What focal length does the Celestron 8″ EdgeHD really reach?

Celestron states 2,032 mm at f/10. The plate solves written into my native stacks read 2,096 to 2,098 mm, 0.370 arcsec per pixel on 3.76 micron pixels. With the 0.7x reducer my stacks solve at 1,467 to 1,501 mm, 0.72x to 0.74x at my spacing.

Do you need the 0.7x reducer with the EdgeHD 8?

For galaxies and clusters, yes: the Whirlpool, the Pinwheel, the Hamburger and M 13 on this page all went through Celestron's 0.7x reducer. The Crescent and the Western Veil were taken at the native f/10.

Which camera and mount did you use with the EdgeHD 8?

The deep-sky frames are on the ZWO ASI2600MC Duo. The Celestron Advanced VX carried the Whirlpool, the Hamburger, the Pinwheel and M 13; the ZWO AM5 carried the Crescent and the Western Veil. The planets and the Moon are on a ZWO ASI585MC.

How good is the EdgeHD 8 on the planets?

My Jupiter time-lapse shows the Great Red Spot and all four Galilean moons at 2,032 mm with no Barlow, and my Mars shows its dark surface markings. I have not imaged Saturn with it.

Should I buy the EdgeHD 8 or the Askar 140?

Now, presented with these planetary imaging comparisons, I think I'd still say that the C8 EdgeHD is the favourite. But for that telescope, planetary imaging is its main purpose. I personally still prefer the Askar 140 over it when it comes to imaging the entirety of our night sky.

What field of view does the EdgeHD 8 give?

0.64 x 0.43 degrees at f/10 on a 26 MP APS-C sensor, and 0.90 x 0.60 degrees with the 0.7x reducer. M 13, the Crescent and the Whirlpool fit; the Veil needs a mosaic.

Where can I buy the Celestron 8″ EdgeHD?

The prices I recorded: £1,999 at First Light Optics (UK), in stock; $1,499 at Agena Astro (US), in stock; $1,930 at AliExpress (Astronomical Outdoor Equipment Store), Global, listed.

What have I not tested on the EdgeHD 8?

I have not measured guiding, corner stars or tilt on the EdgeHD 8, used it visually on camera, or imaged Saturn with it.

Celestron 8″ EdgeHD review: planets and deep sky at 2,032 mm

Where does it rank on our leaderboard

Nine of the 42 telescopes on my board, against price
Rank	Telescope	Stars for Your Buck	Recorded UK price
1	Askar 50P	95 out of 100	£299
2	ToupTek Hope D60	93 out of 100	£749
3	Sky-Watcher HAC125DX	92 out of 100	£589
5	Celestron 8" EdgeHD	90 out of 100	£1,999
19	Sky-Watcher Heliostar 76Ha	74 out of 100	£2,399
26	Askar SQA60 Pro	71 out of 100	£1,249
36	Nakoh 60GT	52 out of 100	£899
41	Celestron 114 LCM	42 out of 100	£361
42	Celestron AstroMaster LT 76	13 out of 100	£200

Contents

01 Where does it rank on our leaderboard
02 Specifications and features
03 In the hand
04 How good is it? Here's what I captured
05 Planets and the Moon
06 Raw against finished
07 The rig on the mount
08 What is it for
09 Versus the Celestron C5
10 Watch the review
11 Tested numbers and the download
12 Should you buy it?
13 Questions and more about this review

In 30 seconds

Stars for Your Buck 90/100

Reviewed 12 Jul 2025 Updated 29 Sep 2026

Rank: #5 of 42 telescopes
Verdict: Damon's pick

Written by Damon Scotting 6 min read

Buy it if

You want the planets and the Moon at 2,032 mm without a Barlow
You will add the 0.7x reducer for galaxies and globular clusters
You want one telescope for small nebulae, galaxies and planets

Skip it if

You want wide fields: even with the reducer the field is 0.90 x 0.60 degrees on an APS-C sensor
You have not budgeted for the reducer, a guided equatorial mount and a camera
You want one telescope for the whole night sky, big nebulae included

“The EdgeHD line of Celestron telescopes is perfect for both imaging the planets and deep sky objects.”

