Celestron StarSense Explorer 12 Inch Dobsonian

Product Description

The first large aperture 12 inch Dobsonian that uses your smartphone to analyze the night sky and calculate its position in real-time allowing you to use your smartphone to guide you to thousands of objects in the night sky. This large-aperture Celestron StarSense Explorer is ideal for serious beginners and advanced observers alike providing superb deep sky views, thanks to the app's user-friendly interface and detailed tutorials. It's like having your own personal tour guide of the night sky. The large 12 inch aperture will ensure that you won’t outgrow the telescope as you continue on in your astronomical adventures. Advanced observers will appreciate the ease of use and spectacular views the StarSense Explorer 12 Dobsonian provides.

Delivery time is 1-3 business days with this model

Essy to use App
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 Mounting
An ultra-stable Dobsonian base provides a sturdy foundation for StarSense Explorer. It features large diameter altitude bearings with variable tensioning, Teflon azimuth bearings, and braces on the side panels for extra stability (unlike many 12” Dobsonian bases). The altitude bearings provide a smooth up-and-down motion while the integrated altitude "brake" system allows you to adjust the tension along the altitude axis for 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 easily follow them with minor adjustments to the telescope’s position.

Dazzling Views with High-Quality Optics
With a large 12" Newtonian reflector optical tube, this telescope has enough light-gathering ability to bring out impressive 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 gaseous glow of the Orion Nebula, dust lanes in the Lagoon Nebula, and our neighbor galaxy, Andromeda. Compared to the other StarSense Explorer Dobsonian telescopes, the 12” Dobsonian has 2.25 more light gathering ability than the 8” and 2.25x more light gathering ability than the 10”, providing better views of faint objects. All mirror surfaces are coated with our XLT optical coatings to visibly increase contrast and light throughput for brighter views. With XLT, you'll be able to discern subtle details while viewing the Moon and planets, as well as faint galaxies and nebulae. The mirrors are made of low-expansion optical glass, which helps ensure the best images under changing environmental conditions.

This telescope also comes with a high-quality 2" Crayford focuser. The Crayford design provides precise and smooth movements without focus shifting. It also includes a 2” to 1.25” adapter and a 2” extension tube, so you can use virtually any 1.25” or 2” telescope eyepiece with your StarSense Explorer Dobsonian. The focuser also features a thumbscrew so you can lock in the sharpest focus.

Smartphone Compatibility
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.

Specifications
Optical Design: Newtonian Reflector
Aperture: 305mm (12")
Focal Length: 1500mm (59")
Focal Ratio: f/4.9
Focal Length of Eyepiece 1: 32mm (1.26")
Magnification of Eyepiece 1: 47x
Highest Useful Magnification: 720x
Lowest Useful Magnification: 43x
Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 14.9
Light Gathering Power: 1895x as compared to the human eye
Optical Coatings: XLT reflective coatings with silicon dioxide and tantalum pentoxide protective overcoatings for primary and secondary mirrors
Mirror Material: Pyrex equivalent for primary and secondary mirrors
Primary Mirror Thickness: 37mm (1.45") (approx. 1:8 thickness ratio)
Secondary Mirror Thickness: 11mm (0.43")
Minor Axis of Secondary Mirror: 70mm (2.75")
Tube Material: Steel
Focuser: 2" Crayford focuser, includes 2" extension tube and 2"-to-1.25" adapter
Finderscope: StarPointer™ red-dot finderscope
Resolution Rayleigh: 0.45 arcseconds
Resolution Dawes: 0.38 arcseconds
Optical Tube Dimensions: 1422.4mm (56") long x 355.6mm (14" diameter)
Optical Tube Weight: 49.8 lbs (22.58 kg)
Mount Type: Altazimuth Dobsonian base
Base Material: Particle board with melamine surfaces and edge trim, CARB compliant
Base Dimensions: 635mm x 635mm x 736.6mm (25" x 25" x 29")
Base Weight: 33.8 lbs (15.33 kg)
Slew Speeds: Manual
Software: Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software and StarSense Explorer App
Total Telescope Kit Weight: 83.6 lbs (37.92 kg)

Included Items:
Optical tube
Dobsonian Base
32mm eyepiece
2" Crayford focuser
StarPointer™ red-dot finderscope
StarSense Explorer dock
StarSense Explorer unlock code
Eyepiece rack
Collimation cap
Celestron Starry Night Basic Edition Software