Once connected to the telescope and you have clicked the "Photo" Button on the main page you will be presented with the "Free" mode. This is where the general modes reside - Photo, Video, Burst, Panorama. As you will see, there have been some major changes to the user interface.
The first thing you need to do it to point your Dwarf unit in the general direction of the required target. You can find out where your intended target is by using the Atlas feature in the app or by using any other planetarium app.
Open the lens tube by using the in-app, on-screen directional button. Its best to turn it to a nice clear part of the sky without any obstructions.
Here is a quick 8 step guide to get you imaging. I will go further in to the process below with pictures.
This tutorial deals with the non EQ mode setup (no Polar alignment). For the Polar aligning tutorial please click here (Coming soon).
1) Face the unit in the general direction of your target and rotate the lens up so it is facing a clear portion of the sky.
2) Ensure that the unit is in focus. Do this by using the "focus" panel in any mode and press the "Auto" focus button.
3) Click "Free" in the top right hand corner, then select "Deep Sky" in the box that appears.
4) You are given the option to either go straight to the Atlas to select a target, or to move directly to the main live view screen.
(For this tutorial click "Skip" to enter the live view screen.)
5) Click on "Parameters" then "settings" then "Calibration" and wait for it to complete the calibration process.
6) Click "Atlas" and search for your required target in the list or on the sky map. Click "Confirm". The Dwarf Mini will now find the target and centre it using plate solving.
7) Click "Parameters" and turn off "Auto-Parameter". The first option here is the filter selection. Select the required filter then scroll down to the exposure setting and move the slider to select how many exposures you want to take.
Do the same for both the gain and amount of exposure sliders as required.
8) You are now ready to image. Just click the big red button on the right and hey presto, youre imaging.
If you wish to end the session before the count is completed then press and hold on the big red button on the right. Then click on "End Current Session" to end the session or search for another target by repeating the steps above starting at #5.
The following now goes in to a bit more detail of the above steps with pictures.
Click on "Free" in the top right hand corner of the screen, and it will bring up the available imaging modes. We are going to select "Deep Sky".
At this point, click on "Focus" in the right hand panel and click on "Auto". This will focus the Dwarf Mini.
Now select "Parameters" on the right hand side under the big red button. This will open the features attributed to the "Astro Mode".
Click on the "Settings" then click "Calibration". This performs a sky alignment routine so that the Dwarf has an idea of where it is pointed.
* Turn off "Mandatory Calibration" This setting is rather annoying if left on and you image multiple targets in a session.
* When turned off, if you move your Dwarf to a different location, you will need to re-calibrate manually.
Now click back to "Parameters". Turn off "Auto-Parameter". Here you will select what filter is to be used for the imaging run.
* The Dwarf Mini does not have a VIS filter
* The Astro filter is used for Reflection/Dark Nebulae, some Galaxies.
* The Duo-Band filter is used for Planetary Nebulae and Emission Nebulae.
Scroll down below the filter tab and you will find the exposure, gain and count tabs. This is where you select the last settings for the imaging run.
* Shutter - move the slider to set each exposure length. Normal Mode allows for exposures up to 30 seconds. EQ Mode allows for longer exposures (currently) of up to 90 seconds each.
* Gain - move this slider to select the gain setting required. This is effectively digital brightness. The general gain is usually 60. Make it higher for faint targets, and less for bright targets.
* Count - move this slider to select how many exposures are to be taken.
You are now ready to start imaging. Just click on the big red button, sit back, and watch your chosen target appear before your eyes on your screen.
You are now free to let the Dwarf Mini disconnect from your phone/tablet as the imaging run will carry on working. Just reconnect at any point and click the "Photo" button to check on the process as and when required.
When the session has completed, the imaging will stop. A little box will appear at the bottom of the screen reminding you to edit your image in Stellar Studio.
Click the little "x" to close this box.
To access the saved image, click on the little left arrow in the top left hand corner of the screen. This will return you to the homescreen of the app, where you can view the saved, stacked image in the album.
From the album, you can either download the stacked image as it is, or click on Stellar Studio to further edit the picture. You can also restack it in Mega Stack if you wish along with any other sessions of the same target.
Click by HERE to proceed to the Stellar Studio tutorial.