Specifications and features

Against the telescopes I have reviewed

Compare with

Celestron 8″ EdgeHD reviewed #5 of 42	Celestron C11 EdgeHD #18 of 42	Celestron 8 inch RASA #35 of 42	Sky-Watcher Skymax 180 #33 of 42
Recorded UK price	£1,999	£4,845	£2,595	£1,021
Stars for Your Buck	90/100	75/100	53/100	58/100
Aperture	203.2 mm (8 in)	279.4 mm (11 in)	203.2 mm (8 in)	180 mm
Focal length	2,032 mm	2,800 mm	400 mm	2,700 mm
Focal ratio	f/10	f/10	f/2.0	f/15
Optical design	EdgeHD aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain	EdgeHD aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain	Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph, 93 mm central obstruction	Maksutov-Cassegrain
Image circle	APS-C sensors with the 0.7x reducer	42 mm with the 0.7x reducer	22 mm, 3.15 degrees	1 inch
Back focus	105 mm with the 0.7x reducer	146 mm with the 0.7x reducer	25 mm from the supplied adapters, 29 mm from the threaded collar	not recorded
Focuser	Moving primary mirror with mirror clutches	Moving primary mirror with mirror clutches	Ultra-Stable Focus System on precision linear ball bearings	Twist-knob focusing by an internally moving primary mirror; integrated T2 thread
Weight, tube	6.35 kg (14 lb) optical tube	13 kg (28 lb) optical tube	7.7 kg (17 lb) optical tube	7.8 kg tube
Length, tube	432 mm (17 in)	610 mm (24 in)	628 mm tube, 235 mm diameter	520 mm tube
Dew shield	not included	not included	Not included	Not included
In the box	40 mm Plossl 1.25 in eyepiece, 9x50 finderscope, 1.25 in star diagonal, CGE dovetail bar	9x50 finderscope, 2 in mirror diagonal with 1.25 in adapter, 23 mm Luminos 2 in eyepiece, CGE dovetail bar	42 mm T-thread and C-thread camera adapters, fan battery pack, CGE dovetail bar	9x50 finder, 2 in star diagonal with 1.25 in and 2 in adaptors, fitted 45 mm dovetail bar, 10 mm and 25 mm eyepieces (UK) or a 28 mm 2 in eyepiece (USA)

In the hand

How good is it? Here's what I captured

Six targets

NGC 6888, ASI2600MC Duo, L-Ultimate

Integration: 3 h (60 x 180 s)
Field: 0.64 x 0.43 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Duo
Mount: ZWO AM5
Target: NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula
Type: Emission nebula around a Wolf-Rayet star
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

NGC 6960, ASI2600MC Duo, L-Ultimate

Integration: 1 h 6 min (22 x 180 s)
Field: 0.64 x 0.43 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Duo
Mount: ZWO AM5
Target: NGC 6960 Western Veil Nebula
Type: Supernova remnant
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

NGC 3628, ASI2600MC Duo

Integration: 29 min (29 x 60 s)
Field: 0.90 x 0.60 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD with the 0.7x reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Duo
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Target: NGC 3628 Hamburger Galaxy
Type: Edge-on spiral galaxy
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

M 51, ASI2600MC Duo

Integration: 1 h 27 min (87 x 60 s)
Field: 0.90 x 0.60 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD with the 0.7x reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Duo
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Target: M 51 Whirlpool Galaxy
Type: Interacting spiral galaxy
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

M 101, ASI2600MC Duo

Integration: 1 h 30 min (90 x 60 s)
Field: 0.90 x 0.60 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD with the 0.7x reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Duo
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Target: M 101 Pinwheel Galaxy
Type: Face-on spiral galaxy
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

