The cheapest price since January — a massive $450 off our favorite Celestron telescope this Black Friday

A Celestron NexStar Evolution 8, in front of a space background, with a Space Black Friday Deals logo.
(Image credit: Future / Celestron)

Want to level up your stargazing with a seriously powerful Wi-Fi enabled telescope? The Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 is what you need. It is one of the few telescopes we have given five stars to, offering mind-blowingly clear views of the cosmos and it is a massive $450 off with Adorama's Black Friday deal.

You can get this Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 telescope right now at Adorama for $2499.

This Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 is a superb telescope from a manufacturer who regularly features in our best telescopes guide. With a light-guzzling 8" aperture and a massive 480x, this is just what you need if you are upgrading from an older model or want to go all-in with stargazing.

We do mean 480x too. In our review of the Celestron NexStar Evolution 8, we confirmed there was no blurring at max magnification. Plus with its computerized mount, you will have no problem tracking down cosmic objects. So with a whopping $450 off, this is a deal not to be missed.

Celestron NexStar Evolution 8
Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 : was $2,949 now $2,499 at Adorama US

Save $450 on this powerful telescope, equipped with a fantastic 480x magnification, Wi-Fi enabled to let you home in on stellar objects with ease. You are sure to get brilliant, breathtaking views with this scope.

Read our full review: Celestron NexStar Evolution 8


This Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 has virtually everything you need to get stargazing. It has two 1.25-inch, 13 mm and 40 mm Plössl eyepieces for magnifications of 156x and 51x, a 1.25-inch star diagonal plus a StarPointer Pro finderscope.

Its StarSense AutoAlign camera makes it a piece of cake to calibrate and used in concert with the app, you will have little problem finding objects in the night sky. It can also track and follow objects which is extremely useful for astrophotography.

The 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope at the core of this setup offers amazing views. Reviewing the Celestron NexStar Evolution 8, we called it "one of the best we've ever had the pleasure of looking at the universe through". We had astounding views of everything from the Moon through to Rigel, Betelgeuse and the Orion Nebula (Messier 42), giving it five out of five stars.

The Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 is a great deal at $450 off at Adorama. However, it is potentially a little pricey and overpowered for beginners. The Celestron NexStar 4SE could be a better and cheaper choice for newcomers or those who are not sure how long they will stick with the hobby.

Key Specs: Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Design, 8-inch (203.2mm) aperture, 2032mm focal length, focal ratio of f/10, two eyepieces (13mm/51x and 40mm/156x), single-arm fork, altazimuth mount type, total kit weight of 40.6 lbs/18.5 kg.

Price history: Before today's deal, this telescope was the same price in January this year but has not been as cheap since then. Adorama is also selling this Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 at $450 off through Amazon, if you have got Amazon vouchers or a balance to spend.

Price comparison: Adorama: $2499 | Amazon: $2499

Review consensus: In our Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 review, we called it "One of the best we've ever had the pleasure of looking at the universe through" and that still stands. Its reviews are similarly positive though a couple thought the finderscope could be better.

Buy if: You want a powerful, premium telescope that can offer brilliant views of deep space and track and home in on objects.

Don't buy if: You are a beginner, since this is a little too pricey for a beginner. Consider instead the Celestron NexStar 4SE, which is currently $100 off at Amazon.

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

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Jase Parnell-Brookes
Managing Editor, e-commerce

Jase Parnell-Brookes is the Managing Editor for e-commerce for Space and Live Science. Previously the Channel Editor for Cameras and Skywatching at Space, Jase has been an editor and contributing expert across a wide range of publications since 2010. Based in the UK, they are also an award-winning photographer and educator winning the Gold Prize award in the Nikon Photo Contest 2018/19 and named Digital Photographer of the Year in 2014. After completing their Masters degree in 2011 and qualifying as a teacher in 2012, Jase has spent the last two decades studying and working in photography and publishing in multiple areas, and specializes in low light optics and camera systems.