Celestron · Eyepiece
Celestron 8-24mm Zoom
One eyepiece, every magnification from wide-field sweeps to close planetary views, all under $85.
Performance Scores
Overview
The Celestron 8-24mm Zoom is a single 1.25-inch eyepiece that covers the magnification range you would normally need three or four separate eyepieces to achieve. By rotating the rubberized barrel, you can step through four click-stop focal lengths, 8mm, 12mm, 18mm, and 24mm, without ever pulling away from the focuser. That makes it genuinely useful at the eyepiece, especially when you are chasing a planet through atmospheric turbulence and need to quickly back off the power.
At 24mm you get a wider, brighter view well suited to star clusters and large nebulae. At 8mm you are pushing into the range where planetary detail starts to resolve on a good night. The fully multi-coated optics keep contrast reasonable across that range, though like any zoom design it will not quite match a premium fixed eyepiece of equivalent focal length for edge sharpness or eye relief.
At 0.23kg it is light enough that it will not unbalance smaller mounts. Rated 4.6 out of 5 across more than 2,500 Amazon reviews, it has a track record worth taking seriously. For beginners building a first kit or experienced observers wanting a convenient grab-and-go option, it earns its price.
At a Glance
0.23kg
Weight
8mm
Focal Length
Specifications
Key Features
- Covers 8mm to 24mm focal lengths in one eyepiece, reducing the cost and hassle of carrying multiple oculars
- Four click-stop positions provide repeatable, consistent magnification settings rather than a freewheel that drifts
- Fully multi-coated optics on every lens surface improve contrast and light transmission compared to single-coated alternatives
- Fits any standard 1.25-inch focuser and accepts 1.25-inch threaded filters, keeping it compatible with most beginner and intermediate telescopes
- At roughly $84, it is a practical entry point for experimenting with different magnifications before committing to expensive fixed eyepieces
- Eye relief narrows noticeably at the 8mm end, which can be uncomfortable for eyeglass wearers during extended high-power sessions
- Backed by a 2-year US warranty and US-based support from Celestron, a manufacturer with a long service history
Customer Reviews
2,512 reviews
I purchased this in April 2011-after the March Supermoon and it quickly became my primary eyepiece! AFOV is wider than my standard MA (Modified Achromat) eyepieces and the wide exit pupil allows for an easier stance over whatever telescope I am using at the time of viewing. I will admit that while a...
This zooming eyepiece does a great job, but you need to be aware that somethings do not appear as well as others when zoomed in. This is an inescapable fact of life. Additionally, as with any zooming optical piece, the more you zoom in the smaller the field of view becomes. This means that the objec...
I'm using this on a Celestron 102mm F5 telescope. While heavier than a standard eyepiece, it eliminates having to change out eyepieces with the chance of dropping one. (I have a old 40mm with a chipped lens from just this). On the Celestron it gives 21x to 63x. Eye relief is ample for eye glass wear...