Celestron Origin Mark II

$4,299 in the United States: the Origin Mark II is the only smart telescope built around a 152 mm RASA optic at f/2.2, and at that price it undercuts every premium rival in the category. It is also by far the heaviest on the market at 18.87 kg, ruling out portable use — and European buyers pay 5,299 €, which changes the calculation entirely there.

The short verdict

An essential clarification first: this page covers the Origin Mark II, part number 12100, released around October 2025. It replaces the original Origin, part number 12099, with its 6.4 MP Sony IMX178 sensor, launched at $3,999 in 2024 and since discontinued; both carry the same name and the confusion is common at retailers. The Mark II keeps the 152 mm RASA (Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph) optic with 335 mm of focal length, that is f/2.2, the fastest ratio on the market, and pairs it with an 8.3 MP back-illuminated Sony IMX678-AAQR1 Starvis 2 colour sensor (3856 × 2180, 2 µm photosites, 8.9 mm diagonal). Single-fork alt-azimuth StarSense GoTo mount, Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer, built-in Wi-Fi, no subscription.

In the field, f/2.2 makes the difference: targets are recognisable after very little exposure, and the BBC awards it 4.5/5. For an American buyer the price is genuinely aggressive — $4,299 buys 152 mm when the Unistellar eVscope 2 asks $4,999 for 114 mm and the Odyssey Pro $4,599 for 85 mm. The reservations are elsewhere: 18.87 kg, a sensor that under-uses the RASA image circle, no mosaic mode, and an equatorial wedge sold separately. If it must be portable, the eVscope 2 weighs 9 kg. If field and resolution matter most, the Vaonis Vespera Pro 2 at $2,990 offers 12.5 MP, a 50 MP mosaic and only 5 kg.

The Origin Mark II is right for you if…

• You want the fastest optic on the market: f/2.2, and no other smart telescope gets there.
• Aperture comes first: 152 mm, or 6 inches, far above a competition topping out around 114 mm.
• You observe from a fixed spot: garden, terrace or home observatory, where 18.87 kg is no problem.
• You buy in dollars: at $4,299 it undercuts both premium Unistellars while carrying far more aperture.
• You want an immediate start: in testing, under five minutes separates box from first image, and the AI processing fights light pollution effectively.
• You refuse subscriptions: the app, built with Simulation Curriculum, is free, all functions included.

Avoid it if…

• You have to carry your instrument: 18.87 kg all in (4.8 kg tube, 7.7 kg mount, 6.35 kg tripod), about double the heaviest smart telescope until now.
• You are after very large objects: the 8.9 mm diagonal sensor under-uses the RASA image circle, and no mosaic mode covers a target like M31.
• You buy in euros: 5,299 € against $4,299, a gap confirmed by two French retailers that weighs heavily against European rivals.
• You want complete software on day one: functions are missing, including pause and resume of an exposure, and the wedge is billed separately.

What it is really worth in the field

Deep sky

This is where the Origin Mark II crushes the comparison. At f/2.2 with 152 mm of aperture, the flux collected per unit of time has no equivalent: targets become perfectly recognisable after very little exposure, and the onboard AI processing widens the list of objects reachable from a suburban sky. The limit lies elsewhere: with a field of 1.32° × 0.75° and no mosaic mode, large extended objects stay out of reach, and the sensor’s 8.9 mm diagonal leaves much of the RASA image circle unused.

Moon and Sun

The 1.32° field takes the whole lunar disc with margin to spare. The 335 mm focal length stays very short, so close-ups of craters fall outside what a wide-field astrograph is for. For the Sun, no filtration accessory comes with the device and the rule knows no exception — without a certified solar filter ahead of the optics, you never point at the Sun.

Planets

Disappointing, and consistent with how the instrument was designed. A 335 mm astrograph at f/2.2 is optimised for flux, not for sampling a disc a few arcseconds across, and 2 µm photosites do not compensate for such a short focal length: reviews flag this as a weak point. If Jupiter, Saturn or Mars come first for you, a long-focal-length instrument costing a fraction of this price will do far better.

