To operate the CN16SE, simply take your CN16-equipped NexStar scope outside and turn it on. The CN16’s 16-channel GPS receiver will determine its latitude and longitude on earth from the GPS satellite signals, triangulating your location with an accuracy measured in meters. It determines the time and date from the GPS satellite signals with an accuracy measured in fractions of a second. Once the CN16SE knows precisely where and when on Earth it is, it relays that information to your scope’s computer. Your scope’s NexStar computer needs that information to align on the heavens when using a two-star alignment instead of the scope’s default SkyAlign system of pointing at three bright stars. The more accurate the time and location information you can give to your scope, the more accurate your scope’s alignment on the sky. The CN16SE guarantees a very high accuracy.

If you travel to different observing locations frequently, the CN16SE will let you spend more time observing and less time getting ready to observe. If your view of the north from your backyard observing site is obstructed by buildings or trees, the CN16SE will make short work of accurately aligning your scope on the skies. You won't have to guess if you're pointing at Polaris.

There are also versions of the CN16 available for Celestron's German mount Advanced Series (#CN16AS) and CGE Series (#CN16CGE) telescopes. These CN16 versions have the appropriate mounting brackets and accessory port kits to allow the CN16 to function properly with these German mount scopes. It will be necessary to do a rough polar alignment with the German mount scopes before using the CN16AS and CN16CGE. Optional polar alignment scopes are available to make this procedure quick and relatively painless. A polar alignment subroutine in the computer hand control will aid in refining the alignment if extreme precision is needed for astrophotography purposes.

There is also a mounting bracket (#CN16B) available that will let you use the CN16SE on the larger-diameter tripod leg of a CGE scope. This will let you add GPS to a CGE scope without having to buy a complete new CN16CGE system if you move up to CGE scope, as well as let you use one CN16 module on both types of scopes if you are lucky enough to own both a NexStar scope and a CGE.