Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ | High Point Scientific

[@fjassojr]

Wife gifted me this for my birthday and after seeing your video, I’m even MORE excited to try it.

[@highpointscientific]

We hope you enjoy the scope!

[@Navin.R.Johnson]

This is exactly what I needed, I'm amazed it only have 38K views. Fantastic video!

[@brunonolf]

extend your legs a bit more (make markings of 20-30-40 cm for ease of use) and your back will not hurt after a session. Trust me, I know, the lower the tripod, the more stable it al becomes, but for comfort just extend the legs more, and use a bubble-level to level it correctly . Very nice video !!! Loved it !!

[@highpointscientific]

Good feedback, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@emrys3368]

Not sure if you’ll see my comment on this old video, but thanks for making it! I’m thinking about getting this for my first scope. I really want to get into Astro photography. Curious after I get some practice and better at the hobby. Is it possible to do photography with this scope later on?

[@JohnMark61355]

I am a beginner and the video missed an important part, collimation. Beginners beware, this is a challenging operation that is a must before almost every viewing. Also, the tripod tray fits loosely if you install per this video. Therefore, the tripod is more wobbly. You can put the screws in from the bottom; it is more solid, but more difficult. Also, unfortunately he skipped what the objects look like. I noticed he skipped right over describing M31 because he probably could not see it. The views through this scope are marginal unless the collimation is spot on. The good news is the tripod will accept any lightweight scope with a Vixen type mount.

[@highpointscientific]

Hey Mark! Yes, collimation is incredibly important - precise collimation is critical to successfully use this telescope. Clear skies!

[@rjkral]

Do you recommend a laser collimation device, or...?

[@highpointscientific]

@@rjkral A laser collimator would be useful. The primary dot does come with a center dot to make use of a laser collimator (a laser collimator does not come with the telescope however).

[@vinbautista4803]

I was expecting to see some actual shots, how big and clear the planets look using this telescope.

[@hmuphilly9129]

@@vinbautista4803 if youre expecting close up pictures then your hopes are false

[@theflyestout4071]

Good video. I actually watched the whole thing

[@jongroubert4203]

Teagan, is that some gray I see in your beard? You ain't a kid no more! From all your friends here at MHA, nice video!

[@DanielDSantos]

Thanks for sharing your experience Teagan! Excited to start using my telescope soon

[@highpointscientific]

You're so welcome! Enjoy the scope!

[@flydesigner6742]

I just bought it, even though I'm a beginner, the assembly and use process was quite easy for me. What I'm concerned about now is the eyepiece, it's underrated. Please advise me on good eyepieces at a reasonable price, advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional 10mm eyepieces. I still want to buy Celestron but it's quite expensive.

[@ConcernedMalteser]

A great video, even better then the official celestron video. I've just got this telescope this week but I couldn't align it properly. Watching your video made me realise my mistakes, so thanks 😊 I have a question though. Once you dismantle the scope to relocate it to another location, is it necessary to repeat the red dot finder realignment? Thanks

[@highpointscientific]

Glad it helped! It's not necessary to realign the red dot finder between use.

[@darrellcollins877]

QUESTION : HOW EASY/DIFFICULT IS IT TO TRACK AN OBJECT WHILE LOOKING THRU THE EYEPIECE ? Great video of using the scope ! I like to watch , say Jupiter, watch the moons transit across the face of the planet lets say. So i will be watching it for an hour or so, will i be able to look at the object and comfortably turn the knob to track the object ? Since the knobs are on the opposite, it appears that this might be difficult . Thanks !

[@highpointscientific]

Good question. Tracking can be especially difficult, especially at high magnifications. You'll need to hand track these objects in the sky using the telescope. You should be able to turn the knobs to track the object, but it'll take a fair amount of practice. Clear skies!

[@darrellcollins877]

@@highpointscientific Thanks ! thats kinda what I thought. They handles need to be on the eyepiece side , vs on the phone side I think.

[@nerdsamericashorts4887]

Is it possible to see Pluto in decent detail? What about its largest moon Charon?

[@markmaxwell2765]

Is there a range of motion limit near Zenith? I can’t seem to get my 130DX to go that high without hitting the Tripod with the back of the OTA.

[@danherrmann9133]

Halfway through I realized you hadn't extended the tripod legs!? So much better when standing up. I got this exact scope two months ago and have really enjoyed my time with it. Only down side is the shaking after adjustments. I'm going to look for a way to dampen.

