The Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ and the SarBlue Mak-Cass Mak70 are both interesting options for amateur astronomers, but they cater to slightly different needs and preferences due to their distinct features and designs.
The Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ is a refractor telescope with an aperture of 80mm, which allows it to gather more light than the SarBlue’s 70mm aperture. It includes the StarSense technology, which is a major selling point for this model. This technology utilizes your smartphone for an easy star location and identification, making it highly user-friendly, especially for beginners who may struggle to navigate the night sky. The Alt-Az mount makes it simple to point and maneuver, but it won’t track objects across the night sky, so users need to manually adjust it.
On the other hand, the SarBlue Mak-Cass Mak70 employs a Maksutov-Cassegrain design, known for its compact size and robustness. With a 1000mm focal length, it offers high magnification potential, which is excellent for observing the moon, planets, and distant terrestrial objects. Its smaller aperture compared to the Celestron means it may not gather as much light, potentially limiting its performance in very low-light conditions. However, the design helps reduce chromatic aberration, resulting in clearer images at higher magnifications.
In conclusion, the choice between these two telescopes depends on the user’s specific needs. If ease of use and advanced digital assistance are priorities, especially for a beginner, the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ could be the better choice. However, if high magnification and portability are more important, perhaps for someone with more observing experience or specific interests like planetary or lunar observations, the SarBlue Mak-Cass Mak70 might be more suitable.