# Celestron StarSense LT 114AZ Review (2026) > Celestron StarSense LT 114AZ review: 114 mm f/8.8, phone-guided eyepiece telescope, 10.4 lb. Specs, what it can see, pros, cons and our 6.9/10 verdict. - Source: https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/celestron-starsense-lt-114az/ - Markdown version: https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/celestron-starsense-lt-114az.md - Last updated: 2026-11-12 --- - [Home](https://smarttelescopereview.com/) - [Compare telescopes](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/) - Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ 6.9 ![Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ](https://smarttelescopereview.com/_astro/celestron-starsense-lt-114az.ByTECr-o_Z1YQc7o.webp) Celestron · Budget # Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ Review Tight budgets: a first telescope for the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter with phone guidance, for well under the price of any smart scope. - 114 mm f/8.8 - Phone-guided (eyepiece) - 10.4 lb $$$$ Budget Price tier: Budget about $240 on Amazon, Nov 12, 2026 [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JQBC1G?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20)[See alternatives](#alternatives) Opens Amazon in a new tab. By [Smart Telescope Review Editorial Team](https://smarttelescopereview.com/about/) · Updated November 12, 2026 · [How we score](https://smarttelescopereview.com/how-we-research/) We haven't tested this telescope ourselves. Our score comes from manufacturer specs, independent reviews (named where we cite a test result) and owner reports. ## The verdict The LT 114AZ is the budget way to answer "do I actually like this hobby?": about $240, phone-guided, light, and capable of showing Saturn's rings and the Moon in sharp detail. Reviewers point out a flimsy tripod and color fringing, and deep-sky objects are faint smudges by eye. It belongs in this guide as a contrast: if you want to see planets cheaply, it works; if you want pictures, save for a smart scope. ### What we like - About $240 with phone-guided StarSense navigation - Barlow included, so 200× is possible on planets out of the box - Light (10.4 lb) and quick to set up - Sold by Amazon with 1,500+ ratings and a 2-year warranty ### Watch out for - Digital Camera World saw a 'thick purple line' around Jupiter and found the tripod flimsy - Space.com found M31 faint and M13 'a faint fuzzy blob' - No tracking, stacking or astrophotography - Both Space.com and Digital Camera World rated it 3 out of 5 ## Score breakdown Image quality & optics 5.6 Ease of use & app 7.4 Portability & build 7.6 Value 7.8 114 mm f/8.8 · Manual alt-az · weighted 35/25/20/20 ## StarSense LT 114AZ specs | Brand | Celestron | | --- | --- | | Type | Phone-guided (eyepiece) | | Aperture | 114 mm | | Focal length / ratio | 1000 mm, f/8.8 | | Optics | 114 mm Newtonian reflector (1,000 mm in a short tube), manual alt-az | | Sensor | None (you look through the eyepiece; your phone only navigates) | | True field (widest eyepiece) | 1.3° × 1.3°. Estimated true field with the 25 mm eyepiece (40×) assuming a ~52° apparent field; Amazon lists 2.04°. | | Mount | Manual alt-az. Manual alt-az; no tracking | | Battery | No battery needed | | Weight | 10.4 lb (4.71 kg). 10.4 lb complete (tube 6.6 lb, tripod 3.8 lb) | | Filters | None | | Solar | Optional solar filter. Requires a correctly sized full-aperture solar filter (not included) | | Mosaic mode | No | | Planets | Good | | Eyepiece | 25 mm (40×) and 10 mm (100×) eyepieces plus a 2× Barlow included | | App | StarSense Explorer app: your phone plate-solves the sky and arrows guide you to targets | | Subscription | None | | Warranty | 2 years | | Price | About $240 on Amazon (Nov 12, 2026) · $ Budget | - Different category: a manual telescope with a phone-guided finder, not an imaging smart telescope. - Celestron's spec sheet gives f/9 (8.8 calculated) and limiting magnitude 12.8. Specs are compiled from manufacturer pages, Amazon listings and independent reviews, and may change with firmware or production runs. Confirm what's in the box (tripod, solar filter, case) on the Amazon page before buying. ## Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ video review [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oWbGQgDffVg/hqdefault.