“All of us get lost in the darkness / Dreamers learn to steer by the stars” - Neil Peart

Stargazing Starts Where You Are: Why the DWARF mini Approach Matters

“When you really love a hobby, you genuinely want to share it with as many people as possible”

-Al Milano 😉

For many people interested in astronomy, the biggest obstacle is not curiosity — it’s complexity.

Traditional astronomy can feel intimidating at first:

• heavy equipment

• confusing setup procedures

• polar alignment

• complicated software

• expensive gear

• and the constant feeling that you need the “perfect” dark-sky location before you can even begin.

That’s exactly why I find the emerging direction behind the DWARF Mini so interesting.

The company is preparing a new “First Night Kit” initiative built around a simple but surprisingly important idea:

Stargazing Starts Where You Are.

And honestly, that message resonates.

Because the reality is that most people do not begin astronomy from a remote desert observatory under pristine Bortle 1 skies.

They start:

• from a backyard

• on an apartment balcony

• at a campsite

• from a driveway

• or from whatever ordinary location they already have access to.

That first experience matters enormously.

If the setup is frustrating, overwhelming, or overly technical, many beginners simply give up before they ever experience the magic that got them interested in astronomy in the first place.

The appeal of compact smart telescopes like the DWARF Mini, is that they attempt to lower that barrier dramatically.

Portable, approachable astronomy has become one of the most important trends in the hobby over the past few years. Devices like the DWARF Mini are designed around the idea that astronomy should fit into real life — not require completely rearranging your life around the equipment.

Again, we must keep in mind that we’re talking about first time beginners here. Experienced amateur astronomers and Astrophotographers, like myself and many of you: we actually enjoy some of the complexity required with full traditional Astrophotography rigs. They not only offer a challenge, but many of the advanced features are very neat!

Getting back to the subject of portability, when using compact, smart telescopes - That portability changes the experience in practical ways:

• easier spontaneous observing sessions

• faster setup times

• less intimidation for beginners

• easier travel

• simpler sharing with family and friends

And perhaps most importantly, it encourages people to actually use the telescope more often.

Because the best telescope is still the one you’re willing to take outside.

What I particularly like about the “Stargazing Starts Where You Are” philosophy is that it acknowledges something experienced astronomers sometimes forget:

Beginners do not need perfection to become excited about astronomy.

They need success.

They need a first nebula.
A first galaxy.
A first Moon image.
A first moment where the night sky suddenly feels personal and accessible rather than distant and technical.

That first successful experience can become the foundation for a lifelong hobby.

Will a compact smart telescope replace large traditional astrophotography rigs? Of course not.

But that misses the point entirely.

The goal here is accessibility — creating a realistic and enjoyable entry point for people who may otherwise never take the first step into astronomy at all.

And in that respect, the direction behind the DWARF mini feels very aligned with where the hobby itself is evolving:

• simpler

• more portable

• more approachable

• and more connected to how people actually live.

Because in the end, astronomy doesn’t have to begin at a dark-sky observatory.

Sometimes it begins exactly where you already are. 

Until next time,

Clear skies!

Introduction To Astronomy - Full Presentation - Both The Dwarf II And The Seestar S50 Covered!!

Featuring Full Reviews of Both The Dwarf II and Seestar S50

Smart Telescopes!

Support Information

Book – Turn Left At Orion

Dwarf II Smart Telescope

ZWO SeeStar S50

Stellarium app

SkySafari app 

Astrophotography: Conventional Methods Vs. Smart Telescopes - Must Read!

Okay, the first thing I need to tell you about me, is that I am crazy about hobbies.

I am very keen on hobbies in general, but when I get into a hobby, I go all the way. Not only in enjoying the hobby, but I also enjoy thoroughly researching all of the equipment, and accessories, which are used in the hobby.

And of course Astrophotography is no different; after getting (first) The Dwarf 2, and later the Seestar S50 Smart telescope: I was simultaneously researching standard/conventional equipment for Astrophotography. 

Working within the limited budget I have, my goal was to locate traditional Astrophphotography equipment, which would provide similar (hopefully slightly better) results, to those which were being produced by these smart telescopes. 

I would spend much of my free time, surfing the web and extensively researching: Which bundle, or combination of equipment, would give me the same (or slightly better) results...

Luckily, I have the experience (and skill) required to do conventional astrophotography. And I wouldn't mind putting in the effort & work, to do it "the old fashioned" way.

What I can tell you, is that it’s not really possible. 

