But with dx 130az you can. Youll need more expensive telescopes from Celestron to take pictures. 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). Have you tried this model and would you recommend it? Amazon.com: Customer reviews: StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Smartphone Reading through the specs, I cant see the difference. 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. The Astro-Fi cant be used manually but is more capable overall. Celestron StarSense Explorer 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. I find it exciting to hear that the StarSense explorer seems to make it quite easy and fast to explore the sky. Four are reflector telescope types and two are refractor telescopes. The StarSense Explorer DX-102 is limited to brighter objects by the nature of its small aperture. Not only does it have great focal specs for exploring the night sky and perhaps getting in an astro image or two, it has StarSense tech that helps a learner locate and view objects that would otherwise be difficult for a beginner to find. Watch this video from Celestron for a quick overview of these two models and also to give you a good perspective of the size of them standing next to a grown man: Overall, this is a brilliant option if you have the space to use it. As a result, it sometimes shows chromatic aberration. I'll be observing from my front/backyard, which is in a location with a Bortle scale of 4 (rural/suburban transition). ), Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Review (Is The StarSense Software Worth The Price? Telescope Aperture: 130mm (5.12") Focal Ratio: f/5. So, which one is better between Celestron Starsense explorer dx 102az vs 130az? Required fields are marked *. The eyepieces are supplied with tight plastic covers and how many beginners will try to twist these off, rather than prise them off? I'm interested in spending perhaps an hour or so every week or two doing astronomy. In this article, we provide an overview of the differences between these telescopes so that you can understand the pros and cons of each. Once set up, you need to align the red-dot finder with the main instrument by day. especially in a light polluted city environment, Would still recommend a Dobsonian instead but the GTi is a huge upgrade over the StarSense Explorer. Celestron Astro Fi 130mm f/5 Reflector Telescope. Can you describe how you were able to loosen? This is the best measurement of a telescopes capacity to provide good views. +91-120-406-2000. Between Celestron Starsense dx 102az and 130az, Celestron dx 130az is better. Compare Celestron StarSense Explorer vs Celestron NexStar 130 SLT vs Celestron 130 vs Celestron DX 102AZ . New York, Thankfully, even with 1.25 eyepieces, you can squeeze out a field of view of about 2.5 degrees with a 32mm Plossl or similar, so this should not be of huge concern to a beginner. Uranus and Neptune are barely more than star-like dots, with blue disks barely bigger than the resolving limit of the telescope itself. The refractive nature of the optics means collimation wasnt necessary a problem and the starsense app allowed users to get stuck in quite quickly. It has an aperture of 114 mm (4.5 inches). What these StarSense Explorer telescopes do is attach your smartphone then, using the app, scan the night sky above you, tell you what you can see on that particular night, and then guide you to it. The larger the aperture is, the brighter you can see in the telescope. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, The DX 102 has a 2 rack-and-pinion focuser, but it cannot actually balance on its mount with a 2 diagonal and eyepiece, so in practice, the scope is limited to 1.25 eyepieces and accessories only. The aperture is almost the same, but the eyepiece magnification that comes with LT127 are better (50x, 100x and 2x barlow lense), Ps: I dont have much choice except celestron, since only this brand is available in my country, The 127 is junk and magnification is not what matters most. I had what seemed to be a related question, which has come up somewhat in that main thread: whether to purchase the DX . Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. How would you rate the StarSense DX6 version (6 inch SCT) compared to a Skymax 127 on GTi mount? ), Deimos vs Europa (How Are They Different? The body of the eyepieces is fully built on plastic. I consider myself handy and am not too worried about collimating a reflector (but would prefer to not have to do frequently). You can upgrade your telescope set up later with some Barlow and Plossl eyepieces. Interestingly, it seems the 130mm is also now out of stock. Im very interested in the cosmos but being a chemistry student, I dont have much time to learn the precise location of Messier objects, how to find planets, and looking at the moon over and over gets boring (when you dont know what youre doing) comparing this to a Dob 8 in my opinion is like comparing a truck to sports car. I'd ideally want it to not be too hard for them to reach the eyepiece. