Celestron StarSense Explorer

• Free to download

Last verified 31 Jul 2026

3.3 161 ratings · App Store

1. 2/5Can’t find the right position

   I opened the app and it looks great. I’m ready to start with my telescope, it’s my first telescope, so I’m really excited to start working on it so then I get the app and then I try to set it up so then I go to the quick setup and I set it up and it’s already it’s aligned and then I looked at the app and then in the night sky I pointed a word. It says that it was Saturn but then when I looked through the lens, there’s nothing so then I opened this other app called Stellarium where it shows me the night sky where I can move my phone around and it shows me what’s in front of me and where things are and then it shows that Mars is in a completely different direction so then I have to rely on that which is harder to do than with the app so then I have to rely on my eyes and that app that’s hard to do so if you could please update this app and have it use the same thing that Stellarium has but just at an angle because where you put your phone it’s slanted so if you could please update it that would be nice thank you.

   Super Duper Cool Person123 · 31 Jul 2026

2. 2/5Can’t find the moon

   As a first time telescope enthusiast I was very excited about using this with my new telescope. After several attempts at trying to locate Jupiter in the sky with no luck-and dozens of realignment attempts, I initially thought it was user error however, on a clear night after realigning my phone with the telescope, I figured I would see if the app could find the moon and it didn’t! I don’t think this is a user friendly app. Hopefully I can find another app to use that can find the moon better than this one!

   LJ1011 · 31 Jul 2026

3. 4/5It needs improvements for telescope alignment. when I tried looking for the moon, the map was offset

   I’ve tried to get my telescope centered using this app by aligning it to the moon’s location, and I’m being dissatisfied by the app’s performance as when I tried to aligning the telescope through the app, the lens showed a blank sky because the telescope was offset to the right of the telescope’s direction of focus. I had to literally manually align the telescope due to this. I do have a screenshot of what I am speaking of. Finding planets took me time because of a similar scenario. It would be great if the app could make improvements with aligning the iPhone so that telescope users won’t have to turn on their battery powered laser that comes with their StarSense explorer telescopes or any other telescope of this brand.

   #Mo_Ali · 31 Jul 2026

4. 1/5Not working anymore

   I live in city with light pollution and the first few month using this scope was awesome, also I remember that I wrote celestron and congratulate them for the app, don't know what happened the last 2 or 3 time that I went outside even with new moon and when tried to calibrate It was pointing to wrong direction, then the app are not able to plate solve the sky position anymore. I would give 5 star if it work as the beginning. This app with the telescope would be perfect for fast set up for beginner even advance astronomers. I was in this hobby of astronomy and astrophotography for more that 7 years and more than 10 scopes.

   afv9966 · 31 Jul 2026

5. 2/5Please Work on this app

   The telescope is completely fine but this app however is not. I understand that things are opposite when you look in the view finder BUT I was looking for Mars which I could see with my eyes but the app was telling me to point the telescope in the opposite direction and down. What if I really needed help locating an object with this app that I couldn’t find on my own? It would be of no help. I still have things to learn as this is my first telescope but because it is more for beginners and I wish it would have a better app that is actually helpful.

   Don’tWorryAboutIt_ · 31 Jul 2026

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