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWbGQgDffVg) Video by LearnToStargaze on YouTube. Independent creator content, shown as a reference. It is not part of our scoring. The Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ is not a smart telescope. It’s a traditional, manually pushed 114 mm reflector with Celestron’s phone-guided finder: your phone sits in a dock, reads the sky and shows arrows to each target, and you look through an eyepiece. We include it as the cheapest sensible alternative for people who mainly want to see the Moon and planets. It costs about $239.99 on Amazon (Nov 12, 2026), sold by Amazon, so check today’s price. We haven’t tested it ourselves; this review summarizes Digital Camera World, Space.com and Celestron’s spec sheet. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) It’s for tight budgets and curious beginners: a first telescope to answer “do I actually like this hobby?” for well under the price of any smart scope. At 10.4 lb complete, it.s easy to carry outside and set up quickly. Skip it if you want pictures. It has no tracking, no stacking and no camera, and faint galaxies and nebulae are dim smudges by eye. A [Seestar S30 Plus](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/seestar-s30-plus/) (about $474) or [Dwarf Mini](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/dwarf-mini/) (about $419) will photograph nebulae this scope can barely show. Skip it too if you can stretch your budget: reviewers were noticeably happier with its bigger sibling. ## Viewing in practice Both Space.com and Digital Camera World rated it 3 out of 5. Space.com found Saturn looked good with the included Barlow, but M31 was faint and the Hercules Cluster (M13) was “a faint fuzzy blob”. Digital Camera World saw a “thick purple line” around Jupiter and found the tripod flimsy. Celestron’s spec sheet gives 114 mm of aperture, 1,000 mm focal length in a short tube (f/9, 8.8 calculated) and limiting magnitude 12.8. That long focal length is why planets reach useful magnification with the supplied eyepieces: 40× and 100×, or 80× and 200× with the 2× Barlow. A wobbly tripod and color fringing are the price of the low cost, so expect bright, small Saturn and Jupiter views rather than fine detail. ## App and workflow The free StarSense Explorer app is the reason to choose this over a plain beginner reflector. Your phone docks above the tube, its camera looks at the sky via a mirror, and the app plate-solves the stars to work out where you’re pointing. Arrows guide you until the target is centered in the eyepiece. There’s no subscription. After that it’s all manual. The alt-az mount has no motors, so you nudge the tube as Earth’s rotation carries the target across the view, more often at 200× than at 40×. There’s nothing to charge except your phone. Celestron lists a 2-year warranty. ## What you’ll need beyond the box - **Dew control.** On damp nights the finder and eyepieces fog first. A [SVBONY USB dew heater strip](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DN63NGV?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) clears them. - **A red light.** A [red LED flashlight](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000665V5?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) for swapping eyepieces in the dark. - **Solar safety.** Solar viewing needs a correctly sized full-aperture solar filter over the front of the tube, which isn’t included; measure the tube before buying one. For naked-eye viewing only, keep [ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GB3QC1H?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) handy, and never use them at the eyepiece. - **Phone power.** The app runs on your phone, so a [UGREEN 20,000 mAh power bank](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3GTMX5M?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) helps on cold nights. Browse the full [accessories page](https://smarttelescopereview.com/accessories/) for more. ## How it compares The [StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/celestron-starsense-dx-130az/) costs about $500, has a bigger 130 mm mirror and earned 4 out of 5 from both Space.com and BBC Sky at Night. If your budget can reach it, it’s the better traditional scope. Smart telescopes take the opposite approach: small optics, automatic tracking and stacked photos. Our [best smart telescope for planets](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/best-smart-telescope-for-planets/) guide and [are smart telescopes worth it?](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/are-smart-telescopes-worth-it/) explain which approach fits which goal. If you’re still undecided, the [telescope matcher](https://smarttelescopereview.com/tools/telescope-matcher/) asks a few questions and suggests a model. ## Bottom line The LT 114AZ is a cheap, light, phone-guided way to see Saturn’s rings and the Moon in sharp detail. Reviewers flag a flimsy tripod and color fringing, and deep-sky objects are faint by eye. For planets on a small budget it works; for pictures, save for a smart scope. [Check the price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JQBC1G?