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Overall, this is a brilliant option if you want near-perfect viewing of planets and galaxies and have the space to use it. Overall, this is a good option if you only have the budget for one of the cheaper telescopes and want more power. Here we focus on becoming a knowledge hub for astronomy and astrophotography enthusiasts. ), Deimos vs Titania (How Are They Different? It focuses the image on a single point. For the 102 Ill need to likely buy a star diagonal, while for the 130 Ill need to buy a Cheshire or laser collimator so still a tie. Yes, the Celestron StarSense Explorer telescopes are good. The eyepieces provided with the 102az arent so good. 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. (Assume eyepieces are upgrade on either scope of course). The Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ is different from the models above in that it is a reflector telescope. The Celestron NexStar telescope range are all full computerized compound / catadioptric telescopes. Should you buy the Celestron StarSense DX 102AZ? When you unbox your new StarSense Explorer DX, you'll find: 130mm Newtonian reflector optical tube. So, if you want a telescope that can form clearer images, go for the Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az. For use as a grab and go/ compliment for my 8in dob. Deep-sky objects are a little less exciting. These reasons may make it the best option for kids. With Celestron dx 130az you will get about 200x magnification. StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ vs 102AZ - Cloudy Nights This is fortunate, as the Quick Start manual ends at this point. StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope - Amazon.com The Moon looks pretty good, while Mercury and Venus show nothing besides their phases. You therefore get all the same advantages of a great compact Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope tube but with even higher power. The tripod allows it to extend up to 1.24 metres. The only bad thing upon assembly is that I have the same problem as you did, the altitude axis on my mount is also too tight to freely the OTA up and down. 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. Dx 102azs optical design also has chromatic aberration issues. Need more information regarding both telescopes? If you disregard factors like size and portability, then the Celestron Starsense Explorer 10 Dobsonian is the best as it has the highest aperture and will provide the best views. If you compare their size, 130az is quite big and heavy. A simple slot-and-turn system would be much less aggravating for astronomers, unless you intend to use the instrument solely as a piece of furniture permanently set up in the corner of the room or do without the tray altogether. This is more powerful than the models above and will provide better views. Also can you recommend some good telescopes which are available for $400 price range or less.I really dont want to spend more as I dont know if my son will want to pursue this in the future. You can zoom in for better precision. The series also includes an 80mm f/11 refractor and a 114mm f/9 reflector, both for $180 on the lighter LT mount. For purchasing this telescope, we highly recommend HighPointScientific, the largest telescope retailer in the United States. Are the Celestron StarSense Explorer good telescopes? Although its portable and definitely portable it wouldnt be as easy as moving a 102az. Refractor optics are also categorised into two types. Buy from scopes' recommended retailer, HighPoint, StarSense Explorer technology helpful in locating targets. The alternative equatorial mounting, which has one of its axes tilted at the same angle as your latitude, not only confuses the wits out of many beginners but has a drawback in that it involves an overhanging load usually balanced with a counterweight, reducing the portability. The mounting of the Celestron StarSense DX 102AZ is completely manual, with flexible rods to allow what are called slow motions, to provide finer control over the movement than simply pulling and pushing the instrument. Smartphones can be fitted into a spring-loaded slider on the StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ, allowing for basic astrophotography. In instructions intended for raw beginners, points such as this are vital. Locate faint, deep-sky objects in seconds and see them in more detail . You may even see Marss red spot, Saturns rings, or even Jupiters spiral patterns. Celestrons 1.25 prism is pretty good; a dielectric unit like Aperturas improves performance and wont scratch your eyepieces thanks to the equipped compression ring adapter. Read the full Earning Disclosure here. