Celestron · Achromat Refractor
Celestron Travel Scope 80
Portable 80mm refractor that goes where you go, without sacrificing the views that matter most
Price updated Apr 18, 2026
Performance Scores
Overview
The Celestron Travel Scope 80 is a compact achromat refractor built around an 80mm aperture and a 400mm focal length, giving it an f/5 focal ratio that works well for wide-field views of the Moon, star clusters, and bright deep-sky objects. At just over 2kg, it genuinely earns the "travel" label. The fully coated optics represent a meaningful step up from the bare glass found in cheaper beginner scopes, and you will notice the difference in contrast and light transmission.
The two included eyepieces, a 20mm and a 10mm, deliver 20x and 40x magnification respectively, which is appropriate for lunar detail, Jupiter's cloud bands, and Saturn's rings. Do not expect this scope to perform well at very high magnifications; the short focal ratio and achromat design mean chromatic aberration becomes noticeable when you push beyond what the optics can comfortably support. The alt-azimuth mount is simple and functional, not a precision tracking instrument, so it suits casual observing rather than long planetary sessions.
The included backpack, smartphone adapter, star diagonal, and Starry Night software download make this a genuinely complete kit for someone starting out. For the price, it offers honest, usable performance in a package that travels easily.
At a Glance
80mm
Aperture
f/5
Focal Ratio
2.04kg
Weight
400mm
Focal Length
Specifications
Key Features
- 80mm aperture gathers enough light to show lunar craters, planetary detail, and bright deep-sky targets clearly
- Fully coated glass optics improve contrast and sharpness compared to uncoated lenses common in this price range
- At 2.04kg with a dedicated backpack included, it is one of the lighter complete telescope kits available under $110
- Two eyepieces provide 20x and 40x magnification, covering the range where this scope performs most reliably
- Works equally well for daytime terrestrial viewing, making it useful beyond dedicated stargazing sessions
- Chromatic aberration is present at higher magnifications, a known limitation of short f/5 achromat designs at this price point
- Comes with a smartphone adapter and Starry Night software, reducing the additional cost of getting started
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Customer Reviews
1,749 reviews
Excellent product, everything is correct as advertised. Easy to use, no issues with the lenses. Highly recommend for all experience levels.
Got this for my 10 year old son. So he'd have a scope light enough for him to bring outside and set up on his own, and cheap enough that it's not a huge loss if it gets messed up. Also, I kinda wanted a travel scope to use for myself too. I have plenty of large scopes that take a lot of time to set ...
80mm Travel Scope - Four Stars I really like this scope. It is light weight [12 lbs. total with new mount & accessories] and portable, it's a perfect grab-n-go. However, there are three significant things that I changed to make it work better for me personally, and you may want to consider these as ...