I’ve tried for probably over two months. Again, spending whatever free time I had, trying to track down and put together, an inexpensive Astrophotography solution (starting from scratch, mind you) – which is to say, if someone were to go out, starting from zero – and buying the equipment required to do some simple Astrophotography. 

I also want to point out, that there are quite an assortment of “how to” videos, on YouTube, covering this topic. Which is to say, they have titles such as ‘How to do Astrophotography for under $2000’, or ‘How to do Astrophotography for under $1500’, and similar titles. I like the ones done by 'Nebula Photos' Channel (Nico Carver).

Yes, the aforementioned set ups (shown in those videos) would produce very good images of large/extended deep sky objects. But there are only so many large/extended deep sky objects to photograph… In the interest of full disclosure: I'm not one of those folks who enjoy large/extended nebulae that much...When I was doing DSLR-based astrophotography, those are the objects I was kind of limited to. I happen to really love planetary nebulae (which are generally small).

I began my research/experiment, with a budget of $1200, and quickly found, that I was unable to find any bit of kit to put together, which would even come close to the results produced by either of these inexpensive smart telescopes. 

I then raised my “imaginary budget” to $1500, and continued searching, surfing, and researching, for several weeks. I was still unable to find any equipment, which I could recommend to anyone for getting into Astrophotography. And certainly not to get into Astrophotography easily, without a rather steep learning curve. 

I simply couldn’t find anything which a complete beginner would be able to quickly or easily utilize. This was very enlightening to say the least. 

This is something that not too many people are speaking about. And by people, I mean the more well-known proponents/hobbyists/enthusiasts - And social media influencers involved in Astrophotography. 

So, the preceding paragraphs were simply a polite way to say, that these two smart telescopes have cornered the market on Astrophotography. During my research, I have seen and heard several stories, and read many posts from hobbyists - both beginner and intermediate/experienced Astrophotographers, stating their observations. Posts on social media, etc. to the effect of: “I have never been able to see deep sky object “XYZ” Using my 10 inch reflector before – yet this Dwarf 2 is able to see it and image it! 

I’ve come across quite a few similar statements, from different amateur astronomers/astrophotographers. I have read statements and seen photos, posts on social media, etc. (sometimes statements accompanied by photos) - where the hobbyist has been getting better images with either one, of these smart telescopes: Which turned out to be better in every way, when compared to the images they attempted to get, using their 8 inch Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes! 

Statements such as these, invariably cause you to pause and think for a moment.

It’s really astonishing, that anyone would admit (for lack of a better word) that $500 off-the-shelf smart telescopes, have been producing images which are not only as good, but (often) better, than their expensive telescopes & equipment have been able to produce. 

Now don’t get me wrong. Of course, there are many hobbyists who have good/expensive equipment, and:

• Know very well how to get the best performance from it.
• Know how to post-process images very well. 
• Consistently produce images, which are easily/obviously better than the images from the smart telescopes. 

From what I've seen, in cases such as the above: The resulting photos tend to look noticeably sharper (for one thing!), have much more depth, and definition.

I recall a young lady who was using a very nice astrophotography rig, built around a good 4" apochromatic refractor. These scopes consistently produce some of the nicest, professional-looking images. And when she stated that one of these smart telescopes (The Seestar S50), was producing images just as nice as her rig... What??

I was simply at a loss for words. These are truly amazing findings. And I sometimes wonder, if these results are not shared more frequently, more commonly, and more widely for several other underlying reasons? Such as:

Perhaps some hobbyists would rather not disclose that a $500 smart telescope is able to take images as well as their $4000+ imaging set up? 

I sometimes wonder, if those who are very well known in the world of YouTube, as far as astrophotographers go, are reluctant to let this information be known? For fear of the negative impact it would have on sales of traditional (expensive) equipment for astrophotography?

As I typed this, I had the Seestar S50 outside on my deck, imaging NGC 1514 otherwise known as The Crystal Ball Nebula. It is a small planetary nebula, which for all intents and purposes, one would normally only attempt, using a good apochromatic refractor (or an 8" to 11" SCT!) along with a very steady & capable mount...along with an expensive, cooled astronomy camera…Yet, this Seestar S50 (a $500 smart telescope) has captured a very nice image of this object:

The Crystal Ball Nebula. Taken with The Seestar S50, a few nights ago. Only very minor post processing on my iPhone. A small planetary nebula, with only 18 minutes and 30 seconds worth of exposure time! And I think it’s very telling.

