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Celestron StarSense Explorer 8" Dobsonian Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope

SKU StarSense Explorer 8" Dobsonian
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Original price $1,142.95 USD
Original price $1,142.95 USD - Original price $1,142.95 USD
Original price $1,142.95 USD
Current price $879.00 USD
$879.00 USD - $879.00 USD
Current price $879.00 USD

Experience a smarter and more intuitive way to explore the night sky with the Celestron StarSense Explorer Dobsonian. Celestron has reimagined the traditional Dobsonian telescope by combining its large-aperture design with StarSense Explorer smartphone technology, allowing your phone to analyze the night sky and help determine the telescope’s position in real time. Designed with serious beginners in mind, this telescope provides the light-gathering capability needed to explore a wide range of celestial targets while keeping the observing experience approachable and enjoyable. The large aperture provides plenty of optical performance for discovering the Moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae, and other deep-sky objects. The StarSense Explorer app features an intuitive interface and detailed tutorials that help guide you through the process of locating celestial objects. Instead of relying solely on traditional star charts or complicated navigation techniques, your smartphone becomes a convenient guide to the night sky—almost like having a personal astronomy tour guide at your fingertips. Its large aperture also gives the telescope room to grow with your experience. As you become more familiar with astronomy and begin seeking more challenging targets, the telescope's substantial optical capability can continue to support your exploration. Whether you're just beginning your astronomy journey or looking for a capable Dobsonian that can accompany you for years of observing, the StarSense Explorer Dobsonian combines traditional simplicity with modern smartphone-assisted navigation.

Features

  • Unleash the power of your smartphone to take you on a guided tour of the night sky—no telescope experience required.
  • Patented, award-winning StarSense sky recognition technology uses your smartphone to analyze star patterns overhead and calculate the telescope’s position in real-time.
  • A large 8” parabolic primary mirror with XLT coatings helps you make the most of StarSense technology. Locate faint, deep-sky objects in seconds and see them in more detail than ever before.
  • A sturdy, Dobsonian-style base with large diameter bearings and variable altitude tensioning makes it easy to follow the on-screen arrows to your desired target. When the bullseye turns green, it's ready to view in the telescope's eyepiece.
  • StarSense Explorer Powered by SkySafari™ app automatically generates a list of objects currently visible. View planets, brighter nebulae and galaxies, star clusters, and double stars from the city. Or take your telescope to darker skies to see even more.
  • Includes a 25mm Plössl eyepiece, a 2” Crayford focuser, the StarSense smartphone dock, a StarPointer™ red dot finderscope, an eyepiece rack, and a collimation tool.

Standard shipping

Estimated delivery time: 7-10 days, unless otherwise  noted

Specifications

Optical Tube Info

Optical Design: Newtonian Reflector
Aperture: 203mm (8")
Focal Length: 1200mm (47.24")
Focal Ratio: f/5.9
Focal Length of Eyepiece 1: 25mm (0.98")
Magnification of Eyepiece 1: 48x
Highest Useful Magnification: 480x
Lowest Useful Magnification: 29x
Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 14.2
Light Gathering Power: 841x as compared to the human eye
Optical Coatings: XLT reflective coatings with silicon dioxide and tantalum pentoxide protective overcoatings for primary and secondary mirrors
Mirror Material: Pyrex equivalent for primary and secondary mirrors
Primary Mirror Thickness: 25mm (0.98") (approx. 1:8 thickness ratio)
Secondary Mirror Thickness: 8.5mm (0.33")
Minor Axis of Secondary Mirror: 47mm (1.85")
Tube Material: Steel
Focuser: 2" Crayford focuser, includes 2" extension tube and 2"-to-1.25" adapter
Finderscope: StarPointer™ red-dot finderscope
Resolution Rayleigh: 0.68 arcseconds
Resolution Dawes: 0.57 arcseconds
Optical Tube Dimensions: 1117.6mm x 241.3mm diameter (44" x 9.5" diameter)
Optical Tube Weight: 20.6 lbs (9.34 kg)

Mount Info

Mount Type: Altazimuth Dobsonian base
Base Material: Particle board with melamine surfaces and edge trim, CARB compliant
Base Dimensions: 685.8mm x 482.6mm x 482.6mm (27" x 19" x 19")
Base Weight: 22.8 lbs (10.3 kg)
Slew Speeds: Manual
Software: Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software and StarSense Explorer App
Total Telescope Kit Weight: 43.4 lbs (19.68 kg)

Included Items

Optical tube
Dobsonian Base
25mm eyepiece
2" Crayford focuser
StarPointer™ red-dot finderscope
StarSense Explorer dock
StarSense Explorer unlock code
Eyepiece rack
Collimation cap
Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software

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