Top Rated Gear

Celestron NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope

SKU: CLSN8SE MFR: 11069

Key Features

  • Experience stunning views with the 8" aperture of this Celestron telescope.
  • Enjoy exceptional image clarity with StarBright XLT optical coatings, perfect for stargazing.
  • Explore 40,000+ celestial objects via the NexStar+ computerized hand control database.
  • The StarPointer finderscope makes locating stars and planets easy and fun.
  • Features a sturdy stainless steel tripod, adjustable from 38" to 56" for comfortable viewing.
  • Compact and portable design, great for backyard stargazing or taking on outdoor adventures.
See More Product Details
Temporarily On Backorder?Expected Availability: 09/2025Request assistance or get notified
Free Shipping

See Options

1

Protect your gear with Protect+.* Learn more

1 Year

$119.00

2 Year

$179.00

3 Year

$229.00

Available to U.S. customers only.

Need help? Ask our experts.

Overview
Compare
Specs
Protection
Q&A

Questions & Answers

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2025-03-19T12:58:12

Rated 5 out of 5

Great used purchase and like new

I purchased this complete combination in March of 2025. The scope was delivered safely contained in its two original boxes and everything was like new condition. Great job guys!

Raymond W.

2024-01-08T07:13:07

Rated 5 out of 5

Nice Scope

Great product has performed amazing so far.

Michelle A.

2023-11-03T04:29:02

Rated 5 out of 5

Great OTA, decent goto. Don't bother with batteries.

Great scope! I used to have a 10 inch dob, so I was looking for something with a large aperture, but would be more portable. It also has been sometime since I had done any star gazing so the goto features are really nice. A word of caution, do not even bother using AA batteries. You won't get more then an hour out of a set, they just can't maintain the proper voltage and the scope will do all kinds of crazy things and point in the wrong directions. Once I got a power tank, alignment was super easy and the goto has been working well. I wouldn't recommend it for a complete beginner because so far I have need to do small manual adjustments, but I came into with those expectations.

Josh B.

2022-08-12T13:35:43

Rated 4 out of 5

Highly Recommended for Beginners!

Likes: -Set up only takes 10-20 minutes. -Eye pieces are well-crafted and the main mirror allows for clear views. -Ability to automatically slew to objects in the sky with the touch of a button. -Celestron carrying case is great for all of the small accessories. Dislikes: -Telescope stand isn't sturdy enough to prevent vibration or shaking. Unfortunately, this makes it difficulty to fully enjoy the image you are looking at. There are vibration pads for purchase, but you would think this would be built into the stand from the start (especially with the price you are paying). -Too many items/pieces to bring when going out to a viewing site, so not as portable. Any cases online are very overpriced also.

Samson P.

2022-07-24T09:30:49

Rated 4 out of 5

Fantastic Telescope for Beginners

One of the best things I have purchased in a long time. I've had it for a year now and absolutely LOVE going to dark sky places and able to set up this scope while camping. At a dark sky site, the Andromeda Galaxy & Orion Nebula look stunning. You can see the planets in the scope from anywhere and both jupiter & saturn look absolutely great as well. Globular Clusters look great in the scope as well. However the only complain as I have is having to buy so many extra accessories-like the GPS unit-wish it would have been included in the scope for the price of it. (you don't have to buy it but it helps the set up process a lot quicker).

Leo P.

2021-09-14T19:15:33

Rated 3 out of 5

Seems Cool, Computer Doesn?t Work

I just ordered this telescope a month ago and hate to leave this review but I?ve run into issues. Unfortunately, the computer that comes with this telescope that I received cannot complete the star alignment process, which is necessary in order to use the telescope. The text that displays on the computer screen is not always readable ? it becomes erratic and the individual characters (letters) don?t display correctly, making the info unreadable. They end up looking like hieroglyphs of some jumbled up lines. We have tried to align this thing multiple times and the star alignment fails whether you select your City as your location or input latitude and longitude. Also, the longitude and longitude format that the computer lets you enter is incorrect ? it doesn?t let you enter the full coordinates for latitude or longitude?! I know this can?t be the case for all of the computers on these telescopes because I?ve read all of the reviews. I feel like the computer I got is faulty and is using technology from the 80?s or 90?s. I?ve reached out to Adorama Support so I?m hoping they can help. But if you?ve run into this issue too - you?re not alone! Hoping for a resolution to this so we can finally use our new telescope.

Michele H.

2021-09-08T12:47:16

Rated 5 out of 5

So many great features!!! and well built.

