on a computerized German equatorial mount with periodic error correction, usable from 7° to 77° latitude.
Best for: Imaging from a fixed site, where the mount matters more than the tube
≈ $1,699