[@highpointscientific]

We're glad you enjoy the scope!

[@sasquatchhadarock968]

This is my first scope. For the price? Meh? As it's my first, it's forming my baseline. Pros: Seems a good value? Easy to usw. Starsense app is great. With a few extra accessories it is quite functional and both compact and portable. Cons: Made in West Taiwan. Slow motion controls are "sticky", especially the altitude controller. It's so stiff it's almost difficult to turn. Wrapup: I have seen several of the color bands of Jupiter's clouds, Saturn's rings and close up views of lunar craters. For my first telescope, I'm thrilled. That said, I can't help but feel I should have heeded Ed Ting's advice and shelled out another hundred or so for an 8" dobsonian instead. Still, this scope definitely is well above the standard of hobby-killer telescopes.

[@user-gq7kw1rr8j]

They are all made in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong. That's hardly a con...

[@SuzanneWhitehead-ot9fi]

Thanks for sharing this! Enjoyable work!

[@highpointscientific]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@garyhenry1231]

When should you use your 10mm eye peace?

[@mikeoxlong1356]

I keep seeing reviews saying the app doesn’t work well. Is this true or does it just take knowing how to use it?

[@ka_shh]

Hi, Should I go for the StarSense130dx or the StarSense 8" Dobsonian ? Considering it as a one time investment. I know the 8" dob is going to be better but I don't know by what extent. Plus, I also think the 8" dob is going to be difficult to travel with due to its size. Do you think that what the 8" StarSense Dob offers over 130dx is worth to handle the extra hassle during travel or just the big size of it?

[@philliprollman7421]

I just sold my celestron nextstar 8se and looking for something a little easier to use but was wondering can you see Jupiter and saturn with this and in good detail if you infact saw them thanks

[@hmuphilly9129]

Hi everyone I wish I figured this out earlier, so I got another 130 DX learned all about collimation and bought an iphone 11 just for using the starsense app (works extraordinary well, not sure why a lot of android phones are so glitchy with this) anyways if you screw the wing nuts from underneath your accessory tray, it will stay there opposite from the top making the try not even secure. Thanks.

[@larrywiseman5534]

Great video! Question? Looking through the telescope how big do the stars appear? I have an app that allows me to see stars and planets on my phone. what advantage will there be to looking through the telescope? Thanks! Larry

[@vinodhiny]

Hi, I got starsense telescope just today. The object I located through eyepiece is not within the finder scope when I look straightly but can see the red spot. If I look into the finder scope from the side of the eyepiece lens, I can see the object but red spot is no where found.

[@3dfxvoodoocards6]

I wonder which one is better / more powerfull a 102 mm refractor or a 130 mm reflector :)

[@aarontian968]

Great video! I am struggling between buying 130az and explore 102 now. They are the same price! Which one would you choose?

[@highpointscientific]

Both of these are great! The larger 130az will allow you to see fainter deep sky objects and possibly a bit more detail on the planets. Being that this is a reflector, any chromatic aberration will be removed while the 102az may show a slight hint of it on the brightest of stars. The 102 doesnt require collimation, or the alignment of the primary and secondary mirrors like the 130az.. Both are great scopes and there are differences between then but if you ultimately want to see more detail, the 130az would be the way to go. If you want something that is plug and play and slightly easier to use out of the box, the 102 would be the way to go!

[@alexjohnson3696]

Great video. Thanks so much for sharing

[@highpointscientific]

Thanks for watching!

[@user-km1sq6fe2x]

I have this exact telescope Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ but unfortunately I see the image backwards through the eye pieces and I don't know why... I use the eyepieces that came with the telescope and not regular ones.. Anyone knows what happens? I am doing something wrong?

[@Days-care]

Great review

[@rdharris79]

Loved the video! I got the DX 130 AZ for Christmas and I haven't opened it yet. I had questions about using it with my Canon 6D full frame DSLR. I saw some reviews that mentioned inability focusing using a DSLR with T ring adapter. Have you done this? Can you elaborate?

[@highpointscientific]

We haven't specifically used it with a full-frame DSLR, but you if you're unable to bring the camera to focus you might be able to do so by putting a barlow in. That might bring the point of focus up and into the camera sensor. We'll double check though. This telescope would be more useful for using a dedicated camera for planetary or lunar photography as it does not track.