Researched for months and waited even longer to get availability, but worth it. Still got a lot to learn, but so pleased so far. Finally getting the pc interface going with CWPI and it really makes it much easier! Excited about going to a lake just outside of town where the light interference is hopefully less.

bmcalis

2021-08-31T12:35:50

Rated 5 out of 5

Great New Telescope Of My Dreams

I have always dreamed of having a more powerful and user friendly telescope like the Nexstar 8SE, and its only limitation is its user, me! I am learning more and more about it as I use it, and it is everything I hoped it would be!

MELISSA

2021-08-19T08:43:16

Rated 4 out of 5

Good scope but mechanically limited

Not a bad scope however the lack of switching to Manuel control does limit it to an experienced amateur

PHILIP I.

2021-08-18T09:36:47

Rated 5 out of 5

stay away from pretenders--get this--oh use a Telrad

great scope

STEPHEN D.

2021-08-18T09:05:07

Rated 5 out of 5

Top of beginners level telescope

If you want the top of the beginners telescope, this is it. It is absolutely fantastic for planetary and moon observation. In clean skies, visibility for galaxies is great. I recommend buying accessories to locate celestial bodies, though.

DIEGO H.

2021-08-13T08:28:33

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Scope

The best Celestron has to offer .

Bob P.

2021-08-08T09:51:45

Rated 5 out of 5

Great for viewing but limited for camera use.

As a novice to telescopes, this is my first serious telescope. I gave my beginner scope to the granddaughters, but this one is really easy to use. Simply follow the set up instructions, and it will take you to the object (star or planet) of your choice and track them. The images are sharp and striking. I hoped to use it with my Nikon d7200, and it will attach, but the eyepieces are bypassed with the camera, resulting in a 2036mm super telephoto. It still provides good pictures as a telephoto lens. Saturn picture taken on first night of use.

Litt D.

2021-08-06T17:50:20

Rated 5 out of 5

Wonderful telescope

Wonderful telescope So glad we ordered it. Easy enough to use and learn on and still have an amazing view.

Kathy

2021-08-06T17:42:47

Rated 5 out of 5

Wonderful telescope

We are loving this telescope and it is so nice to have for sky watching. We have a lot to learn but this is one that is really nice but learnable. We plan on purchasing additional lens, etc. in the future.

Kathy

2021-07-28T08:48:33

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent scope

Excellent scope. Easy to setup. Excellent shipping. Did not care for the finder scope though

GEORGE M.

2021-07-25T09:54:38

Rated 5 out of 5

Love Affair

Absolutely amazing telescope. Please buy it.

Sebastian G.

2021-07-25T06:50:49

Rated 4 out of 5

very nice well worth the money

4 out of 5 only because im new dont have all of figured out yet

Daniel z.

2021-07-15T10:33:15

Rated 5 out of 5

Awesome

Great telescope!

REBECCA P.

2021-07-14T09:06:56

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Telescope

This is a fantastic Telescope with great optics and with over 2000MM aperture everything looks brighter. It's very easy to use even for a beginner and enough options for a experienced astronomer.

Bob P.

2021-06-25T10:40:59

Rated 5 out of 5

Celestron Nexstar 8 SE

Easy to use and awesome power.

Chris V.

2021-06-25T09:16:44

Rated 5 out of 5

Love this Scope

I have wanted the Celestron Mexstar 8 SE for a long time and finally had the opportunity to do that through financing. Thank you for making a dream come true

Maurice

2021-06-25T08:14:22

Rated 5 out of 5

Easy to use and handle

Great beginner telescope for starting out.

MARISA G.

2021-06-25T02:58:13

Rated 5 out of 5

Celestron NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope SKU: CNN8SE MFR: 11069

Excellent scope! Easy to setup and use.

KEVIN K.

2021-06-18T11:24:34

Rated 5 out of 5

My first telescope and I LOVE it!!

It was easy to assemble and I was able to use it that evening.

Amy c.

2021-06-18T11:20:42

Rated 5 out of 5

My first telescope and I LOVE it!!

This is my very first telescope and I bought it to buddy it with my Nikon z6 camera. I can't wait to get some amazing photos of the moon.

Amy c.

2021-06-11T06:23:12

Rated 5 out of 5

Great product

Delivered on time, great product.

Jose R.

2021-06-10T08:47:35

Rated 5 out of 5

Amazing!!

Great telescope! Everything I was hoping for! Easy to setup and use. Needs more accessories to maximize it (eyepieces, battery pack, etc). FAST shipping and packaging was great. Keep the boxes to transport the telescope.

