The package comes with two eyepieces, giving two useful magnifications of 26x and 66x, and what is termed an erect-image diagonal. In all my research the 8 Dobsonian seems to be a good beginner telescope. When the bullseye turns green, its ready to view in the telescopes eyepiece. I would recommend it though. Small planets will be visible so are faint objects like clusters and nebulae. Celestron dx 102az on the other hand is not really worth the price. Alignment procedure depends on a mirror, which collects dew, Instrument is stiff to move without slow motions. StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Newtonian Reflector Telescope. In this review Ill cover the pros, cons and the 102AZs features to ultimately help you decide on whether the system is worth investing in or a beginner level device that you should skip out on. The model I tested is the Explorer DX 102AZ refractor telescope ($400). RECOMMENDED BUY FOR THE STARSENSE TECHNOLOGY. The coating inside is of low quality. However, due to how simple and easy it is to use as result of the app, its not a bad comprise despite being less accurate. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ is an achromatic refractor, with a 102 mm doublet lens composed of two different types of glass. Saturns rings and the Cassini Division within them look fabulous, while its dimmer moons and cloud belts are a bit harder to spot. Great review! Celestron Starsense Explorer 8 Dobsonian, Celestron Starsense Explorer 10 Dobsonian. Some of the Celestron Astromaster telescopes use similar OTAs (telescope tubes) and similar AZ mounts. One 10mm Kellner and one 25mm Kellner eyepiece. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ makes use of slow-motion controls for fine-tuned tracking. Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mars should look pretty great through the scope and fairly easy to locate. DXC Technology Employee Reviews in Bengaluru, Karnataka - Indeed Its focal length is about 650 mm. Includes Free. This free guidetells youwhat gear you need to get started photographing the Milky Way, Planets, or Deep Sky Objects. Why use such a time-consuming means of attachment? Low powered (25mm) and high powered (10mm) eyepiece. How about Starsense Explorer DX130 compared to Astromaster 130EQ? Just recently purchased DX130. The instrument is computerized, making use of the observer's smartphone and free-to-download StarSense Explorer app to make navigating the night sky and exploring solar system (opens in new tab) and bright deep-sky objects such as nebulas, star clusters and galaxies (opens in new tab) fun and, above all, a breeze to find. So, lets get down to the details, shall we? However, the mount does have a couple minor issues. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ 130mm f/5 AZ Reflector Telescope (24) Price View Cart. Its focal length is 660 mm. Optically the telescope is well up to standard for a short-focus achromatic refractor and is well-suited to deep-sky observing. https://www.NexStarSite.com. The plate-solving is only done when you first mount your phone or when you move the telescope a significant amount. Often this makes for more comfortable viewing with less stooping. Uranus and Neptune might barely be viewable at the max magnification that the Infinity 102AZ can handle. The DX 102 includes a 1.25 Amici prism star diagonal, which is mostly plastic and has some issues with glare and a diffraction spike on bright targets. Hence Celestron dx 130 wins again this round. The 80 mm model is the smallest with the weakest viewing capacity, and the 254 mm model is the largest with the best. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. Saturns ring or Jupiters clouds can be seen clearly with more colours. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ Review (Worth Buying!?) The alt-azimuth mounting means that you can move the instrument around two axes up and down (altitude) and from side to side (azimuth). I love the starsense suggestions and how many things you can see in a short session. Since both are beginner-level telescopes, comparison comes to mind. StarSense Explorer 10" Dobsonian Telescope | Celestron Robin is the Vice President of the Society for Popular Astronomy, and even has an asteroid named after him (24728 Scagell), but neither the asteroid nor Robin poses a threat to civilization as we know it. On Aliexpress it costs around $418. Stargazing Help is a participant in Amazon Associates program. Celestron - StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Finally, there is a standard red-dot finder to help in pointing the telescope at objects. You wont be taking this on trips. In fact, they are as big as a fairly small person, so this isnt an option if you have limited space or want something portable. It seems only Celestron telescopes are available in our country. This is much less precise than a real GoTo system with tracking but much simpler, easier, and more reliable than a motorized telescope. One is achromatic and another is apochromatic. The Celestron StarSense DX 102AZ features a doublet lens composed of two different types of glass, offering bright views of targets. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There are eight different Celestron StarSense Explorer telescopes which we cover in more detail below. But with dx 130az you can. 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. This DX5 is Celestrons classic 5-inch SCT telescope tube with a hand-operable mount and the Starsense Explorer functionality that allows you to connect your smartphone and allow it to guide you, like the models above. 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. Patented, award-winning StarSense sky recognition technology uses your smartphone to analyze star patterns overhead and calculate the telescope's position in real-time. Like dx 102az, dx 130az also comes with two 1.25 eyepieces. The StarSense Explorer DX 102 includes two 1.25 eyepieces: a 25mm Super Konig providing 26x and a 10mm Konig providing 65x. 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. The StarSense Explorer DX mount is nothing more than a repainted Omni XLT AZ or AZ3 mount with a bracket for the StarSense Explorer device. Faint objects like planetary nebulae or galaxies are off-limit. What this does is take a snapshot of the sky and from the image taken attempts to locate where you are by comparing the shot to star maps using specifically set algorithms. Required fields are marked *. Youll need more expensive telescopes from Celestron to take pictures. The diagonal provided by Celestron uses a roof prism rather than a simple mirror, giving a non-reversed image so you can use the instrument by day as well as by night. Thanks. For information: The StarSense technology on these telescopes enables you to use your smartphone to give you much of what youd get from a GOTO telescope. 