Are you ready to unlock the mysteries of the night sky? so lrt me make it easy for you - Celestron StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian telescope is one of the great choices out there!. This incredible piece of equipment combines the convenience of a 'push to' feature with the accuracy of a smartphone app alignment, making it a must-have for both seasoned stargazers and curious beginners.
Trust me, when it comes to exploring deep-sky wonders and solar system targets, this telescope delivers an experience that will leave you so amazed!
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Highlights:
Smartphone App-Enabled: The StarSense Explorer comes with a smartphone app that guides you to celestial objects, making navigation easy and user-friendly.
Large Aperture: The telescope features an 8-inch aperture, providing clear and detailed views of planets, the moon, and deep space objects.
Sturdy Design: Despite its size, the telescope is praised for its build quality, including a sturdy solid tube design and convenient carry handles.
StarSense App: The app is highly appreciated for its accuracy on clear dark nights and its convenience for users with poor night vision. It also provides audio descriptions for major objects, enhancing the stargazing experience.
Minor Planetary and Lunar Imaging: The telescope allows for minor planetary and lunar imaging with a phone, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to your stargazing sessions.
Ideal for Stargazing Enthusiasts: The Celestron StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian Telescope is perfect for stargazing enthusiasts looking for a high-quality, user-friendly telescope that offers detailed views of a wide range of celestial objects.
Designed For A perfect Experience
Close your eyes (well, not both cause you'll need one to stargaze) and imagine a telescope designed for ultimate performance. That's the Celestron StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian telescope. Yes, it's a bit on the larger side, weighing around 10kg, but don't let that deter you. This powerhouse is packed with features that will leave us in awe. From its sturdy solid tube design that screams adventure to the convenient carry handles on both the tube and base, they've thought of it all. And guess what? You'll even get a Celestron Omni Plossl eyepiece included in the package. It's like they know exactly what we need for an unforgettable stargazing experience.
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Astronomical Capabilities
Prepare to be blown away by the performance of the Celestron StarSense Explorer. I'm talking next-level precision here! With the StarSense app as our guide, even light-polluted city areas won't stop us from exploring the night sky. All we have to do is pop your smartphone into the mount, align the camera using the adjustment knobs, and voila! The StarSense app takes control, utilizing our phone's sensors to pinpoint celestial objects. It's like having our own personal cosmic tour guide. Trust me, this app is user-friendly once we get the hang of it. Plus, it even provides audio descriptions for major objects. Can you imagine listening to captivating stories of the stars while we observe? It's like having a private astronomy lesson. And those views! Brace yourself for a visual feast. From the delicate four-pronged starburst effect on bright stars to splitting double stars with ease, this telescope delivers detail like no other. And when we train our eyes on the deep sky, we'll witness the wonders of the great globular cluster in Hercules and the mesmerizing Andromeda Galaxy. It's like peering into the depths of the universe itself.
Seamlessly Navigating
I really wasn't ready to enjoy a telescope that's a breeze to use. This telescope is all about making our stargazing adventures seamless and enjoyable. Those metal focus knobs? They move with such precision that we'll feel like celestial masters. And the panning knob? It was smooth as silk. It was like effortlessly gliding through the cosmos. The base movements are incredibly smooth, thanks to the high-quality bearings. Oh, and if we're reaching for the zenith, a few minor tweaks might be needed to ensure the perfect view. But hey, that's all part of the cosmic experience, right? Just remember to find an open observing location for objects near the horizon. We want to avoid any unexpected terrestrial encounters! And let's not forget about those handy carry handles. They make setting up and moving the telescope a breeze. It's the little things that add up to an extraordinary stargazing adventure.
