With the help of its companion app, even amateur astronomers can navigate the stars like a pro. That first night we managed to see the moon, Venus, Rigel, and Betelgeuse before the clouds took over. Please note that while the dock is capable of holding many different smartphone sizes, it is too small to hold an iPad or tablet. When compared to the 80 mm above, the 102 mm gathers 63% more light and will yield more detail than smaller scopes. That's too bad because there's a brand new comet, Comet Atlas, gracing the heavens right now. 4. Here are your StarSense Explorer telescope choices from smallest to largest: 1.Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80 mm Refractor: This 80 mm refractor telescope is the lightest StarSense model, weighing in at about 9 pounds. Want to take a guided tour of the Universe without investing in a computerized telescope? Then the app shows arrows directing you in which direction to move the telescope. Touch that box and read a description, see basic info on the object, like how far away it is, or get observing tips! Review. Explorer DX 102AZ refractor telescope ($400). The secret high tech ingredient is, in fact, wonderfully low tech and completely fitting: a mirror. The smartphone holder is mounted on the top of the telescope tube. Software on our phones and desktops has long simplified the night skies by providing guides and mapping out planets, and even giving precise locations of objects. With StarSense Explorer, finding and centering objects is quick, easy and satisfying, and since you already own your smartphone and the app is free, a StarSense Explorer telescope is way easier on the wallet than a computerized telescope! Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80 mm Refractor: Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102 mm Refractor: Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114 mm Reflector: Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130 mm Reflector: complete list of StarSense Explorer compatible smartphones, StarSense Explorer LT 80 mm Quick Setup Guide (2.09 MB), Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ Quick Setup Guide (2.23 MB), Celestron StarSense Explorer 102 DX Quick Start Guide (PDF) (1.93 MB), Celestron SenseStar Explorer DX 130AZ Quick Setup Guide (2.94 MB), Imaging Deep Sky Objects the Fun and Easy Way, Apertura 60EDR & Field Flattener: Complete Experience, Celestron StarSense Explorer Telescope Review. We do recommend that you purchase the StarSense Explorer model with the largest aperture (size of optics) that you can afford, however, since bigger optics gather more light and allow you to see more detail in celestial objects. Apertura Accessories 15% Off - Use Code APERTURA15 At Checkout! For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The view was also rewarding using a 2x Barlow. Regardless of the aperture you choose, all of the StarSense Explorer telescopes come with a full-sized tripod with accessory tray, the smartphone dock, two eyepieces and a red dot finder. The StarSense Explorer Dock is not just any old smartphone holder for your telescope! Telescope Cases, Covers & Dobsonian Shrouds. Receive Exclusive Offers, Monthly Celestial Event Calendars & Access To Telescope Giveaway Contests! Then you download the app and drop your phone in the holder. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114 mm Reflector: A Newtonian reflector uses mirrors instead of lenses to gather light and offers you more bang for your buck when it comes to aperture size. Just touch the object’s name on the screen and an orange box will appear below. Just choose one and away you go! Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114 mm Reflector: A Newtonian reflector uses mirrors instead of lenses to gather light and offers you more bang for your buck when it comes to aperture size. The package arrived in a single large box, and I was a little worried about how hard it would be to set up. One of the huge benefits of the StarSense Explorer system is that it does not require an expensive motorized, computerized telescope! For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. If you've felt an inkling to peer up at the stars, I have good news: It's never been easier, even if, like me, terms like declination, inclination, and azimuth mean next to nothing to you. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ Review: Incredible Tech, Cheap Build. Few of us can see the Milky Way from our homes any more due to light pollution, and fewer still spend nights around campfires staring up at the sky. Bright orange arrows mark the way to your chosen object, followed by a green bullseye when it’s time to look in the eyepiece. We recommend you go ahead and get the app before your telescope arrives. A list of the best objects visible from your location is auto-generated in an easy to read list form. With a pandemic raging around us, there was something calming about knowing it's out there. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. The process of finding an object with the app is simple; you can search or you can pan around the interface and tap something you want to see. A spring-loaded clamp holds your smartphone firmly in place, and Celestron has provided adjustment screws on both axes (X and Y) that can be tightened or loosened should you prefer more or less holder tension. The model I tested is the Explorer DX 102AZ refractor telescope ($400). My personal favorite is Stellarium, which can be used to control a telescope on a motorized mount. The fastest thing to do is to move it by hand until you're close, and then use the included slow-motion adjusters until the app says you're in the right place. Here are a few highlights of the app: The StarSense Explorer telescopes work with a wide range of smartphones, including the iPhone 6 or higher as well as Android 7.1.2 smartphones that were manufactured in 2016 onward and have a camera, gyro and accelerometer sensor. The 130 mm mirror gathers about 30% more light than its little brother, the 114 AZ, allowing you to see even more detail on the planets and other celestial objects.