We compared the 6-inch model from the NexStar SE series and the evolution series before. Both these series have an 8-inch telescope as well. In fact, the evolution series has two 8-inch telescopes. So in this article, we will compare these three telescopes and see how they are different from each other.
The NexStar 8 SE is the top model from the SE series. The evolution series has two 8-inch models. One is Evolution 8 & the other is evolution 8 HD. They are just below the top model in the evolution series.
Details of the NexStar 8SE
The orange color tube is the signature of the SE series. NexStar 8SE is the most popular orange tube telescope from the Celestron NexStar SE series.
It has an aperture of 8-inches around 203mm. Its focal length is 2032mm & focal ratio is 10. The telescope comes with one 25mm eyepiece. You can get 81X magnification with this eyepiece. The highest useful magnification you get with this telescope is 480X & the lowest useful magnification you get is 29X. The weight of the optical tube assembly is 12lbs around 5.5kg.
NexStar 8SE mount
The telescope has a computerized alt-azimuth single fork mount. The weight of the mount is 11lbs around 5kg. The total weight carrying capacity of this mount is 12lbs around 5.5kg. The tripod on which the mount sits has a weight of 9lbs around 4kg. The mount has a database of 40,000 celestial objects. You can type in any object you want, the computerized mount will guide you to that object.
The mount runs on 8 AA batteries but these batteries can get drained easily. So it is always recommended to buy an external battery power supply with this telescope. The total weight of the NexStar 8SE telescope kit is 24lbs around 11kg.
Details of NexStar Evolution 8
The optical tube assembly of the NexStar 8SE and the evolution 8 is exactly the same. The only difference is the color of the evolution 8 telescopes. Evolution 8 also has an 8-inch aperture with a focal length of 2032mm and a focal ratio of 10. Its highest and lowest useful magnification is also the same as NexStar 8SE, which is 480X & 29X.
The evolution 8 comes with two eyepieces one is 40mm & the other is 13mm. The highest magnification you get with a 40mm eyepiece with this telescope is 51X. With a 13mm eyepiece, the highest magnification you get with evolution 8 is 156X.
NexStar Evolution 8 mount
The biggest difference between Evolution 8 from the 8SE is the mount. Evolution 8 has a heavier mount which has more load-carrying capacity and some extra features which will make your stargazing experience very enjoyable.
The weight of the evolution 8 mount is 16lbs around 7kg. Its load-carrying capacity is 25lbs around 11kg. The tripod on which the mount sits is also different from 8SE. The evolution 8 tripod weighs 12lbs around 5.5kg. Because the evolution has a heavier mount it offers more stability while tracking any celestial object. The total weight of the Evolution 8 kit is 40lbs around 18kg.
Apart from the weight, the evolution 8 mount has a built-in battery. The battery will last for about 10 hours during your stargazing night. This battery has a power management system, which detects low levels of the battery and automatically goes into the power-saving mode for maximum use possible. The mount also has USB ports which can be used for charging any other device you need for your stargazing night.
This telescope also has built-in wi-fi. With the help of wifi, you can control your telescope from your phone, tablet, or iPad. You can use the telescope with the help of Celestron’s mobile app. With the help of wifi, setting up & navigating gets much easier. The sky align procedure is built into the app so setting up the telescope just takes a few minutes.
Unlike the SE series, the evolution series mount has brass worm gears. You can not underestimate the power of the worm gears. The worm gear will give you very smooth and accurate tracking of the object you are looking for. If you want to do astrophotography then this will be super helpful.
Details of the Evolution 8 Edge HD
When it comes to optical tube assembly, dimensions, and mount, the Evolution 8 & Evolution 8HD are exactly the same telescopes. The only difference between these two telescopes is the Optics of the 8HD are superior. The Edge HD also comes with Celestron’s StarSense Auto-align. With StarSense Auto-align all you have to do is to press align button. Then StarSense will scan the sky and figure out the exact location where your telescope is. This takes away all the hassle of setting up a telescope.