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20). Ready to buy? · 6.9/10 Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ $$$$ Budget Price tier: Budget · 114 mm f/8.8 · 10.4 lb [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JQBC1G?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) ## Accessories for the StarSense LT 114AZ Official and compatible add-ons sold on Amazon: filters, solar filters, tripods and wedges, power banks, dew control and cases. Check the listing confirms your exact model before you buy. - Solar**Celestron EclipSmart universal solar filter (75–100 mm)**Universal fitAdjustable ISO 12312-2 compliant film filter for objectives with an outside diameter of 75–100 mm, such as spotting scopes and some traditional telescopes. Too big for 30–50 mm smart scopes; use the maker's own solar filter on those.[Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH45ZBKV?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) - Solar**Thousand Oaks black-polymer solar filter sheet, 4 × 4 in**Universal fitDIY solar film for making a secure full-aperture filter cell for a small scope or camera lens. Only for confident DIYers: the cell must fit tightly over the front so it can't blow off. Never use a filter at the eyepiece end.[Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DS7IFQS?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) - Solar**Soluna ISO 12312-2 solar eclipse glasses (2-pack)**Universal fitFor looking at the Sun with your own eyes while the scope images it; never look through a telescope with them.[Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GB3QC1H?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) - Power**Anker 737 power bank, 24,000 mAh, 140 W**Universal fitUSB-C PD power bank big enough to run a 30–50 mm smart scope through a long winter night, when cold cuts battery life. Check your scope's manual for supported USB-C input while observing; Unistellar, Vaonis and Celestron Origin use their own batteries and chargers.[Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VPHVT2Z?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) - Power**UGREEN Nexode 100 W power bank, 20,000 mAh**Universal fitCheaper USB-C PD bank that also tops up your phone, which runs the telescope's app all night.[Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3GTMX5M?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) - Dew control**SVBONY SV172 USB dew heater strip, 320 mm**Compatible, third-partyThree-level USB heater strip for finders, eyepieces and camera lenses on humid nights. Only for traditional optics or camera lenses; most smart scopes have their own anti-dew heating, and strapping a heater over their housings can block sensors or vents.[Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DN63NGV?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) - Observing**Celestron Night Vision red LED flashlight**Universal fitDimmable red light keeps your dark adaptation for finding cables, levels and the tripod at night.[Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000665V5?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) Compatibility checked November 2026. More in our [smart telescope accessories guide](https://smarttelescopereview.com/accessories/). ## Featured in our guides - [Best Smart Telescope for Kids (2026): 5 Family-Friendly Picks and the Solar Safety Rule](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/best-smart-telescope-for-kids/) - [Best Budget Smart Telescopes (2026): 4 Picks Under $700, Plus the Hidden Costs](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/best-budget-smart-telescopes/) - [Smart Telescope Gift Guide 2026: The Best Picks at Every Budget, Plus Stocking Stuffers](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/smart-telescope-gift-guide-2026/) - [Smart Telescope vs Traditional Telescope: Which Should You Buy?](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/smart-telescope-vs-traditional-telescope/) ## StarSense LT 114AZ FAQ ### Is the StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ a smart telescope? No. It's a manual 114 mm reflector with Celestron's phone-guided finder. The app shows arrows that lead you to targets, but there's no motor, tracking, camera or stacking. You observe through an eyepiece. ### What can I see with the LT 114AZ? The Moon in sharp detail and Saturn's rings, which Space.com found looked good with the included Barlow. Deep-sky objects are faint: Space.com found M31 faint and the Hercules Cluster (M13) 'a faint fuzzy blob'. ### What magnifications does it come with? A 25 mm eyepiece (40×), a 10 mm eyepiece (100×) and a 2× Barlow, so 80× and 200× are also possible out of the box. ### Is the tripod good enough? It's the weak point. Digital Camera World found it flimsy, which makes high-power planetary views shaky. Setting it up on firm, level ground and keeping the legs short helps. ### Should I buy this or save for a smart telescope? Buy this if you want to find out cheaply whether you enjoy looking at planets and the Moon. Save for a smart telescope such as the Seestar S30 Plus if you want photos of nebulae and galaxies. ## Sources - [amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JQBC1G?