Prime Day telescope deal even cheaper: $400 off the Celestron NexStar 8SE

Celestron NexStar 8se on a starry background with the space.com prime day deals logo in the top left corner
(Image credit: Celestron, Future)

Editor's note July 17: This Amazon Prime Day, you can save $300 now $400 on the Celestron NexStar 8SE telescope. It features in our best telescopes guide as the best motorized telescope on the market.

Save $400 on the Celestron NexStar 8SE motorized telescope this Amazon Prime Day.

There's a lot to like about this telescope and not just the massive discount. You get sharpness across the entire field of view, good astrophotography capabilities and it's a good option for viewing deep-space targets. If you want a more detailed look at this telescope, you can check out our Celestron NexStar 8SE review. The telescope has a database of over 40,000 celestial objects which can be tracked and located for you. The motorized functionality means beginners, intermediates and veterans can use it effectively and the discount offers great value for money. 

The 8SE also sits at the top of our best telescopes for seeing planets and telescopes for deep space guides. You'll need an Amazon Prime subscription to get Prime Day exclusive deals. So now is the best time to start a 30-day free trial and if you want more great deals, check out our telescope deals and Amazon Prime Day deals hubs.

Don't believe Amazon's inflated $1699.99 MSRP on this one, Celestron itself is selling the NexStar 8SE for $1599!

Celestron NexStar 8SE Motorized Telescope Was $1599 now $1199.99 on Amazon.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Motorized Telescope Was $1599 now $1199.99 on Amazon.

Save $400 on an excellent motorized telescope that we think is one of the very best currently on the market. It offers great astrophotography options, bright and sharp views right across the field of view and this deal means it is value for money. It features an eight-inch aperture, a useful magnification of up to 180x, an easy-to-operate hand controller and stunning optics. 

Editor's note July 17: No coupon needed and now $100 cheaper than yesterday July 16.


  • We're constantly checking the best prices on our Amazon Prime Day space deals page for big discounts on the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, drones, Lego, streaming and more.

This telescope stands out from the competition. It features an iconic, striking orange design as well as an eight-inch objective lens diameter that has plenty of light-gathering ability, allowing for bright views of your targets. It also comes with a database of over 40,000 objects which the GoTo motorized mount can locate and track for you.

Celestron's Skyportal app will help you identify which target you're looking at, which is handy as are the accessories that are included. A 25mm Plossl eyepiece, a finderscope, a sturdy steel tripod and a handy two-year warranty. Unfortunately, it requires eight AA batteries (which aren't included). But that aside, this telescope is one of the very best on the market, we'd recommend having it and the $300 saving is worth considering.

Key features: Eight-inch primary mirror, motorized GoTo mount, sharp views, stunning optics, sturdy steel tripod, eyepiece, starfinder, two-year warranty and astrophotography capabilities.

Price history: Before today's deal, the price has varied between around $1100 and $1599 over the last few years, but we haven't seen this price as low as $1299 this year.

Price comparison: Amazon: $1299.99 | Walmart: $1599 | Best Buy: $1599

Reviews consensus: We rate this as the best overall telescope for viewing planets as well as deep space. This telescope also features as the best overall motorized telescope in our best telescopes guide too. We rate it very highly and if you're looking for a motorized telescope as your next bit of stargazing gear, we think you should consider this deal.

Space: ★★★★½ | Live Science: ★★★★½

Featured in guides: Best telescopes, Best telescopes for seeing planets, Best telescopes for deep space

✅ Buy it if: You've got the money, you would prefer a motorized telescope for astronomy and you want a top-of-the-range model.

❌ Don't buy it if: You're on a budget, you're an absolute beginner and you're unsure what you want in a telescope or you're a purist and you don't want the help of technology for astronomy.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.

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Alexander Cox
E-commerce Staff Writer

STAFF WRITER, E-commerce — Alex joined Space.com in June 2021 as staff writer covering space news, games, tech, toys and deals. Based in London, U.K. Graduating in June 2020, Alex studied Sports Journalism in the North East of England at Sunderland University. During his studies and since his graduation, Alex has been featured in local newspapers and online publications covering a range of sports from university rugby to Premier League soccer. In addition to a background in sports and journalism, Alex has a life-long love of Star Wars which started with watching the prequel trilogy and collecting toy lightsabers, he also grew up spending most Saturday evenings watching Doctor Who. 

Contact Alexander: E-Mail Twitter