Celestron - NexStar Evolution 9.25 Telescope - Gray
Model: 12092
SKU: 6419558
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This is my first telescope, and I've been very happy with it over the last month. The scope breaks down into 3 parts (tripod, motor mount, and telescope). So while this is a fairly large scope, it's easy to move around once disassembled. I had also looked at getting a dobsonian but ended up choosing the 9.25 Evo instead because it was more modular. The 9.25" Evo also comes with an upgraded tripod compared to the 8" and lower versions. This scope does take some time to setup and get going. First you setup the tripod and make sure it's level (it has a bubble level built into it). Second you attach the motor mount to the tripod. Finally the scope slides into the mount and is tightened. As for views, using the included 40mm eyepiece I was able to clearly see Jupiter and its moons. You could make out different color bands on the planet. Shots of the moon are also stunning and you can make out fine details around craters. I was able to take a photo of the moon with my iPhone through the eyepiece that shows some of the detail, and you are able to see much more in the eyepiece that the photo does not reveal. As for the "smart" functionality, it has built in WiFi and a battery. This allows you to connect the scope to your phone, tablet, or computer where it can be controlled. This is not a connect and go scope out of the box; Once you power it on you have to align it to different points in the sky before it truly becomes "point and click". To do this, you have to manually find different stars in the sky, center them in your viewfinder, and tell the app what it's looking at. Alternatively, Celestron sells devices that can do this for you call Starsense AutoAlign and Starsense AutoGuider. I opted to get the AutoGuider and was happy with the results. The AutoGuider provided a more "point and click" experience out of the box where the scope will align itself and track objects for you without the manual setup. I think the telescope comes with enough accessories out of the box to get you started. It includes a wide and narrow eyepiece, a diagonal for 1.25" eyepieces, a red dot finder, and a visual back. One area I'd suggest looking for upgrades down the line would be with a diagonal that supports both 1.25" and 2" eyepieces. Once you're familiar with the scope and how it works, you can also look into getting different eyepieces to get closer views of distant planets like Jupiter in better detail. One final tip, if you're looking for planets like Jupiter or Saturn and you're only seeing small dots that look like stars, those are indeed stars. You'll definitely know when a planet comes into view.
Posted by Matthew