Celestron - NexStar 127SLT Computerized Telescope - Compact and Portable - Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical Design - SkyAlign Technology - Computerized Hand Control - 127mm Aperture

I have use this to view the Sun (with a Bader solar filter), Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Albireo, Andromeda, and Pleiades. You get stunning views of the moon and sunspots are very distinguishable with this scope. Saturn is pretty small, but the rings are distinct and some moons can be spotted around Saturn. I was able to faintly see the bands of Jupiter and the Galilean moons are pretty bright. You would need a bigger telescope to get more detail from the planetary objects, but the views you get in this scope still makes anyone who looks pretty amazed at what they are viewing.I love the fact this has a computerized tripod mount. This takes the frustrations away of trying to keep an object in view as well as trying to locate something in the vast night sky. The setup take some practice, but it does get easier after a few attempts. My neighbor has an 8” Nexstar SL with the StarSense Automatic Alignment Accessory and I still usually beat him to having an aligned telescope by doing it with the built in SkyAlign method. The tracking is good as long as you have fresh batteries, but I highly recommend using an external power source because the batteries get drained in a few hours. I also recommend using an app to help locate objects. I am planning on getting the WiFi modules so I can use my phone to control the telescope. The included hand controller does take some time to learn, and the menu navigation can be clunky. You can use the free Celestron SkyPortal app for control your scope if you have the WiFi module.Once you have the telescope aligned it is pretty accurate on its tracking. One night I centered Saturn and went inside to watch TV for 2 hours and I was amazed that Saturn was still in the eyepiece when I came back out! You will want to make sure you have the tripod level, fresh batteries, the correct latitude/longitude, time, and date to help ensure your tracking is accurate.This Telescope has made me excited to get out on clear nights and discover the night sky and has also helped get me into trying astrophotography. I was able to use my Olympus E-PL5 the other night piggy backed on the telescope which helped me get a decent shot of Andromeda. I took an hour of exposures it was nice to have the tracking of the telescope available so Andromeda stayed centered in my camera.I also bought a T-Adapter so I could photograph objects using the telescope as a prime lens. My sun and moon shots came out very clear using this method. The sun and moon shots attached are not cropped, and you can see almost the entire frame is consumed by the sun or moon which give a great amount of detail.I highly recommend this telescope! If you can afford a larger telescope, then get the biggest one you can afford, but even though this is only a 3 1/2" scope it can give you some great views of the night sky.

In my opinion, this is an excellent beginner/intermediate or advanced grab and go scope providing crisp images, ease of use and many desirable software capabilities. I recommend it.My training is in the physical sciences but not specializing in Astronomy or Astrophysics. I have always had interest in the stars from childhood and from having been a navigator in a destroyer during my naval service where I used them to navigate by. Several years ago when I retired I purchased two 1960s vintage equatorial mount 60mm refractors at garage sales and I have been using them while I did some research and reading to decide on the best next telescope to purchase.I decided on a Maksutov-Cassegrain due its reputation for crisp, clear images and on Celestron NexStar for its quality reputation and the features of its GoTo/tracking software program. The deciding factor was that it was on sale at a large discount. I did consider Meade and Orion scopes before deciding on this particular Mak.This year (2013) I took some of my tax refund dollars and purchased the Celestron NexStar 127 SLT Mak and also purchased some of what I consider to be essential accessories.The purchase price of the tube and mount are only part of the price for a complete capable system. Beyond the sock items provided in the initial package, you will need lenses, filters, adapters, etc to fully exploit the capabilities of the mount, software and optics. In other words, to see the most, coolest stuff. By the time I have purchased all of the essential accessories to do this, they will cost almost as much as the telescope itself.I have used the telescope every clear night for the last several weeks and I am very pleased. The NexStar program and alignment are easy to use and provide a better that ballpark result when going to an object. I did purchase the GPS unit, the Celestron accessory kit with additional lenses and filters, the house current and car battery power adapter chords, the USB interface cord, and the light pollution and oxygen filters. I live in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale so light pollution is a factor. The filters help.So far everything works beautifully. My only two complaints are not vital but more nuisance-that the GPS can take some time to synch -- be patient, I was not and had some self inflicted difficulties the first time I used the Mak.-the tripod can be a little wobbly.I will eventually get a heavier tripod, the GPS is what it is. I will try adding some five or ten pound weights to the tripod to see if that stabilizes it sufficiently.I am not done with accessories.Next on my list is a hard case for the tube and a canvass bag for the tripod and accessories so I can safely carry the system to the dark sky sites and star parties. I do want to try some web cam photography of solar system objects so a webcam purchase is in the future. Further down the road, I will get a digital camera adapter, a collimation lens and some higher quality viewing lenses and perhaps a dielectric diagonal.Though I want to eventually get a large GoTo Dobsonian and I always lust after a nice, large Apochromatic telescope with a solid EQ mount for astrophotography,for now I am very happy with my NexStar 127 SLT Mak.I will update as I do new things with the Mak or as I learn new things that may be of interest to buyers.May your skies be clear and dark.Iñigo de OñaNome de plume