I’ve been doing my best to keep this concise, and not to go off on too many tangents. However, the other thing which I’m interested in pointing out, is that: 

I am among the hobbyists who would be happy, if conventional astrophotography equipment (along with the various skills required to manipulate images) was, in fact, still the de facto standard when it came to acquiring images of deep space objects. 

I'm happy to accept the idea that "if it were easy, everyone would be doing it".

I like the idea of something requiring a bit of study, and acquisition of a set of skills, in order to produce good results. 

And this goes for just about any hobby. Those I can think of, just off the top of my head: building scale models, building models from card stock/paper, tying full dress Atlantic salmon flys for display, hand carving songbirds from wood, etc. 

And on a related note, even creating pencil sketches of deep sky objects at the eyepiece. Using (typically a large) telescope, or sometimes even a pair of good-sized binoculars. However, almost any size instrument could be used.

These are all things which require one to develop skills, over time, in order to produce satisfactory results. And I like the idea of that. 

I wish I could say that the conventional methods of astrophotography give a very obvious/substantial improvement over the results from smart telescopes, but it seems I can’t. Not for ~ $2000…You’re going to have to invest quite a bit more if you plan to beat these smart telescopes!

For approximately a quarter of the cost required, to invest in traditional astrophotography equipment; you can get a device - Which practically does everything a set-up costing four times as much would do. And produces amazing results when it comes to the final astrophoto, obviously.

It goes without saying that this has revolutionized the way people enjoy astrophotography, and even astronomy to some degree. In the past, someone would have their conventional astrophotography set-up deployed in the backyard, whilst likely observing with another instrument (typically another telescope). These days, instead of the large, complex, time-consuming (to set up) traditional rig... A person can simply place a smart telescope outside, allow it to image, while they do some visual observing. And the “set up" of a smart telescope takes a tiny fraction of the time required to set up a traditional astrophotography rig. 

This obviously gives the user so much more time, to casually observe the objects in the heavens, which are of interest to them. For example, I intend to continue observing, visually, and even sketching deep sky objects; while my smart telescopes sit there and do their imaging for me. 

They are like little robots, doing all the work for you. Explained another way: I'll admit, that I am one of those people, who takes pride in having learned a skill. Having taken the time, and effort to learn new skills, which enable me to produce the desired results (whatever end results the hobby in question requires)... 

These two new, affordable, smart telescopes, have only been out for a relatively short time. So it’s still too early to make any concrete predictions.

However, as someone who admittedly enjoys doing things the old-fashioned way, the way which requires hard skills, I could not find any equipment to purchase with a budget of $2000+ which would produce better results than the smart telescopes, which cost only $500. 

And believe me when I tell you, I’ve tried, I’ve really tried! I'll admit, that I wish it were the case: that you could produce the same astrophotography results, with a budget of approximately $2000...But try as I might, I was unable to theoretically (or otherwise) prove it.  

These are the things, which, all of us as amateur astrophotographers, may end up brooding over a bit. We all still have free will, and we can still choose to do things the traditional way. However, in order to get results better than what these $500 smart telescopes can do – My guess is: We will have to invest somewhere between $3000 and $5000. I’m sure to some people, it’s worth doing that. Especially if they’d rather be able to say that: The work was done by them, manually, using skills that were acquired over a substantial amount of time. And that’s how the outstanding results were achieved. 

Unfortunately, for someone like me, on a low budget – able to only spend approximately $2000, I really can’t see myself producing images much better than what these smart telescopes can produce. 

Both of these telescopes have their strong points. They both have their pros and cons. I've reviewed each of them in detail, on my blog. Generally speaking: the Seestar S50 is excellent for imaging smaller, deep sky objects. The Dwarf 2 is essential for imaging large deep sky objects. 

Let’s keep in mind that the prices are very similar; at right around $500. 

Proving that I will “put my money where my mouth is" - I intend to try to "prove myself wrong" so to speak. And, I still intend to acquire some equipment – for around $2000, give or take a few hundred dollars. 

And I will put in the effort, to see if the proof is in the pudding. I want to see (with my own eyes) if this is indeed the case. So I plan to go forward with this experiment, and of course will be reporting my findings and all the relevant and interesting details.

So far, I've acquired a (lightly used) 80mm ED triplet refractor, a new ZWO ASI178MC, a ZWO Duo Band filter, and...I guess I'm making progress?

Until next time,

Clear & steady skies!

My blog: Astronomy Product Reviews

Story #2 - Being Disabled and The Convenience Of Smart Telescopes

I was on the fence for quite a while, about whether or not to discuss this subject on (any of) my blogs. 

