Celestron · Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron EdgeHD 800 OTA
Celestron's sharpest 8-inch SCT, built from the ground up for serious visual and imaging work
Price updated Mar 22, 2026
Performance Scores
Overview
The Celestron EdgeHD 800 OTA is an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain designed to address one of the classic limitations of standard SCTs: field curvature. With its flat-field optical design, stars stay sharp and round all the way to the edge of the frame, which matters a great deal if you plan to use a DSLR or dedicated astronomy camera with a large sensor. The 203mm aperture and 2032mm focal length at f/10 give you the reach to resolve planetary detail, split tight double stars, and pull in fine structure in galaxies and globular clusters.
Visually, the views are excellent, and the included 40mm eyepiece gives a solid starting magnification of 51x. The StarBright XLT coatings improve light throughput noticeably compared to uncoated optics. Cooling vents help the primary mirror reach thermal equilibrium faster than a sealed tube, which reduces the soft, shimmering views you get when a cold telescope is still adjusting to outdoor temperatures.
Keep in mind this is an OTA only, so budget separately for a capable equatorial mount, which this scope genuinely needs given its focal length and imaging ambitions. At $1699, it rewards those ready to commit to that full system.
At a Glance
203.2mm
Aperture
f/10
Focal Ratio
1.2kg
Weight
2032mm
Focal Length
Specifications
Key Features
- Flat-field optical design keeps stars sharp across large camera sensors, not just at center
- 203mm aperture resolves fine planetary detail, tight double stars, and structure in deep-sky objects
- f/10 focal ratio at 2032mm suits high-magnification planetary and lunar work especially well
- StarBright XLT coatings applied to every optical surface improve contrast and light transmission
- Built-in cooling vents accelerate mirror cool-down, reducing thermal distortion during the first hour of use
- Tension clutch mirror lock reduces image shift when focusing, a common frustration on standard SCTs
- Sold as OTA only, giving flexibility to pair it with the mount and accessories that fit your setup
Customer Reviews
13 reviews
I have an older 8" Celestron SCT and two 11" SCTs both previous models...one is a GPS 11" and the other a 11" tube that goes on my Astro Physics 900 GTO mount. I also 7obtained a 14" EdgeHD scope for use in an observatory I manage for Scouts in a scout camp in Michigan and have been impressed with t...
Although the telescope works fine and there are no complaints about the general quality. I found to my surprise that the finderscope bracket is broken.
I just love the performance on this telescope. I am building an observatory for it and just had a try and it was amazing the quality of resolution on M13 from a city just 60 miles east of LA, and about 90 north of SD. Needless to say the light pollution coming from all directions is heavy, but once ...