Here is a quick video that shows how this works: This is a great, innovative feature that takes advantage of the smartphone that you probably already own, and gives you something simpler and cheaper than a fully computerized telescope. Yes, you can take astrophotography pictures with the Celestron StarSense Explorer telescopes using a smartphone adapter like this basic one or this premium one. All these instruments are standard members of the Celestron range and are available in other mounting packages. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ 130mm f/5 AZ Reflector Telescope (24) Price View Cart. All the following stages are accomplished using the StarSense app that you need to unlock using a code supplied with your instrument, which will work with up to five devices. A used StarSense Explorer scope will likely be missing the code for the app and many of the scopes floating around have had their phone brackets yanked off as well for use on other instruments. These eyepieces have a lot of plastic in their build, but use glass optics and are fairly sharp, with more eye relief than a typical Plossl ocular (particularly beneficial with the 10mm). Celestron Astro Fi 130mm f/5 Reflector Telescope. COAST HX4 Dual-Color Utility Beam LED Clip Light. Ultimately, due to the somewhat inferior nature of the phones used (at least when compared to a GoTo Computerised Mount) the field of view will only be limited to a max of 0.25 degrees (half the width of the moon). Also note, that the same telescope is also being sold as the Popular Science StarSense Explorer DX 5. You can upgrade your telescope set up later with some Barlow and Plossl eyepieces. How were you able to loosen the tightness in the altitude axis? ), Celestron Omni XLT 102 Review (Worth It Or Overpriced!? There's also the Explorer DX 130AZ . Once chosen, you see a set of arrows on the screen that tells you which way to move the telescope to get to that object. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ telescope is all about the smartphone app used to align it, though it's a more manual affair than you might expect. 6mm goldline and/or a 2x Barlow would be my first picks. Now, when talking about accessories its important to discuss the eyepieces. The StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is a Newtonian reflector telescope with a 5.1-inch aperture. You wont be taking this on trips. We may earn commissions by recommending products on this website. Just follow the arrows to locate stars, planets & more! Your email address will not be published. Celestron Starsense explorer dx 130az uses Newtonian reflector type optics. The downside is that it is generally in the higher budget range and that it is less portable, heavier, and bulkier. But Celestron dx 130az does since they are exposed to dirt. Low powered (25mm) and high powered (10mm) eyepiece. . The tube itself is around 81 cm long. SKU: CEL-22461. COAST HX4 Dual-Color Utility Beam LED Clip Light. Im still figuring out, between Starsense Explorer DX130 and LT127. This means that it is larger and heavier. The only bad thing upon assembly is that I have the same problem as you did, the altitude axis on my mount is also too tight to freely the OTA up and down. Thank you in advance! Just recently purchased DX130. After a career that included making telescopes and editing a photography magazine, he became an author of popular astronomy books including Complete Guide to Stargazing, 101 Things to Spot in the Night Sky and Night Sky Atlas. The eyepieces provided with the 102az arent so good. Many people have asked on astronomy forums and contacted Celestron themselves, asking why the bracket and code cannot be sold as a stand-alone item. Which is Stronger? A large 10" parabolic primary mirror with XLT coatings helps you make the most of StarSense technology. For Celestron dx 102az the former type is used and also they are low in quality. Therefore this makes for a real (relative) bargain and a great option. It focuses the image on a single point. . As noted above, the 102 in the name refers to the telescopes aperture of 102mm (4-inch). With the StarSense Explorer line of instruments, Celestrons magic solution has been to link these to a telescope, getting rid of the need for the costly handset, the user input, and the encoders. The other advantage is that no power source is needed. The Moon looks pretty good, while Mercury and Venus show nothing besides their phases. I would recommend it though. Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mars should look pretty great through the scope and fairly easy to locate. The erect-image diagonal (which is necessary to allow the instrument to focus) introduces very little distortion, only marginally noticeable on a star image using a magnification of 130x. Tower - 3, Oxygen Business Park SEZ, Sector 144, Noida Expressway, Noida, Uttar Pradesh - 201304. A 2 diagonal and eyepieces would allow for a wider field of view, but are expensive and would make the scope unable to properly balance on its mount, as well as straining the lightweight mount and tripod. ), Deimos vs Uranus (How Are They Different? However, we have some reservations on telescope vendors and recommend that you go with HPS. The scope is alsoavailable on Amazon, which is unquestionably the most popular e-retailer in the United States, even when telescopes aloneare taken into account. ), Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Review (Is The StarSense Software Worth The Price? Its a great budget option, but if you have the space and intend to use it mostly at home then the 114AZ will give you more power for a similar price. Before the main discussion, lets see the fundamental difference between both telescopes. So unless you can be sure it has those or the price is absurdly low, wed recommend you