Saturn is putting on a spectacular show this month as it reaches opposition overnight on Sept. 20. The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is a great value telescope that can help you get a great view of the famous ringed giant at its closest and brightest point to Earth this year.
You can get the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ telescope on sale right now at Amazon for $367.
In astronomy, an opposition is an event that marks when a celestial body is directly opposite the sun, with the Earth in the middle. A celestial body needs to orbit the sun and be further away from Earth than the sun to experience an opposition. Saturn's opposition this year occurs overnight on Sept. 20 and marks its brightest and closest position to the Earth, making it the best time for observation and planetary imaging of the epic gas giant. Beyond Saturn, some of the other brightest planets will be visible too so make sure to check out our up-to-date visible planets guide for more detail on what planets are in the sky in September.
In our full Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ review, we rated it four out of five stars, praising its user-friendly smartphone-assisted setup and high-quality images of a range of night sky targets. During our testing, we observed Mars and deep sky objects like the Andromeda galaxy (M31) and the Triangulum galaxy (M33). If you love lunar views, this telescope is also well-suited to moon observation and identifying the many craters and seas on its surface.
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The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is a great telescope for a beginner skywatcher, thanks to its innovative StarSense app, which lets you easily navigate the night sky and locate celestial objects. The technology is not as easy as go-to navigation that is available with smart telescopes but the StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ has a bigger aperture (5.1 inches) than most smart telescopes and will provide much brighter and detailed views.
We were particularly impressed by how the smartphone dock on the mount helps you find deep-sky objects. We've included this model in our guide for the best budget telescopes, making it a great option for a wide range of skill levels. The Starsense app uses your phone's camera and GPS to create a real-time star map, guiding you directly to your desired target. This means you can spend less time fumbling with star charts and more time enjoying the wonders of the cosmos.
We gave it a solid four stars in our Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ review, and it's a great choice for anyone wanting to get bright views of the universe and even take some smartphone photos through the eyepiece. We managed to observe the planet Mars and also a range of deep sky targets, including the Andromeda galaxy (M31).
Right now, Amazon is selling the telescope for $367, offering $133 off the original retail price of $500. If you are looking for an affordable entry into stargazing with a telescope, the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is a great pick thanks to its easy navigation and large aperture for stellar views across different targets. With Saturn's opposition coming up overnight on Sept. 20, now is a great time to grab it so you can gaze at the ringed giant at its closest point to Earth.
Key features: 130mm aperture, 650mm focal length, f/5 focal ratio, Newtonian reflector design, StarSense Explorer app, smartphone holder, manual alt-azimuth mount, accessory tray.
Product launched: January 2020
Price history: The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ typically retails for $500 but the price dropped to $367.19 in late August and is the cheapest it has been since February.
Price comparison: Amazon: $367 | BHPhotoVideo: $367 | Walmart: $500
Reviews consensus: In our Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ review, we rated this telescope four stars for its user-friendly interface and impressive views, making it an ideal choice for beginners who want a modern and simple way to explore the night sky.
Space.com: ★★★★½ | Digital Camera World: ★★★★½
Featured in guides: best budget telescopes
✅ Buy it if: You want a user-friendly telescope for beginners that uses smartphone technology to help you navigate the night sky to observe planets and deep space objects
❌ Don't buy it if: You want a fully automated telescope, or prefer more traditional methods of navigating the night sky.
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