So, I've decided to go ahead and post my little story here ('Story #2') on my Astronomy Blog. This topic coincides with the wonderful convenience which the "new" smart telescopes provide.

I've made some new (online) friends over this past year: Both in the world of Bat Research, and Amateur Astronomy. So, as an 'FYI' for them, and as a way to illustrate the usefulness of smart telescopes...

There are 1 billion people, 15% of the world's population, disabled today. At the age of only 39 - I would've never expected to have my career come to a halt. I wouldn't have expected it in million years.

In an effort to make a long story short: I found myself coming home from work, not just tired (like everyone else), but with increasing levels of back pain, and body-wide inflammation. When it got to the point where normal movement became difficult, I consulted Doctors.

It's interesting to note: The first couple of Doctors I visited (General Practitioners), attributed these issues as being: "muscle related", "possibly arthritis", or other run-of-the-mill issues.

The third Doctor I visited (a Pain Management Specialist), sent me for X-Rays & MRI's. It was discovered that I had 8 damaged spinal discs: 4 in the mid-back; surgery not an option (due to proximity to thoracic region). 3 discs in lower back (Lumbar region) surgery not an option there, as a perfectly healthy disc would be affected. As well as 1 slightly damaged disc in the neck (cervical region).

I was also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia; by more than one Rheumatoid Specialist. In the years which followed, I had many tests done, and several medical procedures. I'm not going to go off on a tangent here, or get into all the details, etc. - The main points I'd like to make are that living with chronic pain & fibromyalgia (and most recently, diabetes) isn't easy.

The majority of my time is spent in bed. I never know when I'm going to feel okay; which makes planning to enjoy astronomy, or astrophotography (on clear nights) close to impossible. 

I was involved with both the visual, and AP facets of amatuer astronomy, since I was a freshman in high school. For about the past decade, trying to enjoy astrophotography was very difficult. There were quite a few steps involved in the set-up of the equipment, for a night of imaging. 

As you might imagine, there were many nights when the sky conditions were excellent - and I simply couldn't manage to set anything up. To say it was frustrating, would be a gross understatement.

With the development of these compact, smart telescopes - I've found that this is no longer the case. These new smart telescopes for astrophotography are practically effortless to set-up. The Seestar S50, for example - can simply be placed on a flat surface outside, and powered on. Then, you can just go back into your home, and control everything via smartphone or tablet. The Dwarf 2 is amazing - and almost as easy to set-up: You simply need to let it go through it's calibration process (successfully) and then you can also go indoors!

People sometimes like to say that the Dwarf II's lens is too small...But, have you ever seen what some (dedicated) astronomers accomplish with cell phone cams??

Anyway, this is a real game changer for just about anyone with disabilities. Which is really amazing, and is the reason why I'm sharing all of this.

For the first time in about 15 years, I won't have to miss out on any clear nights! I'll be able to just go out on the deck, and place a smart telescope on an outdoor table (or other flat/sturdy surface) and that's it! The rest is smooth sailing...

Well, that's my short post (for now). I'm happy to report, that:

• The 2-Part Review of The Dwarf 2 has been posted here (Pt.1 - Pt.2).
• The Seestar S50 review will be posted here soon!
• And, last...but certainly not least: Instead of my (usual) live webinar/presentation on the lastest bat detector, I'll be talking about these two new smart telescopes! As well as the hobby of amatuer astronomy! For the members of The BatAbility Club (based in Scotland).

Stay tuned - More interesting stuff coming soon!

I just got a new telescope today! So, I'll be reporting on it - All I'll say for now, is that it's the first GoTo telescope I've ever bought... I want to especially share what it's like, having a new "conventional" telescope next to a smart telescope...

Also: A few of you may remember me posting about some beautiful vintage telescopes a while back? ...Well, they may yet find their way here! We'll see...

Looking forward to it!

Clear skies!

Sharing Some Stories - Story #1 - How I First Became Interested In Astronomy

How I First Became Interested In Astronomy 

When I was in my first year of high school, I came home one day, to find that one of my older brothers (John) had a new telescope sent to me.

Of course, as you might’ve guessed it was the ubiquitous 60mm refractor!

I was very excited, but at that age, with no experience with astronomy, and no one around to guide me, I didn’t really know how to get the most out of it.

And although I lived under Bortle 4 skies at that time, all I ever managed to do with it, was to look at the moon and planets – I think back now, and think to myself: what a waste of dark skies! That was what first sparked my interest in astronomy.

