Telescope Comparison
Celestron NexStar 5SE vs Meade LX65 6" Mak
The specs are close. The experience isn't.
First light
Celestron · 125mm · £799
The automated deep-sky platform
- 125mm schmidt-cassegrain on a computerised mount with motorised tracking
- Good for: Moon, planets, bright nebulae, star clusters, and deep-sky objects
- GoTo system finds any object in its database after initial star alignment — no star atlas needed
- Tracking motors keep objects centred as Earth rotates — useful above 100×, essential for photography
- 9.8kg total — requires a fixed garden spot or car transport
Meade Instruments · 152mm · £699
The automated deep-sky platform
- 152mm maksutov-cassegrain on a computerised mount with motorised tracking
- Good for: Moon, planets, bright nebulae, star clusters, and deep-sky objects
- GoTo system finds any object in its database after initial star alignment — no star atlas needed
- Tracking motors keep objects centred as Earth rotates — useful above 100×, essential for photography
- 13.5kg total — requires a fixed garden spot or car transport
The full picture
The numbers that separate these two scopes — and what they mean at the eyepiece.
Aperture
Meade LX65 6" Mak gathers 1.5× more light. On bright targets — Moon, Saturn, Jupiter — you won't notice. On fainter targets — dim galaxies, faint globular clusters — the gap is real.
Focal length
Meade LX65 6" Mak's longer focal length reaches higher magnification with the same eyepiece — better reach for planetary detail. Celestron NexStar 5SE's shorter focal length gives a wider true field — better for large open clusters and extended nebulae.
Focal ratio
Celestron NexStar 5SE's faster f/10 delivers wider fields with any eyepiece — better for open clusters and large nebulae. Meade LX65 6" Mak's f/11.84 provides more magnification per eyepiece — better for fine planetary detail.
Mount type
Same mount type — setup experience and ergonomics will be similar. Differences lie in build quality and included accessories.
Weight (OTA)
Celestron NexStar 5SE's optical tube is 2.1kg lighter. Relevant if you plan to use it on multiple mounts or carry the tube to dark-sky sites separately.
Optical design
Celestron NexStar 5SE is a Schmidt-Cassegrain (mirror and corrector, versatile focal lengths); Meade LX65 6" Mak is a Maksutov-Cassegrain (mirror and lens corrector, compact tube). Different optical formulas produce different strengths — reflectors give more aperture per pound; refractors give sharper contrast and require no collimation.
At the eyepiece
Celestron
Celestron NexStar 5SE
The Moon fills the field at low power with more detail than you'll have time to explore on any given night. Saturn's rings are unmistakable from the first session; in good seeing, the Cassini Division — the dark gap between the A and B rings — is a genuine target at higher magnification. Jupiter shows two equatorial cloud bands clearly, the four Galilean moons changing position night to night. The Orion Nebula (M42) shows clear structure — nebulosity spreading around the Trapezium, which splits at moderate power. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) shows a concentrated core clearly. The Hercules Cluster (M13) shows some resolution at the edges at higher magnification.
Meade Instruments
Meade LX65 6" Mak
The Moon fills the field at low power with more detail than you'll have time to explore on any given night. Saturn's rings are unmistakable from the first session; in good seeing, the Cassini Division — the dark gap between the A and B rings — is a genuine target at higher magnification. Jupiter shows two equatorial cloud bands clearly, the four Galilean moons changing position night to night. The Orion Nebula (M42) shows clear structure — nebulosity spreading around the Trapezium, which splits at moderate power. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) shows a concentrated core clearly. The Hercules Cluster (M13) shows some resolution at the edges at higher magnification. The Meade LX65 6" Mak gathers 1.5× more light than the Celestron NexStar 5SE — a difference that's marginal on bright targets but visible on fainter ones: dimmer galaxies, faint globular clusters, and extended nebulosity that sits below the threshold of the smaller aperture.
The real tradeoff
Both scopes are capable. The question is which one fits the way you actually observe.
Both scopes are solving a similar problem in a similar way. The differences are real — focal ratio and field of view — but these show up after several months of regular use, not on the first night. Pick the one whose design best matches how you actually plan to observe.
The dark side
Every scope has a personality. Here’s where each one gets difficult.
Celestron
Celestron NexStar 5SE
Alignment required every session
GoTo star alignment cannot be skipped — the mount needs to know where it is pointing before it can find objects. This adds several minutes to the start of every session, every time.