M 13, ASI2600MC Duo

Integration: 34 min (34 x 60 s)
Field: 0.90 x 0.60 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD with the 0.7x reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Duo
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Target: M 13 Hercules Globular Cluster
Type: Globular star cluster
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

Planets and the Moon

The planets and the Moon

Jupiter, the Great Red Spot and the four Galilean moons

Date: 5 Mar 2025
Gear: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD at 2,032 mm, ZWO ASI585MC, no Barlow

This will go down as one of my favourite ever shots of Jupiter, simply because of the fact that not only does it have Jupiter's Great Red Spot showing, but all four of the Galilean moons at the same time.

Jupiter and its moons, the first run of the night

Date: 5 Mar 2025
Gear: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD at 2,032 mm, 533-class camera, no Barlow

Mars

Date: 25 Feb 2025
Gear: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD at 2,032 mm, the best 1,000 of 5,000 frames

Mars turning

Date: 5 and 8 Mar 2025
Gear: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD at 2,032 mm, ZWO ASI585MC

The Moon at first quarter: Copernicus and the Apennines

Date: 8 Mar 2025
Gear: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD at 2,032 mm, live-stack frame

Archimedes and the Apennine terminator

Date: 8 Mar 2025
Gear: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD at 2,032 mm, live-stack frame

The waxing crescent at the limb

Date: 5 Mar 2025
Gear: Celestron 8″ EdgeHD at 2,032 mm, live-stack frame

Raw against finished

The rig on the mount

The 6 targets, the raw combined stack against my finished image, each with its integration, the camera and the palette:

NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula: 3 h (60 x 180 s) of light, ASI2600MC Duo, Optolong L-Ultimate, the raw combined stack with one automatic stretch
NGC 6960 Western Veil Nebula: 1 h 6 min (22 x 180 s) of light, ASI2600MC Duo, Optolong L-Ultimate, the raw combined stack with one automatic stretch
NGC 3628 Hamburger Galaxy: 29 min (29 x 60 s) of light, ASI2600MC Duo, the raw combined stack with one automatic stretch
M 51 Whirlpool Galaxy: 1 h 27 min (87 x 60 s) of light, ASI2600MC Duo, the raw combined stack with one automatic stretch
M 101 Pinwheel Galaxy: 1 h 30 min (90 x 60 s) of light, ASI2600MC Duo, the raw combined stack with one automatic stretch
M 13 Hercules Globular Cluster: 34 min (34 x 60 s) of light, ASI2600MC Duo, the raw combined stack with one automatic stretch

On the JUWEI-17, then on six other mounts

What is it for

Three things it is for

Coma and field curvature corrected

Thanks to the EdgeHD optical design, it fully corrects for coma and field curvature, delivering a truly flat field.

Jupiter without a Barlow

Here's a time-lapse that I made over a couple of hours from imaging the largest planet in our solar system. I didn't even bother to use a Barlow lens for this shot, which is crazy.

Galaxies and clusters through the reducer

It's captured some really nice images of some galaxies and star clusters.

Versus the Celestron C5

M 101 on both, plate-solved and star-aligned (residual 0.96 px per 1000)

The same target on the Celestron C5
Target	Telescope	Integration	Subs	Filter	Nights
M 101 Pinwheel Galaxy	Celestron 8″ EdgeHD + 0.7x reducer	118 min	118 x 60 s	not recorded	not recorded
M 101 Pinwheel Galaxy	Celestron C5 + 0.63x reducer	30 min	30 x 60 s	not recorded	2025-03-26

Watch the review

What YOU can SEE with a £2000 "USED" Telescope setup?! · published 12 July 2025 · 12:12 · Watch on YouTube · 9,098 views, 506 likes on 2 Oct 2026

Jump to

1:04 The EdgeHD optical design and its flat field
1:09 Why it needs the 0.7x reducer
2:37 Unboxing the EdgeHD 8
5:30 First light with the ASI585MC
6:16 Adding the 0.7x reducer
7:49 Galaxies and star clusters through the reducer
8:19 The L-Ultimate filter and a guide scope
9:33 The Ring Nebula and the Veil
9:58 Jupiter without a Barlow

Transcript of the review video 234 words · 2 chapters · searchable

Press a time stamp to play from there.