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ telescope review | T3 The software constantly checks the alignment of the instrument and complains if it cant see the sky, so snapping on the cover in between observations is not easy or ideal. Like dx 102az, dx 130az also comes with two 1.25 eyepieces. Anthony Robinson is the owner of Skies & Scopes and has been practicing and writing obsessively about astrophotography and astronomy since 2017. Are Celestron StarSense Explorer telescopes computerized / GOTO? Then along came plate solving the software to identify a field of view of stars in a photograph and the great computing power, position sensing, and imaging capabilities of a modern smartphone. The accessory tray that sits in the middle of the tripod legs needs to be attached by fiddly thumb screws that are already in place. Because all these mountings use a standard Vixen-type or CG-5 dovetail attachment, you can attach any other instrument that uses the same dovetail, taking into account the load capacity of the mounting. For this review I tested the DX 102AZ, a 102mm f/6.5 achromatic refractor. StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ vs 102AZ - posted in Celestron Computerized Telescopes: Hi all, Ive been following the StarSense Explorer main thread, which has a lot of great information and seems particularly targeted towards adapting the bracket/mirror towards other telescopes. PATENTED STARSENSE SKY RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY: This one-of-a-kind telescope uses patented, award-winning StarSense sky recognition technology and your smartphone to analyze star patterns overhead and calculate its position in real time. Learn how your comment data is processed. Normally, this is done for astrophotography to avoid performing a time-consuming GoTo alignment and is only used to find one target. Celestron Starsense explorer dx 130az uses Newtonian reflector type optics. (Image credit: Celestron) The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is a 130-mm (5.1-inch) Newtonian reflector. Thanks to your phones limited battery life and computing power, the StarSense Explorer technology obviously cant take a new picture of the sky every time you move the telescope. 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. Open star clusters look great and benefit from the 102AZs wide field of view, but globular star clusters are little more than fuzzy balls. In fact, you do need to apply a lot of force to twist it. $479.95. How this StarSense technology works is actually very similar to what can be referred to as plate-solving. The length of the tube is around 63.5 cm. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ is an achromatic refractor, with a 102 mm doublet lens composed of two different types of glass. As a result, youll get quite an exhilarating image. The StarSense app displays the cameras view of the night sky, using a time exposure if necessary so it may take some seconds to appear or refresh. The new Celestron StarSense Explorer telescopes use your smartphone to make it much easier to find planets, galaxies, and other objects to look at. Its also not flexible to eyepieces other than the 1.25 ones. It's siblings, though, 80AZ , 102AZ, and 130AZ, are much . In all my research the 8 Dobsonian seems to be a good beginner telescope. 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. The scope is alsoavailable on Amazon, which is unquestionably the most popular e-retailer in the United States, even when telescopes aloneare taken into account. In addition, the faster focal ratio of F/6.5 will also make it better at taking astrophotography images. There is no reason at all to get the StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ. In short, this is a brilliant telescope for viewing the night sky. The accessory tray is a nice, sturdy affair and an actual tray rather than the silly eyepiece rack supplied with many scopes. Stargazing Help is a participant in Amazon Associates program. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ: Full review | Space A poor design, as these screws will quickly get lost. Galaxies are almost certain to disappoint, as few will show detail under dark skies, and a beginner will struggle to see them all in light-polluted conditions. They take care of employees and no work pressure and fun at work. My alt adjust is pretty over tight as well. As for what the app provides, they have database of a few hundred celestial objects so not bad for a beginner getting involved with this hobby. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. No, your phone cant take pictures while using the Starsense app. Would a barlow lens be a good addition to this setup? Thank you in advance! Google Maps Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ telescope review . 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 DX 102AZ review: Design. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! This means we may be compensated if you click links on this page at no extra cost to you. Since both are beginner-level telescopes, comparison comes to mind. *This post may contain affiliate links. Why you can trust Space.com . Also note, that the same telescope is also being sold as the Popular Science StarSense Explorer DX 5. Mainly interested in the mount and optical tube. It has one 25mm Kellner eyepiece with 26x magnification power. $599.95. I would recommend it though. 