Smart telescope tools

The sky's not complicated.
Getting started is.

Practical tools for smart-telescope users — settings reference, target planner, plain-language glossary, and a place to share what worked. Built for people who'd rather be imaging than reading forum threads at midnight.

Moon · photographed for Astronube

About this site

“The information existed. It was just scattered across six forums, two Discord servers, and a YouTube video where the useful bit starts at 34 minutes.”
— Paul, rural Wicklow, Ireland

I image from Wicklow — Bortle 3–4 on a good night. I've had a camera in my hand the best part of forty years and still managed to waste my first few smart-telescope sessions on settings I didn't understand and targets already below the horizon.

These tools exist because I kept doing the same calculations manually, and because the answers to basic questions shouldn't require an hour of forum digging. No analytics, no marketing pixels, no third-party trackers. Free to use. Account only if you want to log sessions. Read more about the site →

What's here

The tools

Seven surfaces, joined up so you can move between them as your kit and ambition grow.

For Dwarf 3 owners · new to it Getting Started with the Dwarf 3 What it is, specifications, first-time setup, the imaging modes (Auto, Astro, Mosaic), the built-in filter wheel (VIS / Astro / Duo-Band), EQ Mode, and first-night tips. Read this before you take it out. Open the intro → For Dwarf 3 owners · quick lookup Dwarf 3 Reference Starter recipes for 26 targets — conservative defaults you can deviate from on the night. Grouped by Deep Sky, Solar System, and Wide Field, with one-line explanations. See the recipes → For Dwarf 3 owners · beginner-friendly Dwarf 3 Community Real settings shared by other Dwarf 3 users. Browse what worked for each target, then submit your own — with a beginner-mode form that hides the technical fields until you want them. Browse and contribute → For everyone · reference Astrophotography Glossary Plain-English definitions for 80+ terms used in astrophotography — gain, EQ mode, narrowband, dithering, plate-solving and the rest. Dwarf 3-specific notes are highlighted. Open the glossary → For beginners · easiest first target Lunar Imaging Guide The Moon is the most rewarding first target for any smart telescope — bright, detailed, visible from suburban gardens. Phase-by-phase guide, target features, scenario settings, plus an in-browser calculator for tonight's phase and rise/set times. Open the lunar guide → For when you graduate to dedicated kit Astrophoto Planner Past the smart telescope and on to a DSLR / mirrorless and a tracker? 15+ targets with framing guides, lens-aware FOV overlays, tonight's visibility from your saved locations, and a session log. Open the planner → For when you need to buy something Suppliers Vetted retailers and manufacturers for telescopes, mounts, cameras, filters, and accessories. Filterable by region and category. Affiliate links are clearly declared. Browse suppliers →