Used Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Refractor Telescope

2022-01-20T13:01:58

We?ve only been able to use it a few times and are still trying to work through how to use the Star Sense app, so I?m reserving judgment on that. We?ve been able to find some planets and constellations without it. I bought this item because it was advertised as good for viewing planets. However, all we get is making a tiny white dot into a slightly larger white dot?even with Saturn and Jupiter. I?m disappointed that the lenses are stored in a cloth bag bouncing around with other pieces. I?m looking for something more substantial to store them in. My granddaughter loves the telescope, so it?s a good start for her. I think my disappointment comes from not buying a more sophisticated telescope.

DIANE H.

2022-01-05T08:43:44

We brought for are granddaughter and she loves it so far so good!

JOSEPHINE S.

2022-01-05T07:40:13

I chose this telescope based on a friends recommendation and we are thrilled with it. So cool to set it up with my phone so we can see what's through the telescope on that screen too.

MAGGIE M.

2022-01-01T08:28:21

Looks great. Love the phone app

B S.

2022-01-01T04:50:06

Purchased as a Christmas gift for my granddaughters ages 6 & 8. They are really enjoying the telescope particularly with the phone app. Highly recommend this telescope for beginners, with adult supervision, interested in learning about our solar system.

RICHARD O.

2021-12-29T07:36:35

Better than anticipated the app works so well. Perfect combo for my granddaughters, who are beginners

THOMAS L.

2021-05-31T10:21:00

It was so easy to put together and I?m having a lot of fun learning to use it.

Deborah H.

2021-04-05T10:20:28

Fantastic gift for my husband at such an affordable price. The quality is impressive. The service at Adorama is superior. Seamless, flawless, fast shipping, excellent product. This is how online shopping should be.

JOAN R.

2021-02-21T12:05:45

My 9-year-old son and I are enjoying using this 80mm aperture telescope. I've been pleased with what we're able to see given that we live in a light polluted area. The red dot finder scope works well, and the slow up/down control is nice. The Star Sense app is a great idea and gets you in the neighborhood of what you're looking for, but it doesn't always lock onto your target very well. It will frequently direct us to something, then it re-calibrates, tells us to move left, then we move left, and it says to move right, over and over. It could be due to our light polluted skies, though, that it doesn't have enough stars available to sense exactly where the scope is pointed. I'd still recommend this telescope, because you can use the red dot finder scope. The Star Sense app is also a quick way to see a list of things to view, and it tells you whether the target is city viewable or needs dark skies.

TODD B.

2021-02-15T10:13:50

It has been well below zero and cloudy since we received it so have not taken it outside yet. The build and quality seem good so we are looking forward to being able to try it for it's intended purpose instead of watching the occasional deer out the window with it.

AARON Q.

2021-02-11T10:16:14

Absolutely love my new telescope. It was easy to assemble and for a beginner easy to use. The app that comes with it makes it easy to find planets and star constellations. I would highly recommend this telescope especially for a beginner star gazer. Ordering from Adorama was easy and delivery was very prompt.

Patricia B.

2021-02-09T10:15:00

This thing is a monster. I thought it might be plastic and cheap, but that’s precisely why the stock photos don’t do it justice. It’s moderately heavy, and the quality of the materials is great. The stand is all metal, as well as the telescope casing. My nephews loved this (~15 y.o.)

OSCAR C.

2021-02-06T05:14:41

High quality, easy to assemble, works great if alignment is correct. Good procedures for alignment with mini videos.

EDWIN H.

2021-01-21T12:25:49

Great star gazer!!!!

MORRIS S.

2021-01-10T19:13:52

1. The transaction was very smooth and shipping was FAST. 2. Telescope arrived is perfect condition. Box was solid, no dents... 3. This is a great beginner's scope. I wanted something for planetary viewing and the 80mm aperture is sufficient for my needs. If you want more visible details and brighter views of the planets, go for a larger aperture if your budget will allow. 4. I do not recommend this telescope for deep space objects like galaxies, nebulae, etc... Get a larger aperture for those. In dark conditions (not light polluted from surrounding cities) and clear conditions, you may see deep space objects, but they will be dim with very limited detail. 5. The Barlow goes between the focus tube and the diagonal. Many instruction booklets were misprinted. If you put the Barlow lens between the diagonal and the eyepiece, you will run out on inward focus travel before achieving proper focus. 6. The tripod is stable enough for the price point. I am satisfied with the altitude azimuth mount. You will need to track objects manually as the earth rotates, but it's not very difficult especially with the slow motion altitude adjustment. 7. Once aligned properly, the StarSense technology works very well. I have an iPhone 7. It is accurate enough to be useful, but it's not perfect. The audio with object descriptions adds a whole new dimension to observing. I feel like I am at a planetarium except I am under the real night sky. Speaking of which, the StarSense technology only works in the dark. Celestron suggests setting it up during the day. You can if you want to, but I was able to do it easily at night aiming the telescope at a distant street light. 8. The eye pieces aren't perfect, but they can certainly provide sharp views under good viewing conditions. I'd say there are plenty of accessories to get you off to a good start. 9. The red dot finder scope is very accurate once aligned properly. Most of the time, I use the finder scope as opposed to the StarSense technology. This is because I usually do planetary viewing, and the planets are easy to find. I also aim the scope at random stars. It makes it more of an organic experience. 10. There is quite a bit of vibration with the slightest touch/adjustment. This can sometimes make focusing a challenge. Patience is key. It doesn't usually take more than 2 minutes to achieve good focus. 11. Overall, I love this telescope. It's portable enough for quick viewings and will provide endless hours of fun for a person/family interested in astronomy. I once read this on the internet somewhere, "It's not about what you SEE; it's all about WHAT you see." If you keep this in mind, you won't be disappointed with this telescope (or any decent telescope). For the price, this one is hard to beat. It has some key important features that really sell it for me: the 80mm aperture (a fair bit better than a 70mm), the StarSence technology/app, the slow motion altitude adjustment, and the 900mm focal length (which provides good magnification for the planets without needing to buy smaller eyepieces). I hope this helps anyone who is interested in this telescope. Adorama is a great retailer to buy it from. Celestron has some good quality scopes. Happy stargazing!

JOSEPH P.

2021-01-06T09:37:05

I've been involved with this hobby for 25 years, and have had various telescopes over that time. I bought this scope to try the StarSense feature which looked brilliant from the reviews. Still, I was a bit skeptical, but after setting it up and using it, I'm a believer! Really amazing tech, especially for those getting into stargazing. Just don't try to use high magnification right off the bat. The 80mm scope isn't bad for entry level but the mount is the weak point. On the plus side, the scope and mount are super-lightweight so it's a great grab-and-go setup.

GEORGE O.

2021-01-03T14:38:15

Absolutely love this telescope. Feels like I’m in the sky with the stars!!!!

JENNY D.

2020-12-02T18:23:22

Accurately aligning the viewer, telescope and smart phone together is difficult. Finding a large object like the moon is not hard and the craters on the moon can be seen clearly, but sighting stars and planets is not easy. Maybe with more practice it will get easier to use.

DAVID S.

2020-11-24T11:57:25

Very good telescope for beginners. No issues at all. The star sense app is very helpful for finding objects in the sky.

PEYTON S.

2020-11-24T10:34:53

Telescope is a gift to our Grandchildren for Christmas. Shipping was fast and correct product sent in an undamaged box. That’s important, too, when you’re wrapping it as a gift. Look forward to enjoying the telescope with them after the holidays.

DEBRA T.

2020-11-22T09:26:19

Adoorama presented the product exactly as it is! Professional from start to finish!

THOMAS F.