9:33 The Ring Nebula and the Veil

9:34 You can really tell in this shot of the Ring Nebula that you're getting your money's worth with the filter. 9:37 There's almost a second layer of surrounding nebulosity that standard setups can't really pick up. 9:40 Of course you always have the option to also create mosaic shots of larger objects like the Veil Nebula and then combine them later on. 9:48 Overall as far as it goes in terms of imaging deep sky objects I think this setup does a terrific job at a budget of two thousand British pounds but what about when it comes to the planets?

9:58 Jupiter without a Barlow

9:59 Well obviously you're not going to be surprised here. 9:59 The Celestron C8 EdgeHD test scope knocks it out of the park. 10:03 Here's a time lapse that I made over a couple of hours from imaging the largest planet in our solar system with this scope and a 533 sensor. 10:14 I didn't even bother to use a Barlow lens for this shot which is crazy. 10:14 This will go down as one of my favourite ever shots of Jupiter simply because of the fact that not only does it have Jupiter's great red spot showing but all four of the Galilean moons at the same time. 10:29 I like it. 10:29 In reality at this playback the time-lapse only lasts about three seconds and yet I've watched it loop for probably an hour in total. 10:34 I'm absolutely mesmerized by it.

Check out more videos on the Celestron 8″ EdgeHD

Is BIGGER always BETTER? (Askar 103 v 140 v 185 Telescope)

24 Jul 2025

I Pointed a £200 TELESCOPE at JUPITER!? (+ Bonus stuff)

9 Jul 2025

Tested numbers and the download

Finished image

Licence: for personal use, credit Damon Scotting. Both JPEGs 1,916 x 1,278 px.

-10 C sensor temperature during imaging set point -10 C

2097 mm focal length, plate solved Celestron states 2032 mm

0.64 x 0.43° field of view 6,248 x 4,176 px on ASI2600MC Duo

26 MP ASI2600MC Duo 6,248 x 4,176 px, 23.5 x 15.7 mm

Should you buy it?

90/100 Stars for Your Buck

Pros

An aplanatic design: the EdgeHD corrector takes out the coma and field curvature of a standard Schmidt-Cassegrain.
Jupiter at 2,032 mm without a Barlow: the Great Red Spot and all four Galilean moons in one time-lapse.
With the 0.7x reducer the Whirlpool, the Pinwheel, the Hamburger and M 13 each took 29 to 90 minutes.
At 6.35 kg the tube is half the weight of the 11 inch EdgeHD.

Cons

To really take advantage of this telescope, you need to buy the focal reducer, which is expensive to say the least.
The field is small: 0.64 x 0.43 degrees at f/10 on an APS-C sensor, so larger objects like the Veil Nebula need mosaics.
It comes as a bare tube: the mount, the reducer, a guide scope and a camera are all extra.

The Celestron C8 EdgeHD telescope knocks it out of the park.

Who the EdgeHD 8 is for

Planetary and lunar imager

Buy

At 2,032 mm Jupiter's Great Red Spot and the four Galilean moons show without a Barlow, and the Moon fills the frame.

Deep-sky imager adding the 0.7x reducer

Buy

Through the reducer the Whirlpool, the Pinwheel, the Hamburger and M 13 each took under an hour and a half.

Buyer weighing a used tube

Buy

There is very little difference between a new and a used telescope, so a used EdgeHD 8 is worth a look.

Imager at f/10 with no reducer planned

Skip

Every galaxy and cluster on this page went through the 0.7x reducer: budget for it or pick a faster telescope.

