Comparison
There's no outright winner here; your choice depends entirely on your observing priorities. The Celestron EdgeHD 800 OTA delivers 16 times more light-gathering aperture, making it vastly superior for planetary detail and faint deep-sky objects. The Vaonis Vespera II compensates with smart automation and computational imaging that can reveal nebulae and galaxies invisible to traditional eyepiece viewing, plus significantly better portability despite weighing more.
The single most important differentiator is aperture versus intelligence. The EdgeHD 800 is a traditional optical instrument that demands experience and dark skies to shine; the Vespera II is a camera-equipped smart telescope that processes images electronically to extract data from light-polluted suburbs. Buy the Celestron EdgeHD 800 OTA if you want maximum planetary resolution and traditional deep-sky observing with an eyepiece.
Buy the Vaonis Vespera II if you value convenience, astrophotography capability without darkroom work, and tolerate its modest aperture for computational enhancement. The EdgeHD 800 remains the stronger choice for serious amateur astronomers seeking optical performance, but the Vespera II wins for accessible imaging astronomy with minimal learning curve.
Why choose Celestron EdgeHD 800
Why choose Vaonis Vespera II