The eyepiece for the 102mm will be better positioned for the little one. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. In short, this is a brilliant telescope for viewing the night sky. The StarSense has an Aperture of 102mm, a focal length of 650mm resulting in a focal ratio of just under f/6.5. The details will be a lot better than dx 102az. Celestron dx 130az has a focal ratio of f/5. The Astro-Fi cant be used manually but is more capable overall. Rating: 9/10. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Winner: For this round, the Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az is the winner. I went ahead and ordered the 102mm. The StarSense app also lists 5-inch and 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrains . ), but techy enough to use either. However, I want to share a great tip with you. Small planets will be visible so are faint objects like clusters and nebulae. Thanks so much in advance. At this aperture and focal ratio, there is a fair amount of chromatic aberration, but sharp views of the Moon and planets are still possible. Which makes it better for planetary views. The Celestron StarSense DX 102AZ features a doublet lens composed of two different types of glass, offering bright views of targets. But it can suffer from spherical aberration. You can even watch faint celestial objects with it. So, which one is better between Celestron Starsense explorer dx 102az vs 130az? The Celestron NexStar telescope range are all full computerized compound / catadioptric telescopes. Overall, this is a good option if you only have the budget for one of the cheaper telescopes and want more power. Often this makes for more comfortable viewing with less stooping. The instructions tell you to turn it, but this is easier said than done. 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. Its not as good at viewing faint objects in outer space unlike a reflector or a compound device. We may earn commissions by recommending products on this website. In all my research the 8 Dobsonian seems to be a good beginner telescope. 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. The model I tested is the Explorer DX 102AZ refractor telescope ($400). Between Celestron Starsense dx 102az and 130az, Celestron dx 130az is better. 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. Stargazinghelp.com is a knowledge hub for professional and amateur astronomy and astrophotography enthusiasts. Its focal length is about 650 mm. Im very new to Astromony and have a chance to get a Celestron C102-HD. Great review! if youre not butchering it for the StarSense hardware, thats what Id buy. Just follow the arrows to locate stars, planets & more! Tower - 3, Oxygen Business Park SEZ, Sector 144, Noida Expressway, Noida, Uttar Pradesh - 201304. Brand new in 2022 are the two new Dobsonians in the range this Starsense Explorer 8-inch Dobsonian, and the 10-inch version covered below. In terms of magnification that's a significant step-up from the 'toy' telescopes that dominate . Telescope Aperture: 130mm (5.12") Focal Ratio: f/5. The only major complaint was to do with the inaccuracy of the apps tracking ability, especially when users decided to look further out. ), Deimos vs Titania (How Are They Different? This is probably one of the main reasons why youd consider getting the StarSense Explorer especially considering there are other similarly priced systems that offer a lot more bang for the buck (Ill list a few alternatives later). So, lets get down to the details, shall we? (14) notify when in stock. StarSense dock for your smartphone. Overall, this is the most entry-level of the four telescopes in this range. It doesnt have issues like chromatic aberration like the dx 102az. 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. It has a larger aperture than dx 102az. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ review: First light and functionality. You need to consider where you will use and store it. I would recommend it though. For this review I tested the DX 102AZ, a 102mm f/6.5 achromatic refractor. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ offers access to the myriad targets that grace our night sky, but can be tricky to locate if the astronomer is just starting out in skywatching. The mirror can become dewed up within minutes on some nights often the clearest. There is an issue though in that if you are using your smartphone attached to the telescope to use the StarSense technology then you wont be able to attach it to the eyepiece to take a photo at the same time. There are four instruments in the Celestron StarSense Explorer range: an 80 mm refractor, a 114 mm reflector, the 102 mm refractor under test, and a 130 mm reflector. 6mm goldline and/or a 2x Barlow would be my first picks. The altitude slow motion is equally stiff to turn, while the azimuth control had an annoying backlash. Like other achromatic refractors, the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ still has some false color, which reveals itself as colored fringes around the edges of objects, particularly at high magnification, and the short tube results in inherently more false color than with a longer focal-ratio achromatic instrument. How does the StarSense Explorer 102 compare with the CELESTRON ASTRO FI 102 MM WI-FI MAKSUTOV CASSEGRAIN? The downside is that it is generally more expensive. Celestron StarSense Explorer telescopes are manual, not computerized, but their design gives you many of the advantages of this technology. a 6" or even 8" dobsonian ( Links on what to expect in different telescope aperture sizes ). 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. On your phones screen, youll see the current position of your telescope. It also avoids the confusion of viewing the moons features or star fields back to front. However, reflectors tend to give you more aperture (power) for the same price, with the downside being the bigger size and more cumbersome operation. You can take a number of its key characteristics from its name: Not in the name, but worthy of note, is that it is a refractor telescope (as opposed to a reflector). I find it exciting to hear that the StarSense explorer seems to make it quite easy and fast to explore the sky. 8-inch dobsonians are often highly recommended as the best telescopes and have been hard to get hold of in recent years due to shortages and supply chain disruptions around the world. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Celestron is one of the most reliable telescope manufacturers in the world. Which is stark opposite to Celestron dx 130az. And the Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az has a 10mm Kellner eyepiece with 65x magnification power. 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. But its only limited to brighter objects in the night sky. Newly added to the range in 2022 are this two Schmidt-Cassegrain (SCT) models the DX5 and the DX6 (below). The other telescope offered on the same DX mount is a $400 130mm f/5 Newtonian reflector. 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. A used StarSense Explorer scope will likely be missing the code for the app and many of the scopes floating around have had their phone brackets yanked off as well for use on other instruments. Their Starsense explorer has been quite popular among stargazing beginners. This is fortunate, as the Quick Start manual ends at this point. Buy Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ 102mm f/6.5 AZ Refractor Telescope featuring Use Smartphone App for Star Navigation, Follow Directions to Find Great Objects, Advanced Precise Alignment Algorithm, 102mm f/6.5 Refractor Optical Tube, Single Fork-Arm Manual Alt-Azimuth Mount, Dual Axis Slow-Motion Control Arms, Includes 26x & 66x 1.25" Eyepieces, 90 Erect-Image Diagonal, Adjustable . They are generally more expensive though. With the StarSense Explorer line of instruments, Celestrons magic solution has been to link these to a telescope, getting rid of the need for the costly handset, the user input, and the encoders. Reading through the specs, I cant see the difference. Once chosen, you see a set of arrows on the screen that tells you which way to move the telescope to get to that object. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. 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. There are some other manuals as well as computerized scopes in the DX 102 AZs price range that you might want to take a look at: A new star diagonal is probably the #1 thing you can do to improve the StarSense Explorer DX 102s performance. With the tripod attached the length would be 1.24 metres too. Winner: Between the two telescopes, Celestron Starsense Explorer dx 130az has superior image formation quality. We're pleased to report that loading and using the software on our Moto G8 phone was easy and quite intuitive. So whether you buy this model or opt for the full Go To version, or indeed the NexStar 130 mm SLT reflector, is a decision that you will have to make depending on your observing interests. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ makes use of slow-motion controls for fine-tuned tracking. The instrument comes in just two main parts the tripod and the tube assembly so it seems straightforward to assemble. 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. Its StarSense technology links a smartphone to a telescope in a simple, yet robust fashion. It has a memory card but it cant help you to take pictures. Finally, there is a standard red-dot finder to help in pointing the telescope at objects. Anthony Robinson is the owner of Skies & Scopes and has been practicing and writing obsessively about astrophotography and astronomy since 2017. The StarSense Explorer DX-102 is limited to brighter objects by the nature of its small aperture. Unlike Celestrons other computer-assisted offerings, the StarSense Explorer telescopes have no motors. Nevertheless, the purpose for this software is to provide convenience for beginner level astronomers so, Ill explain how it works here. will also probably upgrade in 5 years or so. Saturns rings and the Cassini Division within them look fabulous, while its dimmer moons and cloud belts are a bit harder to spot. The DX 102s optical tube is a 102mm f/6.5 refractor with a focal length of 650mm, the same as used on many other Celestron telescope/mount packages like the Omni 102 AZ and NexStar 102SLT. Although the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ didn't make into our list of the best telescopes (opens in new tab) for 2021, it's still an excellent piece of kit for those just starting out in skywatching, especially those who are hunting for an all-inclusive package that's easy to use and makes navigating the night sky a breeze. Telescope Mount Type: Alt-Azimuth. It focuses the image on a single point. I understand because they have the same focal length they give the same views in any given eyepiece, but using the area of a circle (pi x radius squared) 102 = 8171, and 130 = 13273. Not portable. There is a great deal on a Celestron 102 DX at Amazon for $359, only 50 dollars more than the Popular . (Explained!). Find out more about how we test and review products. Even heavier and larger. Which Celestron StarSense telescope is best? we can explore many things and possible to learn new skills. It would kill your phone quite fast. Conclusion: Which Celestron StarSense Explorer is best for you? How were you able to loosen the tightness in the altitude axis? Would one model be a better purchase vs the other? So, the technology in essence uses your phone to take occasional snapshots of the night sky to locate objects however, as phones cant really sustain battery for long periods whilst taking images, the snapshots arent taken all the time. NY 10036. Now since the Dobsonian does not have an app how difficult does it become to locate objects ? Also note, that the same telescope is also being sold as the Popular Science StarSense Explorer DX 5. The red dot finderscope is decent as are all of the other accessories too. The 130 is better but still pretty small for that price.