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 some issues with glare and ghosting, and they are slightly inferior in sharpness to a true Plossl design, but both eyepieces are comfortable to use and work well, though they are a bit below what you should be expecting in quality at this price point. As noted above, the 102 in the name refers to the telescope's aperture of 102mm (4-inch). SKU: CEL-22461. Out of the three types it is identified as having refractor-type optics. That leaves 130az with more options for planetary views. So, as you can see both telescopes have their strong and weak points. Similar cost. The downside is that it is generally more expensive. And the Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az has a 10mm Kellner eyepiece with 65x magnification power. Refractor devices can also double as a spotting scope of sort and the 102AZ is no exception. Jupiters cloud belts and the Great Red Spot are relatively easy to see, and you can just make out the disks of its four moons when they transit the planet. My guess is that it is the wind. Disclosure - If you buy something via our link, we may earn a commission with no additional expense to you. Once youre accustomed to the instrument, finding objects is extremely quick and fun. No, a dedicated short focal length eyepiece is better. That being said the main difference is only that the Apochromatic is better at focusing wavelengths of light resulting in fewer visual discrepancies occurring when viewing through it. These are still decent entry level specs and will allow beginner level astronomers to see the following celestial objects provided enough of the StarSenses power is used : The tube isnt too big coming in at around 81 cm whilst the tripod will allow the device to extend to 1.24 meters, which honestly isnt that great. View Map. Which Celestron StarSense telescope is best? Before the main discussion, lets see the fundamental difference between both telescopes. 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. Great review! But they take more time to set on the mount than dx 102az usually takes. we can explore many things and possible to learn new skills. 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. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). However, I want to share a great tip with you. StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ | Celestron It's good environment company employees also good respect Great place to work in dxc technology. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Why use such a time-consuming means of attachment? Thanks Zane; Ill take a look at Dob reviews. ), Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Review (A Good Beginner Device!? Small planets will be visible so are faint objects like clusters and nebulae. if youre not butchering it for the StarSense hardware, thats what Id buy. https://www.NexStarSite.com. For $399 you can get a much more capable telescope with a larger aperture, e.g. Get to know more about us here. Bear in mind that not all smartphones will work, so remember to check your model against a list on the Celestron website before taking the plunge. I have two young kids (between 5-10 years old) and would like to try and get them interested. COAST HX4 Dual-Color Utility Beam LED Clip Light. 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. StarSense dock for your smartphone. Mostly Astromaster and Powerseekers. Should I buy a used StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ? This is not to be confused with smartphone attachments that simply enable you to take photos of bright objects through the eyepiece, as found on some other beginners instruments. How does the StarSense Explorer 102 compare with the CELESTRON ASTRO FI 102 MM WI-FI MAKSUTOV CASSEGRAIN? Overall, this is the most entry-level of the four telescopes in this range. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Firstly its height might be a bit of a problem and secondly, the adjustment of the mount being quite stiff will make it a bit of pain to smoothly turn the Explorer. Overall The StarSense Explorer 102AZ is very competent refractor telescope, thats potable, easy to set up, has solid optics and decent enough in box accessories for the price. Modified vs Unmodified DSLR Astrophotography: The Ultimate Showdown! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We previously complained about the lack of targets in the apps database, but Celestron has updated the app and drastically expanded its number of objects, greatly increasing its overall utility. NY 10036. You wont be taking this on trips. If you prefer a smaller refractor, then the 102AZ below could work but will almost certainly cost more. Includes Free. Overall, this is the best option if you value a higher aperture for better views. 10.7 Arcsec-(Rayleigh)0.89 Arcsec-(Dawes), 1.37 Arcsec-(Rayleigh)1.14 Arcsec-(Dawes), Has more magnification power and forms better views, Less expensive but doesnt provide enough features considering the price. UNLEASH THE POWER OF YOUR SMARTPHONE: Let your iPhone or Android phone take you on a guided tour of the night skyno telescope experience required.
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