Celestron has reinvented the manual telescope with StarSense Explorer—the first telescope that uses your smartphone to analyze the night sky and calculate its position in real time. StarSense Explorer is ideal for beginners thanks to the app’s user-friendly interface and detailed tutorials. It’s like having your own personal tour guide of the night sky.
Dock, Launch, Explore
Leave complicated star charts, imprecise planetarium apps, and computerized mounts behind. With StarSense Explorer, locating objects has never been easier, faster, or more accurate. Within minutes of setting up the telescope, you’ll be navigating the sky with confidence. Simply place your phone in the unique StarSense dock and launch the StarSense Explorer app. After aligning your phone to the telescope’s optics (a quick, 2-minute procedure), StarSense Explorer generates a list of celestial objects currently visible. Make your selection and arrows appear onscreen, guiding you as you to move the telescope. When the object is ready to view, the bullseye turns green.
Smartphone Compatibility
StarSense Explorer works with most modern smartphones, including iPhone 6 and up and most devices running Android 7.1.2 or later manufactured since 2016. For a complete compatibility list, click here.
Patented StarSense Sky Recognition Technology
StarSense Explorer uses patented technology and your smartphone to determine exactly where the telescope is pointed in the night sky. A Lost in Space Algorithm (LISA), like the ones satellites use in orbit to correctly orient themselves, helps the app match star patterns it detects overhead to its internal database.
While other astronomy apps may claim that they can help you find objects, they rely exclusively on the phone’s gyros and accelerometers, which aren’t as accurate as LISA technology. No other app can accurately tell you when your target is visible in the eyepiece.
Sturdy Altazimuth Mount
StarSense Explorer LT’s simple altazimuth mount makes it easy to move the telescope to find your target. An altitude slow motion adjustment with a sliding rod helps you fine tune the telescope’s pointing position and follow targets as they appear to drift across the night sky. It’s all anchored by an adjustable, full-height tripod.
Dazzling Views with High Quality Optics
You can expect sharp, bright views through this 80mm refractor. Fully coated glass optics provide increased light transmission, enhancing details in celestial objects. The telescope also includes a 90-degree erect image diagonal, so you can use it during the day to view birds, wildlife, landscapes, and more.
Perfect for the City or Dark Sky Sites
Even if you live in a light polluted city location, StarSense Explorer is advanced enough to be able to pick out Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, the Orion Nebula, double stars, and a few more of the most famous celestial objects.
But if you can take the telescope to an even slightly darker location, more objects will become visible. The entire telescope kit weighs just 9.2 pounds, so it’s perfectly portable and easy to bring on your next camping trip or to a remote observing site.
When you unbox your new StarSense Explorer LT, you’ll find:
80mm refractor optical tube
StarSense dock for your smartphone
Low powered (25mm) and high powered (10mm) eyepiece
2x Barlow lens to double the power of each eyepiece
90-degree erect image diagonal
StarPointer red dot finderscope, perfect for using the telescope during the day or without the StarSense Explorer app
Altazimuth mount with slow motion control rod
Full-height tripod with an accessory tray to keep you organized
Smartphone not included
Optical Design: | Refractor |
Aperture: | 80mm (3.1") |
Focal Length: | 900mm (35.43") |
Focal Ratio: | f/11 |
Focal Length of Eyepiece 1: | 25mm (0.98") |
Magnification of Eyepiece 1: | 36x |
Focal Length of Eyepiece 2: | 10mm (0.39") |
Magnification of Eyepiece 2: | 90x |
Barlow Lens: | 2x (1.25") |
Finderscope: | StarPointer™ red dot finderscope |
Star Diagonal: | Erect image 90° (1.25") |
Optical Tube: | Aluminum |
Highest Useful Magnification: | 189x |
Lowest Useful Magnification: | 11x |
Limiting Stellar Magnitude: | 12 |
Resolution (Rayleigh): | 1.74 arc seconds |
Resolution (Dawes): | 1.45 arc seconds |
Light Gathering Power (Compared to human eye): | 131x |
Optical Coatings: | Fully Coated glass optics |
Optical Tube Length: | 965mm (38") |
Optical Tube Diameter: | 90mm (3.54") |
Optical Tube Weight: | 5.4 lbs (2.45 kg) |
Dovetail: | None |
MOUNT INFO: | |
Mount Type: | Manual Alt-Azimuth |
Height adjustment range (includes mount and tripod): | Aluminum, 1320.8mm (52") max height |
Tripod Leg Diameter: | 31.75mm (1.25") steel |
Accessory Tray: | Yes |
Tripod Weight: | 3.8 lbs (1.72 kg) |
Slew Speeds: | Manual |
GPS: | Uses phone's GPS |
Dovetail Compatibility: | None |
Power Requirements: | None (Recommend PowerTank Glow to keep phone charged while using App) |
Alignment Procedures: | Use StarSense Explorer App |
Software: | StarSense Explorer App, SkyPortal App, and Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software |
Total Kit Weight: | 9.2 lbs (4.17 kg) |
Included Items: | Optical tube |
Mount and tripod (preassembled) | |
25mm and 10mm eyepieces | |
Erect image diagonal | |
2x Barlow Lens | |
StarPointer™ red dot finderscope | |
Accessory tray | |
StarSense Explorer phone dock | |
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. |