Products Archive - Modern Astronomy

Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope

Bernard Karpinski — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:11:29 +0000

The Dwarflab Dwarf 3 is an ultra-portable, dual-camera AI smart telescope designed to make both astrophotography and daytime nature viewing completely automatic. It allows beginners to easily capture galaxies, nebulae, the sun, and the moon using its companion smartphone app.

Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope Key Features

- Dual Cameras: Features a wide-angle lens for framing and a telephoto lens (35mm aperture) for zooming in on distant targets.
- High-Resolution Imaging: Equipped with a Sony IMX678 Starvis 2 sensor that delivers vivid 4K video.
- Built-In Filters: Comes with a VIS filter (for daytime use) and Astro/Dual-band filters to cut through light pollution and highlight nebulae.
- AI-Assisted Processing: Includes live stacking and AI noise reduction, plus the ability to create 1-billion-pixel gigapixel panoramas.
- EQ Mode: Supports an Equatorial (EQ) mode to perfectly track objects and take longer, crisper exposures of the night sky without field rotation.

Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope Hardware & Power

Weight: ~1.3 kg, making it a highly travel-friendly device.
Battery: Features a 10,000mAh built-in battery, supporting external USB-C charging for all-night or extended daytime use.
Storage: 128GB of internal storage to save your photos and videos.
Setup: Easily mounts to any standard photo tripod via a 1/4-inch screw thread.

A good alternative, albeit at a slightly higher price, is the ZWO SeeStar S30 Pro

The S30 Pro has superior optics, more polished software and a basic tripod is included.
I use one myself

The post Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

Chroma – H-alpha 3nm Bandpass optimized for f/2.8-f/3.6 (2″)

Bernard Karpinski — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:45:24 +0000

Chroma – H-alpha 3nm Bandpass optimized for f/2.8-f/3.6 (2″)

The post Chroma – H-alpha 3nm Bandpass optimized for f/2.8-f/3.6 (2″) appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

QHY 5pin Lemo to RJ11 guide cable

Bernard Karpinski — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:18:35 +0000

QHY Replacement QHY 5pin Lemo to RJ11 guide cable

The post QHY 5pin Lemo to RJ11 guide cable appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

SeeStar S30 Pro

Bernard Karpinski — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:43:06 +0000

ZWO SeeStar S30 Pro All-in-One Dual-Lens Smart APO Refractor Telescope with Tripod

ZWO SeeStar S30 Pro

Pro Performance, Infinite Cosmos

Seestar Smart Telescope

A New Era of Astrophotography

Lightweight – Weighs only 1.65kg

Intelligent: Smart app control with GOTO and automatic tracking — enjoy stargazing anytime, anywhere.
Easy to Use: A highly integrated, all-in-one system that combines the telescope, auto focuser, camera, Alt-Az mount, filter wheels and controller into a single, compact setup. Just power on and start exploring.

Just 3 Steps to Stunning Cosmic Images

4K Dual-Lens

Wide View, See It All

A dual-lens system with 4K wide-angle and telephoto cameras, elevating smart telescope imaging to a professional level. Powered by a telephoto IMX585 sensor (1/1.2″, 4× larger light-sensitive area vs. S30) and a wide-angle IMX586, it delivers 4× higher resolution, lower noise, and cleaner, more natural image quality.

Four Imaging Modes

Built for Astrophotography

From distant galaxies and glowing nebulae to the Milky Way in motion — from planets overhead to landscapes below — Seestar S30 Pro captures every perspective in 4K Ultra HD.

One-tap Milky Way and Star Trails

The Milky Way stretches across the frame, and star trails trace the slow motion of the sky. It supports astrophotography time-lapse, revealing the vastness, rhythm, and beauty of the night above.

8K Milky Way Stitching- One Click Mosaic

The Seestar S30 Pro’s built-in Milky Way stitching automatically creates horizontal or vertical mosaics, expanding the field of view far beyond a single frame while preserving ultra-high-resolution detail.

Freeze the Ground

Two Worlds in Perfect Focus

Lock the Landscape, Let the sky move.

Seestar S30 Pro intelligently separates the foreground from the stars, keeping the Milky Way sharp and free of trails while preserving a crisp, natural landscape — all with a single tap.

