Celestron StarSense Explorer 150mm Dobsonian Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope

The Celestron StarSense Explorer 150mm Tabletop Dobsonian combines a substantial 150mm parabolic primary mirror with Celestron's StarSense Explorer technology, giving you a very capable night-sky telescope in a much more compact design.

The tabletop design is a more compact way of mounting a 150mm reflector. The telescope still has the aperture to explore nebulae, star clusters and brighter galaxies, while also providing rewarding views of Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon.

Its compact size is one of its real strengths. The telescope weighs 11.3kg complete and the optical tube is only around 72cm long, making it easier to store, carry outside or take with you than a larger floor-standing Dobsonian.

StarSense Explorer then makes finding your way around the night sky much easier. Choose an object in the app and follow the on-screen arrows as you move the telescope by hand. Once the bullseye turns green, look through the eyepiece and enjoy the view.

Why Choose the 150mm Tabletop?

The 150mm is a great choice if you want genuine telescope performance without the size, weight and cost of a larger floor-standing Dobsonian.

• 150mm parabolic primary mirror provides substantial light-gathering power for planets, star clusters, nebulae and brighter galaxies
• Compact tabletop design gives you a capable telescope that is much easier to store and transport
• A genuine 150mm reflector — the tabletop base changes how the telescope is supported, not what the optics are capable of showing you
• StarSense Explorer guidance helps you find objects without needing to learn the night sky first
• Two eyepieces included, providing 30x and 75x magnification straight out of the box
• Simple manual Dobsonian movement makes the telescope straightforward to point and follow across the sky
• 11.3kg complete, with a relatively short 72cm optical tube
• Optional tripod available if you would rather use the telescope as a freestanding setup

For beginners and more experienced observers alike, the 150mm offers an excellent combination of useful aperture, easy operation and compact size, with plenty to explore as your interest in astronomy grows.

What Can You See?

Despite its compact appearance, the 150mm aperture gives you a surprisingly wide range of night-sky objects to explore.

Star clusters, bright nebulae and galaxies are all within reach. The Orion Nebula can show its glowing central region and the stars of the Trapezium, the Pleiades becomes a striking field of bright stars, and the Andromeda Galaxy is among the brighter galaxies accessible to this telescope.

Jupiter can show its four bright Galilean moons and main cloud bands, while Saturn's rings are clearly visible. The Moon reveals extensive crater, mountain and surface detail across its changing phases.

How StarSense Explorer Works

StarSense Explorer combines your smartphone with Celestron's dedicated StarSense dock and built-in mirror system.

Your phone sits in the StarSense dock above a specially positioned mirror. The mirror reflects the pattern of stars overhead into your phone's camera, while the StarSense Explorer app analyses those star patterns and calculates exactly where the telescope is pointing.

After the phone and telescope are aligned, the app automatically provides objects that are currently available to view. Choose what you want to explore and arrows on the screen guide you as you manually move the Dobsonian towards it. When the target is correctly positioned, the bullseye turns green and you look through the telescope's eyepiece to view it.

The app also provides information about thousands of celestial objects, together with audio descriptions for hundreds of them, helping you learn more about what you are viewing as you explore.

The phone is an important part of the system, but it isn't simply acting as a normal astronomy app using the phone's direction sensors. The StarSense dock, mirror, smartphone camera and Celestron software work together to determine where the telescope is pointing.

There are no motors moving the telescope for you — StarSense tells you where to go and you move the Dobsonian by hand.

Compact Tabletop Dobsonian Design

The tabletop base is what allows Celestron to package a 150mm reflector into such a compact and easy-to-store telescope.

Place it on a solid table, bench or other stable raised surface at a comfortable viewing height. Unlike a lightweight photographic-style tripod, the broad Dobsonian base provides a solid foundation directly beneath the telescope.

Teflon bearings provide smooth movement both up and down and from side to side, while the adjustable altitude tension system helps keep the telescope balanced as you move it around the sky.

The optical tube is held in tube rings, allowing its position to be adjusted so the focuser can be placed at a comfortable viewing angle.

If you would rather not rely on a table or bench, Celestron also offers an optional tripod specifically designed for the StarSense Explorer Tabletop Dobsonians.

Other Features

• 150mm parabolic primary mirror — provides considerably more light-gathering ability than smaller beginner telescopes while keeping the overall telescope compact
• Aluminium mirror coatings with SiO₂ overcoat — protect the reflective surfaces and provide efficient light reflection
• Smooth Dobsonian movement — Teflon bearings provide smooth altitude and azimuth movement as you locate and follow objects
• Adjustable altitude tension — allows the movement to be adjusted to compensate for slight changes in balance
• Panning handle — provides a convenient grip for accurately moving the telescope without needing to hold the optical tube itself
• Adjustable tube rings — allow the optical tube to be rotated so the focuser can be positioned comfortably
• 1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser — accepts standard 1.25" telescope eyepieces
• Two eyepieces supplied — a 25mm eyepiece provides 30x magnification and a 10mm eyepiece provides 75x
• Built-in eyepiece rack — keeps the supplied eyepieces conveniently close while observing
• Carry handles and compact dimensions make the telescope easier to move between storage and your observing location
• Dust covers included for the front of the optical tube and focuser when the telescope is not in use

FAQ's

Does the 150mm StarSense Explorer need a table?
Yes. The tabletop Dobsonian base needs a solid, stable raised surface such as a sturdy table or bench. The tabletop format keeps the telescope compact; it does not reduce the capability of the 150mm optical system.

Does StarSense move or track the telescope automatically?
No. StarSense guides you to the object using your smartphone, but you move the telescope by hand. Once you have found the target, you continue to follow it manually through the eyepiece.

Does StarSense need an internet connection while I am observing?
No. Once the StarSense Explorer app is installed and set up on a compatible smartphone, the system can guide you around the night sky without a Wi-Fi or mobile-data connection.

Smartphone Compatibility

StarSense Explorer works with most modern iPhone and Android smartphones. Because compatibility requirements can change as phones and operating systems are updated, we recommend checking your phone with Celestron's current StarSense Explorer compatibility checker before purchase.

• StarSense Explorer Tabletop Dobsonian Manual
• StarSense Tabletop Dobsonian Quick Setup Guide
• StarSense Explorer App Manual