Live Science Verdict
The Celeston Origin will have you taking colorful , crisp images of deep sky objects within bit of setting it up .
sensational deep sky exposure in seconds
Quick , easy setup
The Celestron Origin looks professional and draws a good bit of attention at stargazing parties.
No - fuss app
Origin app lot and litigate images mechanically
Not the good for every night sky target
The Origin’s mount includes several carrying handles.(Image credit: Future/Brett Tingley)
Fairly prominent and lumbering
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mental image resolution : 6.4 MP
The mount includes a handy LED light for illuminating the tray and keeping the telescope visible at night.(Image credit: Future/Brett Tingley)
Focal length:335 mm
Storage : ground on a paired mobile twist
Field of view:1.27 x 0.85 degrees
The Origin retains the look of classic Celestron optical tubes.(Image credit: Future/Brett Tingley)
Mount : Motorized Alt - azimuth
limit magnitude:13.61
Battery : 6 hrs
The main mirror and camera inside the Celestron Origin.
Mirror diameter:152 mm
free weight : 41.6 lb ( 18.6 kg )
The Celestron Origin Intelligent Home Observatory makes it easier than ever to take your own photos of breathtaking deep sky objects like nebulas , galaxies and more . The Origin set up in seconds and come with a suite of automated features that remove all of the fuss of deep sky see in an all - in - one unit perfect for beginners and feel skywatchers alike .
NGC 6888, or the Crescent Nebula in the constellation Cygnus, photographed without filter.(Image credit: Future/Brett Tingley)
The Origin is controlled with an prosperous - to - use app that , while only containing a handful of features , has everything you need to locate arresting ethereal objects and take photos of them with just a few taps on your tablet or wandering twist . While the Origin is moderately large and heavy , it is easier to use and more fully featured than many other sassy telescopes we ’ve tried .
Priced at $ 3,999 ( £ 3,069 GBP ) , the Origin wo n’t be in everyone ’s budget . However , building out an astrophotography rig bit by bit with a television camera , lenses , mount and other accessories could in all likelihood see you spending more . For stargazer who want an all - in - one unit that throw deep sky astrophotography as simple as " breaker point and click , " the investing is worth it .
Celestron Origin: Design
The Celestron Origin is incredibly user - friendly . The mount includes cleverly placed carry handles and a red light-emitting diode that shines down onto a tray on the bottom of the mount for storing filter or other gear . Those grip will come in ready to hand when go the Origin , as the entire whole count 41.6 pound ( 18.6 kg ) when forgather , much larger and heavier than other smart telescopes we ’ve review .
Despite the weighting , Origin ’s tripod is stout and well - establish and include marker line for accurately setting all three legs at the same height . Celestron micturate several padded tripod bags for carrying it , in gain to a padded bag for the ocular tube itself . We highly recommend at least the udder for the optic tube ; we had one with our inspection unit and it was very useful for walk the tube from the car to our viewing location .
In term of aesthetic , the Origin resembles classic Celestron telescopes and , in fact , looks much more like a traditional telescope than other smart scopes we ’ve tried . We took it out to a large stargazing party during the peak of the Perseid shooting star rain shower and it drew quite a crowd .
Even without a filter, the colors of Messier 27, the Dumbbell Nebula, stand out in the Origin’s image.(Image credit: Future/Brett Tingley)
Part of that crowd was due to the noise of Origin ’s motor , which are evenhandedly loud . The cooling rooter inside the tube , however , are smooth and can not be get word from more than an arm ’s length away or so .
The Origin ’s visual underground sport no ascendance — everything is adjusted through the app . Focusing is perform mechanically by the telescope itself , so there ’s no fiddling with thickening or dials on the telescope itself . By simply selecting an objective in the app while the telescope and app are set to " Auto " style , the Origin does all of the oeuvre for you .
This will obviously appeal to beginners who are n’t used to manually dial in different setting for photograph and viewing unlike type of supernal objects . For more experienced lensman or skywatchers , this want of adjustability might lead to some frustration at the lack of customization options .
Messier 57, or the Ring Nebula, shines in crystal clear colors without a filter.(Image credit: Future/Brett Tingley)
The telescope also have a " Manual " manner , however , in which users can dial in configurations on their own such as ISO , concenter astuteness and exposure . This can be utile for taking snapshot of the moon in " Snapshot " mode , in which only a single momentary pic is taken .
We test to take a photograph of Saturn in Manual modality but could not get the Origin to center clearly on the planet . It ’s quite possible that we simply need more time to acquaint ourselves with the Origin and its control , but this might be a play - off for some beginners who are n’t as familiar with different photographic options .
Celestron Origin: Performance
We took the Origin out into the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina under Bortle 4.0 sky , relatively dark for the East Coast . Celestron says Origin will function equally well in lightsome - polluted area , but luckily we had right dark skies for our test function .