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20) - [cliftoncameras.co.uk](https://www.cliftoncameras.co.uk/uploads/specifications/Celestron%20StarSense%20Explorer%20LT%20114AZ%20Newtonian%20Reflector%20Telescope%20Specifications%20.pdf) - [digitalcameraworld.com](https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/celestron-starsense-explorer-lt-114az-telescope-review) - [space.com](https://www.space.com/celestron-starsense-explorer-lt114az-telescope-review) Not sold yet? ## Alternatives to the StarSense LT 114AZ ![Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ](https://smarttelescopereview.com/_astro/celestron-starsense-dx-130az.QWFa6Xc3_Z26GeaM.webp) ### [Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/celestron-starsense-dx-130az/) 7.5 - 130 mm f/5 - Phone-guided (eyepiece) - 18 lb Families who want to see planets and the Moon live through an eyepiece, with phone guidance to find targets, at a smart-telescope entry price. $$$$ Budget Price tier: Budget Amazon price, Nov 12, 2026 [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JRF1MH?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20)[Read the full review](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/celestron-starsense-dx-130az/) ![DWARFLAB Dwarf Mini Smart Telescope](https://smarttelescopereview.com/_astro/dwarf-mini.Bla2t7aX_Z2fEVPh.webp) ### [DWARFLAB Dwarf Mini Smart Telescope](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/dwarf-mini/) 7.8 - 30 mm f/5 - 2.13° × 1.2° field - 1.9 lb - EQ mode - Dual-band filter Hikers, travelers and budget buyers who want the smallest, lightest smart telescope for the Moon, the Sun, bright nebulae and wildlife. $$$$ Budget Price tier: Budget Amazon price, Nov 12, 2026 [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GT3VFN84?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20)[Read the full review](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/dwarf-mini/) ![ZWO Seestar S30 Plus Smart Telescope](https://smarttelescopereview.com/_astro/seestar-s30-plus.q5AxtyH4_ZQp7Sa.webp) ### [ZWO Seestar S30 Plus Smart Telescope](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/seestar-s30-plus/) 8.2 - 30 mm f/5.3 - 2.66° × 1.5° field - 3.6 lb - EQ mode - Dual-band filter First-time stargazers who want the cheapest current Seestar, with a solar filter, case and tripod in the box, for the Moon, the Sun and bright nebulae and clusters. $$$$ Budget Price tier: Budget Amazon price, Nov 12, 2026 [Check price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HMW9GDGJ?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20)[Read the full review](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/seestar-s30-plus/) [Compare all 15 telescopes →](https://smarttelescopereview.com/smart-telescopes/) ## Helpful guides [Top picks ### The 7 Best Smart Telescopes of 2026: Ranked for Backyard, Travel and Budget The best smart telescopes of 2026, ranked: Seestar S50 Pro, S30 Pro, Dwarf 3, Vespera 3, eQuinox 2 and Origin Mark II, with real prices and honest trade-offs. Updated Nov 12, 2026](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/best-smart-telescopes-2026/)[Deep sky ### Best Smart Telescope for Deep Sky (2026): Picks for Galaxies and Nebulae The best smart telescope for deep sky imaging: top picks for galaxies and nebulae, compared on aperture, field of view, EQ mode and filters, with real prices. Updated Nov 12, 2026](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/best-smart-telescope-for-deep-sky/)[Beginners ### Best Smart Telescope for Beginners (2026): 5 Easy Picks and a First-Night Checklist The best smart telescopes for beginners in 2026: easy setup, filters and tripods in the box, forgiving apps and honest budgets, plus a first-night checklist. Updated Nov 12, 2026](https://smarttelescopereview.com/posts/best-smart-telescope-for-beginners/) StarSense LT 114AZ $$$$ Budget Price tier: Budget [Check price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JQBC1G?tag=smarttelescopereview.com-20)