In deep-sky astrophotography, the accuracy of polar alignment directly determines the quality of guiding performance and the success of long-exposure imaging.

With the ToupTek Astro StellaVita, you can quickly achieve highly accurate polar alignment using the built-in three-point polar alignment algorithm in the App — no additional software or computer required.

In this tutorial, we will guide you step by step through the complete StellaVita polar alignment process.

1. Preparation

Before starting polar alignment, please make sure that:

• All devices are properly connected to StellaVita
• The mount model and parameters are correctly configured
• Camera exposure settings are properly adjusted
• Autofocus has been completed
• The current field of view is unobstructed and stars are clearly visible

It is recommended to complete focusing before polar alignment, as this improves plate-solving accuracy. If you are unfamiliar with the steps above, please refer to the previous tutorials in this series.

 

2. Confirm Parameters

Tap the bottom dial icon and navigate to [Mount] → [Polar Alignment] to enter the polar alignment page.

After entering the page, carefully check the device status and parameter settings again according to the on-screen instructions.

To avoid polar alignment failure, it is recommended to test whether the current exposure settings can successfully plate solve by using the [Single Frame Capture] button before starting.

If plate solving fails, try the following:

• Adjust exposure time and gain
• Refocus the telescope
• Avoid clouds or heavy light pollution areas

3. Start Polar Alignment

Tap the arrow button on the right side to begin the polar alignment process.

StellaVita uses a three-point alignment algorithm to calculate polar alignment error by automatically capturing and plate solving three images, then calculating the altitude and azimuth errors.

• The right side of the screen displays the current calibration progress
• The lower-left corner shows the total elapsed time for the current alignment session

Note: If the calibration process becomes interrupted or takes too long to complete, it is recommended to return the mount to its initial position and restart the polar alignment process. Since celestial objects are constantly moving, excessively long calibration times during a single session may reduce alignment accuracy.

Based on the alignment results and adjustment indicators, manually adjust the mount’s altitude and azimuth adjustment screws.

After each adjustment, tap the [Refresh] button to re-analyze the current alignment error.

Repeat the adjustment process until the altitude error, azimuth error, and total error values all turn green, indicating that polar alignment has been successfully completed.

You can also enable the [Auto Refresh] function, allowing StellaVita to automatically plate solve and refresh the alignment results. The [Voice Prompt] feature provides audio feedback for alignment results, which is especially useful for solo nighttime operation when it is inconvenient to check the screen frequently.

4. Final Verification

After completing the first polar alignment, it is recommended to repeat the process once more for verification.

Once finished, tap [Confirm] to return to the main interface and continue with the next steps of your imaging session.

After mastering polar alignment, subsequent operations such as automatic GoTo, auto-guiding, and long-exposure imaging will become much more stable and reliable.

We strongly recommend carefully performing polar alignment before every imaging session and developing the habit of verifying it twice — this can significantly improve your imaging success rate.