We were capable to set up Origin and join to its own WiFi meshing within second . Erecting the tripod and attaching the opthalmic thermionic vacuum tube takes seconds , and only one cablegram is needed to link the mount to the tubing ( a cable inside the optical vacuum tube colligate the internal camera must be attached upon unboxing , as well ) .
Within seconds , we had the app opened where we could see a display of what was seeable in the sky that night . The Origin app circles objects of interest , pretend it easy to select a choice target and begin imaging without any fuss .
Even with a relatively short exposure time, the structure of NGC 6946, the Fireworks Galaxy, stands out in the Celestron Origin.(Image credit: Future/Brett Tingley)
As soon as we come home on our first target , Origin began center and tracking the target , whereupon it auto - focalize now . This is where Origin genuinely shines ; with just a few taps , you ’ll have stunning mental image in seconds .
During our review academic term , imaging cryptical sky object worked best . We were capable to get sharp , colorful images of nebula and galaxy almost instantly , adjusting pic clock time as needed to sum extra depth . There was no noise that we could see in the image , and star appeared as pinpoint without any artifact .
Celestron Origin: Functionality
The Origin piddle it almost impossibly well-to-do to start taking picture of the night sky . It ’s a wonderful feeling to get our hand on a firearm of outfit that does exactly what it say it will do , mighty out of the boxful , with literally second of setup .
Part of the ease of enjoyment comes from the Origin app . The app pose a " Planetarium View " that shows an image of the dark sky at the user ’s location . Constellations , coltsfoot and more are intelligibly labeled and objects of interest ( choose by the app ) are circled to make them stand out to the drug user . From there , it ’s as easy as tapping on one of the objective and selecting " Center objective " to manoeuver Origin towards it .
The app also features a " Camera View " way that allows users to see what Origin sees in actual time . Another musical mode , " Snapshot , " can be used to take photo of the moon or even terrene landscape painting picture taking , though you ’ll have to aline the scope ’s options on your own .
The Celestron Origin app is somewhat minimalist, offering only a few menus.
Adjusting the manual configurations can be tricky at first due to a lag between tap on the mastery in the app and the scope actually adjusting . There ’s also no way to aline the amount that the focuser move " up " or " down " in the app . While we were capable to dial in the moon using manual options , we were unable to do so when see Saturn .
Should I buy the Celestron Origin?
✅ You like automation : Choosing targets , focusing , tracking , and stacking multiple litigate images are all reflexive and done by Origin ’s app .
✅ You want an all - in - one unit that get it easy to take deep sky pic . The Origin does it all in one easy - to - use of goods and services unit that sets up in minute .
❌ You like customization : There are very few control to tweak in Origin ’s app and none on the scope itself . away from a few variables in the app , mental imagery is all automatic .
Saturn as viewed by the Celestron Origin.
❌ You prefer traditional telescopes : These telescopes do not have an ocular ; the intact experience is on a screen . If you like honor without a projection screen , the Origin is not for you .
If you ’re looking for a voguish scope that does it all and is completely robotic apart from tack the unit and choosing a target , Origin is a good option for you — that is , if you have the budget for a $ 4,000 ( £ 3,069 GBP ) scope .
While expensive , Origin offer a no - fuss , all - in - one astrophotography experience that can be enjoyed by amateur and pro alike . Within moment , you ’ll have knifelike , colorful images of physical object out of the range of most backyard scope and amateur photographic camera . The app will pile and cognitive operation prototype automatically , making it easy than ever to partake in photos nearly as soon as they ’re finished .
The Celestron Origin can even take image of deep sky objects in light-headed - contaminated areas , and its effigy can be teem to multiple devices at once .
However , if you ’re a traditionalist and enjoy putting your center on an eyepiece to enjoy the Nox sky , the Origin is n’t for you . Due to the lack of an eyepiece , Origin is more of an astrophotography rig than it is a scope . That sound out , it is one of the well-heeled to use and most fully - featured bright telescopes / cameras that we ’ve tried to date .
If this product isn’t for you
Despite its all - around appealingness to both experienced astrophotographers and amateurish stargazer , the terms and digitisation of the Origin might turn some off .
In this case , we ’d recommend the excellentCelestron NexStar 8SE.It cost just a fraction of what the Origin does ( though still not meretricious ) and offers clear , burnished views of the cosmos . While it features a traditional eyepiece , the NexStar 8SE still comes with all the computerized and mechanise abilities the Origin has to offer . Users can bring or add their own eyepieces and a camera adapter , making this telescope pure for intermediate users who want the flexibility to custom-make their scopes and use them with or without a camera .
However , beginners might want to take a look at the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ , which is far less expensive and can also associate up to a tablet or mobile gadget for agile observing . However , as you ’d expect for this price , it does not feature a computerized riding horse that will locate and track targets for you .
