Advertised as a Smart Astronomical Telescope, the Seestar S50 is considered a GoTo telescope that automatically uses plate solving to locate and track galaxies, nebulae and clusters, along with the Sun and Moon, while a separate scenery mode is used for terrestrial observing. It is a refractor telescope with an apochromatic triplet optical lens, a 50 mm aperture, 250 mm focal length and f/5 focal ratio. The S50 was introduced in 2023 after 5 years in development and is comprised of components that were specifically designed and built for the S50.
The Seestar S30 All-in-One Smart Telescope/Camera Tiny and Mighty is essentially the same as the Seestar S50 but has dual lenses—wide angle for scenery and telephoto for astronomical observations. The diminutive but highly capable S30 sibling was released in 2024 and its 30 mm aperture and 150 mm focal length make it the smallest smart telescope available and, perhaps coincidentally, the lowest cost of all smart telescopes.
The integrated 2.1 megapixel color camera takes single shots, timed exposures and records video. JPEG and MP4 files are stored on your smart device and AVI and FITS files are saved to Seestar's internal 64 GB memory. Image files have a 1080 x 1920 resolution. Raw files can be stacked and processed using ZWO's official astronomy software, ASIStudio.
As is typical for smart telescopes, Seestar does not have an eyepiece. Instead, a proprietary app—available for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets—allows you to control the telescope and view telescopic images. Voice prompts inform you of the unit's actions. Connect wirelessly via 2.4 or 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
Not only does the app make the S50 and S30 easy to operate even for first-time users, but it is also said to be a "sky quality calculator." Your location, estimated light pollution levels, Moon phase and the weather are used to identify which celestial objects are the best choices for your night's viewing. Those objects will appear as individual icons within the app. Other icons include Stargazing, Solar System and Scenery. An astronomical database, Staratlas, encyclopedia, direct link to its active user community, tutorials and FAQs round out the app's functionality.
What sets smart telescopes apart from "traditional" telescopes is their ability to process and display images in real time. Using 10-second exposures, Seestar live stacks (combines) images, which improves clarity. As you watch, pictures will become more detailed and, depending on the object, color may begin to appear. S50 images are formatted to display in portrait orientation with a 0.72° x 1.28° field of view. Although the S30 has a 1.20° x 2.13° field of view, you can customize image framing using magnification and selected region rotation while the app recommends shooting duration for optimum results.
Three built-in filters help optimize performance. A dark filter switches automatically while the UV/IR Cut and dual-band city light pollution/Moonlight (OIII 30 nm / Hα 20 nm) filters are manually activated. The S30 incorporates AI Noise Reduction and allows you to fine-tune images. The filters are what make these "all-in-one scopes" usable in urban areas. Manually activate the S50's dew heater during periods when dew is likely to form on the objective lens.
Since alt-azimuth mounts introduce field rotation, exposure time is limited to 10 seconds and an algorithm eliminates its effect during image processing.
Seestar is a sub-brand of ZWO, a well-established manufacturer of high-quality astronomical imaging products. The internal battery provides power for up to 6 hours. When not in use, the telescopes park to make themselves more compact and to protect their objective lens. The S50 is 5.6 in. x 5.1 in. x 10.1 in. (291 cu. in.) and weighs 5.5 lbs. The S30 is 8.3 in. x 5.5 in. x 3.2 in. (144 cu. in.) and weighs just 3.6 lbs. Both have an integrated alt-azimuth mount and are supplied with a solar filter. The S50 is protected by a shockproof carrying case and comes with a compact carbon fiber tripod. A suitcase and mini tripod accompany the S30. Specifications are summarized below.
To learn more about the Seestar S50 and Seestar S30 and for upated information, visit the Seestar website.
Image Credit: Seestar/ZWO
Image Credit: Seestar/ZWO
Product Overviews, which are based solely on manufacturer-supplied data, have been reviewed by the manufacturers, provide significantly more detail than Product Reviews and do not include personal opinion.