18.87 kg and the EUR/USD gap: who is this instrument for?

At 18.87 kg split between a 4.8 kg tube, a 7.7 kg mount and a 6.35 kg tripod, the Mark II weighs roughly double the heaviest of its predecessors. This is not an instrument you take with you but one you install: garden, terrace or shelter, set up once and left in place.

Then there is pricing, which cuts in opposite directions depending on where you live. In the United States, $4,299 is aggressive: it places the largest aperture and the fastest optic in the category below the $4,999 of the eVscope 2 and the $4,599 of the Odyssey Pro, neither of which comes close on light collection. In Europe the picture flips: 5,299 € against $4,299 is a substantial gap, confirmed by two French retailers and not explained by the exchange rate alone, so European buyers face far better-positioned competition than Americans do.

The Origin Mark II against its direct rivals

Origin Mark II vs Unistellar eVscope 2

The eVscope 2, at $4,999, sets 114 mm at f/4 against the Celestron’s 152 mm at f/2.2: the Origin wins clearly on light collection while costing $700 less in the US. But the Unistellar weighs 9 kg against 18.87 kg and adds a Nikon micro-OLED eyepiece. The Origin Mark II is a better astrograph and the better buy in dollars, while the eVscope 2 is a far better telescope to carry and to share.

Origin Mark II vs Vaonis Vespera Pro 2

The Vespera Pro 2 costs $2,990, so $1,309 less, weighs 5 kg and offers 12.5 MP against 8.3 plus a 50 MP mosaic, exactly what the Celestron lacks. In the US that gap buys real aperture and is defensible; in Europe, where the Origin asks 5,299 € against 2,990 €, the Vespera Pro 2 makes it very hard to justify for wide-field use.

Origin Mark II vs Unistellar Odyssey Pro

The Odyssey Pro, at $4,599, does not play in the same category with its 85 mm, but it adds an OLED eyepiece and travels effortlessly. Against 18.87 kg it is the choice for anyone observing away from home — though it costs $300 more for a fraction of the aperture.

Alternatives by budget

• Around $2,500: the Vaonis Vespera III at $2,490, a 2.5° × 1.4° field where the Origin tops out at 1.32° × 0.75°.
• Around $3,000: the Vaonis Vespera Pro 2 at $2,990, 12.5 MP, a 50 MP mosaic and 5 kg.
• Around $2,900: the eQuinox 2 at $2,899.
• Around $4,600: the Unistellar Odyssey Pro at $4,599, OLED eyepiece and contained weight.
• Around $5,000: the Unistellar eVscope 2 at $4,999, 114 mm, Nikon eyepiece, 9 kg.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Origin and the Origin Mark II?

The original Origin carries part number 12099, uses a 6.4 MP Sony IMX178 sensor, launched at $3,999 in 2024 and is no longer produced. The Mark II carries part number 12100, was released around October 2025 and uses an 8.3 MP Sony IMX678-AAQR1 Starvis 2. Check the part number with the retailer: the two are easily confused.

Does the Origin Mark II require a subscription?

No. The Celestron app, developed with Simulation Curriculum, is free and all functions are included in the purchase price, with no paid online service. The same holds across the Unistellar range, including the eVscope 2 and the Odyssey: no model here charges a subscription.

What is the real battery life?

Celestron quotes more than 6 hours with its 97.9 Wh LiFePO4 battery, but one test near 0 °C (32 °F) recorded only around 3 hours. Plan on backup power for cold nights.

What is the internal storage capacity?

Celestron does not publish this figure. The device does have three USB-A ports and an Ethernet port, which open the way to external storage and a wired connection.

Why does it cost $4,299 in the United States and 5,299 € in Europe?

The gap is real, confirmed by two French retailers, and not explained by the exchange rate alone. For an American buyer the $4,299 figure is what makes this telescope competitive, undercutting rivals with far less aperture. For a European buyer the same machine sits markedly less well against a rival like the Vespera Pro 2.