The Origin captures multiple hues of hydrogen gas and dust within the M8 emission nebula, also known as the Lagoon Nebula. Credit: Phil Harrington
I’m in love.
I don’t often start a review by saying that a product wooed me, but the Celestron Origin Home Observatory did just that.
Not that I’m surprised. Since first introducing the venerable Schmidt-Cassegrain C8 in 1970, Celestron has established itself as a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge telescopes and accessories for amateur astronomers. This tradition continues with the new state-of-the-art Celestron Origin Home observatory. It comes complete with everything you need to start visualizing and imagining the universe on the first clear night.
Anatomy
At the heart of the Origin is a 6-inch Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph (RASA) optical system optimized for wide-field astrophotography. It combines a Schmidt corrector plate with a Rowe-Ackermann lens group to create a fast f/2.2 system that produces sharp, clear images across the entire field. An integrated digital imager in front of the corrector records the light collected by the RASA’s optics and connects it to compatible smartphones, tablets and other devices, so users can see and photograph celestial objects on one screen. Like other smart telescopes, there is no eyepiece to look through.
The telescope’s optics feature Celestron’s StarBright XLT coating, which improves light transmission and contrast. Additionally, Origin includes a removable anti-fog screen and a built-in heating ring that automatically turns on when needed to prevent humidity from reducing image quality, a common problem in humid or cold conditions. The screen also helps minimize local light pollution that enters the optical path.
The Origin incorporates Sony’s STARVIS IMX178 color CMOS sensor. This back-illuminated sensor is known for its high sensitivity, low noise and fast readout speeds, ideal for astrophotography. The 2.4 micrometer pixels produce detailed, high-resolution images, capturing more light in shorter exposure times than many other sensors.
An integrated 97.9 watt-hour rechargeable lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery provides power to the Origin. The battery power provides more than six hours of operation on a single charge. The Origin can also be connected to an external power source for extended observing sessions.
Star clusters and galaxies do not require filters to be recorded successfully, but narrow-band emission objects, such as emission and planetary nebulae, benefit greatly from them, especially in areas with light pollution. To change targets without losing quality, Celestron has incorporated a filter drawer cleverly integrated into the stand that holds the imager in place. Accepts all standard 1¼” and 2″ astronomical filters, allowing users to experiment with the ones they already own. Additionally, Celestron offers a specialized haze filter for Origin (sold separately).
Celestron works hard, you play harder
To prove that Origin lives up to its promise, I put one to the test last summer.
Everything arrived triple boxed straight from Celestron headquarters in Torrance, California. The well-illustrated, printed instructions made assembling the telescope, mount, and tripod a breeze. I finished in about 20 minutes even without tools.
I really appreciated the tool-free design every time I took the Origin outside. Fully assembled, the Origin weighs 41.6 pounds (18.6 kilograms), so most users will find it best to disassemble it into two or three pieces to move and set it up. The optical tube assembly weighs 4.8 kg (10.6 lbs) and the one-arm stand weighs 7.7 kg (17 lbs), while the tripod weighs 6.4 kg (14 lbs). I found it easier to set up the tripod and then take out the telescope and mount together. The integrated handles on the stand made it easy to transport both. Understanding the challenge of setting up a telescope in the dark, Celestron added a centering pin and indentations on the top of the tripod to couple them together effortlessly.
The telescope is controlled via the Celestron Origin app, available for both iOS (16 and later) and Android (12 and later) devices. The app was developed by Simulation Curriculum and designed to allow users to select celestial objects for viewing or imaging simply by touching the screen. It also supports real-time transmission of images to your smartphone, tablet, smart TV or projector, allowing you to share the viewing experience with others in real time.
Piloting the Origin is a fully computerized altazimuth mount that autonomously aligns, focuses and tracks targets. After setting up the telescope and flipping the switch, the user just needs to click “Reset” on the Origin app to activate Celestron’s StarSense sky recognition technology. Using Origin’s CMOS sensor, the StarSense plate solves the telescope’s purpose by comparing images to an internal star database to identify the exact RA and Dec. needed for the perfect final image.
I found the Origin app complete and easy to use. It features a celestial database with over 120,000 objects, including stars, planets, and deep sky objects. Shows a real-time star atlas of the visible sky, detailed object information, and stargazing tips. Objects can also be selected using the “Tonight” feature (which displays a selection of currently visible objects), browsing categories, searching by name or catalog number, or using the virtual interactive sky map in the app’s Planetarium view. Once you choose an object, the app automatically points the telescope towards the quarry. StarSense’s automatic alignment worked flawlessly for every observation session, and the motor’s brass gears provided smooth tracking.
When the power switch is turned on, a red circular light on the back of the telescope will gradually illuminate brighter; it should turn off after no more than 30 seconds. However, this is more than just a decorative element; it is designed to inform you about the status of the instrument. For example, a continuous ring means that Origin has established a connection with the mobile app and is waiting for your next command. If it fills clockwise, it means an exposure is in progress and so on.
The startup process also automatically focuses images, although on a few occasions I had to change the focus. But once it was set up, the focus remained focused throughout each session.
Another feature I really appreciated was the ability to schedule observations. The Source can be set to capture images of selected celestial objects at predetermined times over the course of a night. This allowed me to formulate an entire observing session the afternoon before, allowing for the most efficient use of the telescope’s available time that night. By dawn the next morning, the Origin had produced an impressive array of images waiting to be seen.
Objective achieved
After I finished setting up Origin, I chose my first target: M13, the Hercules Cluster. Within seconds, the telescope moved to M13, centered it perfectly and began accumulating its photons. In doing so, the image of the globular, with its myriad of pinpoint stars, blossomed on the screen of my tablet. The end result was stunning and required no processing!
That same evening I programmed the Origin to acquire six more Messier globulars. Each cluster was resolved into countless points of light, some with prominent colors. The M4 image was particularly striking. Origin managed to reveal the characteristic central “star bar” of the cluster that cuts through the core; this unusual feature is often not seen in photos due to overexposure.
The next clear night, I engaged Celestron’s nebula filter, especially for the Origin, and set off in search of planetary nebulae. The resulting shots of the Dumbbell Nebula (M27) and the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) were particularly breathtaking. In both cases, the central stars were easily visible, shrouded in swirling, brightly colored clouds.
I was amazed by Origin’s real-time image processing capability regardless of the type of object being viewed. Using AI-based algorithms, the telescope can take, stack and display images in real time, allowing users to view and share celestial observations almost instantly. This feature is especially useful for those new to astrophotography, as it flattens the steep learning curve of stacking and manually processing images. Images can be saved wirelessly to your device or downloaded to your computer using the telescope’s USB port. If desired, they can also be further processed using third-party programs.
Celestron Origin is a revolutionary product that brings the wonders of the universe closer to home, making stargazing and imaging more accessible and fun than ever. Whether you’re looking to capture stunning images of deep-sky objects or simply share the stargazing experience with friends and family, Celestron Origin delivers on its promise of a smart, high-tech home observatory. Make no mistake, it’s not cheap. But again, it’s not just another smart telescope. The Celestron Origin Home Observatory is genius.
