A long focal length folded into a short tube · review
Celestron's NexStar Evolution 6: a 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain on a single-arm GoTo mount with integrated Wi-Fi, a built-in lithium battery rated for 10 hours, brass worm gears and 40 mm and 13 mm eyepieces.
The Evolution’s headline feature is a built-in lithium-ion phosphate battery that Celestron rates for up to 10 hours. There is no external power tank and no cable to trip over, and a USB port charges a phone. When the battery runs low, the telescope switches to a power-saving mode.
The mount makes its own Wi-Fi network. The SkyPortal app on a phone or tablet aligns it and slews it to any of 120,000+ objects. A NexStar+ hand control is still in the box.
Celestron publishes a highest useful magnification of 354x and supplies 40 mm and 13 mm Plössls for 38x and 115x. The focal length itself is not in the listing.
Brass worm gears, improved motors, manual clutches on both axes so it can be pointed by hand when powered off, a stainless-steel tripod with leg etchings for leveling, and two eyepiece trays, one with a red LED.
The optics are the same six inches as the NexStar 6SE. On November 7, 2026 the Evolution cost about $580 more; that buys the battery, the Wi-Fi, the brass gears and a second eyepiece.
Celestron says the Orion Nebula can be photographed with a DSLR attached directly, and points to its separate Pro HD Wedge for longer exposures.
On November 7, 2026, Amazon.com listed it at about $1,618 from a third-party seller.
Figures as Keepa reported them on the day this page was last updated. Stock and pricing shift without warning.
Prices quoted in this text were read on November 7, 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.
Same aisle, closest price — what the same spend else shows.
| Aperture | 6 in (150 mm), stated |
|---|---|
| Folded focal length and ratio | Not published in the listing · eyepieces of 40 mm (38x) and 13 mm (115x), stated · highest useful magnification 354x, stated |
| Corrector design | Schmidt-Cassegrain · StarBright XLT coatings, stated |
| Obstruction | Not published by the maker. |
| Back focus | Not published by the maker. |
| Cool-down guidance | Not published by the maker. |
| Tube weight | Not published separately · Amazon's item data gives 16.3 kg (36 lb) for the shipment |
| Mount supplied | Single-arm alt-azimuth GoTo mount with brass worm gears · integrated Wi-Fi with the SkyPortal app (120,000+ objects) · NexStar+ hand control included · built-in lithium-ion phosphate battery, up to 10 hours · manual clutches on both axes · stainless steel tripod · StarPointer finder · 1.25 in diagonal |
| Amazon reference | B00K6E1S3I |
| EAN | 0050234120906 |
For observers who hate power cables, yes. Celestron rates it at up to 10 hours, says the telescope drops to a power-saving mode when it runs low, and adds a USB port to charge a phone.
It is Celestron's figure for the most magnification the 6-inch aperture can use, close to the usual rule of about 60x per inch. On most nights the air allows less; 150x to 250x is the practical planetary range.
No. The telescope makes its own Wi-Fi network and is controlled from the SkyPortal app; the NexStar+ hand control is included for those who prefer buttons.
This model is listed on Amazon.com, at ≈ $1,618 at the last reading. Listed is not the same as in stock: availability changes daily, and the buy box shows the live price.
Details checked on November 7, 2026.
A six-inch that runs all night on its own battery and is driven from a phone
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for telescopes and observing optics and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
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