WILLIAM O.

2021-06-01T08:33:23

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Product

Great product

THOMAS J.

2021-05-14T08:02:05

Rated 5 out of 5

I?m very satisfied!

Product is perfect for my viewing needs. Arrived on time in perfect condition. Very versatile, easy to use & relatively light weight. Very pleased with my purchase.

MARGARET B.

Select a plan in the Add Protection section above and purchase with this product by clicking “Add to Cart”.

image-protection

TRUSTED PROTECTION PLANS, EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE.

Always Be Ready for Adventure

Accidents happen. Purchase a protection plan to keep your favorite SunnySports outdoor gear protected from covered accidental damage and failure.

Repair or Replacement

Repair or Replacement

If your equipment stops working, we'll repair it at no additional cost! And if we can't fix it, we'll replace it!

Accidental Damage

Accidental Damage

Protection for your equipment from unintentional breaks, drops, rips, and spills.

Failure Protection

Failure Protection

When your gear experiences a mechanical or electrical failure, you’re covered.

Zero Deductible

Zero Deductible

We’ll never charge you a deductible after the purchase of a plan. No fees. No deductibles. No hidden costs.

Customer-Focused Support

Customer-Focused Support

Our claims process is simple & easy with 24/7 online support.

Peace of Mind

Peace of Mind

Enjoy your gear without fear. We have you covered!

Protect+ powered by Extend is available for purchase to customers in the United States. Not available for international or U.S. territories purchases.​

Celestron NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope Specifications

  • Optical Design

    Schmidt-Cassegrain

  • Aperture

    8" (203.2mm)

  • Focal Length

    80" (2032mm)

  • Focal Ratio

    f/10

  • Focal Length of Eyepiece 1

    0.98" (25mm)

  • Magnification of Eyepiece 1

    81x

  • Finderscope

    StarPointer red dot finderscope

  • Star Diagonal

    1.25" Star Diagonal

  • Highest Useful Magnification

    480x

  • Lowest Useful Magnification

    29x

  • Limiting Stellar Magnitude

    14

  • Resolution (Rayleigh)

    0.69 arc seconds

  • Resolution (Dawes)

    0.57 arc seconds

  • Light Gathering Power

    843x (Compared to human eye)

  • Secondary Mirror Obstruction

    2.5" (64mm)

  • Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Diameter

    '31%

  • Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Area

    '9.77%

  • Optical Coatings

    StarBright XLT

  • Dovetail

    CG-5 Dovetail bar

  • Mount Type

    Computerized Altitude-Azimuth Single Fork Arm

  • Instrument load capacity

    12 lbs (5.44kg)

  • Height adjustment range

    38 - 56" (965.2 - 1422.4mm) (includes mount and tripod)

  • Tripod leg diameter

    1.5" (38.1mm) Stainless Steel

  • Mount Head Weight

    11 lbs (5kg)

  • Accessory Tray

    Yes

  • Tripod Weight

    9 lbs (4.08kg)

  • Slew Speeds

    9 slew speeds - max speed 5 Degree /second

  • Tracking Rates

    Sidereal, Solar and Lunar

  • Tracking Modes

    Alt-Az, EQ North and EQ South

  • Dovetail Compatibility

    CG-5 dovetail

  • Number of Auxiliary Ports

    1x AUX Port

  • Autoguide Port

    Yes

  • USB Port

    Yes, Hand Control input

  • Power Requirements

    8-AA batteries (not included) and 12 VDC-750 mA (Tip positive)

  • Motor Drive

    DC servo motors

  • Alignment Procedures

    SkyAlign, 1-Star Align, 2-Star Align, Auto 2-Star Align, Solar System Align, EQ North / EQ South Alignment (EQ align requires an equatorial wedge)

  • Periodic Error Correction

    No

  • Computerized Hand Control

    Double line, 18 character Liquid Crystal Display with 19 fiber opti backlit LED buttons

  • NexStar+ Database

    40,000 objects, 200 user defined programmable objects. Enhanced information on over 200 objects

  • Software

    Celestron Starry Night Special Edition Software and SkyPortal App

  • Battery Info

    Optional, not included

  • Battery Material

    -

  • Battery Type

    AA

  • Battery Quantity

    8

  • Dimensions (Dia. x L)

    9.1 x 17" (232 x 432mm)

  • Weight

    Optical Tube: 12 lbs (5.4kg)
    Total: 24 lbs (10.88kg)

  • UPC Code

    050234110693

About Celestron NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope

FEATURED REVIEWS

Excellent all purpose telescope

By Pete

[...] Comes with 6 element 25 mm 1.25" Plossl' eyepiece, 1.25" diagonal, 1.25' visual back, easy to use finderscope, aperture cover, tripod, and accessory/eyepiece tray. Manual and quick start guide are well written. Set-up in minutes. Can use 8 AA batteries or connect an external source via 12 Volt connector (12 Volt car accessory or AC adapters are available as accessories). Since the single fork-arm must power motor(s) and the controller, the AA batteries will not last long if you do a lot...