The 8HD has Edge HD optics. When you observe through a normal telescope, in the field of view, you go away from the focus of your target toward the edge. The objects look blurred and ring-shaped. But with Edge HD this is not the case. With Edge HD, in the field of view, as you go away from the focused target the other objects will still look sharp, till the edge of the field of view.
NexStar Evolution 8 Edge HD Optics views
Example 1
You can see this in the image of M3.
This image is taken with a normal telescope. You can see in this image, as you go outwards toward the edge of the field of view. The stars look blurred, ring-shaped & out of focus.
Now the same image of M3 is taken with the same setup & camera but with an Edge HD telescope.
In this image, you can see, as you go outward toward the edge of the field of view. The stars look sharp and in the focus. So, the Edge HD will give you sharp focused views of objects across the entire field of view.
Example 2
Here is another image example.
In the image from a normal telescope faint starlight can go unnoticed at the edge of the field of view. The same image with the Edge HD optics resolves faint detail missed in telescopes of equal aperture. This is the reason the Evolution 8 HD is a superior telescope to the NexStar 8SE & the Evolution 8. It will add definitely much more to your overall stargazing experience.
What about the Astrophotography with these telescopes?
All these telescopes are good for the moon and planetary astrophotography. Basically, the short-exposure Astro-imaging will be great with these telescopes. The evolution 8HD will give you much better and sharper results than the other two.
As all these telescopes come with a computerized alt-azimuth mount, so you cannot do long-exposure astrophotography with these telescopes. If you want to do long-exposure astrophotography to capture deep-space objects then you will need to buy a wedge that will convert your alt-azimuth mount into an equatorial mount. If you do not know “how different types of mount work” then you should watch this video on the channel.
Which one should you buy?
As mentioned earlier each telescope has its unique ability. If you have budget constraints then you should go with the Celestron NexStar 8SE it is the cheapest telescope among these three.
8SE is suitable for beginner to advanced levels of astronomers. It can be your first serious telescope. So basically you cannot go wrong with your decision if you are confused about which telescope to buy. With some accessories such as an external battery and wifi module, this telescope will be a good choice.
The NexStar Evolution 8 has everything that 8SE does not have. Controlling a telescope with your Smartphone will make your stargazing experience very smooth and fun. The Evolution 8 will be a good choice if you do not want the hassle of an external battery.
If you have a higher budget and want to look for a telescope that offers a smooth experience & super-sharp images then the Evolution 8HD is for you. You can also buy only the optical tube assembly of the Evolution 8HD if you are serious about deep-space astrophotography. But you will need to invest more in a good high-quality equatorial mount. We explained in this article How the Equatorial mount works.
Summary of all telescopes
| NexStar 8SE | Evolution 8 | Evolution 8 Edge HD | |
| Aperture | 203.2mm (8″) | 203.2mm (8″) | 203.2mm (8″) |
| Focal Length | 2032mm (80″) | 2032mm (80″) | 2032mm (80″) |
| Focal Ratio | f/10 | f/10 | f/10 |
| Highest Useful Magnification | 480x | 480x | 480x |
| Lowest Useful Magnification | 29x | 29x | 29x |
| OTA weight | 12 lbs (5.4 kg) | 12.5 lbs (5.67 kg) | 14 lbs (6.35 kg) |
| Mount Type | Single fork AZ mount | Single fork AZ mount | Single fork AZ mount |
| Mount Load Capacity | 12 lbs (5.44 kg) | 25 lbs (11 kg) | 25 lbs (11 kg) |
| Total Weight | 24 lbs (10.88 kg) | 40.5 lbs (18.37 kg) | 42 lbs (19.05 kg) |
| BUY HERE | BUY HERE | BUY HERE |
So overall, NexStar 8SE is a great value package that makes an advanced and powerful telescope accessible to beginners and more experienced users.
NexStar Evolution 8 is for people ready to pay more for a higher-quality experience & NexStar Evolution 8 HD is for people who want both high-quality observing and Astro-imaging.
If you are looking for a telescope specifically for astrophotography then you need to check this article. You can also find the best suitable telescope for you with our telescope suggestion tool.