Credit: Amazon
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FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Celestron – StarSense Explorer 8-inch Top-rated: 25 ratings | 12 answered questions
Helpful review: "Most astronomers will recommend you start with a 6" or 8" dobsonian. I've had refractors before, but this is my first reflector. I cannot stress enough how enjoyable this scope is to use and view the heavens with. It comes with a decent Omni Plossl in 25mm focal length. I recommend purchasing two additional eyepieces, an 8-12mm, and a 36-40mm. I have a 12mm, a 40mm, and 2x barlow in Omni Plossl fashion to match the 25mm. There are a wide variety of magnifications with these 3 eyepieces and the barlow, for not a lot of money. From 30x, to 200x, I can view a wide range of objects including planets, moon, sun (with a proper filter) and several deep space objects with an apparent magnitude of 10 or lower, quite clearly. Objects higher than 10 will be difficult if you live with city light pollution, but that still leaves thousands of viewable objects. It's not too heavy when carried in two pieces (roughly 25lbs/11kg for the tube, and the mount, each). The starsense app works very well, and on clear dark nights, it is very accurate. With a full moon or cloudy skies, it can be a bit tricky. I highly recommend this scope to anyone that wants a well built telescope, with a helping hand finding objects. It includes a red dot finder if you want to find objects the old fashioned way as well. But for someone like me with astigmatism and poor night vision, the starsense is extremely handy and convenient. Seeing the 8" mirror in the bottom of the tube is a sight to see, I'll include pictures of the scope, as well as several photos I have taken of the moon and some planets. Yes, you can actually do minor planetary and lunar imaging with this scope, even with your phone! In fact, every photo I've included in this review was taken with my Samsung S23, the Nexyz phone mount, and the various eyepieces I mentioned earlier. Take a few videos of the object, turn the videos into an .ser file with PIPP (free software) and stack the frames in Autostakkert (also free) to reveal a stacked image ready for sharpening and color enhancement. I hope this review will help people decide if this scope was right for them, because it was certainly right for me!" - Jake L.
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Trending review: " I had a telescope when I was a kid but didn't know how to work it or how to find objects and didn't have what I call YouTube University to help guide me. Years later now that I'm older I should be able to figure it out now, right?
So I purchased this telescope about a month ago and have been so happy. I played with the starsense app and have it so dialed in that I can center Jupiter in the eyepiece with a 6mm without needing to find it at low power first. Which makes going planet hopping very easy. Absolutely blows my mind.(All you need to do is calibrate it to a far off telephone pole with the 25mm then if you have high powered eyepiece recenter then recalibrate then lastly (optional) when you do look at a planet in the high power eyepiece, quickly recalibrate the apps finder, as the object will drift out of view quickly, I suggest putting the planet offcenter to the right while recalibrating since by the time you get to recalibrate it'll be around center. If done right it'll be centered on all eyepieces)
The best part I'm finding this time around with my astronomy journey is for the first time I'm learning the night sky. I'm able to find some objects now even without the app. Some guides to find objects was difficult because I was never sure if I had actually found it. But with the app getting me there then by knowing where I should actually be looking in the sky, then going back to the guides. Like "Turn left at Orion" (awesome book) I then was able to see how to refind objects on my own. I'm very happy and excited and looking forward to becoming a star guru lol.
Overall I've been very happy and I am very excited with all I've learned in just one month. Can't wait to see what I'll learn next month." - Peter
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Get it from Amazon now: $799 & FREE Returns
Conclusion
Here are my conclusions: the Celestron StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian telescope is the ticket to an awe-inspiring celestial journey. Sure, there might be a few minor considerations like the initial alignment process and the limitations of the smartphone app, but trust me, those will quickly fade into the background once we witness the jaw-dropping views through this telescope. The stars will come alive with their delicate details and that subtle four-pronged starburst effect. Double stars? We'll conquer them with ease. And when you turn your gaze to the deep-sky objects, get ready to be amazed. The great globular cluster in Hercules and the captivating Andromeda Galaxy will leave us in awe of the vastness of the universe. Whether we're seasoned astronomers or just starting out, the Celestron StarSense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian telescope will take your stargazing adventures to new heights. So, grab some snacks, get cozy under the stars, and let the wonders of the cosmos unfold before your eyes. Happy stargazing!