In over a decade, we have only featured one telescope here. The last and the only telescope we featured completely destroyed our image of a telescope because it was a stargazer that’s just 8-inch long. Fast forward to 2022, our mind is yet again blown by an even crazier telescope, the DWARF II Smart Telescope by TinyScope CAM.
Designed with stargazing and birdwatching in mind, DWARF II is a portable and versatile smart telescope that lets you view the night sky or birds with your smartphone, and it measures 20.3 x 12.7 x 6.1 cm (8 x 5 x 2.4 inches) and weighs just 1.4 kilograms (about 3 lbs).
And no, there is no telescope tube as one would have expected of a telescope. That, my friends, is how far optical and imaging technology have progressed. What a time to be alive, don’t you think?
Under the hood, a 4-core CPU and 2 TOPS NPU run the clockwork aided by artificial intelligence. A 1/4” mounting screw thread allows it to be mounted on a tripod while wireless control, which appears to be the only way to manipulate the device, is achieved via WiFI.
As you may have noticed, the device is capable of panning and tilting too, allowing the optics to rotate in altitude and azimuth. Affording DWARF II Smart Telescope the small stature is a periscopic telescope setup, along with a couple of image sensors.
There are two image sensors, a 2 MP sensor paired to a wide-angle lens and an 8 MP paired to the telephoto lens. The former allows you to capture stills and videos as a regular camera as well as preview the field of view, while the latter is for viewing from a distance.
Other imaging features include autofocus, object tracking, star tracking, star stacking, built-in switchable IR filter, solar filter and filter adapter, and the ability to capture panorama images with a billion pixels.
Other features include a 5,000 mAh replaceable battery, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, USB-C port, TF card for image storage, and an IP54 rating.
If anyone’s interested, you may learn more about the DWARF II Smart Telescope at its Indiegogo InDemand page where you can also pre-order a unit for 2,799 Hong Kong dollars (about US$360).
This website is supported by readers through ads and affiliated links. As such, we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase.
Images: TinyScope CAM.