[@joanamedeiros7494]

Thank you so much for your help. I was having a hard time focusing the scope and I had a 9mm lens, I changed to 25 I think I got that part done. Still not able to see much, other than the moon. I live in Orlando by the lake, I ger pretty good sky views from here. I know most of those beaufiful pics are taken by astronomers, I was just hoping to see at least a fraction of that, colors more defined image other the shine dots. :) Upgrading the eyepieces will give me a better view? Do you have instragam? Thanks again , you are the best!

[@MrRockfish01]

Would this telescope be useful on a light polluted city?? Because that’s where I’m at 😢

[@highpointscientific]

Yes, you should be able to observe at the very least some of the brighter DSOs like M42. Views of the Moon and planets are also not impacted by light pollution.

[@attackoramic8361]

@High Point Scientific thank you so much for this information. I live in a suburban area, so it's quite hard to see bright stars in the night sky. I know nothing about stargazing, so thank you for telling me this info!

[@endurance11]

Nice!!

[@stevehanson5556]

Nice presentation!

[@highpointscientific]

Thank you for the feedback!

[@joanamedeiros7494]

Please help, what can I really see with this Telescope other than the “ Moon” and dots. The app is great to show what is out there, but viewing so far is horrible. Im disappointed to honest, Im a beginner we just bought it for a hobby and for fun, but We were expecting to see more than just dots which we see much better with naked eye! Any advice? Thanks

[@highpointscientific]

Hello Joana, thanks for reaching out. You can see significantly more than just "dots" and the Moon with this telescope. To be able to see more, we suggest doing the following: 1) Observing when the Moon is a "New Moon" or a crescent. This will reduce the light pollution from the Moon. 2) Use a lower power eyepiece (the included 25mm, for example) and point to the Orion Nebula. This nebula is the brightest in the night sky. To find the Orion Nebula, find the three stars that make up the "belt" of Orion, then look for 3 faint stars perpendicular and below the belt. The fuzzy star in the middle is the Orion Nebula. You should be able to see a beautiful, pale-green nebula that takes up most of the field of view. 3) Get away from light pollution. This might be a huge problem if you're in the city doing visual astronomy. The light from the streets will cause you to struggle to see anything more than stars. 4) Use a high power eyepiece to point to Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter can be found setting in the western sky. With this telescope, you should be able to easily spot the four Galilean Moons and cloud belts on the surface of Jupiter. 5) You may have to tamper your expectations a little bit. Many of the beautiful images of nebula you see online are from astrophotographers who take long exposures of the night sky. These do not reflect what you will see in the eyepiece and is a common misconception many first time observers have. We hope this helps! Please be sure to let us know if you have any more questions.

[@joanamedeiros7494]

Thank you so much for your help. I was having a hard time focusing the scope and I had a 9mm lens, I changed to 25 I think I got that part done. Still not able to see much, other than the moon. I live in Orlando by the lake, I ger pretty good sky views from here. I know most of those beaufiful pics are taken by astronomers, I was just hoping to see at least a fraction of that, colors more defined image other the shine dots. :) Upgrading the eyepieces will give me a better view? Do you have instragam? Thanks again , you are the best!

[@tonyosullivan6137]

@@joanamedeiros7494 maybe the scope needs collimation? If mirrors aren't aligned you won't see much, when they are, things get a lot better. Lots of videos on collimation on KZbin!

[@davidkarki2327]

Same for me I can see craters on the moon but stars don’t look any different than with naked eye :(

[@path6598]

@@davidkarki2327 if objects look the same as they do visually, you need to collimate the the telescope. when i first got mine 2 months ago i was disappointed because it didn't seem any better than viewing with the naked eye. I purchased a laser device and collimated the scope and the difference was night and day.

[@danielgelencser2275]

A question, can you use these in cold weather, like -10 or -20c ? arent the lenses going to shrink?

[@highpointscientific]

Yes you can use these in cold weather!

[@AndreaBordoni]

I have the same problem. I bought a Celestron telescope - Star Sense Explore DX 130 and downloaded the applications for Android: SkyPortal (SkySafari 6) and StarSense Explorer. I would like to use SkyPortal to connect to the telescope, but when I click "Connect" I get an error message: "Celestron SkyPortal could not establish a wireless connection to the telescope. Make sure the telescope is plugged in and that you are connected to a WiFi network”. How do I connect the telescope to the WiFi network? Also, when I start StarSense Explorer, a message appears: "Device not compatible, unfortunately your device hardware is not compatible with Starsense." My phone is a Xiaomi Mi Max 3 with Android 10 and I don't understand why the program doesn't work. Can someone help me? A thousand thanks!