pass. At this aperture and focal ratio, there is a fair amount of chromatic aberration, but sharp views of the Moon and planets are still possible. As for other key specifications, dx 102az has a focal ratio of 6.5. Normally, this is done for astrophotography to avoid performing a time-consuming GoTo alignment and is only used to find one target. Telescope Mount Type: Alt-Azimuth. RECOMMENDED BUY FOR THE STARSENSE TECHNOLOGY. The red dot finderscope is decent as are all of the other accessories too. The Celestron StarSense DX 102AZ features a doublet lens composed of two different types of glass, offering bright views of targets. The device comes with 2 1.25 kellner eyepieces at 25mm and 10mm, a StarPointe red dot finderscope, a 90 degree erect image starpointer, a Manual Alt-Azimuth mount, a StarSense Explorer phone dock, a tripod and a bunch of other miscellaneous documents. Once youre accustomed to the instrument, finding objects is extremely quick and fun. This is probably one of the main reasons why youd consider getting the StarSense Explorer especially considering there are other similarly priced systems that offer a lot more bang for the buck (Ill list a few alternatives later). View planets, brighter nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters from the city PLUS fainter, deep sky objects from darker sites. You can find the Celestron dx 130az on Amazon which costs around $450. I am trying to get my 9 Year old interested in this and the only reason why I was considering the 130 was because of the Star sense app which makes it super easy to find deep space objects and galaxies. The main advantage of the 102mm is nothing to adjust (optically). And the Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az has a 10mm Kellner eyepiece with 65x magnification power. Anthony Robinson is the owner of Skies & Scopes and has been practicing and writing obsessively about astrophotography and astronomy since 2017. This means we may make a commission if you purchase an item using one of our links*. The pros of the lens included within the StarSense include the following : Overall, even though the optics within this telescope arent necessarily the most accurate when it comes to colours, it will still provide a solid experience for most. There is an issue though in that if you are using your smartphone attached to the telescope to use the StarSense technology then you wont be able to attach it to the eyepiece to take a photo at the same time. These are very average specs and maybe even subpar when you consider reflector telescopes tend to offer a lot more bang for the buck nevertheless, the specs should be competent for beginners. Unfortunately, the adjustment range on the device supplied did not allow it to be aligned accurately, and for the test, we used another one that we already had. Which Celestron StarSense telescope is best? $599.95. Overall, this is a great option if you want high power in a compact package and have the budget to pay a little more for this. It's good environment company employees also good respect Great place to work in dxc technology. The 8-inch aperture is huge and will provide few limitations to what you can see. A 6mm gold-line eyepiece will provide 108x with the StarSense Explorer DX 102, which is near the upper bounds of what the optics of this telescope can handle. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. The 80mm/3-inch aperture is the smallest of the range and will limit the brightness and clarity with which you can view night sky objects. However, reflectors tend to give you more aperture (power) for the same price, with the downside being the bigger size and more cumbersome operation. $479.95. This telescope is full of design flaws. 8-inch dobsonians are often highly recommended as the best telescopes and have been hard to get hold of in recent years due to shortages and supply chain disruptions around the world. It shares many of the characteristics of the other refractor in the range above in that it is smaller, lighter, and less cumbersome to operate, but it is more powerful with the larger aperture and you will be able to see more through it. Overall, if you have the budget then it makes sense to get the higher aperture DX6 over the DX5 as it will provide better views. Winner: For this round, the Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az is the winner. New York, Looking for something portable at the moment, with plan to add a 10 dob in the future. I would avoid both. Confusingly, the instructions then refer to the knob at the bottom of the clamp! Hope this post was helpful to make your choice. ), Deimos vs Saturn (How Are They Different? With all models, if the conditions are right you should be able to view the planets of the solar system and deep-sky objects like other galaxies. Does the difference between this and the Meade infinity 102 justify the $170 increase? Every slow-motion control I've ever seen attaches to the mount using visible small thumb screws. In this article, we provide an overview of the differences between these telescopes so that you can understand the pros and cons of each. Not portable. How Do The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZsOptics Work? Way better scope but not comparable mount wise. What eyepiece should I upgrade for this telescope? Due to an a enclosed tube being used, the optics wont need to be cleaned or collimated all the time. ), Deimos vs Europa (How Are They Different? For use as a grab and go/ compliment for my 8in dob. Youll need more expensive telescopes from Celestron to take pictures. Theres a hex nut inside the dovetail clamp; a socket wrench will do the job. They take care of employees and no work pressure and fun at work. