Celestron StarSense Explorer 150 Tabletop Dob

Celestron has reinvented the Tabletop Dobsonian telescope with StarSense Explorer—the first Tabletop Dobsonian that uses your smartphone to analyze the night sky and calculate its position in real-time. This larger-aperture Celestron StarSense Explorer is ideal for beginners, thanks to the app's user-friendly interface and detailed tutorials. It's like having your own personal tour guide of the night sky.

Dock, Launch, Explore

Leave complicated star charts, imprecise planetarium apps, and computerized mounts behind. With StarSense Explorer, locating objects has never been easier, faster, or more accurate. Within minutes of setting up the telescope, you'll be navigating the sky with confidence. Simply place your phone in the unique StarSense dock and launch the StarSense Explorer app.

After aligning your phone to the telescope's optics (a quick and easy procedure), StarSense Explorer generates a list of celestial objects currently visible. Make your selection and arrows appear on-screen, guiding you as you move the telescope. When the object is ready to view in the eyepiece, the bullseye turns green. As you observe, listen to hundreds of audio descriptions and view detailed information about thousands of objects within the app’s robust database.

High-Quality Altazimuth Base

The stable Tabletop Dobsonian base provides a sturdy foundation for StarSense Explorer. The tabletop base is compact, lightweight, and easy to transport, making it perfect for travel. The base’s low-profile makes accessing the eyepiece easier for some observers (especially children). You can also place the base on a stable platform, like a table or hood of a car, to raise it to a comfortable viewing height. Consider adding the optional tripod for even more viewing options.

Teflon bearings provide smooth motion in both altitude and azimuth. The integrated altitude "brake" system allows you to adjust the tension along the altitude axis to ensure the smoothest motion, even with slight imbalances. The panning knob on the telescope tube provides an ergonomic grip so you can precisely point the telescope without introducing heat from your hands into the optical system. As celestial objects appear to drift across the night sky, you’ll be able to follow them easily.

The optical tube connects to the base via tube rings. It’s easy to adjust the tube’s position in the rings so the focuser is in the best viewing position. The base features an eyepiece rack to keep your extra eyepiece(s) close at hand.

Dazzling Views with Excellent Optics

With a large 150mm (5.9”) aperture parabolic primary mirror, this telescope has enough light gathering ability to bring out detail in celestial objects. You can expect sharp, bright views of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons, its cloud bands and Great Red Spot, the rings of Saturn, the trapezium in the Orion Nebula, and the beautiful Pleiades Open Star Cluster. You'll be able to discern subtle details while viewing the Moon and planets, as well as faint galaxies and nebulae.

This telescope features a 1.25” rack-and-pinion focuser that accepts 1.25” eyepieces and dust covers for the front of the tube and the focuser.

Perfect for the City or Dark Sky Sites

Even if you live in a light-polluted city location, the Celestron StarSense Explorer 150mm Tabletop Dobsonian is advanced enough to easily pick out Jupiter, Saturn, open star clusters like the Pleiades, double stars like Alberio, the Orion Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy, and more of the best and brightest celestial objects.

But if you can take the telescope to an even slightly darker location, more objects will become visible. With this 150mm Dobsonian and relatively dark skies, hundreds of fascinating objects are well within your reach.

The StarSense Explorer Tabletop Dobsonian is equipped with carry handles, making it easy to transport to your observing site.

Smartphone Compatibility

Celestron StarSense Explorer works with most modern smartphones, including iPhone 6 and up, and most devices running Android 7.1.2 or later manufactured since 2016. For a complete compatibility list, click here.

Patented StarSense Sky Recognition Technology

StarSense Explorer uses patented technology and your smartphone to determine exactly where the telescope is pointed in the night sky. A Lost in Space Algorithm (LISA), like the ones satellites use in orbit to correctly orient themselves, helps the app match star patterns it detects overhead to its internal database.

While other astronomy apps may claim that they can help you find objects, they rely exclusively on the phone's gyros and accelerometers, which aren't as accurate as LISA technology. No other app can accurately tell you when your target is visible in the eyepiece.

Observe Longer with the PowerTank Glow 5000

Keep your phone charged all night while exploring with your StarSense Explorer by adding the PowerTank Glow 5000 (sold separately). Our team engineered this 2-in-1 accessory with StarSense Explorer Dobonians in mind. It has a red flashlight PLUS a USB power bank for charging mobile devices in the field. Two included bands attach the PowerTank Glow 5000 to the tabletop Dob base handle, an ideal location for charging your smartphone as you observe.

 All products sold by Focalpoint online and by Mail Order are covered by a 14 Day "Cooling Off" period.

We additionally allow No-Fault returns beyond this subject to a restocking charge at our discretion.

You must notify us of a Return within 7 days of receiving your item/items by visiting our Returns Portal and requesting a return, once approved you must return your item within 7 days.

We strongly recommend you use our Prepaid Return Courier and that you insure your return against loss or damage as we accept no liability for items returned damaged or that are lost.

Provided your return qualifies, is within the "Cooling Off" Period and is returned in a satisfactory condition your return will be processed in line with all current Consumer Rights Regulations.

Our Terms & Conditions can be found >HERE<

Our FAQs can be found >HERE<

Our Returns Portal can be found >HERE<

 We understand sometimes things go wrong or you change your mind and you may need to return an item.

With just a few clicks our Returns Portal will find your order details and guide you through the return process in under 60 seconds.

Once we have your order details and you have selected your return reason and selected our prepaid label or your own courier, our system will take over and keep you updated of the progress of your return from Courier Acceptance to Delivery to our Returns Department, to your final resolution (Exchange, Repair, Upgrade or Full/Partial Refund).

All you need to do is parcel up your item in secure packaging and follow the instructions provided.

The Returns Portal can be found >HERE<

 Update Date 31/10/2025

Smartphone Compatibility

StarSense Explorer works with most modern smartphones; it is compatible with Android 12 and later, as well as iOS 18 and newer, including iPhone XR and newer models. Users with older phones can still use this app , butwill not be able to reinstall the app if they uninstall it. For a complete compatibility list, clickhere.

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