There is a time of abundance for astronomy enthusiasts. There are a lot of apps that help you navigate the skies and find good viewing locations. Integration between hardware and software has never been better.
The Star Sense Dobsonian telescope is an example of this. Even if you don't know how to see the stars, you can find your way around the night sky with a cradle on the scope.
Dobsonian design was created.
I've tested and loved the Star Sense Explorer DX telescope, which uses the same phone app and cradle. This tech combines the power of a star map in your phone with a mirror on the telescope to handle the navigation for you. The Dobsonian model has more power.
The Dobsonian telescope has a two- axis altazimuth mount. The scope can be moved up and down by the mount. The mount points put the balance point at the bottom of the scope, which makes it easy to move. The result is a powerful telescope that is easy to use.
Two Dobsonian models have been released. One is an 8-inch scope, and the other is a 10 inch scope. The design is the same and the telescope is large. Don't be fooled by the words "10-inch" in the name, they only refer to the diameter. The model is close to 5 feet tall. A 44 inch scope is what it is. It's portable because it's not too heavy, but it's going to take a good-sized vehicle to take it anywhere.
The packages contained the StarSense. One of the massive boxes contains the scope itself, which arrived fully assembled. The base took about 20 minutes to assemble. The process is one time. The handle is a little bulky but manageable to carry. It should be kept indoors because it is pressboard.
The scope is light and easy to carry. It comes with dust covers to protect it from the elements. The scope is attached to the base with knobs. These knobs are used to position the scope.
The Star Sense has a 25-mm eyepiece, a 2-inch focuser, and a collimation tool. You should get a laser collimator if you want to watch stars. Don't fret if you don't know what collimation is. It's not necessary to use it to get good views.
Attaching the phone cradle mount and adding the star spotting scope is the final step in the initial setup. calibrate the eyepiece using a fixed object about a quarter-mile away once everything is assembled. The app will walk you through the process if you open it.
There is a navigation app.
If you've ever tried using a telescope without a smart app, it's hard to understand what Celestron has done with it. Although I took two semesters of astronomy in college, I still find it difficult to use a telescope.
I love the Star Sense system. I don't have to worry about finding stars for my children to look at. I just pull up something in the app and follow the arrows until I have it in the eyepiece and I'm done. There are oohs and aahs from the children. If I were to navigate by hand, there would be no frustration or waiting. It's a huge win if you can eliminate the overhead of learning how to use a telescope. There is still a lot of value in learning how to use a telescope.
The description section of the app gives information on what you're looking at, as well as observation suggestions. If you want to see a star cluster in one view, the Star Sense will suggest a lower power eyepiece.
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