How to Plan Dwarf 3 and Dwarf Mini Astrophotography Sessions in Stellarium

One of the most useful astrophotography planning tools I use isn’t attached to my telescope at all.

Before setting up my Dwarf 3 or Dwarf Mini, I often spend a few minutes in Stellarium to answer several important questions:

• Is my target visible from my location?
• Will it clear nearby trees or buildings?
• How high will it rise above the horizon?
• Is the Moon likely to interfere?
• Will the target fit within the Dwarf Telescope’s field of view?

Answering these questions before heading outside can save a lot of time and frustration.

In this post, I’ll walk through how I use Stellarium to plan imaging sessions with the Dwarf 3 and Dwarf Mini.

A Quick Note About Stellarium Desktop vs. Mobile

This walkthrough uses the free desktop version of Stellarium, since that is the version that I use for planning Dwarf 3 and Dwarf Mini imaging sessions. Stellarium Mobile also includes many of the same sky-planning features, but telescope and camera framing tools such as Ocular View / Field of View Simulator are not available in the standard mobile app. If you want to simulate the Dwarf’s field of view on a phone or tablet, you’ll need Stellarium Mobile Plus, which is a paid upgrade.

Step 1: Set Your Location

The first step is making sure Stellarium knows where you are observing from.

Open the Location Window by pressing F6 or clicking the Location icon (top icon) on the left toolbar.  Move your mouse cursor to the lower left side of the screen for the toolbar to appear.

Enter your observing location and save it as the default location if desired.  You can also save additional locations by giving it a name and clicking “Add to List”

Accurate location information ensures that Stellarium correctly displays the position of objects in the sky for your area.

Step 2: Search for a Deep Sky Object

Press F3 or click on the Search icon in the left toolbar to open the Search Window.

You can either enter the object name or its Catalog Name (e.g. M8, NGC 7000), then select your object from the results.  Once selected, Stellarium will center the object in the sky.

Step 3: Set the Date and Time

Press F5 or select the clock icon in the left toolbar to open the Date and Time Window.  This allows you to see exactly where an object will appear on the night you will be photographing it.

This helps you understand where to position your Dwarf and whether the target will be high enough to clear obstacles at your observing location.

Also, one of the ways to improve image quality is imaging a target when it is higher above the horizon.

Step 4: Check Altitude and Direction

After selecting an object, Stellarium displays information about its position in the sky.

Two pieces of information are especially useful for Dwarf users:

Altitude

Altitude tells you how high the object is above the horizon.  The Altitude is located on the left top of the screen in the object information area on a line with the caption of Az/Alt:.  If the numbers keep changing on the Altitude, pause the time advancement in the right side of the lower toolbar.

As a general guideline, I like to image targets once they rise above about 30° whenever possible. Lower-altitude targets are more likely to be affected by atmospheric distortion and obstructions such as trees, houses, or rooftops.

Direction

Stellarium also displays compass directions (N, NE, SW, etc.) along the bottom of the screen. These directions are often easier to use than numerical azimuth values.

This makes it easy to see which part of the sky a target will occupy so you can compare it against trees, buildings, or other obstructions at your observing location.

For example, if you know your eastern sky is blocked by trees but your southern sky is relatively open, Stellarium helps you determine whether a target will spend most of the night in a clear part of your sky or behind those obstructions. Be sure to move  the time forward in Stellarium as well so you can confirm the object stays clear of those obstacles throughout your planned imaging session.

Step 5: Check Moon Position and Moon Phase

Moonlight can have a significant impact on deep sky imaging, so before planning a session I always check both the Moon’s illumination and how close it will be to my target in the sky.

A bright Moon located near your target can reduce contrast and make it harder to capture faint nebulae and galaxies. Even when the Moon is not full, a highly illuminated Moon positioned close to your subject can still wash out part of the sky. On the other hand, a Moon that is farther away from your target is often less disruptive than one sitting nearby.

Stellarium makes it easy to visualize both the Moon and your target on the same sky map. When planning a session, I like to check:

• Moon phase / illumination — how bright the Moon will be that night
• Moon position — where the Moon will be relative to my target
• Moon-target separation — whether the Moon is close enough to noticeably interfere with the object I want to image

In general, I’m more cautious about imaging faint deep sky targets when the Moon is both bright and close to the target. If the Moon is dimmer, below the horizon, or well away from the object I want to shoot, conditions are usually more favorable.

Step 6: Configure the Dwarf 3 and Dwarf Mini in Stellarium

One of Stellarium’s most powerful features is the ability to simulate your telescope’s field of view.

To do this, click the wrench icon in the upper right corner of Stellarium to open the Oculars Field of View tool, then create a telescope and sensor profile for your Dwarf. In practice, that means entering the focal length and aperture of the Dwarf’s telephoto lens, along with the dimensions and resolution of the sensor. Once those are saved, Stellarium can overlay the approximate field of view of your Dwarf on the sky, making it much easier to judge whether a target will fit well in the frame.

The Dwarf 3 and Dwarf Mini both include two cameras:

• A wide-angle camera used primarily for target acquisition and landscape imaging
• A telephoto camera used for deep sky astrophotography

The settings below are for the telephoto camera, which is the camera used for imaging nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters.

Dwarf 3 Telephoto Camera Settings

Telescope

• Focal Length: 150 mm
• Aperture: 35 mm

Sensor

• Sony IMX678
• Resolution: 3856 × 2180
• Sensor Size: 7.71 mm × 4.35 mm

Dwarf Mini Telephoto Camera Settings

Telescope

• Focal Length: 150 mm
• Aperture: 30 mm

Sensor

• Sony IMX662
• Resolution: 1920 × 1080
• Sensor Size: 5.60 mm × 3.20 mm

Once configured, these settings only need to be entered once.

Step 7: Preview the Field of View

After creating your telescope and sensor profiles, click on the Image Sensor Frame (2^nd from the left in the top toolbar).

With a Deep Sky Object selected, Stellarium will overlay the field of view seen by your Dwarf telescope.

This allows you to determine:

• Whether a target fits comfortably in the frame
• Whether the target is too small to frame effectively with the Dwarf
• Whether you need to use Mosaic Mode to photograph the subject

For example, the Lagoon Nebula fits nicely within the field of view of both the Dwarf 3 and Dwarf Mini, while the North America Nebula is large enough that you may be better off using Mosaic Mode.

Building a Nightly Imaging Plan

Using Stellarium, I can typically create an imaging plan in just a few minutes.

Before heading outside, I know:

• Which targets are visible
• Which direction to point the telescope
• Whether the target clears local obstacles
• Whether moonlight may be an issue
• Whether the target fits the Dwarf’s field of view

That preparation often leads to more productive imaging sessions and better results.

Final Thoughts

Stellarium has become one of the most valuable planning tools in my astrophotography workflow.

Whether you’re using a Dwarf 3 or Dwarf Mini, spending a few minutes planning before sunset can help you choose better targets, avoid obstructions, and maximize your imaging time.

If you aren’t already using Stellarium to plan your smart telescope sessions, it’s a tool well worth adding to your workflow.

Want to Learn More?

You may also enjoy these related Dwarf smart telescope articles:

• DWARF Lab Mega Stack Guide: How to Combine Multiple Nights for Better Astrophotography Images
• How to Photograph a Total Lunar Eclipse with a Dwarf Smart Astrophotography Telescope
• DWARF Telescope EQ Mode Setup: Step-by-Step Guide for Deep-Sky Astrophotography