[@A.Sanyaasi]

Celestron - StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope - Works with StarSense App to Help You Find Stars, Planets & More - 114mm Newtonian Reflector Bro i am on a budget is this above telescope good enough?

[@highpointscientific]

Hello! Yes, this telescope would be great for someone on a budget. You may also wish to check out the 80AZ refractor as well.

[@idrisomarmorris]

Hi Great review. Can you change out to a larger/heavier OTA?

[@highpointscientific]

Unfortunately you cannot.

[@jasondvd79]

Struggling to make the decision between buying the dx130 at £380 or the dx5 at £470 can you please give me your opinion. 👍🏻

[@highpointscientific]

Both telescopes will yield beautiful views, although you may find the DX130 has an advantage when observing larger DSOs, whereas the DX5 might have an advantage of observing planets with its longer focal length. Happy observing.

[@hmuphilly9129]

Lets say if i take it to my car and the back home, would the finder scope and or scope would have to be re-collimated before the next use?

[@highpointscientific]

It's always nice to check these before viewing. You'll know if either need to be adjusted when looking through the scope of course.. BUT.. if you take your 130dx out on back roads where its getting bumped around quite a bit, then you may need to recollimate. If you're gentle while moving it locations you may not need to make too many IF any adjustments.

[@hmuphilly9129]

@@highpointscientific Thanks for the reply, I am actually returning mine because I think there was a defective in it, I COULD not for the love of god get the star sense explorer app to function it'll just be stuck in "telescope finding location" and would just hang there... pretty frustrating and I did focus the eye piece, the finderscope and smartphone with the dock. Maybe its a lot better going to a astronomy retail store and purchasing from there? Oh and my altitude rod was stiff to the point where I had to like force it to turn, and I think that was creating stress for the telescope. I just realized... my damn phone is not compatible 😮‍💨

[@phcalama]

I recommend you attach the tray by screwing the thumbscrews from below.

[@VaderKurt]

I just got one. IDo you know if there's any way to correct the about 160 Degree angle to the right imagery? I don't think a prism lens will work on a refractor telescope.

[@highpointscientific]

Hello Kurt. That's a good question. Our product advisors would be happy to help you figure that out! Please reach out to them via this link - www.highpointscientific.com/email-us

[@ShriRamAcadmeyMaths-tc2rm]

What is the least magnitude that you were able to see

[@nathanhk7736]

Question is that the actual star or already on the apps coz i can also see that using apps without telescope.

[@highpointscientific]

Hello! Thank you for your question. Which star are you referring to?

[@CaribouDataScience]

Why does it scope come with 2 inch focuser?

[@highpointscientific]

The 2 inch focuser is designed to accommodate wider, 2" eyepieces.

[@waynegarrett1614]

what 2" eyepiece would you recommend for this scope? Could this handle a good 3mm eyepiece which would give you around 216 times mag?

[@highpointscientific]

A good eyepiece would be the Apertura 26mm 2": www.highpointscientific.com/telescope-accessories/eyepieces/apertura-telescope-eyepieces/apertura-26mm-super-wide-angle-2-eyepiece-swa26 3mm might be pushing it as this telescope does not come with tracking. Objects will zip out of the field of view.

[@waynegarrett1614]

@@highpointscientific good point, thanks!

[@waynegarrett1614]

I nearly purchased the 114 LT but found out its got a bird Jones view finder - saving for this 130 DX now (the newer 127 LT also has a bird Jones viewer and a spherical mirror.

[@highpointscientific]

You'll definitely be happy with the 130 DX, as it is not a Bird-Jones!

[@jefflaw1764]

Why did you not show any photos of what you were seeing? That to me is the most important thing.ITS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE and not how fast you can talk! I dont know if I want to buy one just for that reason.

[@highpointscientific]

Hi there! I did not have a camera up to the eyepiece or attached to the scope in any way. Visually speaking, views through an eyepiece are very subjective. I did my best to describe what I was seeing live through the scope as a photo would simply misrepresent what I was seeing by providing the viewers with a more detailed, and brighter view. This way we remain as unbiased and honest as possible!

[@tokyo3128]

What's the music at 9:55?