Through the years since then, I’ve always had a telescope of one kind or another around. I really became immersed in astronomy, and at one point even invested in more than one pair of Fujinon binoculars, along with matching nebula filters, a TeleVue telescope (The Pronto), as well as a new 8 inch Dobsonian. But it was all still visual astronomy.

Discovering Astrophotography

As it so happens, to many of us amateur visual astronomers, we eventually become interested in astrophotography; and I was no different.

As for my career, I was an Information Technology Professional, working for many fortune 500 companies, in fast-paced New York City.

Nevertheless, when it came time for my hobbies, I was still on a limited budget. Astrophotography can be an expensive hobby; and I didn’t have a lot of discretionary funds available to spend on expensive equipment. So I looked into ways that I could enjoy astrophotography on a low budget.

My first forays into astrophotography, consisted of wooden barn door trackers with 12V stepper motors, and 35mm film cameras! I used many different models (mostly rangefinder types), and also used gas-hypered film! 

Gas-hypered film was offered by a company, called Lumicon, and I’m pretty sure I was the individual who purchased the very last rolls they had in stock. Gas-hypered film is no longer available anywhere…Something which in this day and age, would be considered an ancient relic! Well, in those days, gas-hypered film was made, so that amatuer astrophotographers could capture colourful nebulae with their film cameras.

My collection of (relatively low-cost) 35mm film cameras. I experimented with each of these for astrophotography.

At some point in the future, I'll scan some print photos I'd made with gas-hypered film, and add them to this post. For now, here is a Pic of one of my better barn door trackers:

Homemade barn door tracker (purchased from another hobbyist online). I provided ~10.8v DC power, in order to get 1 "tick"-per-second from the stepper motor. 

Making Progress In Astrophotography

Things slowly continued from there; I was able to acquire slightly better equipment, over time (but still always low budget!). I even experimented with a low cost (Meade) one shot color CCD camera, attached to a 135mm (Canon) lens.

M17 - This was taken with the Meade DSI CCD camera, attached to a canon 135mm F/2.5 lens, set at F/4. A stack of 87, 2.8 second exposures. Stacked using Nebulosity‘s drizzle feature.
 

I eventually (finally!) progressed to a modified Canon DSLR camera, along with slightly better mounts. I can still remember how off-the-charts happy I was, when I got that used, Ha-modified Canon DSLR! I also bought an extra lens from the seller.

The astrophotography experiments continued; at this time I was living under Bortle 8 skies, (in Bronx NY) not too far from New York City.

As I advanced, the thing I began to notice, was how astrophotography required quite a bit of time in front of a computer screen - processing the images. As an IT Professional, I already spent almost 9 hours a day, looking at computer screens!

Believe it or not, this was one of the main reasons why I would take long breaks from the hobby. I simply didn’t want to spend so much time in front of a computer screen, stacking and post processing images.

NGC 1499 The California Nebula. This is one of my better images, taken with a modified Canon DSLR.

Discovering and using The Dwarf 2 

Then, just recently, I discovered The Dwarf II smart telescope from DwarfLabs.

When I first stumbled across the Dwarf 2 - It was like wow! I started seeing the images people were taking with the Dwarf 2 – and they looked great!

So I immediately decided that I simply had to have one!

I’ve been using mine on every clear night, since I got it. Of course, there are many wonderful pros about owning and using a Dwarf 2 smart telescope. The characteristic I appreciate most, is how the images look so good – and that with just a little basic “cleaning up”, most often directly on your cell phone, they are ready to share with friends and family.

M31 - 150 sub exposures of 15” each. Taken and stacked by The Dwarf 2. 

Minor post processing.

There are many things that I like about The Dwarf 2, but 2 factors which are most prominent, are:

1. The way it’s like having a tiny robot, doing your astrophotography for you. I mean, it's out there in your backyard...sometimes, in the freezing cold, taking photos of deep space for you...It might as well be a Probe Droid 🤖

2. And, the wide fields of view it provides. It is able to comfortably frame many of the larger deep sky objects, where other smart telescopes cannot.

On these nights, whenever I leave The Dwarf 2 outside in the backyard, to do it’s imaging: I walk back into the house, with a big smile on my face, saying to myself: “I love this thing!”

In fact, as I type this, my Dwarf 2 is on my deck; taking (and stacking) images of NGC 6946 The Fireworks Galaxy and open star cluster NGC 6939 - Since they both fit comfortably in the field of view!

I'm looking forward to doing more astrophotography with The Dwarf 2!

Keep an eye out for Story #2, coming soon...Until next time,

Clear & steady skies to you!