Wide-field nebula imager

Skip

0.64 x 0.43 degrees crops the big nebulae to their cores. My recommendation is the Askar 140.

Three alternatives I have reviewed

Questions and more about this review

Reviewed by

Damon Scotting

The Telescope Man Verified

BSc (Hons) Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology, Loughborough University PGCE / QTS, University of Nottingham

About Damon About Damon Damon Scotting is The Telescope Man. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology from Loughborough University and a PGCE with QTS from the University of Nottingham, and taught physics in secondary schools before becoming an astronomy creator. He is a contributing writer for BBC Sky at Night Magazine and the author of 42 Wonders of Our Night Sky, and his photograph of the galaxy M100 with the dwarf planet Ceres was Highly Commended in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 competition run by Royal Observatory Greenwich. He has appeared on the BBC's Blue Peter. More than 750,000 people follow his astronomy channels on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and he has reviewed more than 140 telescopes, mounts, cameras, filters and accessories hands-on for this site. More about Damon · How I test · Damon's book

I review all kinds of gear: most of it I buy, some is gifted and some is loaned, and all of it is reviewed the same way. How this site is funded

Eight questions, answered

Questions about the Celestron 8″ EdgeHD

Reviewed 12 July 2025 ·Updated 29 September 2026

I review all kinds of gear. Most of it I buy, some is gifted and some is loaned, and all of it is reviewed the same way: no company sees or approves a review before it is published. Shop links marked Ad are affiliate links: I earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. How this site is funded

What focal length does the Celestron 8″ EdgeHD really reach? Celestron states 2,032 mm at f/10. The plate solves written into my native stacks read 2,096 to 2,098 mm, 0.370 arcsec per pixel on 3.76 micron pixels. With the 0.7x reducer my stacks solve at 1,467 to 1,501 mm, 0.72x to 0.74x at my spacing. Tested numbers and the download ↓
Do you need the 0.7x reducer with the EdgeHD 8? For galaxies and clusters, yes: the Whirlpool, the Pinwheel, the Hamburger and M 13 on this page all went through Celestron's 0.7x reducer. The Crescent and the Western Veil were taken at the native f/10. What I captured ↓
Which camera and mount did you use with the EdgeHD 8? The deep-sky frames are on the ZWO ASI2600MC Duo. The Celestron Advanced VX carried the Whirlpool, the Hamburger, the Pinwheel and M 13; the ZWO AM5 carried the Crescent and the Western Veil. The planets and the Moon are on a ZWO ASI585MC. What I captured ↓
How good is the EdgeHD 8 on the planets? My Jupiter time-lapse shows the Great Red Spot and all four Galilean moons at 2,032 mm with no Barlow, and my Mars shows its dark surface markings. I have not imaged Saturn with it. Planets and the Moon ↓
Should I buy the EdgeHD 8 or the Askar 140? Now, presented with these planetary imaging comparisons, I think I'd still say that the C8 EdgeHD is the favourite. But for that telescope, planetary imaging is its main purpose. I personally still prefer the Askar 140 over it when it comes to imaging the entirety of our night sky. From my Askar 103 v 140 v 185 video Versus the Celestron C5 ↓
What field of view does the EdgeHD 8 give? 0.64 x 0.43 degrees at f/10 on a 26 MP APS-C sensor, and 0.90 x 0.60 degrees with the 0.7x reducer. M 13, the Crescent and the Whirlpool fit; the Veil needs a mosaic. Tested numbers and the download ↓
Where can I buy the Celestron 8″ EdgeHD? The prices I recorded: £1,999 at First Light Optics (UK), in stock; $1,499 at Agena Astro (US), in stock; $1,930 at AliExpress (Astronomical Outdoor Equipment Store), Global, listed. A record, not a live price The verdict, the readers and the sellers ↓
What have I not tested on the EdgeHD 8? I have not measured guiding, corner stars or tilt on the EdgeHD 8, used it visually on camera, or imaged Saturn with it.