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. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Popular Science by Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 5" Smartphone App-Enabled Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope. how do they compare? However, reflectors tend to give you more aperture (power) for the same price, with the downside being the bigger size and more cumbersome operation. Out of the three types it is identified as having refractor-type optics. It's good environment company employees also good respect Great place to work in dxc technology. The final step is to remove the cap from the mirror on the StarSense dock again, courageously pulling off with some effort and fitting your smartphone into the spring-loaded slider. I'm new to astronomy and have previously only spent a couple of hours playing around with a 60mm refractor from a thrift store (have been able to find planets, and haven't looked for much else). Celestron StarSense Explorer DX100AZ vs. DX 102AZ - posted in Refractors : There is about a $100 difference in these two packages, but there is only 2 mm difference in the aperture. Mike Swanson He has made numerous TV appearances explaining astronomy news stories, and lectures aboard cruise ships. ), but techy enough to use either. Celestron StarSense Explorer Review & Comparison. For relative beginner (upgrade from binoculars! Their knowledge of the subject, combined with features like a price match promise, free lifetime tech support, a 30-day return policy, and financing choices, makes them a great pick. Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ Review: Don't Fall Into The Trap. Senior Software Developer (Former Employee) - Bangalore, Karnataka - April 23, 2023. Its not a bad telescope to have. will also probably upgrade in 5 years or so. Thank you for the advice Mike and Tfer. The clutch that holds the telescope in altitude, on the test model anyway, is fierce, so to move it you need to grasp the tripod firmly with one hand and wrench the tube up or down with the other as per the instructions. $479.95. Sony A7III vs A7RIII Astrophotography: Which One to Shoot Infinity! 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. A star diagonal is standard with astronomical refractors and reflects the beam from the focuser through 90 degrees to allow a much easier observing position than crouching on the ground looking up through the tube, but usually, it has the drawback of reversing the image as in an ordinary mirror. A tabletop telescope is the best choice at this price range. The accessory tray is a nice, sturdy affair and an actual tray rather than the silly eyepiece rack supplied with many scopes. No, a dedicated short focal length eyepiece is better. Winner: Between the two telescopes, Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az has superior image formation quality. The only shortcoming I guess you could say is its average specs and its Starsense technology being somewhat hit or miss however, from the research Ive done on it, the 102AZ is a device worth checking even if its a little more expensive than an equally powerful reflector system. But its only limited to brighter objects in the night sky. Get the 130. Winner: For this round, the Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az is the winner. Nevertheless, the purpose for this software is to provide convenience for beginner level astronomers so, Ill explain how it works here. This means that it is larger and heavier. The refractive nature of the optics means collimation wasnt necessary a problem and the starsense app allowed users to get stuck in quite quickly. The StarSense has an Aperture of 102mm, a focal length of 650mm resulting in a focal ratio of just under f/6.5. There are a few differences between each of the models, so lets look at each of them in turn to help decide whats right for you. STARSENSE EXPLORER APP: The app generates a list of the best objects to view based on your exact time & location. Also I dont speak for Celestron and to prove so I will say the eye pieces are complete trash and it should come with a collimating tool. Buy from scopes' recommended retailer, HighPoint, StarSense Explorer technology helpful in locating targets. Boosting the magnification using a Celestron 2x Barlow lens revealed false color in lunar and planetary images, so this is not an ideal high-power or planetary instrument. Way better scope but not comparable mount wise. The other advantage is that no power source is needed. The 130 mm (5-inch) aperture is fairly large and will enable great views of planets and deep-sky objects when the night sky conditions are right. What can you see with Celestron StarSense Explorer? My guess is that it is the wind. Mainly interested in the mount and optical tube. The StarSense Explorer DX 102 is a nice telescope, but a fully computerized instrument or a manual scope with more aperture might be a better pick. Overall, this is a great option if you prefer a smaller and less cumbersome refractor telescope, but want something more powerful than the 80mm option above. 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. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ review: Design. The StarSense Explorer utilises the oldest telescopic optics out of the 3 main categories currently around called refractor optics. Would one model be a better purchase vs the other? Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ telescope review | T3 document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. +91-120-406-2000. The Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ is different from the models above in that it is a reflector telescope. Finally, the Celestron Starsense Explorer DX 130AZ model is bigger in terms of both physical bulk and aperture. However, its enough to get you started. The extra aperture is the main draw of the 130mm. The accessories provided are decent with the eyepieces being functional although of lower quality than Plossl eyepieces that a fair few telescopes in this price range tend to offer.