CelestronStarSense Explorer 10-inch App-Enabled Telescope – 254mm Dobsonian with Smartphone Dock & StarSense App – iPhone & Android Compatible – Easy-to-Use for Beginners

This is a FANTASTIC DOB telescope! I recommend this wholeheartedly and without reservation.This is a great DOB telescope. I would like to tell you about it here.First things first - the StarSense application is tremendously fun and educational for exploring the sky (as is SkySafari - consider this app if you have a non-StarSense scope). I bought one the smaller StarSense reflector scopes to test the app. After using it, I was sold on the platform and looked forward to getting the DOB. The StarSense app is amazing. It will not only point out MANY celestial objects, but it will provide written facts and oral descriptions on the more commonly observed objects. It is highly educational and entertaining. It also provides an interactive map of the sky as you gaze. Think of it this way - you have a mini planetarium on your scope. How great is that? It helps you aim the scope while also providing information about the object you are viewing and the surrounding objects. You can pick from a star map or enter the celestial object you want to view in a search bar. The app has an option to go red to preserve the acclimated eye. It was easy to align and work. The StarSense app is an utterly fantastic way to enhance the stargazing experience!! (Note: I had one phone work PERFECTLY with the app, and another phone did not work on the first night out. Later, I turned location services on and that fixed my problem - both phones worked well. Celestron keeps a list of StarSense confirmed compatible devices on their website if you want more info. It looks like the StarSense app is widely compatible. Frankly, I would buy a phone just to use this app).The DOB is sturdy. It is super solid and I am sure it will last for years to come. I had no problems with assembly. If you go for the 12 inch (you Viking!), be sure to wear gloves or otherwise be very carefully when installing the primary mirror (from what I have read, the 8 and 10 inch come with the primary installed). But overall, it comes together easily. And, if you do go for this - a laser collimator is super handy. And this thing was a breeze to collimate. Images were crisp and clear!The base is surprisingly smooth. I was concerned, given the weight of the 12, that it would be difficult to control and move. That was an unfounded concern. It moves smoothly, and with the nicely placed front handle, you can keep objects centered easily. Slewing is a pleasure on this DOB.The scope is well balanced. But keep in mind, as you swap eyepieces and change accessories (starfinders, lasers, et al) the balance can change and become front heavy. This is no problem. There is a very well done tensioning knob that will keep you level and still. You can also purchase dobsonian weight magnets if you prefer to manually balance the scope. I do not think that is necessary right now - the tension system gets a chef's kiss from me.Image quality is fantastic if you have the right eyepieces (or filters if you are in to that). Physics dictates this result, given the light gathering power of the primary. It is amazing to use a 12 inch aperture. To me, it is worth lugging the weight around. If you are unsure you can handle the bulk of the 12, there is nothing wrong with an 8 or 10! The app is still outstanding and there are plenty dark sky objects to see with the 8 and the 10. You cannot go wrong with any size, in my opinion. I would invite you to treat yourself to some 2 inch eyepieces. These DOBS all accommodate 2 inch eyepieces, and I would recommend the extra money for a nice set.In sum, I highly recommend this DOB if you are in the market for such a telescope. And by using the phrase "in the market", I trust you are familiar with the size and weight of these scopes. But the size and weight are worth the price of admission. And please know, once they are set up they slew with ease. I could move the scope with a pinky and the scope rests firm when left to stand. These DOBs It is by far the best telescope I have ever owned.I would recommend some accessories to enhance your stargazing. I recommend some 2 inch eyepieces (40-23mm), a DOB fan (which Celestron sells for cheap and easily inserts) which will help with great temperature differentials, a laser collimator, a mount to raise the red dot finder up off the scope for ease of use (so you do not have to crane your neck to use it), and a 90 degree starfinder (handy extra - one person can look through the DOB, and another can view the larger sky simultaneously). Just as a sprinter needs quality shoes, your DOB can use some quality accessories, but that is not to suggest this thing is incomplete or lacking in quality.This is a tremendous scope worth every penny. Happy stargazing!

First of all, it is a large piece of equipment. However, its strong ability to search the sky makes up for its size. I love it and would buy it again. I put it on a moving dolly that I had, and this allows me to roll it around the house and outside. It was a great buy.

So I have been looking for a new Dobsonian for a while. Either 10 to 12 inch. This one as a just the telescope is really good. I have had it for a month at the time of this writing. I had it fully assembled in an hour, hour and a half. Setting up for observation is very easy. This is a bit heavy but it is a 10 inch, so it will be. It has handles for easy pick up and short carry. It only comes with 1 single eyepiece, a 25 mm. It will get you started but you might be disappointed as just a novice going, well that's it? And be pretty underwhelmed. I highly recommend getting the Celestron – 1.25” Eyepiece and Filter Accessory Kit to go with this. With the eyepieces and filters in this kit you can see the rings of Saturn and polar ice caps on Mars. Also deep sky objects like nebula will appear. So the Scope itself is great in that regard.The Star sense software, honestly I have given up on it. never really got it to work. I get everything aligned and it says point to a patch of sky and it will figure out where it is. Never did for me. I even tried pointing it right at the big dipper and nope has no idea where it is. Sometimes the software glitches out and all I get on my phone is a white screen. I figure out how to solve it. Delete all the application data, which is a very large database. Then redownload it. However, then even though you must log in to the app you still have to enter your license code. Which, if this happens when your at a dark sky park or something your SOL. Again I never got it to work to find anything I did enjoy the explanations and so on of object in the night sky you can just use search feature in the app. So while the scope is very good. I wouldn't necessarily buy it for the Starsense software though.It comes with another software for your desktop or laptop. This software has a lot of potential but is very clunky. It really needs a lot of refinement to be useful. So in end, just to reiterate the scope, and the quality of the scope is great. I will honestly be using it for decades. It is a great 10 inch Dobsonian. You do need some lenses and filters. Which again, any telescope in this price range your going to need some better lenses, this is where they save money. The stand is great and actually built to last a while. The software, not the greatest. However, software can be updated and upgraded. It may get way better, or it may never improve again. Time will tell on that. To me though, I have just as much fun finding the objects up there. So just as a functional Dobsonian, It is great.

Works well high quality unit

This is my first dobsonian and bought a 10”. I love the StarSense app to learn where objects are located. I don’t think I’d be able to locate many of the objects without it (use a iPhone 13). I bought a Red Laser Collimator and check for good alignment prior to each use. I’m a newbie to the hobby and I find Collimation very easy to perform on this telescope. Happy I bought it.

This telescope is awesome! It has extremely sharp and clear images of planets and star clusters. I live in a heavily light polluted area and I can still see galaxies and nebula. The star sense app is also incredible and easy to use. It’s hard to believe how accurate it is. It does lose its location when clouds pass by and if I get close to the horizon where the glow from the streetlights is pretty bright. The eyepiece that came with it is crystal clear with minimal aberrations around the edge but because of the wide range of view it has not been a problem. Overall I’m really impressed and would suggest this scope to anyone that is interested

So i was putting this together recently and realized that the entire telescope piece is missing from the box? What do i do now?