What is StellaVita?
StellaVita is a smart astrophotography wireless controller designed to deliver a simple yet efficient astrophotography experience for enthusiasts of all levels. With its compact design and powerful performance, StellaVita allows you to effortlessly manage a wide range of astronomical equipment, including DSO-cooled cameras, planetary cameras, guide cameras, electric focusers, and equatorial mounts by using your smartphone or tablet. Even if you are new to astrophotography, StellaVita enables you to embark on an enjoyable journey of star imaging.
Boasting exceptional scalability and flexibility, StellaVita can be customized and expanded according to individual user requirements to achieve an even smarter imaging experience. It frees you from the constraints of fixed shooting locations, dedicated personnel, or tethered computer control. You can experience the joy of astrophotography without limitations.
StellaVita supports wireless remote control of astrophotography cameras from leading brands such as ToupTek Astro, ZWO, and QHYCCD, while managing the equatorial mount and other devices seamlessly. In this article, we will introduce the basic layout and commonly used functions of the StellaVita App, ensuring your “star life” starts as smoothly as possible.
Download StellaVita here:
iOS: https://www.touptek-astro.com/downloads/?atfWidgetNav=box_iOS
Android: https://www.touptek-astro.com/downloads/?atfWidgetNav=box_Android
(Alternatively, search for "StellaVita" in your mobile app store.)
Connecting the APP
Assuming all your astronomical hardware has been fully assembled, and StellaVita is powered and switched on. Within a few seconds, you will hear three sets of beeps:
1. The first "beep-beep" indicates that the hotspot has been activated.
2. The second "beep-beep" confirms that StellaVita is fully operational.
3. A final short beep means that you can now connect your phone to StellaVita’s Wi-Fi.
Connect your phone to the Wi-Fi named "StellaVita_XXXX" using the default password "12345678".
> Note: If your StellaVita is from an earlier batch, the software may still display "AstroStation" instead of "StellaVita." This is only a display issue. After updating the software, the name will change. All hardware remains identical across different batches.
Once connected, open the StellaVita APP to enter the main interface.
APP Startup Screen
Main Interface Layout
1. Top Title Bar
Displays the current camera type, model, and shooting mode, along with camera details such as gain, exposure, software binning (Bin), and cooling temperature.
2. Bottom Bar
- Left Side: Shows the network connection status (a green indicator means successful connection, while red indicates disconnection).
- Right Side: Displays device resolution, zoom ratio, and sensor temperature corresponding to the current operating mode.
3. Right Control Panel
Dynamically presents control buttons based on the active shooting mode.
For example, during single-frame shooting, it shows buttons to adjust gain, exposure, binning, and cooling parameters. During video or scheduled shooting, controls for video recording, parameter settings, and crosshair display appear.
4. Left Control Panel
Fixed Buttons: Offers quick access to essential functions, including:
- Shooting mode switch (single frame, video, scheduled shooting)
- Equatorial mount controls (GOTO and polar alignment entrance)
- Auxiliary functions such as settings, histogram, and file browser
Additional Access: A star chart entry is located adjacent to the left control panel.
The enablement and selection status of these buttons dynamically adjust depending on the current work scenario.
5. Central Display Area
Here shows the live feed or captured images/videos, supporting gesture-based zooming, panning, and double-tap auto-fit.
Depending on the shooting mode and function, charts, windows, or prompts (e.g., histograms, autofocus curves) may be displayed in the top-right or at the bottom.
Connection & Device Setting
Click the “Setting” at the bottom left to connect and configure your equatorial mount, main camera, guiding camera, filter wheel, electric focuser, and more.
1. Mount Setting
Mount Setting Interface (Example: LX200 OnStep)
Setup: Select and connect your mount. If you are uncertain about the correct driver, choose “Start Scan” to automatically detect connected mounts. If your device is not detected after scanning, please download the latest INDI driver provided by your mount manufacturer, then restart the APP and scan again.
Once connected, the interface shows both mount and local information.
Features: Supports selecting targets from the star library, displaying Park/UnPark status, Home position, enabling tracking, adjusting tracking speeds for different celestial bodies (stars, sun, moon), and managing meridian flips.
2. Main Camera Setting
Main Camera Setting Interface (Example: ATR2600M)
Setup: Launch the main camera driver, then select and connect your main camera.
Configure the primary lens focal length and set parameters including resolution, binning (pixel binning), gain, exposure time, gain conversion mode, low-noise mode, cooling, fan operation, target temperature, and automatic re-shooting.
Tips:
- Focal Length: Ensure the value is accurate to maintain optimal image analysis speed and precision.
- Gain: Similar to ISO sensitivity, increasing gain reduces readout noise and enhances sensor sensitivity but may decrease dynamic range and full-well capacity.
- Gain Conversion: Options include HCG, LCG, and HDR.
- Automatic Re-shoot: When enabled, the camera will automatically attempt to re-capture if a shot fails.
- For ToupTek Astro cameras, it is recommended to enable HCG and low-noise modes for the best results.
3. Guiding Camera Setting
Guiding camera Setting Interface (Example: GPM462C)
Setup: Select and connect your guiding camera. Set parameters such as binning, guiding scope focal length, gain, and toggle automatic exposure and dithering during guiding.
Configure the maximum correction durations for right ascension (RA) and declination (Dec), as well as settings for dithering: enable/disable, adjust range, choose between random or spiral modes, and decide whether to limit dithering to the RA axis.
Tips:
- Binning: Recommended to maintain a 1x1 setting for both the main and guiding cameras to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. (Note: Once the camera has started an exposure or video streaming, binning cannot be adjusted until the camera is restarted.)
- Dithering: Activating dithering causes the mount to make a slight, pixel-scale movement after exposure. This can help improve the final image’s signal-to-noise ratio and mitigate background gradients, though it may occasionally affect mount guiding stability.
4. Filter Wheel Settings
Filter Wheel Setting Interface (Example: ToupTek Astro AFW)
Setup: After connecting, you can calibrate the filter wheel, reset it to its initial position, enable/disable unidirectional rotation, and configure the current slot number, and total available slots, and rename each slot.
Tips:
- Enabling unidirectional rotation can enhance switching efficiency, though it might occasionally lead to slot position errors.
- For ToupTek electric filter wheels, an automatic calibration is performed on power-up. If the preset slot positions do not match the actual positions during use, simply click “Calibration” to re-align the slots automatically.
5. Electric Focuser Settings
Electric Focuser Setting Interface (Example: ToupTek Astro AAF)
Setup: Displays the current temperature and position of the electric focuser.
Supports configuration of reverse direction, beep function, target position, as well as the single-step movement lengths for coarse adjustment, fine adjustment, and autofocus (including backlash compensation).
Tips:
- Reverse: This reverses the focuser’s direction. When the motor reaches its maximum or minimum step count, enabling reverse allows it to continue moving further in the target direction. Always monitor the focuser’s tube position to avoid accidents.
- Backlash Compensation: When setting the backlash compensation for autofocus, ensure the configured value is slightly greater than the actual backlash of the focuser.
6. Other Settings
At the bottom of the page, you can configure additional options:
- Toggle StellaVita’s four DC output ports.
- Set the default data storage location (internal storage or SD card).
- Modify or reset the network name and password.
- Checkversion information of StellaVita, the APP, and major device SDKs.
If you encounter any issues, click the “Download” button to save the log files to your device’s Documents/ToupTek/logs folder, then send them to tpasupport@touptek.com for technical assistance.