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ offers access to the myriad targets that grace our night sky, but can be tricky to locate if the astronomer is just starting out in skywatching. The prowess of the instrument is more suited to beginners than to dedicated observers. Celestrons StarSense Explorer line of telescopes are some of the newest, and arguably most innovative telescopes on the market, and the newest effort of Celestron to make using a telescope as easy as possible. The Starsense app will work with most of the telescopes that have computerised mounts. So all that is left is light gathering. Overall The StarSense Explorer 102AZ is very competent refractor telescope, thats potable, easy to set up, has solid optics and decent enough in box accessories for the price. One is achromatic and another is apochromatic. The word achromatic implies a freedom from the false color that bedevilled refractors in the very early days of telescopes, but this is a comparative term. ), Deimos vs Titan (How Are They Different? The eyepieces are supplied with tight plastic covers and how many beginners will try to twist these off, rather than prise them off? Here lately though, it has not been able to track location. What you can see will improve according to the size of the aperture. Unlike other reflectors, it uses a parabolic-style mirror inside. Robin Scagell is a lifelong astronomer. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. Find out more about how we test and review products. Galaxies, nebulaes, star clusters and large parts of the messier should be viewable although there may be issues showing accurate colours with some stars. Patented, award-winning StarSense sky recognition technology uses your smartphone to analyze star patterns overhead and calculate the telescope's position in real-time. Especially the Starsense explorer dx 120az and 130az. I'm interested in spending perhaps an hour or so every week or two doing astronomy. The camera views the sky through a mirror, enabling you to view the phones screen at a convenient angle. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. One 10mm Kellner and one 25mm Kellner eyepiece. StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Refractor Telescope. Youve seen the sneak peek we assume. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. It's siblings, though, 80AZ , 102AZ, and 130AZ, are much . how do they compare? What about the Skywatcher skymax 102, 127 AZ GTI WIFI telescope? This forum and community is a wonderful resource! Overall, while it would not always be our first choice, the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102 is definitely one of my favorite beginner scopes in its price range. But with eight different models, which is right for you? Uranus and Neptune are barely more than star-like dots, with blue disks barely bigger than the resolving limit of the telescope itself. Although its portable and definitely portable it wouldnt be as easy as moving a 102az. The optical quality is good for a telescope of this type, but for planetary observing a different instrument would be preferable, such as the 130 mm reflector in the same range. So, lets get down to the details, shall we? Popular Science by Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 5" Smartphone App-Enabled Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope. You need to consider where you will use it and store it. So, that really shortens out your options. This is not to be confused with smartphone attachments that simply enable you to take photos of bright objects through the eyepiece, as found on some other beginners instruments. Thankfully, even with 1.25 eyepieces, you can squeeze out a field of view of about 2.5 degrees with a 32mm Plossl or similar, so this should not be of huge concern to a beginner. It seems immovable, and many beginners will wonder if they are meant to be forcing this round at all. The reflector has coatings that only reflect 90% of the light hitting them. You can find the Celestron dx 130az on Aliexpress for a relatively cheaper price. Socket wrench + normal wrench should do the trick if I recall correctly. If you compare their size, 130az is quite big and heavy. Read our full affiliate disclosure here. Get to know more about us here. Now that we know a little bit about the two telescopes lets take a look at this graph for a more comprehensive view: Both the Celestron telescopes are good choices in their respective categories. The finding system is not always spot-on, so you need to be prepared to search for objects around the edge of the field of view. We make money through affiliate commissions and this means we may be compensated if you click links on this page at no extra cost to you. Refractor optics can be further broken down into achromatic and apochromatic, where the former and lesser quality of the 2 is used within the StarSense Explorer. This mount is a little on the small side for either optical tube, but it works just fine. Stargazing Help is a participant in Amazon Associates program. The StarSense Explorer DX 102 includes two 1.25" eyepieces: a 25mm "Super" Konig providing 26x and a 10mm Konig providing 65x. . StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ ; Optical Design : Newtonian Reflector : Refractor : Aperture : 130mm (5.12") 102mm (4") Focal Length : 650mm (25.6") Once you undergo a super-simple alignment procedure, the StarSense Explorer app has thousands of objects it can find for youthe Moon, planets, most of the Messier catalog, and many more. But theyre easily carryable and kid-friendly. Your email address will not be published. Within seconds, you are on target and the cross wires turn green. Neptune and Uranus will be barely visible. Hence Celestron dx 130 wins again this round. This would be my first telescope and looking for Push To feature to help my 9 year old and me get into exploring the skies.