View full Review

Good Telescope!

By Massive

Every now and then I like to view the night sky with a telescope. I bought a new Mead scope. I returned it. I bought the Celestron 8. Very good and easy to use! I up graded to the Celestron 11". Even better!! I still have the 11" Celestron and I am going to buy another 8". People told me that the 11" was heavy and hard to move... "Hay - I'm 6'3" & 100 lbs. of telescope to move around is no sweat". They where right. That is why I'm buying another 8".(I'm still keeping my Celestron 1100-XLT-GPS...

View full Review

Experience the wonders of the universe with the NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope from Celestron, a leading name in high-quality optical instruments. This advanced, user-friendly telescope is the perfect tool for both novice and intermediate astronomers, offering superior views of celestial bodies at an affordable price.

The NexStar 8 SE is a reimagining of our founder Tom Johnson's vision, who revolutionized the field of astronomy in the 1970s with the creation of the classic Celestron 8. This updated model retains the signature orange-tube design and combines it with cutting-edge features for the 21st-century stargazer.

With a full 8 inches of aperture, the NexStar 8 SE offers exceptional light-gathering ability, revealing intricate details in even the faintest celestial objects. From the cloud bands on Jupiter to the spiral arms of the Whirlpool Galaxy, this telescope brings the cosmos to your backyard.

The NexStar 8 SE features a revolutionary single fork arm mount, a patented design unique to Celestron. This innovative feature ensures the telescope is not only portable but also quick and easy to set up. Despite its robust construction, the NexStar SE disassembles into compact, lightweight pieces for convenient transport, even in small vehicles.

The NexStar 8 SE is equipped with a NeXStar+ hand control, allowing you to locate over 40,000 celestial objects with ease. The SkyAlign process simplifies alignment, requiring you to just center three bright objects in your eyepiece and press ALIGN. For an even more effortless experience, attach our StarSense AutoAlign, and your NexStar SE will align itself!

This telescope is designed to grow with you, compatible with a range of high-tech accessories. Control your telescope using your iPhone or iPad with our SkyQ Link, or add GPS functionality with SkySync. For those interested in astroimaging, the NexStar SE is Fastar-compatible for ultra-fast, wide-field imaging.

Whether you're embarking on your first stargazing session or have years of experience, the NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope is your trusted companion in exploring the universe.

Celestron NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope Features

  • The worlds most beloved telescope! The classic, 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain revolutionized amateur astronomy in the 1970s. Now, the iconic orange tube design is updated with all the latest features to provide the best stargazing experience for beginners and experienced observers alike
  • Large, 8" aperture with excellent light-gathering ability provides spectacular views of the Moon and planets, along with deep sky objects like the Whirlpool Galaxy and Hercules Globular Cluster
  • Fully automated, GoTo mount with database of 40,000+ celestial objects automatically locates and tracks objects for you
  • SkyAlign technology gets your telescope aligned and ready to observe in minutes. Even if youre unfamiliar with the night sky, you can easily align your telescope on any three bright objects
  • Unique single fork arm design and sturdy steel tripod all break down into separate components for easy transport and quick assembly

Warranty Information

This product has a limited warranty of 24 months.

Key Features

  • Experience stunning views with the 8" aperture of this Celestron telescope.
  • Enjoy exceptional image clarity with StarBright XLT optical coatings, perfect for stargazing.
  • Explore 40,000+ celestial objects via the NexStar+ computerized hand control database.
  • The StarPointer finderscope makes locating stars and planets easy and fun.
  • Features a sturdy stainless steel tripod, adjustable from 38" to 56" for comfortable viewing.
  • Compact and portable design, great for backyard stargazing or taking on outdoor adventures.

What's in the box:

  • Optical Tube
  • 25mm Eyepiece
  • Star Diagonal
  • Star Pointer Finderscope
  • Accessory Tray
  • Single Fork Arm Mount and Tripod
  • Starry Night 8 SE Download Code
  • CPWI Control Software
  • (Battery Not Included)
  • MFG 2 Year Limited Warranty