Space Verdict

The StarSense Explorer 150mm Tabletop Dobsonian is a great model to learn the basics of manual telescope operation and get great views of your chosen targets, thanks to intuitive smartphone integration, but it isn't as easy to set up as you might think.

Reasons to buy

+ Superb for finding objects

+ Sharp, high-contrast 150mm optics

+ Excellent wide-field views

Reasons to avoid

- Difficult and heavy to lift and move

- Awkward tabletop design

- Basic focuser and eyepieces

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What's new?

Detailed galaxies

Easy astrophotography

Built-in processing

EQ mode

Portability

Competition

Saturn was only a night past its annual opposition when I pointed the Celestron StarSense Explorer 150mm Tabletop Dobsonian straight at it.…