Review of The Dwarf II Smart Telescope Part 2 of 2

Review of The Dwarf II Smart Telescope - Part 2 of 2 

A very short un-boxing video

Right from the start, let me just "blurt out" some thoughts, from the top of my head: 

I've had this Dwarf 2 for about 2 months now, and even though there have been more clouds & rain than clear nights - Every time I leave it out there, to do it's imaging: I head inside the house, thinking to myself "I love that thing!"

It is amazing! That's why I (thought of) and shared this video on one of The Dwarf 2's Facebook groups:

Again, it really comes down to - Me having been into astrophotography for years; and now having a smart telescope:

• It takes under 5 minutes to set-up!
• It has GoTo ability - Which means it can find, and track any DSO you want!
• It automatically produces results, which in many cases, are even better than my DSLR set-up used to!

What's there not to like??

• The images, look great as-is, straight out of the Dwarf 2 (right off of the memory card).
• If you do just a little bit of post processing, right on your smartphone's default photo app: The images look fabulous!
• You can then share them wherever you'd like - Super easy!

For me, personally: I seriously dislike spending all of that time in front of a laptop screen - when doing normal (conventional) astrophotography. Having to do all of the arranging in file folders, and (necessary) stacking, etc., etc. 

As a former Computer Engineer, I used to spend all day at work, looking at computer screens...do you think I wanted to spend any more time looking at a computer? (in order to enjoy my astrophotography hobby)?

No way! I want to avoid it as much as possible.

Okay. What about the expense?

Yes, astrophotography is (and always has been) an expensive hobby. The Dwarf II is currently priced at $459 for the standard version; and $595 for the Deluxe version - You can just get a modified DSLR camera for about that much...and you still would need to buy:

• A lens of 135mm FL (or longer) -or- a telescope.
• A (good) tracking mount.
• A sturdy tripod.

This quickly brings you into the realm of about $1500+!

An image produced with my Dwarf II - The Eastern Veil Nebula

341 images of 15" each, taken & stacked by The Dwarf II; cropped and post processed in PixInsight software.

 

M20 - The Trifid Nebula. 153 individual shots of 15" each, taken & stacked by The Dwarf II. Cropped and post processed with Siril and Gimp (both free applications!).

When I first started astrophotography, I also experimented with film cameras! I even used (the increasingly rare) gas-hypered film - Which was only offered by a company called Lumicon. I believe I purchased the last rolls of that 35mm film in existence. 

And mounts as primitive as homemade (wooden) barn door trackers! These used simple gears, a not-so-simple curved bolt, and 12v powered stepper motors.

For those of you who have never done astrophotography - What you need to keep in mind, are all of the procedures and steps, which are required for traditional astrophotography - And that they simply don't exist when using The Dwarf II! 

The more thought I give to this subject in particular, the more I feel I could write about it. And, I wouldn't want to make this review too "drawn-out". Or, longer than it needs to be! It bears repeating at this point: Those who will appreciate The Dwarf II the most, are those who have done some conventional astrophotography in the past.

I couldn't resist showing a photo I managed; several years ago - Using a Ha (Hydrogen-Alpha) modified Canon DSLR:

An image taken with (conventional equipment) - Hydrogen Alpha modified Canon T3i DSLR, Clip-in light pollution filter, on a wooden barn door tracking mount. Shown here is The Heart & Soul Nebulae, as well as The Double Cluster in Perseus. Bortle 4 skies.

In operation, The Dwarf II is very easy to set-up and use; and more importantly, it is an accurate device. It's calibration sequence is automatic, and completes quickly. When you ask it to goto an object (from the Auto Goto List) it always centers the DSO in the center of frame.

In the past, while using conventional astrophotography gear: If there was a clear night, and I wasn't feeling well - that was it. I had to deal with the disappointment of not getting any astro-imaging done. With a smart telescope like The Dwarf 2, you only need to pop outside for a few minutes for set-up. Then you can go back indoors, and be comfortable while the tiny Dwarf II capture and stacks the images for you. You also get to watch it's progress, from your smartphone or tablet's screen - Excellent!

This is M8 - The Lagoon Nebula. A stack of only 37 frames! of 15" each, stacked by The Dwarf 2. Cropped and post processed using PixInsight.

Pros:

• Super small, lightweight, easy to transport anywhere.
• Additional (optional) batteries are available for purchase - which can be a great convenience.
• Ability to purchase & use third-party nebula filters, providing excellent results (especially in light-polluted areas).
• Offers a wide-field of view, required for larger DSO's.
• Offers good control over manual focus, which stays in place once set.
• Single exposures taken by the Dwarf 2 are made accessible by default, if user would like to stack them manually.
• Acquired images are written to an accessible MicroSD card, convenient for post-processing (on PC).