Intelligent Constellaton Recognition, Read the Stars with One Tap.

Seestar S30 Pro instantly identifies and labels constellations in your view, revealing how stars connect into familiar patterns — clearly, naturally, and at a glance.

Looking for your zodiac? With one-tap GOTO, Seestar automatically locks onto your constellation, removing complexity and letting discovery feel effortless—even the first time.

Vast Celestial Targets

Stargazing Simplified

With access to 80,000+ deep-sky objects and 600,000+ stars, simply select a target in the app and the Seestar will automatically locate, track and capture. Get stunning cosmic images in minutes.

One-Tap Post-Processing, Effortless Imaging

With a single tap, Seestar reduces noise while preserving fine celestial detail — delivering clean, natural images with remarkable clarity.

Apply DBE (Dynamic Background Extraction) to balance uneven backgrounds, making your cosmic shots sharper and more detailed.

DSO Mosaic Stitching

Stunning 8K Image

The device shoots continuously following a planned mosaic grid and automatically stitches the images, creating grand, immersive visuals.

Each capture breaks through the limitations of a single frame, delivering stunning, expansive astrophotography.

Plan Mode

Plan it, Sleep on it

Choose your target and schedule in advance. Seestar takes care of the rest—automatically locating, tracking, capturing, and refining the night sky for you.

No need to stay up all night — never miss a spectacular celestial event.

Equatorial Mode*

Designed to counter Earth’s rotation, Equatorial Mode keeps celestial targets precisely tracked—so stars remain sharp and deep-sky objects stay steady in frame for longer exposures.

*Additional accessories are required.

Daytime Observation

See Far with a Single Device

Seestar S30 Pro isn’t just a palm-sized observatory for the night sky—it’s also a powerful ultra-telephoto camera for daytime use. From birdwatching and distant landscapes to rocket launches, it brings far-away subjects close with ease.

With photo, video, and time-lapse modes, Seestar quickly locks onto your subject and keeps it smoothly tracked—turning long-distance scenes into clear, stable captures.

4-Element Apochromatic Lens

Engineered to minimize chromatic aberration, the 4-element apochromatic lens (with an Extra-low Dispersion glass) delivers rounder, sharper stars and clean, neutral blacks.

The result is a night sky rendered with clarity and balance — true to what the eye expects, and the universe deserves.

Active Anti-Dew Control

Built-in anti-dew control gently regulates the lens temperature to prevent condensation during long sessions, even in cold, humid, or rapidly changing conditions.

The optics stay clear and stable—so your imaging run continues uninterrupted, from first exposure to last.

Triple Filters

Tuned for the Night

A built-in three-filter system adapts seamlessly to different observing conditions—so every scene is captured at its best.

-Dark Field Filter

Automatically suppresses long-exposure noise for cleaner deep-sky images.

-UV/IR Cut Filter

Blocks unwanted infrared light, preserving clarity and true color.

-Light Pollution Filter

Optimized for OIII and Hα, it reduces the effects of moonlight and urban glow—revealing emission nebulae with striking contrast and detail.

128 GB Built-In Storage

With 128 GB of onboard storage, you can keep capturing without stopping to manage files or clear space.

No interruptions. No lost moments. Just room to explore, capture, and create.

Unlock More Ways to Explore

Remote Control Across Regions

The Sky Within Reach Anywhere.

The Telescope Network connects Seestar telescopes around the world into a single, unified network. Simply add your device, and remote control is instantly enabled—across regions and time zones.

Browse celestial catalogs, tap to GoTo and capture targets, and monitor live views and progress in real time.

Even when you’re not on site, you’re still seeing that sky—with your own eyes.

Seestar AI Assistant

Use simple voice commands to enjoy real-time guidance as you explore the night sky.

Open Integration

Built to Expand

Seestar supports the ASCOM Alpaca open protocol, enabling compatibility with a wide range of third-party software, including NINA and more.

From automated observing to fully tailored workflows, Seestar is more than a device. It’s an open platform, designed to grow with your ideas and expand what’s possible under the night sky.

