The Dwarf Mini (Smart Telescope)

As we have pointed out in previous notes and articles, the world of amateur astronomy is going through a huge change – maybe even an upheaval. It is because of what are called smart telescopes. These, such as the ZWO Seestars and the Dwarf III, are revolutionized what we can see and image in the night sky. They also make it relatively easy for a novice to enter the world of astrophotography.

The latest option is the Dwarf Mini from Dwarf Labs. Dwarf Labs calls it the first pocket sized smart telescope and it is small enough to fit into your pocket, although not while it’s operating. You do have to set it up first – which is easy. However, it does help to have a wedge or Hydraulic Head when operating the telescope in EQ mode. Not only will the Dwarf Mini operate with a standard Deep Sky mode, but it will also capture wide angle images such as the Milky Way and star trails. The Dwarf Mini comes with three built in filters (Dark-Frame, Astro-Filter, and Dual Narrow Band) to reduce noise and light pollution.

  • The Dwarf Mini has 64GB storage, a 7000 mAh battery, 30mm aperture, 150mm focal length and IMX662 sensor (1/2.8″) for a 2.45o field of view, and 1080 x 1920 = 2 MP. It does have a larger pixel size.
  • The Dwarf 3 has 128 GB storage, a 10,000 mAh battery, 35 mm aperture, 150mm focal length and IMX678 sensor (1/1.8″) for a wider field of view (3.38o), and more pixels (3840 x 2160 = 8.3 MP).

The app has an interesting Sky Finder mode, where you can point your phone (or tablet) at a patch of the night sky and it will show you the objects available. You then choose one and continue on. This is very useful if you only have a small portion of the sky visible. The app also has a sky atlas from which you can choose objects. It also allows you to point up at the night sky to see what’s visible.

With it, Dwarf Labs has introduced Stellar Studio, an online suite of processing tools you can use to enhance your raw images. Here you can do a whole series of post processing steps (such as stacking, star reduction, and star removal) that are typically found in more sophisticated software such as Siril or PixInsight.

One of our members recently purchased one and gave a talk at the May 2026 FAS meeting about his experiences with the Dwarf Mini. A few of his images are below.

For more information about smart telescopes in general, including those from Dwarf Labs and the ZWO Seestars, see our Introduction to Smart Telescopes.

Please note that FAS does not officially endorse or recommend this or any other telescope or accessory. We simply provide information that might be interesting and useful for the public.

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