[@zombiegamer1032]

Nice

[@Evilerspartan]

Are you able to see the cloud belts of Jupiter and rings of Saturn while also looking at star clusters and other deep space objects?

[@highpointscientific]

Yes! I was able to see all of the above using this scope. If you can get the scope under dark skies, you can REALLY take advantage of the 5" mirror.

[@Me-te8xq]

Does this telescope have a parabolic mirror? I tried searching up but it was no help.

[@highpointscientific]

Hello! Most reflector telescopes have a parabolic-shaped mirror, including this one.

[@Me-te8xq]

@@highpointscientific Yesssss!! Thank you for replying!!

[@davidjackson7675]

Does the app include double starts?

[@highpointscientific]

Yes, it should!

[@yankeeownz9980]

I own the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Telescope and I have some questions (I'm new to telescopes and this is my first scope). This is a brand new and I only have owned it for roughly 2 weeks. I have individual eyepieces and a Zoom eyepiece. Individual's: 4mm, 10mm, 15mm, 23mm. Zoom 7-mm - 21mm When I use an eyepiece lower than 20mm or I use the zoom and I go below 20mm - The image is blurry, dull, and just blah. I'm unable to see the Hercules Cluster and I'm unable to see any Messier objects - in and around the Big Dipper. Am I not able to see any of these with this StarSense?

[@highpointscientific]

You should absolutely be able to see the Hercules Cluster (M13) with any of these eyepieces, although we wouldn't recommend going below 10mm. Just remember that eyepieces are not parafocal. You'll need to adjust the focus to be able to see these objects at higher magnification vs a lower one. However, do note that many Messier objects are pretty dim and that any light pollution might also interfere with the view. That, combined with higher magnification, could render many Messier objects in Ursa Major very difficult to view even in a 5" reflector.

[@leoncomar2038]

Do these work with Apple iphone 13!

[@highpointscientific]

You can find a list of compatible phones on the Celestron website: starsenseexplorer.simcur.com/

[@lukasthibo901]

can i also put a phone mount on this telesope? to make photos?

[@highpointscientific]

Yes, you can easily put a smartphone adapter or similar up to the eyepiece and take photos of the Moon & planets! www.highpointscientific.com/celestron-nexgo-universal-smartphone-adapter-81036

[@lukasthibo901]

@@highpointscientific aslo deep sky objects?

[@highpointscientific]

@@lukasthibo901 Deep sky objects would be more challenging with a smart phone, but doable! This telescope doesn't feature tracking, so your stars will begin to streak after about 1 second. You may have some success stacking multiple ~0.5s exposures from your smartphone.

[@MrRockfish01]

Does the primary mirror come with a center dot?

[@highpointscientific]

Good question! We'll see if we can find an answer for you.

[@highpointscientific]

Hello again! Sorry for the late response, but the mirror does come with a center dot to aid in collimation.

[@MrRockfish01]

@@highpointscientific -thanks for the info. I was given a Newtonian without a center dot and it’s a nightmare to collimate. Really interested on this scope, thanks 😀

[@tonyosullivan6137]

@@MrRockfish01 here's a video to show how to add one! kzbin.info/www/bejne/apjTfqiHp8ysgNE

[@Mikazuki_Augus]

wish you show us what the objects look like

[@highpointscientific]

Hello! We'll be sure to add that in future types of videos.

[@queenofdirt1241]

dang i got excited but then i saw it was 500 lmao

[@Astronomer118]

What's your budget for a telescope?

[@borzak101]

Turn the volume up on your mic. Whisper whisper whisper

[@sdarcher3964]

Kitty wants to see :)

[@captainhonan]

Can you see Jupiter etc

[@highpointscientific]

Yes, Jupiter can easily be seen in this telescope or telescopes of similar aperture!

[@user-os7uz8tp1q]

I might agree. Especially the tray. The assembly instructions coming with the telescope were poorly diagramed and poorly described - then, watching on a video, you can see how simple it is to assemble the thing. Must be a company weakness or a lackadaisical attitude.

[@springbloom5940]

Its egregious that Celestron wont release this system as a standalone, rather forcing purchase of $450 system thats not significantly better. This is just the NexGo shoe, with a mirror in place of an eyepiece clamp and absolutely would work on any scope. Its just greed on Celestron's part. Very disappointing. But, then Celestron has been very disappointing for a very long time.