Join the AstroImg

Connect, Share, Explore — Worldwide

A place where stargazers gather to explore the cosmos, create, share, and inspire each other.

What’s in the Box

For a more budget friendly alternative – Dwarf 3

The post SeeStar S30 Pro appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

FunStar for C11

Bernard Karpinski — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:07:17 +0000

FunStar for C11 package, comprises FunStar adapter (95mm high in total with internal 2″ filter thread and external SCT thread), power extension cable, 2x cable clips and velvet bag.

Takes 1.25″ OD format cameras and needs a Fastar compatible OTA.

Big brother to the Funstar for C8

Unlock the SPEED of your Celestron SCT telescope with the Funstar Adapter for Fastar Compatible 11″ Celestron SCTs. The FunStar is an adapter for Fastar compatible Celestron SCT telescopes that allows you to place the Revolution Imager in the secondary mirror position of your SCT telescope allowing you to use the telescope at an amazing focal ratio of f/2, this gives you the widest possible views and the lowest exposure times!

Installation is quick and easy, simply unscrew the secondary mirror from your Celestron SCT telescope, install the FunStar in its place, insert your Revolution Imager and you’re ready to experience those wide summer nebulas, large galaxy groups, huge open clusters and even the full disk of the moon!

The FunStar provides a standard 1.25″ opening and SCT threads for a huge variety of adapter combinations. Also, the 11″ adapter is threaded on the inside for 2″ filters.

Please note: The FunStar does not provide any correction, so some aberrations will be present. However, the small chip-size in the Revolution Imager and similar small sensor makes these aberrations minimal. NB please do not over tighten either the FunStar or your secondary when installing, just a little more than finger tight is enough!

The post FunStar for C11 appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

miniCAM8M Deep Sky Combo EVO

Bernard Karpinski — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:21:49 +0000

QHY miniCAM8M Deep Sky Combo EVO inc LRGB and 3nm HSO filters

The post miniCAM8M Deep Sky Combo EVO appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

Watec WAT-3500 Camera

Bernard Karpinski — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:42:14 +0000

Watec WAT-3500 – High-Performance Ultra-Low-Light Analog B/W Camera

The Watec WAT-3500 Camera is Watec’s next-generation analog black-and-white camera, designed to provide unparalleled imaging in ultra-low-light conditions. As a direct drop-in replacement for the Watec 910 and 902 series, the WAT-3500 delivers cutting-edge technology with improved sensitivity and performance. Featuring a 1/2.8-inch BSI CMOS image sensor, this camera achieves stunning clarity even in near-total darkness, with a minimum illumination of 0.0001 lx, extended to 0.000007 lx using enhanced shutter settings.

Built for versatility, the WAT-3500 includes an OSD menu accessible through the optional RC-01 remote, allowing you to fine-tune the camera’s extensive settings for optimal performance. Whether for security, machine vision, or specialized imaging applications, the WAT-3500 is the ideal solution for professionals seeking exceptional black-and-white analog imaging.

Key Features:

Ultra-Low-Light Sensitivity: Operates at 0.0001 lx, extended to 0.000007 lx with advanced shutter settings.
High-Definition Analog Video: Provides crisp, detailed black-and-white imaging.
1/2.8-Inch BSI CMOS Sensor: Advanced image sensor ensures superior performance in challenging lighting conditions.
OSD Menu Options: Accessible through the optional RC-01 remote for customization and precision adjustments.
Direct Replacement: Fully compatible as a successor to the 910 and 902 series models.

Mechnical Drawing – WAT-3500_Mech

Specifications – WAT-3500_Spec

The post Watec WAT-3500 Camera appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

ASKAR 103APO Triplet f/6.8 APO Refractor Telescope with 1x Flattener

Bernard Karpinski — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:47:33 +0000

ASKAR 103APO Triplet f/6.8 APO Refractor Telescope with 1x Flattener, which corrects field curvature and coma, resulting in better star images.