Cons:

• The list of goto/DSO objects (to automatically goto) is currently rather short.
• Imaging the same object for long periods of time, will begin to show the effects of field rotation (if The Dwarf 2 isn't polar aligned).
• Not ideal for smaller nebulae (such as planetary nebulae).
• Battery life could use improvement.

The Dwarf II may be ordered directly from DwarfLabs. Several Dealers of astronomy products also have them in stock/currently available for order.

NGC 281 The Pacman Nebula - A stack of 63 frames, 15" each, taken by The Dwarf II. Cropped, and processed in PixInsight.

Until next time,

Wishing you clear & steady skies!

Review Of The Dwarf II Smart Telescope From DwarfLabs Part 1 of 2

Part 1 of 2, of the full 2-part Review of The Dwarf 2 

The Dwarf II is the smallest, lightest, and most portable of all the smart telescopes available today. It also happens to be the most budget-friendly! At it's current (on-sale) price of only $459 - It is the lowest-cost smart telescope currently available! It is basically a user-friendly, entry-level, introduction to astrophotography! One which an entire family may enjoy.

Dwarf II in it's box

An interesting point to note: Is that The Dwarf 2, provides a user with an actual "taste" of real (conventional) astrophotography - but with the most annoying factors omitted! It's safe to say, that all of the other smart telescopes on the market don't. Rather, all of the others (many of which can get expensive!) are devoid of any bits of the astrophotography experience. In other words, all of the other auto-telescopes are completely automated. Removing the user from the experience (or process) altogether (they are fully automated). 

This is a very interesting point to consider.

If you'd like to see a few pics from the day The Dwarf II arrived; and was unboxed, then have a look at this post.

The Dwarf II measures 204 x 62 x 130mm or 8 x 2.4 x 5.1 inches. And weighs only 1 kg or 2.4 Lbs.

It's main features are that it is:

• It's super small / compact

• Controlled by your smartphone (or tablet) / Android or iPhone based.

• Object GOTO ability / and Automatic star tracking

• Automatic stacking of your images from space.

• Ability to do daytime photography (and video), as well as panoramic images.

• Comes with rechargeable battery & 64GB MicroSD card.

I'll be covering these features in more detail, sometime later in this review.

 

Additional technical specifications include:

• A formidable resolution of 8.46 Megapixels

• Pixel size of 1.45um

• A 24mm lens aperture, @F/4.2 

• 100mm focal length refractor

• Utilizing a Sony IMX415 sensor chip

The Dwarf 2 being unpacked (Deluxe Package)

The unit itself consists of a unique, super-compact design - It isn't much larger than a typical hardcover novel. 

All things considered, it is fairly easy to use. The thing to keep in mind, is that The Dwarf 2 is not a fully-automated smart telescope. Again, it is designed to allow the user some involvement in the astrophotography process.
But, I can promise you, it isn't a lot! The learning curve is not steep at all. Typically, by the 2nd night out, you'll be well-versed in it's proper operation. By the 3rd or 4th night out, you'll be an expert!

This makes The Dwarf II ideal, for someone wanting to do some astrophotography of DSO's (Deep Sky Objects) without having to learn or study the subject.

Generally speaking - The steps for using it for astrophotography are as follows:

• Attach the included tripod.
• Set it down outside.
• Turn the lens unit upwards (bet. 30 and 90 degrees).
• Click Auto focus (which will focus the stars).
• Choose Calibrate...
• Then choose the DSO you'd like to image.
• Check a few basic settings, and click the red button.
• You are now doing astrophotography!

The Dwarf II and all accessories fit nicely in carry bag.

Next, I'd like to draw your attention to the things which are required for normal astrophotography. The stuff one must do in the traditional hobby... 

Things like Polar alignment. Something which is a must, when doing conventional astrophotography. Many astrophotographers (myself included) are not fond of polar aligning a set-up. Depending on your equipment, it can be quite annoying. As evidenced by the existence of so many funny memes on the subject!

Things like:

• (1.) Polar alignment - Not needed, but optional with The Dwarf 2. If you chose to, it is easily done.

• (2.) Having to take Calibration frames: Darks, Biases, and Flats - Oh my!

• (3.) Monitoring of the progress.

• (4.) Having an autoguider to purchase, and then worry about.

• (5.) Having to wait until the next day (typically) to sort through, organize, and stack your frames.

