In deep-sky astrophotography, auto guiding is one of the most critical factors that determines image quality. Poor guiding accuracy can lead to elongated stars, blurred details, and even a failed imaging session.
The StellaVita smart astronomy controller continuously monitors star positions through a guide camera. Using its built-in guiding algorithms, it detects tracking drift in real time and sends corrective signals to the equatorial mount, allowing your telescope to make precise micro-adjustments and maintain stable tracking throughout long exposures.
The result? Sharp, round stars and cleaner deep-sky images—even during extended imaging sessions.
In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how to set up and optimize auto guiding with StellaVita.
1. Preparation Before Guiding
To enable guiding, you’ll need:
- A guide camera
- A guide scope or an Off-Axis Guider (OAG)
Recommended compatible hardware includes:
- GPM and G3M series guide cameras
- GS series guide scopes (mounted alongside the main telescope)
- OAG systems (installed at the telescope’s imaging train)
Before starting, make sure that all devices are successfully connected to StellaVita and the following steps are completed.
- Device connection and recognition
- Accurate focus
- Polar alignment
If you’re new to StellaVita, check out these previous tutorials:
- StellaVita Tutorial I: Device Connection & Basic Setup
- StellaVita Tutorial II: Achieving Perfect Focus
- StellaVita Tutorial IV: Polar Alignment
After completing polar alignment, you can either:
- Start guiding directly, or
- Perform a GOTO slew to your target first, then begin guiding
2. Recommended Guide Camera Settings in StellaVita
| Parameter | Recommended Value | Purpose |
| Guide Scope Focal Length | Enter guide scope focal length (or main telescope focal length when using OAG) | Improves guiding precision |
| Exposure Time | 0.5–4 seconds | Balances sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio |
| Gain | ≤ 80% of maximum | Brightens guide stars without overexposure |
| Binning | 1×1 (or 2×2 for very small pixels) | Improves star detection and brightness |
| Multi-Star Guiding | Enabled | Enhances stability and tracking accuracy |
3. How to Start Auto Guiding in StellaVita
Tap the control wheel in the lower-left corner of the StellaVita interface to enter the Guiding Assistant panel.
The system will automatically begin guide-camera exposure.
Step 1: Manually Focus the Guide Camera
Adjust:
- The guide camera position, or
- The guide scope focuser
Observe the guide stars until they appear:
- Small
- Sharp
- Round
Step 2: Adjust Exposure and Gain
Fine-tune exposure time and gain until stars are clearly visible and easily recognizable.
Step 3: Start Guiding
Once guide stars appear compact and round, tap the “Guide” button on the right side of the screen.
StellaVita will begin:
- Calibration
- Star tracking analysis
- Real-time mount correction
3. StellaVita Guiding Optimization Tips
For better guiding performance, consider these best practices:
Optimize Star Detection
If guide stars are difficult to detect:
- Slightly increase gain
- Avoid excessive gain that causes overexposure
For ToupTek guide cameras, keep the Gain below 5000 whenever possible.
Enable Dithering
Dithering improves final image quality by:
- Reducing fixed-pattern noise
- Minimizing background banding
- Improving signal-to-noise ratio during stacking
⚠️ Note: Some equatorial mounts may experience temporary instability during dithering.
4. Monitoring Guiding Performance in StellaVita App
StellaVita App provides multiple real-time monitoring tools to help evaluate guiding accuracy.
Guiding Calibration Status
The calibration progress is displayed in the upper-left status bar.
Once calibration is complete:
- Guiding starts automatically
- The guiding graph becomes available in the sidebar
- Real-time tracking data appears at the bottom of the screen
RMS Error Monitoring：
The guiding graph displays:
- Blue line (RA): East-West tracking error
- Red line (DEC): North-South tracking error
RMS (Root Mean Square) error is the most important guiding performance indicator.
Lower RMS values mean:
- Better tracking accuracy
- More stable guiding
- Sharper stars
When RMS stabilizes at an acceptable level, your system is ready for imaging.
You can tap Clear to reset historical guiding data and evaluate current performance more accurately.
| RMS | Performance | Suggestion |
| ＜0.1 arcseconds | Perfect! | No adjustment needed; imaging is stable |
| 1.0-1.5 arcseconds | Good | Fine-tune parameters if higher precision is required |
| ＞1.5 arcseconds | Need Improvement | Adjust calibration accuracy or optimize focus precision |
Scatter Plot Analysis
The scatter plot visualizes the guiding error distribution.
Interpretation:
- Tightly clustered points: Stable guiding
- Widely scattered points: Larger tracking error
Calibration Direction Check
The calibration direction graph should ideally display:
- One blue line
- One red line
These two lines should be approximately 90° perpendicular.
If not, this may indicate:
- Mechanical backlash
- Poor polar alignment
- Incorrect calibration
Final Tips for Successful Auto Guiding in StellaVita
The StellaVita guiding workflow is actually straightforward.
Focus on these three essentials:
1. Sharp Guide Stars
Clear, focused guide stars are critical for accurate tracking.
2. Successful Calibration
Calibration must complete normally before imaging.
3. Stable RMS Error
Consistent low RMS ensures smooth long-exposure tracking.
Master these three principles, and your deep-sky astrophotography success rate will improve dramatically.
With StellaVita, precise auto guiding becomes easier, smarter, and more reliable—helping astrophotographers capture sharper, cleaner, and more professional deep-sky images.