Celestron StarSense Explorer 12" Smartphone App-Enabled Tabletop Dobsonian Telescope, the first Tabletop Dobsonian telescope that uses your smartphone to analyse the night sky and compute its position in real-time. Beginners will benefit greatly from this larger-aperture Celestron StarSense Explorer due to its user-friendly interface and thorough tutorials.
Launch, Dock, and Explore
Leave computerised mounts, intricate star charts, and inaccurate planetarium software behind. Finding objects has never been simpler, faster, or more accurate than with StarSense Explorer. You can confidently navigate the sky after only a few minutes of telescope setup. All you need to do is insert your phone into the special StarSense dock and open the StarSense Explorer app.
A list of celestial objects that are now visible is generated by StarSense Explorer after you quickly and easily align your phone with the telescope's optics. Once you've made your choice, arrows will show up on the screen to direct you as you move the telescope. The bullseye becomes green when the object is ready to be seen through the eyepiece. View detailed information on thousands of things while you observe and listen to hundreds of audio descriptions from the app's extensive database.
Superior Altazimuth Base
StarSense Explorer is well-supported by the strong Tabletop Dobsonian base. The tabletop base is ideal for travel because it is small, light, and portable. For some observers (especially kids), accessing the eyepiece is made simpler by the base's modest profile. To raise the base to a comfortable viewing height, you can alternatively place it on a sturdy platform, such as a table or the car's hood. For even more viewing choices, think about utilising the optional tripod.
Teflon bearings offer fluid motion in both azimuth and elevation. To ensure the smoothest mobility, even with tiny imbalances, the integrated altitude "brake" mechanism lets you change the tension along the altitude axis. To accurately orient the telescope without heating up the optical system with your hands, use the ergonomic panning knob on the telescope tube. You'll be able to follow celestial objects as they appear to move across the night sky.
Through tube rings, the optical tube is joined to the base. The focuser can be placed in the ideal viewing position by simply adjusting the position of the tube within the rings. To keep your extra eyepiece(s) close at hand, the base has an eyepiece rack.
Stunning Views and Top-Notch Optics
This telescope's 12" Newtonian reflector optical tube has a large enough aperture to gather enough light to reveal celestial object detail. The four Galilean moons of Jupiter, its cloud bands, the Great Red Spot, Saturn's rings, the trapezium in the Orion Nebula, and the lovely Pleiades Open Star Cluster may all be seen clearly and brightly. Viewing the Moon, planets, faint galaxies, and nebulae will allow you to make out minute features.
This telescope has a front tube and focuser dust covers, as well as a 1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser that takes 1.25" eyepieces.
Ideal for Urban or Dark Sky Locations
The Celestron StarSense Explorer 12" Tabletop Dobsonian is sophisticated enough to easily distinguish Jupiter, Saturn, open star clusters like the Pleiades, double stars like Alberio, the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy, and more of the best and brightest celestial objects, even if you live in a light-polluted city location.
However, additional objects will become visible if you can move the telescope to a spot that is even a little bit darker. With this 12" Dobsonian and somewhat dark skies, you can easily see hundreds of fascinating objects.
Carry handles on the StarSense Explorer Tabletop Dobsonian make it simple to move it to your viewing location.
Mobile Device Compatibility
The majority of recent smartphones, including those with an iPhone 6 or later, and those running Android 7.1.2 or later that were produced after 2016 are compatible with Celestron StarSense Explorer. Check the latest compatibility list.
Patented StarSense Sky Recognition Technology
Your smartphone and patented technology from StarSense Explorer are used to pinpoint precisely where the telescope is positioned in the night sky. The software uses a Lost in Space Algorithm (LISA) to compare star patterns it observes overhead to its internal database. Satellites employ LISAs to correctly orient themselves while in orbit.
Other astronomy apps may claim to be able to assist you in object discovery, but they only use the phone's gyros and accelerometers, which are less precise than LISA technology. No other app is able to predict with such accuracy when your target will be visible in the eyepiece.
Observe longer with the PowerTank Glow 5000
Add the PowerTank Glow 5000 (available separately) to your StarSense Explorer to keep your phone powered throughout the night while you explore. This dual-purpose accessory was designed by our team with StarSense Explorer Dobonians in mind. Additionally, to a USB power bank for field charging of mobile devices, it contains a red torch. In order to charge your smartphone while you observe, the PowerTank Glow 5000 is securely fastened to the handle of the tabletop Dob base using two supplied bands.
Features:
Use your smartphone to take a guided tour of the night sky—no telescope experience required.
Patented, award-winning StarSense sky recognition technology uses your smartphone to analyse star patterns overhead and calculate the telescope’s position in real-time.
A 12" parabolic primary mirror helps you make the most of StarSense technology. Locate faint, deep-sky objects in seconds and see them in more detail than ever before.
A sturdy tabletop Dobsonian-style base that 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.
StarSense Explorer Powered by SkySafari 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 see even more.
Includes These Celestron Technologies
Celestron Starry Night software and Celestron StarSense Explorer
What's included in the box:
Optical tube
Dobsonian Base
32mm eyepiece
2" Crayford focuser
StarPointer red-dot finderscope
StarSense Explorer dock
StarSense Explorer unlock code
Eyepiece rack
Collimation cap
Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software
Optical Tube Technical Specifications:
Optical Design: Newtonian Reflector
Aperture: 305mm (12")
Focal Length: 1500mm (59")
Focal Ratio: f/4.9
Focal Length of Eyepiece 1: 32mm (1.26")
Magnification of Eyepiece 1: 47x
Highest Useful Magnification: 720x
Lowest Useful Magnification: 43x
Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 14.9
Light Gathering Power: 1895x as compared to the human eye
Optical Coatings: XLT reflective coatings with silicon dioxide and tantalum pentoxide protective overcoating for primary and secondary mirrors
Mirror Material: Pyrex equivalent for primary and secondary mirrors
Primary Mirror Thickness: 37mm (1.45") (approx. 1:8 thickness ratio)
Secondary Mirror Thickness: 11mm (0.43")
Minor Axis of Secondary Mirror: 70mm (2.75")
Tube Material: Steel
Focuser: 2" Crayford focuser, includes 2" extension tube and 2"-to-1.25" adapter
Finderscope: StarPointer red-dot finderscope
Resolution Rayleigh: 0.45 arcseconds
Resolution Dawes: 0.38 arcseconds
Optical Tube Dimensions: 1422.4mm (56") long x 355.6mm (14" diameter)
Optical Tube Weight: 49.8 lbs (22.58 kg)
Mount Technical Specifications:
Mount Type: Altazimuth Dobsonian base
Base Material: Particle board with melamine surfaces and edge trim, CARB compliant
Base Dimensions: 635mm x 635mm x 736.6mm (25" x 25" x 29")
Base Weight: 33.8 lbs (15.33 kg)
Slew Speeds: Manual
Software: Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software and StarSense Explorer App
Total Telescope Kit Weight: 83.6 lbs (37.92 kg)
Warranty : 2 years
Note: Smartphone shown in images is not included.
Solar Warning
- Never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye or with an optic (unless you have the proper solar filter). Permanent and irreversible eye damage may result.
- Never use your optic to project an image of the Sun onto any surface. Internal heat build-up can damage the optic and any accessories attached to it.
- Never leave your optic unsupervised. Make sure an adult who is familiar with the correct operating procedures is with your optic at all times, especially when children are present.
