Space might well be the final frontier but you can get a real good look at it thanks to the Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope – a sleek, compact device that promises the universe for both beginners and casual stargazers looking for an accessible way to explore the night sky.
As something of a space nut, I was delighted to be given the chance to try the telescope out. First off, it looks nothing like your traditional telescope, but it is very cool. The build quality feels solid, and the materials durable so it can handle outdoor use without too much concern for wear and tear.
The best aspect of the Dwarf 3 is its integration with your smartphone. Using its companion app, you can control the telescope remotely, making real-time easy to align the telescope with celestial objects, via your own wifi. This means you can set up the scope outside while you control it from the warmth of your own home.
The internal battery (charged up via a USB-C cable) keeps you motoring for hours and hours. But you will need to invest in a tripod, however, although placing it on a table or somewhere else stable is an option.
Once set up, you can use the app to point it anywhere in the night sky. The app provides detailed star maps, and with the telescope’s built-in GPS, it can automatically track objects in real-time, reducing the hassle of manually adjusting the scope.
For a telescope of its size, the Dwarf 3 provides impressive views. The image clarity is decent, and while it’s not quite comparable to more advanced (and much more expensive) telescopes, it’s more than enough to observe the moon, planets, and brighter galaxies and nebulae. The automatic alignment system is particularly helpful for those who are new to astronomy, as it removes the need for precise manual adjustments.
Now here’s where you do need to do a bit of research, especially as a total beginner. You’ll need to familiarise yourself with software to process your images after you take them, for instance. Not that the images that come out of the Dwarf 3 are shabby, but just to get the most out of them.
The telescope also lets you stack the images – taking hundreds of photos of an object, throwing out the worst ones, and then ‘stacking’ the best images on top of each other to get the ultra-sharp picture you’re after. This works really well with the Dwarf 3 and you can get some truly impressive results.
You’re not restricted to the night with the Dwarf 3 as it comes with a magnetic filter you can place over its lens for solar photography. I must admit I was initially a little nervous about trying this out, maybe it was too many warnings not to look straight at the sun when I was a kid! But once I plucked up the coverage, I was very pleased with the results. Tracking the sun over an extended period means you get a great photo, complete with sunspots!
Also during the day you can take advantage of the bird and animal tracking mode if you’re into your wildlife photography. There are other features coming down the pipe as well, including mosaic mode for capturing large patches of the sky and a UFO tracking option for capturing any pesky drones that pass by your way.
The Dwarf 3 offers an exciting and user-friendly introduction to the world of astrophotography. With its compact design and easy-to-use smart features, it’s a great choice for both beginners and more serious stargazers. A little warning is that you’ll need to get to grips with some of the terminology and methods if you’re a total novice, but to be honest that’s half the fun!
What users say
Zack: The Dwarf 3 allows images to be easily produced with stunning quality and with it’s easily navigateable software, it is fun for all ages!
Danielle: The astrophotography is amazing with this and the built-in filters make it much easier to use and capture. The bird auto capture it also amazing as it uses the wide angle camera to detect making your detection zone larger than the telephoto which is impressive and really convenient.
Alternatives
Vaonis Hestia Smart Telescope Bundle
Celestron 22403 Inspire 100AZ Refractor Telescope with Built-In Smartphone Adapter
Celticbird Telescope 80mm Aperture 600mm for Adults Astronomy Beginners