Celestron

StarSense Explorer™ DX 130AZ

SKU: 22461


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  • $429.95
  • Regular price $479.95

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  • Unleash the power of your smartphone to take you on a guided tour of the night sky—no telescope experience required. 
  • Patent-pending StarSense sky recognition technology uses your smartphone to analyze star patterns overhead and calculate its position in real time. Check phone compatibility here.
  • StarSense Explorer app automatically generates a list of objects currently visible. View planets, brighter nebulae and galaxies, star clusters, and double stars from the city. Or take your telescope to darker skies to view faint, deep sky objects.
  • Manual altazimuth mount with smooth, dual-axis slow-motion controls makes it easy to follow the on-screen arrows to your desired target. When the bullseye turns green, it’s ready to view in the telescope’s eyepiece.
  • 130mm (5”) Newtonian reflector with highly reflective coatings and enough light gathering ability to view all the best celestial objects.
  • Includes 25mm and 10mm eyepieces, StarSense smartphone dock, a red dot finderscope (in case you want to use the telescope without your phone), and a sturdy, full-height tripod.

Celestron has reinvented the manual telescope with StarSense Explorer—the first telescope that uses your smartphone to analyze the night sky and calculate its position in real time. StarSense Explorer is ideal for beginners thanks to the app’s user-friendly interface and detailed tutorials. It’s like having your own personal tour guide of the night sky. 

Dock, Launch, Explore

With StarSense Explorer, locating objects has never been easier, faster, or more accurate. Within minutes of setting up the telescope, you’ll be navigating the sky with confidence. Simply place your phone in the unique StarSense dock and launch the StarSense Explorer app. After aligning your phone to the telescope’s optics (a quick, 2-minute procedure), StarSense Explorer generates a list of celestial objects currently visible. Make your selection and arrows appear onscreen, guiding you as you to move the telescope. When the object is ready to view, the bullseye turns green.

Smartphone Compatibility

StarSense Explorer works with most modern smartphones, including iPhone 6 and up and most devices running Android 7.1.2 or later manufactured since 2016. For a complete compatibility list, click here.  

High Quality Altazimuth Mount with Slow Motion Control

An ultra-stable altazimuth mount provides a sturdy foundation for StarSense Explorer DX. Slip clutches and geared slow motion controls in both axes help you move the telescope smoothly and zero in your target. As celestial objects appear to drift across the night sky, you’ll be able to follow them with just a turn of the knobs. It’s all anchored by an adjustable, full-height tripod.

Dazzling Views with High Quality Optics

With a large 130mm (5”) objective lens, this telescope has enough light gathering ability to bring out impressive detail in celestial objects. You can expect sharp, bright views of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons, its cloud bands and Great Red Spot, the rings of Saturn, the trapezium in the Orion Nebula, and beautiful Pleaides Open Star Cluster. Highly reflective coatings on both the primary and secondary mirror enhance the views even more.

Perfect for the City or Dark Sky Sites

Even if you live in a light polluted city location, StarSense Explorer is advanced enough to be able to pick out Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, the Orion Nebula, double stars, and a few more of the most famous celestial objects.

But if you can take the telescope to an even slightly darker location, more objects will become visible. With this 5” Newtonian and relatively dark skies, the Andromeda Galaxy, Hercules Open Star Cluster, and so many more are easily within your reach.

Everything You Need to Observe Immediately

When you unbox your new StarSense Explorer DX, you’ll find:

  • 130mm Newtonian reflector optical tube
  • StarSense dock for your smartphone
  • Low powered (25mm) and high powered (10mm) eyepiece
  • StarPointer red dot finderscope
  • Altazimuth mount with slow motion controls
  • Full-height tripod with an accessory tray
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        OPTICAL TUBE INFO:
        Optical Design Newtonian Reflector
        Aperture 130mm (5.11")
        Focal Length 650mm (25.59")
        Focal Ratio f/5
        Focal Length of Eyepiece 1 25mm (0.98")
        Magnification of Eyepiece 1 26x
        Focal Length of Eyepiece 2 10mm (0.39")
        Magnification of Eyepiece 2 65x
        Barlow Lens None
        Finderscope StarPointer™ red dot finderscope
        Optical Tube Steel
        Highest Useful Magnification 307x
        Lowest Useful Magnification 19x
        Limiting Stellar Magnitude 13.1
        Resolution (Rayleigh) 1.07 arc seconds
        Resolution (Dawes) .89 arc seconds
        Light Gathering Power (Compared to human eye) 345x
        Secondary Mirror Obstruction 45mm (1.73")
        Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Diameter 34%
        Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Area 11%
        Optical Coatings Glass mirrors coated with aluminum and SiO₂
        Optical Tube Length 635mm (25")
        Optical Tube Diameter 165mm (6.49")
        Optical Tube Weight 8.8 lbs (3.99 kg)
        Dovetail CG-5 Dovetail Bar
        MOUNT INFO:
        Mount Type Manual Alt-Azimuth
        Height adjustment range (includes mount and tripod) Aluminum, 1244.6mm (49") max height
        Tripod Leg Diameter N/A
        Accessory Tray Yes
        Tripod Weight 9.2 lbs (4.17 kg)
        Slew Speeds Manual
        GPS Uses phone's GPS
        Dovetail Compatibility CG-5 Dovetail bar
        Power Requirements None (Recommend PowerTank Glow to keep phone charged while using app)
        Alignment Procedures Use StarSense Explorer app
        Software StarSense Explorer app | SkyPortal app | Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software
        Total Kit Weight 18 lbs (8.16 kg)
        Included Items Telescope tube | Mount/tripod (preassembled) | 25mm & 10mm eyepieces | StarPointer finderscope | Accessory tray | StarSense Explorer phone dock
        Barcode: 050234224611