Celestron NexStar 8SE

The gold standard of computerized telescopes for serious amateurs. The 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain optics deliver stunning views of planets, galaxies, and nebulae, while the NexStar GoTo mount automatically locates and tracks over 40,000 objects from its database. Setup takes about 10 minutes. The single-arm fork mount is surprisingly portable for an 8-inch scope. It's not cheap at around $1,500, but it's the telescope that converts casual stargazers into lifelong astronomers.