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The StarSense Explorer 114mm is a compact tabletop Dobsonian reflector that uses your smartphone to find objects in the sky. You dock the phone, align it to the scope, and the app shows arrows that guide you until the target is centered. The 114mm aperture gathers enough light for the Moon, planets, bright double stars and many deep-sky objects, and the tabletop altazimuth base sets up in minutes. It suits beginners and casual observers who want push-to guidance without a computerized mount, and it competes with manual tabletop Dobsons by adding app-driven object location rather than motorized tracking.
In stockSold by Celestron, LLCReturns: Sold by a Walmart Marketplace seller; returns go to the seller under the seller's returns policy.
Owners treat it as an easy first scope: the app makes finding objects quick, and the 114mm mirror delivers satisfying lunar and planetary views. Complaints center on the manual mount, which needs nudging to follow objects, and on the phone dependency.
The Celestron StarSense Explorer 114mm is a tabletop Dobsonian telescope that uses a smartphone to find objects in the night sky. The phone sits in a dock on the telescope. The StarSense Explorer app uses it to work out where the telescope is pointed.
After a quick alignment of the phone to the telescope's optics, the app lists the celestial objects currently visible. Pick one and on-screen arrows guide you as you move the telescope. The bullseye turns green when the object is ready to view in the eyepiece. The app also has audio descriptions and information on thousands of objects. It uses the Lost in Space Algorithm (LISA) to match star patterns overhead to its database, rather than relying only on the phone's gyros and accelerometers.
The optics are a 114mm (4.5") parabolic primary mirror and a 1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser. The compact, lightweight altazimuth base has Teflon bearings for smooth motion in altitude and azimuth. An altitude brake lets you adjust the tension. The tube sits in a cradle so the focuser can be set to a comfortable position. The base has carry handles and an eyepiece rack, and its low profile makes the eyepiece easier to reach, especially for children. It can also sit on a stable platform such as a table. An optional tripod is available.
