The Celestron NexStar 8SE has long been considered the world's 'most beloved telescope' with its stunning clarity and bright, sharp views, and is the instrument of choice for many keen stargazers. It sat pretty solidly at $1,599 for most of 2024, but we've noticed it's been steadily dropping in price every day since the end of July, and it's now even cheaper than it was during Prime Day.
Level up your stargazing with the Celestron NexStar 8SE for $1,359 at Amazon.
We got fantastic views of the lunar surface during our Celestron NexStar 8SE review, earning it 4.5/5 stars, and the 8-inch aperture drinks in enough light to view deep space objects like galaxies, too. After testing it out, we think it's one of the best telescopes on the market, if not the best. Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes are known for their impressive optical quality, and the Celestron NexStar 8SE certainly lives up to the stereotype.
It's a little advanced for the average beginner astronomer (unless you're prepared to dive in at the deep end), but its GoTo technology gives users a guided tour of the universe with over 40,000 celestial objects in its database, and it will automatically track and locate objects for you with just the push of a button.
In this Celestron NexStar 8SE deal, alongside the telescope itself, you also get the single fork arm mount and tripod with an accessory tray, a star pointer finderscope, star diagonal, a 25mm eyepiece and the NexStar+ hand controller. It comes with everything you need straight out of the box, although it's good for users who want to upgrade in the future, too. There are a myriad of high-quality eyepieces, Barlow lenses, different mounts and counter-weighted tripods available to make the most of this scope’s observing power.
Key features: 8-inch aperture, Schmidt-Cassegrain optical design, 80-inch focal length, f/10 focal ratio, 24 lbs / 10.88kg, Computerized Alt-azimuth mount.
Price history: Since the price of telescopes shot up after lockdown, the Celestron NexStar 8SE has sat at around $1,599 ever since, only really coming down in price around sales events like Black Friday and Prime Day. But since the end of July 2024, we've noticed it getting cheaper literally every day since then.
Price comparison: Amazon: $1,359 | Walmart: $1,599 | Best Buy: $1,369.99 | B&H: $1,599 | Adorama: $1,599
Reviews consensus: A fantastic telescope that will last users for years to come, providing bright, sharp images of the moon, planets and galaxies. Experienced users may want to upgrade some of the accessories, but overall, we think it's earned its title of 'world's most beloved telescope'.
Live Science: ★★★★½ | Space: ★★★★½
Featured in guides: Best telescopes
✅ Buy it if: You're a passionate stargazer and are ready to invest in one of the best telescopes on the market that can view the moon and planets as well as deep space objects.
❌ Don't buy it if: You're a complete beginner and are only just learning the ropes.
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