Two models, the numbers decide

Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ or Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ?

Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ — 70 mm, €189. Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ — 130 mm, €599. The same method as everywhere on this site: the numbers first, the verdict from them.

Same family (70–90 mm refractor on an alt-az mount): what changes between these two is aperture, bulk and price — not character.

70–90 mm refractor on an alt-az mount

Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ

Saturn at 69× in 70 mm — exit pupil 1.0 mm, Bortle 6 sky. Computed, not photographed.

€189seen 8 Oct 2026 at Astroshop

See it at Astroshoppaid linkAll the sellers

70–90 mm refractor on an alt-az mount

Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ

Saturn at 130× in 130 mm — exit pupil 1.0 mm, Bortle 6 sky. Computed, not photographed.

€599seen 8 Oct 2026 at Astroshop

See it at Astroshoppaid linkAll the sellers

Side by side

The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ collects 3.4× more light — that is what aperture buys.

	Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ	Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ
Aperture	70 mm	130 mm
Focal ratio	900 mm · f/12.9	650 mm · f/5.0
Typical weight	4.5 kg	8 kg
Setup time	5 minutes	5 minutes
Learning curve	2 out of 5	2 out of 5
Useful magnification	≤ 140×	≤ 260×
Resolution (Dawes)	1.7″	0.9″
Observed price	€189seen 8 Oct 2026 at Astroshop	€599seen 8 Oct 2026 at Astroshop
Where to buy	See it at Astroshop paid link	See it at Astroshop paid link

Choose the Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ if…

budget decides: €410 less
it has to be carried: 4 kg lighter

Full page on the AstroMaster 70AZ →

Where to buy

Astroshoppaid link€189seen 8 Oct 2026→ships DE, FR, EU

Also search at First Light Optics · Optique Unterlinden · Pierro Astro · Teleskop-Express (searches; neither price nor stock checked)

1 of these 5 links earn us a commission, marked above. Sorted by price, never by what pays. How this site is funded.

Choose the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ if…

you want the most sky: 3.4× the light

Full page on the StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ →

Where to buy

Astroshoppaid link€599seen 8 Oct 2026→ships DE, FR, EU

Also search at First Light Optics · Optique Unterlinden · Pierro Astro · Teleskop-Express (searches; neither price nor stock checked)

1 of these 5 links earn us a commission, marked above. Sorted by price, never by what pays. How this site is funded.

The same sky, through both

These circles are simulations, computed from the aperture, the magnification and the sky — indicative, not exact. A real night also depends on the turbulence, your eyes and your experience. Closer to the truth than the photo on the box; still not a promise.

The Moon

AstroMaster 70AZ · Detailed

StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ · Detailed

Saturn

AstroMaster 70AZ · Recognisable

StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ · Detailed

The Orion Nebula

AstroMaster 70AZ · Detectable

StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ · Recognisable

The Andromeda Galaxy

AstroMaster 70AZ · Detectable

StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ · Recognisable

Photo credits

These thumbnails are built from real photographs, scaled and darkened by the same arithmetic as the large view.

The Moon: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio / LRO, public domain
The Orion Nebula: NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (heic0601a), CC BY 4.0
The Andromeda Galaxy: Adam Evans, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0