The post ASKAR 103APO Triplet f/6.8 APO Refractor Telescope with 1x Flattener appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

QHY OAG for miniCAM8

Bernard Karpinski — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 09:53:37 +0000

QHY OAG for miniCAM8

QHYCCD has designed the QHY OAG for miniCAM8 featuring a large 14×10mm prism. The oversized prism maximizes light throughput to the guide camera, enabling higher guiding precision. The QHY OAG for miniCAM8It comes with a standard M48 telescope interface for easy connection and maintains a 55mm back focal distance for broad compatibility with imaging setups.

Specifications

Fits Model: miniCAM8
Telescope Interface: 1.25 in / 2 in
Back Focal Length: 55mm
Prism: 14x10mm
Interface: M48

What’s in the Box

[1x] Off-Axis Guider
[1x] U-Wrench
[1x] M48 Extension Tube
[1x] M3* 10mm Screws
[1x] Compression Ring

The post QHY OAG for miniCAM8 appeared first on Modern Astronomy.

QHY Camera Tilter Plate

Bernard Karpinski — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:20:13 +0000

QHY Camera Tilter Plate Features

With a rear adjustment design, even after installing a filter wheel, it can be easily adjusted and is suitable for most astronomers using the combo of mono camera+ filter wheel.

We provide six sets of adjustment points. You can choose either a three-point adjustment (equilateral triangle arrangement) or a four-point adjustment (rectangle arrangement).

QHY Camera Tilter Plate Compatible Models

QHY600PH-SBFL

QHY268M all versions

QHY268C（short back focal length version after 2022）

PS: The adapter can work with QHY533 in theory, but this camera with a small sensor is used mostly by beginners, it is not recommended to use the adapter with it.

Unchanged Original Back Focal Length

This tilt adjustment adapter is simple to install. Use a screwdriver to remove the original front end of the camera and replace it with the tilt adjustment adapter. Note that removing the default front end also means that the factory focal plane calibration is invalidated and you will need to calibrate the focal plane by yourself.

Again, this tilt adjustment adapter is perfectly compatible with the above models, and after replacing the original front end, the focal length increment will not change, so you can still keep the original adapter configuration, or adjust the adapters according to the standard adapter installation instructions.

Appendix: Tilt Adjustment Introduction

Introduction of Tilt Adjustment

Tilt adjustment is to make the camera sensor square to the whole optical system (optical axis). We hope what follows may help you.

For most amateur-level astrophotographers, Tilt adjustment is very difficult, so it is not recommended for beginners to adjust on their own, including QHY’s newly released tilt adjustment adapter, which is only recommended for astronomers with experience in tuning equipment. Fortunately, all QHYCCD cameras have been calibrated by professional high-precision instruments before leaving the factory.

S0 why the tilt adjustment structure is still retained? This is because not only the focal plane need calibration, the optical axis of the telescope also needs to be accurate. For example, a poorly calibrated optical axis, minor deformations caused by the unstable structure of the scope or by overloaded equipment, the use of adapters of poor quality, can all lead to problems with the entire optical system. We cannot ensure the stability of the whole optical system, so we offer some tilt adjustment methods for our users.

Before tilt adjustment, please make sure that the telescope’s optical axis is adequately calibrated. Besides, we recommend that you choose equipment with a higher optical tolerance. we do not recommend telescopes with vary small focal ratio. Though they can achieve “fast” capture, whether reflector or refractor, the optical axis calibration for focal ratio below f/4 is difficult.

Several Methods of Tilt Adjustment

1. Adjustment with copper foil (applicable to most equipment): After obtaining the distance and direction of the tilt position of the focal plane, copper foil is placed on the relatively lower part. Usually, the thickness of the copper foil is between 65um and 100um, and it can be adjusted with a maximum precision of 20-30um.

2. Adjustment with screws (Applicable to QHY268/QHY533/QHY600PH-SBFL and other products with the new front end): Loosen the 6 cross screws on the top end of the camera, and install a hexagonal socket bolt at the recessed corner of the focal plane measured by the software to elevate this corner. Then tighten the 6 cross screws and verify again with the focal plane analysis software.

3. Adjustment with QHY tilt adjustment adapter (additional purchase required): This adapter can replace the original front end of your camera, whlie the replacement does not affect the focal length. With a rear adjustment design, even after installing the filter wheel, it can be easily adjusted and is suitable for most astronomers.

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