The Celestron Nexstar 8SE has long been considered one of the best binoculars on the market. in our Celestron Nexstar 8SE ReviewOur trusted tester Jace Parnell-Brooks It was awarded an impressive 4.5 out of 5-star score.
The Celestron Nexstar 8SE missed the flawless review mostly due to its price, making it a significant investment at full MSRP. However, Jess still highlights its value for money versus performance, which is now Amazon cuts the retail price by $200 Even better, it’s been reduced to just $1,499.99.
Although there’s still a lot of room for that price tag, at this price Jess believes it’s still an ideal option beginners telescope. Intermediate or advanced astronomers can also benefit from upgrading to the Nexstar 8SE, its motorized functioning and scalability are attractive features, making it ideal as a deep space telescope or for observing planets.
Amazon Prime Day will arrive later this month, but since this is the lowest price the Nexstar 8SE has seen this year, you’re unlikely to see a better telescope deal than this. You’ll have to be quick though – the listing says it’s marked as limited stock, and at this price it may sell out fast.
However, Walmart is price-matching with amazon deal AdoramaDo you want to shop away from Amazon?
Paul is a deal writer for Live Science and writes about sports and knowledge brands at Future. He has previously worked in cycling media and has written numerous articles for Bike Perfect, Cycling News and Cycling Weekly. Paul is an award-winning photographer, having won Mountain Photographer of the Year with Trail Magazine, and has a keen interest in all things photography.
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The Celestron Nexstar 8SE is a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope design, renowned for impressive optical quality, and the Nexstar 8SE certainly delivers here. Jess was amazed by the amazing clarity thanks to its front 8-inch aperture, which simply soaks in the light and makes it incredibly easy to see detail in the night sky.
Jess also highlighted the smoothness of the motor, and with the help of the Celestron SkyAlign app, you can align the scope using three bright stars and enjoy an almost instant automated view on your stargazing trip.
Although the Celestron is quite expensive for a beginner, Jess also said that the build quality and performance make it a telescope that will last for decades, and possibly the only telescope you will ever need.
There are cheaper and smaller aperture versions available in the Celestron range, including Celestron Nexstar 4SE. This is our top choice best small binocularsAnd it’s currently off at Amazon by 13% to $649.99. Of course, the smaller you go, the less light will be captured, thus making your scenes less stunning as the aperture drops.
key features: 8-inch (203.2 mm) aperture, 80-inch (2032 mm) focal length, f/10 focal ratio, 180x highest useful magnification, 32 pounds (14.48 kg) weight, two-year warranty.
Launched: June 2005
Price History: The best price we’ve seen on the Celestron Nexstar 8 SE telescope was $1,299 during the 2024 Black Friday sale. The MSRP is $1,699, making the current selling price of $1,499 a significant savings on the rarely discounted model.
Price comparison: Amazon: $1,499 | Adorama: $1,499 | Walmart: $1,499
Review Consensus: There’s no doubt that the Celestron NexStar 8 SE is a fantastic telescope: it combines Celestron’s famous orange tube with a fully computerized GoTo system – ideal for those ready to move up from a manual scope and explore more of the night sky with accuracy and ease.
Live Science: ★★★★½ | space: ★★★★one and a half
Featured in guides: best binoculars
✅ Buy it if: You want to see deep space objects and planets, whether you are a beginner or an advanced sky observer. The automatic motorized function means this telescope can be used by anyone with any level of experience and knowledge.
❌ Do not buy it if: You’re looking for a more budget-friendly option. one of our recommended best budget binoculars may be more appropriate, or even one of best binoculars for beginners.
Check out our guides for best binoculars, binoculars for kids, Telescope, camera, star projectorAnd many more.