• (6.) Stacking and post-processing "your data" - this necessitates being in front of a computer screen, for substantial lengths of time (always my least favourite part).

Below, I've provided detailed explanations of each component:

1. Polar alignment - Aligning your telescope's mount, to the star Polaris, "the North Star" in the Northern hemisphere. Or the Southern Celestial Pole / the 4 stars of The Southern Cross constellation; if you live in the Southern hemisphere.

2. Calibration frames - 

Darks: A series of (anywhere from 20 to 60) exposures taken for the same length of time as your Lights; with the lens cap on.

Biases: Similar to above, except using the fastest shutter speed your camera is capable of. 

Flats: Similar to taking Darks, except with a white T-shirt stretched over the front of the lens, while aiming at a uniform source of illumination. Such as a slightly overcast sky during the day.

3. Frequent checking, on how everything is going. More specifically, things like: Is the system still tracking properly? eg. Are the stars still round? Are they beginning to trail? If so, that's more frames for you to discard when you're going through them later... A moot point with The Dwarf II!

4. Autoguiders! An autoguider is a smaller telescope, equipped with it's own small (CMOS or CCD) camera - you center it on a star, and it communicates any tracking corrections needed to the main imaging system.

Well, as I have a habit of being honest to a fault: I will state, that I've been intrigued by autoguiders over the years. 

However...There are some things to consider: In order to use / take advantage of an autoguider, your set-up needs to be a certain level of capability. In other words, if you're not using an advanced tracking mount to begin with, an autoguider cannot be a consideration. Less expensive tracking mounts simply don't feature an autoguiding port.

If you do have a top-of-the-range tracking mount; then you can purchase a small guidescope and guide camera. Which will ensure that your tracking mount avoids tracking errors, etc.

Okay, all of that 🠉 doesn't exist with The Dwarf II.

5. Yep, all shots - Lights*, Darks, Biases, and Flats must each be placed in their own, dedicated file folders. Later, each folder must be specified (you must inform your software where each folder is). Or, things will not go well for you - LoL!

*Lights are the actual photos (frames) of the object you're imaging.

6. This is the part where your software has already stacked all of the (various types) of frames. This is when and where your post processing (of the final image) takes place. This was always one of my least favourite parts. It consists of sitting in front of your computer screen; and applying one minor adjustment after another to your final picture.

However, I'll state that it's inherent versatility, allows a user to get as involved as they please. Again, optional - as in, if a user is so inclined to. I'll touch on this a bit more below.

After one becomes competent (proficient) in this skill, they develop what is referred to as a workflow. Essentially, a series of steps of adjustments to your final image, which further enhances and sharpens your final result.
If someone were to ask me: Who is The Dwarf 2 good for? I would say (1st and foremost) it's well-suited for anyone wishing to try astrophotography. Virtually anyone from a (patient) teenager to a seasoned/experienced astronomer would likely enjoy this smart telescope. The only prerequisite being a desire to photograph objects in the night sky. 

A useful tip: I use this digital thermometer to check that The Dwarf 2 has cooled down (close to the outdoor temp.) before taking 'Astro Darks' (automatic Darks).

It is especially well-suited for anyone who has tried some astrophotography in the past, but perhaps found a facet of it annoying, unpleasant, or tedious. Since what a smart telescope does, is effectively handle almost all of the boring stuff! Why do I use the term almost? because in the case of The Dwarf 2, some things are still possible (at the user's discretion).
The unique thing about The Dwarf 2, is that it doesn't do away with everything. It gives the user the optional opportunity to:

• Attach 3rd-party nebula filters, including experimenting with various narrowband filters (Ha, OIII, or SII).

• Attach it to a standard, adjustable photo tripod, to do a (simple) polar alignment. This will allow you to accomplish much, much longer imaging sessions, before the effects of field rotation become apparent. 

• Take their own (additional) calibration frames (Darks, Flats, & Biases) to manually stack in software later. Someone might do this, in an effort to "squeeze" every additional amount of image quality out of the unit's capability. Think of this as something an experienced astrophotographer would be apt to do.

The Dwarf 2 smart telescope - In it's carry bag - Ready to go anywhere!

For my part, I have purchased an excellent nebula filter...And it has provided a very noticeable improvement in my images of deep sky objects (especially nebulae). What I'm actually referring to is called a Duo Band filter. The one I bought, from High Point Scientific, is manufactured by ZWO:

The ZWO Duo Band nebula enhancing filter.

Part 2 of 2 is coming up next... 

Until next time,
Clear skies!