Save 10 percent or more on Celestron telescopes and star-gazing gear

Did you catch the recent five-planet alignment in the night sky just a few days ago? It’s the kind of event that happens only once every 17 years and can cause real FOMO when it passes you by. But you can be prepared for the next celestial show (and save some money) thanks to Amazon’s current deals on Celestron telescopes, binoculars, and other gear.

Popular Science StarSense Explorer DX 100AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope $314 (Was $349)

Popular Science StarSense Explorer DX 100AZ Smartphone App-Enabled Telescope

See It

This is the official Popular Science-approved way to view the skies. This refractor-style scope works a lot like a telephoto camera lens in that light moves through a series of meticulously shaped glass elements inside to provide your eyeball with a clear view of the heavens.

The DX 100AZ offers a 100mm front (4-inch) objective lens, which allows in tons of light for viewing even dim objects. The 660mm focal length pairs with the included 10mm or 25mm eyepieces to let you determine how far into the cosmos you want to look.

All that high-quality glass isn’t worth much if you can’t find anything to look at, but Celestron’s StarSense Explorer tech provides an easy fix. Plop your smartphone into the cradle, take two minutes to calibrate the optics, and the companion app will give you a guided tour of the sky. It will point out objects currently visible in your field of view, and give you simple directions for moving the scope if you want to see other objects. It’s like telling Google Maps to plot a course to Venus.

Best of all, this refractor-style scope is much easier to move around than many of its excellent (but rotund) Dobsonian siblings. The DX 100AZ weighs just over 13 pounds, including the aluminum tripod. Plus, the tube is just 32 inches long, so you can easily chuck it in the back of your Honda Civic and head out into the inky black darkness where the stars shine the brightest.

Other Celestron deals

• Celestron – SkyMaster 20X80 Binocular – Outdoor and Astronomy Binocular $105 (Was $199)
• Celestron – SkyMaster 12×60 Binocular $66 (Was $104)
• Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope DX – Portable Refractor Telescope $88 (Was $119)
• Celestron – Nature DX 8×42 Binoculars – Outdoor and Birding Binocular $135 (Was $169)
• Celestron – MAK 90mm Angled Spotting Scope – Maksutov Spotting Scope $208 (Was $289)
• Celestron – Nature DX 10×42 Binoculars – Outdoor and Birding Binocular $139 (Was $179)
• Celestron – AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope $279 (Was $349)
• Celestron – NexStar 5SE Telescope – Computerized Telescope for Beginners and Advanced Users $895 (Was $939)
• Celestron – 70mm Travel Scope – Portable Refractor Telescope $94 (Was $109)
• Celestron AstroMaster Telescope Accessory Kit $59 (Was $85)
• Celestron – Zoom Eyepiece for Telescope – Versatile 8mm-24mm Zoom for Low Power and High Power Viewing $66 (Was $109)