With the Celestron StarSense Explorer 125mm f/10 Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope, exploring the wonders of the universe is as simple as 1-2-3:
1. Dock your smartphone
2. Launch the StarSense Explorer smartphone app
3. Observe the moon, planets, stars, and more
This innovative integration of smartphone and telescope offers beginner astronomers a fast and (more importantly) easy way to discover what's up in the night sky and where to view it. The StarSense Explorer app uses your phone's camera to find objects of interest and guides you to move the telescope. When the object is ready to view, the bull's-eye turns green.
Optically, the 125mm primary mirror gathers copious amounts of light to provide detailed views of the lunar surface and planetary features. It has the ability to reach beyond our solar system and view bright, deep-sky objects. Supporting the telescope and StarSense holder is a basic manual yoke mount with a simple control handle that lets you move the telescope quickly and easily according to the app's direction to find your object of interest. It allows you to precisely track the object when you want to view it for extended periods. A two-section aluminum tripod provides a wide adjustable height to accommodate a variety of viewing positions and users. This makes the telescope easy to transport when you have to carry it to remote viewing locations.
- Download StarSense Explorer app from the Google Play (Android) store or App Store (iPhone)
- Place an Android smartphone or iPhone in the included StarSense Explorer dock
- Align the phone with the telescope (2-minute procedure)
- App generates a list of celestial objects currently visible
- Select the object to view and arrows appear on the screen, guiding you as you move the telescope
- When the object is ready to view, the bull's-eye turns green
- The StarSense app utilizes a "Lost in Space Algorithm" (LISA) to accurately calculate the current location and orientation using your phone's GPS data, gyroscopic input, and camera to map the night sky and compare it to the app's database for accurately alignment and orientation of the scope to determine what is visible overhead
- App is self-contained; no cell signal required for use off the grid
Compatible Smartphones:
- Android 12 and higher
- iOS 18 and newer XR, XS, and XS Max
- Large 125mm f/10 aperture to view the moon, planets, stars, globular clusters, and other bright deep-space objects
- Long 1250mm focal length produces a high magnification potential for a variety of applications
- Newtonian reflector optical design provides a large clear aperture without the restrictions on size experienced by refractor designs
- Highly reflective aluminum-coated mirrors improve light transmission, color rendition, and contrast
- Secondary mirror obstruction: 2"; 40% by diameter, 16.6% by area
- Resolution: 1.11 arcsec, Rayleigh; 0.93 arcsec, Dawes
- Reliable single-speed rack-and-pinion focuser
- Standard 1.25" holder accepts the most common size eyepieces and accessories, including the two eyepieces in this kit
- Manual alt-azimuth mount design is simple to set up and move by hand
- Slip clutches and geared, slow-motion controls in both axes help you move the telescope smoothly and zero in your target
- Adjustable-height aluminum tripod accommodates a variety of users and observing positions
- Maximum height of 52" including mount
- Center tray holds accessories such as eyepieces and filters
- The 25mm eyepiece produces a low 50x power for observing the moon, planets, deep-sky objects, and constellations
- The 10mm high-magnification eyepiece yields 125x power for detailed views of the lunar surface and planetary features
- Unmagnified StarPointer finderscope places a simple red dot in the field of view to make alignment and star-hopping navigation quick and easy