Review on 🔭 Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope | StarSense App for Easy Star, Planet, and Celestial Discoveries | 130mm Newtonian Reflector | iPhone & Android Compatible by Missy Cooper

We bought this telescope mainly for educational purposes. As part of John Dobson's Sidewalk Astronomy group, we're building a lot in the city where people live to expose those who never had the opportunity to do astronomy. When we adjust to urban and commercial lighting, it can often be very difficult to find deep sky objects. We needed a telescope with some smart features that was very portable and easy to set up and use. The assembly and setup of the StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ was very well documented and easy to use, requiring no experienced technical astronomer. The scope is ready for observation. I use an iPhone so downloading the app from iTunes is free but activation requires the activation code that came with the telescope. I'm sure your 5 year old can handle this part lol. Reassembled, in daylight, I set the standard finderscope setting on the main eyepiece for ground targets, then removed the stand cover and placed the phone in the stand over the mirror. When I launched the StarSense app, it opened and helped me align my phone with the telescope's image in the eyepiece. This is a simple procedure, so slow down and follow it closely, it will affect tracking performance when used. In fact, I had to redo it to correct my sloppiness. After installing one of our scheduled Coffee and Space events on the Starbucks patio, the StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ was the only telescope I took with me. It was difficult to sink or swim to see if the scope would work or not. Can I show anything other than the Moon and Saturn under a large Starbucks sign, in front of a large bank sign and many other shops and street lamps? With your phone aligned with the mirror and telescope, you're good to go. The application determines the location and time of the reticle and knows what is happening and where objects are in your sky. When I pulled up the list of available targets, I saw about 15 deep sky objects. After I selected my first item in the list, the app had some trouble resolving the tablet (determining where it was pointing by comparing the stars to its database) what it was looking at, and I got frustrated. After a few tries it hit me... So many lights, there must be some interference. I crossed my arms around the mirror, followed the arrows on the phone screen and EUREKA! object in the eyepiece. So I started at the top of the list and followed her. I would select the next item on the list, grab the mirror and follow the arrows, BAM! Rinse and repeat in the eyepiece. I was able to complete all but two of the objects in the list. The two were M81 and M82 just above the bright Starbucks sign, I couldn't get past my observing environment but the StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ would and could. The telescope was "over the moon" (pun intended). I feel that the environment in which I have used this telescope is very indicative of a new young telescope user. I highly recommend this telescope.