Smartphone-connected telescopes that show the sky: These telescopes, which use Starsense technology and a smartphone, are designed for astronomy enthusiasts. Two of the best are Celestron, and they're definitely worth checking out.
The technology behind using smartphone is Celestron's Starsense technology. It's essentially an app that uses your phone's camera to scan the night sky, then sends the results of the scans back to Celestron's database . It's a great solution, especially for beginners who love stargazing but have no idea about astronomy.
This isn't new technology in itself, in fact there are many apps that give you real-time information about the night sky, star positions, formation names and more, but these are the first telescopes that have been built with connectivity . Once the Starsense app is connected to the telescope, it displays objects that were visible in the night sky that particular night.
The process of finding an object with the app is simple. You can search or scroll around the interface and tap on something you want to see. The app then displays arrows showing you which direction to move the telescopes. The quickest thing to do is to move it by hand until you're close, then use the included slow-motion sliders until the app shows you're in the right place.
Most importantly, the ease of use of the app and the guidance it provides for telescopes. Celestron has undoubtedly done an amazing job, taking something very complex and turning it into an experience that is accessible to everyone.
