Smart Telescope Product Overview...

Seestar S50, S30 & S30 Pro

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 land-based 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 of development and is composed of components specifically designed and built for the S50. It marked ZWO’s entry into the Smart Telescope arena.

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 landscape/wildlife and telephoto for astronomical observations. The smaller yet highly capable S30 sibling was released in 2024 and features a 30 mm aperture, 150 mm focal length and f/5 focal ratio. Both the S50 and S30 have an integrated 2.1 megapixel color camera, 1080 x 1920 image resolution and 64 GB memory.

The Seestar S30 Pro, which joined the lineup in 2026, similarly has dual lenses and the same 30 mm aperture, dimensions and weight as the S30. In contrast, the S30 Pro has a 4-element apochromatic lens, an increased focal length of 160 mm, an f/5.3 focal ratio and an array of new features. Notably, dual 4K Ultra HD, 8.3 megapixel color cameras with a 2160 x 3840 image resolution and 128 GB storage. Also exclusive to the S30 Pro are time-lapse astrophotography, wide-angle autofocus and Star Trail and Milky Way capture (the 63° diagonal wide-angle lens is automatically selected for Milky Way mode).

All three models take single shots, timed exposures and record videos. The wide-angle lens gives the S30 and S30 Pro the additional capability to lock onto and track objects like birds and aircraft in flight and rocket launches. JPEG and MP4 files are stored on your smart device and AVI and FITS files are saved to Seestar's internal memory. 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 live 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, S30 and S30 Pro easy to operate even for first-time users, 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, Milky Way (S30 Pro), Solar System and Scenery. A SkyAtlas—powered by an astronomical database of more than 80,000 deep-sky objects and 600,000 stars—an encyclopedia, a 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 exposures ranging from 10-60 seconds, 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. Images are formatted to display in portrait orientation with a 0.72° x 1.28° x 1.46° diagonal field of view for the S50; 1.20° x 2.13° x 2.44° diagonal for the S30; and an extra-wide 2.24° x 3.99° x 4.58° diagonal for the S30 Pro. In all cases, 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: dual-band Astronomical Light Pollution Filter (OIII 30 nm / Hα 20 nm), UV/IR Cut and Dark Field Filter. AI Denoise allows you to fine-tune images by adjusting brightness, contrast and saturation, while DBE (Dynamic Background Extraction) removes gradients to balance backgrounds. The filters are what make these "all-in-one scopes" usable in urban areas. Manually activate the dew heater for the S50 or S30 Pro during periods when dew is likely to form on the objective lens.

Unique to the S30 Pro are 8K portrait and landscape images, created by continuously shooting a mosaic grid pattern and then seamlessly aligning and stitching the images. Milky Way stitching automatically creates horizontal and vertical mosaics and separates the foreground and the sky, ensuring the Milky Way will be free of star trails while the landscape remains sharp. To capture star trails, the S30 Pro can lock the landscape as the sky continues to move. And because of its wide field of view, it can identify constellations during live view or after the image has been captured.

Since alt-azimuth mounts introduce field rotation, exposure time is limited to 10-20 seconds and an algorithm mitigates its effect during image processing. However, the Seestar TH10 hydraulic tripod head functions as a wedge and allows the S30, S30 Pro and S50 to be used in equatorial mode, thus permitting exposures up to 60 seconds.

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 telescope arm closes to make itself more compact and to protect the 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 and S30 Pro are 8.3 in. x 5.5 in. x 3.2 in. (144 cu. in.) and weigh just 3.6 lbs. All models 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 carrying case and mini tripod accompany the S30 and S30 Pro. Specifications are summarized below.

To learn more about the Seestar S50, Seestar S30 and S30 Pro and for updated information, visit the Seestar† website.