In our hands-on Celestron 6SE review, we gave it a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thanks to this Amazon Prime Day deal, you can now pick it up for $120 less.
Buy the Celestron NexStar 6SE for just $979.99 at Amazon using the coupon at checkout.
We think the Celestron NexStar 6SE is an excellent all-arounder. It can be used by beginners who want to get straight to skywatching (especially given Celestron's comprehensive user manuals) or more seasoned astronomers with more in-depth knowledge of the night sky. The latter will be able to get more enjoyment from the scope, especially those with a selection of eyepieces and filters to experiment with.
The Celestron NexStar 6SE offers impressive specifications to meet the needs of astronomers at any experience level. Its 150mm aperture allows a significant amount of light to pass through the lens, enabling clear views of celestial objects. The 1499mm focal length allows astronomers to focus on desired targets better than telescopes with a shorter focus length. Smaller focal lengths are better for seeing a bigger expanse of sky at once.
At 21 lbs, this is a heavy scope, so you won't want to transport it around too often. However, due to its catadioptric design, it's still much easier to do so than many other telescopes in this price range. If you want to transport it often, you can be assured of its excellent build quality, it's not super delicate.
SkyAlign technology will get you up and running quickly, and the 6SE's GoTo tracking system is excellent. It lets you quickly find and slew to any of the databases 40,000+ celestial objects, taking the frustration out of skywatching. The only frustration you may find is that the batteries are prone to draining reasonably quickly so you'll want to stock up.
- 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.
Key features: Catadioptric design, 150mm aperture, long focal length, excellent build quality, large database of celestial objects
Product launched: 2013
Price history: We first saw this scope today at a bargain price of $879.99. That deal didn't last long though. $979 is still a great price, but be mindful that it might drop again.
Price comparison: Amazon: $979.99 | Adorama: $1099
Reviews consensus: Like our review, most online reviews of the Celestron NexStar 6E review are positive. Many users say this is a great scope for beginners who don't necessarily want to learn how to manually find their way around the night sky.
✅ Buy it if: You're a beginner who wants to get started quickly, but also happy to learn the basics to get the most from this impressive instrument.
❌ Don't buy it if: You're not sure if this is a long-term hobby. Ultimately, despite the generous price reduction, this is still expensive kit. There are cheaper alternatives here in our best telescopes for beginners guide. We can recommend the Inspire 100AZ which is currently on sale on Amazon for $279.63.
Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
