Download Telescope For Android
Fatima Rubalcava
For iOS users there are just a handful of iPads to choose from if you decide you want to use a tablet to control your Celestron and any recent model is well suited to the task. The Android world is much more complicated and many of the Android tablets on the market are not at all suited for telescope control (or much of anything for that matter ). So, I thought a string discussing Android tablet successes and failures might be useful.
Since version 1.1.0 Stellarium Mobile PLUS allows to control a GOTO telescope directly from the phone, by using NexStar/SynScan or LX200 serial protocols. Most (but not all) of the current GOTO telescope are compatible with one of these protocols.
In many case, the telescope mount hand controller exposes a Serial RS232 port which needs to be plugged into a Serial-to-WIFI or Serial-to-Bluetooth converter so that the phone can access to it. Tested controllers for many type of mounts can be for example found on Astro Gadget.
Warning 1: On iOS, it is not possible to have the SynScan app running in the background. The only way to drive your telescope on iOS using the SynScan app is currently to have it running on another device (either iOS or android).
It is also possible to use a computer sitting next to the telescope as a bridge. In this case you need to plug the Serial RS232 port of the telescope hand controller to your PC using a (cheap!) Serial to USB cable. You can then tell your PC to forward the telescope data to a local TCP socket on which Stellarium Mobile can connect.
This command tells your PC to create a new TCP socket on port 10000 on which it should forward the content of /dev/ttyUSB0. The device /dev/ttyUSB0 is the serial port data coming from your telescope. Depending on your configuration you might need to change the name of the device to /dev/ttyUSB1 etc..
Pair your device to your compatible Celestron WiFi telescope, such as NexStar Evolution and Astro Fi WiFi, or any compatible Celestron telescope equipped with the SkyPortal WiFi Module (formerly SkyQ-Link). Fast and easy alignment options allow you to align your telescope in minutes without any prior knowledge of the night sky. Tap any object and your telescope automatically centers it in the eyepiece.
SkySafari 7 Pro is the best stargazing app for use with a telescope because of everything else it does. Not only does it allow tracking with Celestron StarSense telescopes, but it has new LiveSky and SkyCast features, too.
Many of these apps include offline functionality, making it easy to take them with you to more remote spots to enjoy your stargazing away from light pollution. If you're looking to set up a telescope or plan the perfect astrophotography shoot, these apps will show you what celestial bodies will be visible in your exact location ahead of time, making them the perfect companion for your night-time adventures.
If you want to get the very best look at the stars and planets, you may want to check out our guides to the best telescopes and best telescopes for deep space. And if you're an aspiring astrophotographer then our lists of the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography will help get you started.
SkySafari 7 Pro is a must-have app for all serious astronomers. It features a huge database, nifty telescope control and a sleek planetarium. It also lets you plan your stargazing trips and share your results with your friends.
Seasoned stargazers will appreciate SkySafari 7 Pro's ability to control Celestron StarSense telescopes via WiFi. The app also adds a social element to stargazing with OneSky, which shows you the most popular object currently being viewed by other users, and SkyCast, which lets you share your observations with another user.
This may sound a stupid question (as I love taking ordinary sky & moon photos just with my Canon 550D camera) and would love to get more into moon and planet photography. My question is, what is the best entry level telescope as I have never thought about using a telescope? I was going to buy a long telephoto lens but they cost thousands.
thank you for your time.
Just to update that iPhone is able produce the above Orion Nebula instantly without any desktop stacking. By using spiralCam iOS app on a manual telescope, the tracking, alignment and stacking can all be done onphone automatically. See report at
Hello, I have an iPhone 12 mini and a dobsonian telescope, with which I have been able to get some remarkably good photographs of the planets, moon, and brighter deep sky objects like the Orion nebula and the Andromeda galaxy. I would like to take it to the next level, and would like to find an app or a software package with which I can stack images taken from video. However, with my Dob, I do not have a motor drive to track the sky movement and keep the image centered. When I take video, it is the image floating across the field of view. Is there an app or a software package that can take images from video and reposition them for stacking even when it moves and does not remain centered? If a larger software package, something compatible with a Mac would be preferred. Thanks! Michael
With the current technologies on the night sky phone apps, I thought it might be useful and much cheaper than buying GOTO scopes to attach the phone to the manual telescope, such as a Starblast, to use as a secondary finder. I found YouTube videos about apps: (Sky Safari Pro) or like this (advanced app), but I don't know if amateur astronomers actually use the phone as secondary finders now. (Since I was last active with an astronomy club over 15 years ago, before any night sky phone apps became popular!) I searched online, but most web pages are not recent. So I am writing here. Do people now attach a finder-app loaded phones/iPads to telescope bodies as a secondary finder? If so, what apps do they use and does it work well (does it need frequent realignment)? I'm thinking of using a bunch of masking tape to attach the phone to the Starblast, or are there piggyback mounts I can buy for the Starblast?
If the above is not an option, I did find the Sky Safari Pro tutorial, , where you hold the phone/pad with this app to help guide the manual telescopes to find the objects, where the biggest advantage in star hopping is that the app can flip the stars as they are shown in the upside-down view through a Newtonian scope like Starblast. For people who have tried the Sky Safari Pro tool holding the phone/pad on their hands to help with their manual scopes locate objects, is it easy to use and helpful in the field?
Some people do use their phones as finders, but they tend to do it with digital setting circles (DSCs) such as the Nexus 2. This has a pair of 'encoders' which you attach to your telescope, and these are used to track the movements of the telescope's axes, and update a mobile application accordingly.
Celestron has reinvented the manual telescope with StarSense Explorer-the first telescope that uses your smartphone to analyze the night sky and calculate its position in real time. 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.
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, 2-minute procedure), StarSense Explorer generates a list of celestial objects currently visible. Make your selection and arrows appear onscreen, guiding you as you to move the telescope. When the object is ready to view, the bullseye turns green.
StarSense Explorer uses patent-pending 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 reorient themselves, helps the app match star patterns it detects overhead to its internal database.
An ultra-stable altazimuth mount provides a sturdy foundation for StarSense Explorer DX. Slip clutches and geared slow motion controls in both axes help you move the telescope smoothly and zero in your target. As celestial objects appear to drift across the night sky, you'll be able to follow them with just a turn of the knobs. It's all anchored by an adjustable, full-height tripod.
With a large 102mm (4") objective lens, 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 trapezium in the Orion Nebula, and beautiful Pleaides Open Star Cluster. Celestron's XLT optical coatings improve light transmission, enhancing the views even more. The telescope also includes a 90-degree erect image diagonal, so you can use it during the day to view birds, wildlife, landscapes, and more.
But if you can take the telescope to an even slightly darker location, more objects will become visible. With this 4" refractor and relatively dark skies, the Andromeda Galaxy, Hercules Open Star Cluster, and so many more are easily within your reach.
Few things are as awe-inspiring as being under a clear night sky, looking up, and gazing at a seemingly infinite array of stars overhead. So we rounded up 14 telescopes, and, after months of holding star parties, we think the Celestron NexStar 5SE is the best telescope for a curious amateur. It gathers enough light for you to view the best features of our solar system, and it provides enough power for you to begin exploring deep-sky objects. In addition, this model has an electronic GPS database preloaded with almost 40,000 celestial objects, so after you calibrate the scope, it can scan the skies for you.
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