Meade Instruments
Meade LX65 6" Mak
Alignment required every session
GoTo star alignment cannot be skipped — the mount needs to know where it is pointing before it can find objects. This adds several minutes to the start of every session, every time.
Which is right for you?
Two different buyers. Two different right answers.
The automated deep-sky platform
Celestron · Celestron NexStar 5SE
You’ll love this if…
- You want to navigate straight to targets without a star atlas — align once and the scope slews to any object in its database on demand
- You observe from a light-polluted garden where star-hopping to faint deep-sky objects would take most of a clear night
- You want objects to stay centred at high magnification without having to manually nudge the scope every few minutes
This will frustrate you if…
- You find the star alignment required at the start of every session frustrating — GoTo alignment cannot be skipped, and several minutes on a cold night before you can observe is the reality
The automated deep-sky platform
Meade Instruments · Meade LX65 6" Mak
You’ll love this if…
- You want to navigate straight to targets without a star atlas — align once and the scope slews to any object in its database on demand
- You observe from a light-polluted garden where star-hopping to faint deep-sky objects would take most of a clear night
- You want objects to stay centred at high magnification without having to manually nudge the scope every few minutes
This will frustrate you if…
- You find the star alignment required at the start of every session frustrating — GoTo alignment cannot be skipped, and several minutes on a cold night before you can observe is the reality
Our verdict
At similar price points, these scopes offer different amounts of aperture per pound. The Meade LX65 6" Mak gives you more light-gathering for your money — and for visual observing, aperture per pound is the most useful single metric.
For pure optical value, the Meade LX65 6" Mak is the stronger pick. The Celestron NexStar 5SE compensates with other features — decide whether those trade-offs justify the premium. If I had to choose: the Meade LX65 6" Mak — more aperture per pound means more sky.
Celestron NexStar 5SE
View Celestron NexStar 5SE →Meade LX65 6" Mak
View Meade LX65 6" Mak →Deep field: Full specifications
Every data point, for those who want to go further.
Full specifications
Fields highlighted in blue or amber indicate the better value for that spec. Data is manufacturer-stated and may vary.
How much can it see?
| Spec | Celestron NexStar 5SE | Meade LX65 6" Mak |
|---|---|---|
Apertureⓘ The most important spec — bigger = more light = better views | 125mm | 152mm |
Focal Length Longer = more magnification potential | 1250mm | 1800mm |
Focal Ratio Lower f-number = wider field of view; higher = more magnification per eyepiece | f/10 | f/11.84 |
Optical Design The type of optics — each design has different strengths | Schmidt-Cassegrain | Maksutov-Cassegrain |
Coatings Better coatings = more light transmission through the optics | StarBright XLT fully multi-coated on all optical surfaces | Fully multi-coated Maksutov-Cassegrain optics |
How do you point it?
| Spec | Celestron NexStar 5SE | Meade LX65 6" Mak |
|---|---|---|
Mount Type The mechanical system that holds and moves the telescope | GoTo (Computerised) | GoTo (Computerised) |
GoTo Computer-controlled pointing — finds any of thousands of objects automatically | ||
Tracking Motor keeps objects centred as the Earth rotates — essential for astrophotography |
The focuser
| Spec | Celestron NexStar 5SE | Meade LX65 6" Mak |
|---|---|---|
Focuser Size 2" accepts wider eyepieces and gives better low-power views | 1.25" | 1.25" |
Focuser Type Rack-and-pinion is standard; Crayford and dual-speed are smoother | SCT rear-cell focuser | Rear-cell focuser |
Size & weight
| Spec | Celestron NexStar 5SE | Meade LX65 6" Mak |
|---|---|---|
OTA Weightⓘ Optical tube only — useful for comparing mount load capacity | 2.7kg | 4.8kg |
Total Weightⓘ Full setup including mount — this is what you lug to the car | 9.8kg | 13.5kg |
Tube Length | 330mm | 440mm |
Tube Material | Aluminium | Aluminium |
What's in the box?
| Spec | Celestron NexStar 5SE | Meade LX65 6" Mak |
|---|---|---|
Eyepieces Included eyepieces — more is better, but quality matters more than quantity | 25mm Plössl | 26mm eyepiece |
Finder Scope Helps you locate areas of the sky before switching to the main eyepiece | StarPointer red dot finder | Red dot finder |
Diagonal Tilts the eyepiece 90° for comfortable viewing — useful on refractors |
Blue highlight: Celestron NexStar 5SE advantage · Amber highlight: Meade LX65 6" Mak advantage · Greyed cells: equal or subjective.