Transform Your Small Telescope with SmartEye

SmartEye turns compact refractors, Newtonians and SCTs into powerful deep-sky instruments. By adding a cooled imaging sensor directly inside the eyepiece body, SmartEye collects and stacks light far beyond what the human eye can manage alone. Faint galaxies, nebulae and clusters appear with contrast and structure that would normally demand a much larger telescope.

Beat Light Pollution – Observe from Almost Anywhere

For observers under suburban or city skies, SmartEye is a game changer. Its sensitive sensor and live-stacking engine cut through skyglow, revealing detail that is usually washed out by light pollution. From a back garden or balcony, you can still enjoy richly detailed colour views of favourite Messier and NGC targets.

Accessible Astronomy for Everyone

SmartEye is ideal for observers who struggle with traditional eyepieces, including those with visual impairments or difficulty achieving precise focus. The bright, high-contrast display and the option to mirror the view to a smartphone make it much easier to share the night sky with people of all ages and abilities.

Imaging Made Simple

Insert SmartEye into the focuser and you are ready for live Electronically Assisted Astronomy. There is no need to build an imaging train, balance extra cameras or configure a laptop at the telescope. SmartEye handles exposure, stacking and enhancement for you, while still allowing advanced users to save raw FITS data for full processing later.

Perfect for Outreach and Education

For astronomy clubs, schools and public events, SmartEye offers a unique mix of “look through the eyepiece” magic and modern EAA performance. Within seconds, visitors see colourful deep-sky objects with labels and identification through SkySafari, making it much easier to explain what they are looking at and keep audiences engaged.

Switch Seamlessly Between Digital and Optical

Think of SmartEye as a bridge between classic eyepieces and dedicated imaging cameras. Swap between SmartEye and a regular eyepiece in the focuser whenever you like, or use SmartEye as your primary astro-camera to capture long integrations for later stacking. You decide how you want to observe each target.

SmartEye is both a digital smart eyepiece and a fully-featured astro-camera. For relaxed visual EAA sessions, simply look through the eyepiece while SmartEye continuously gathers and stacks light, improving the view over time.

When you are ready to capture data, SmartEye records raw FITS frames to the micro-SD card. You can later calibrate and stack these images with your favourite software, just as you would with a dedicated cooled camera.

Because SmartEye supports ASCOM Alpaca, it can be controlled by popular imaging packages such as NINA, giving advanced users full control over exposure, gain and sequence design.

SmartEye directly tackles the most common frustrations in amateur astronomy:

1. Faint, Grey Smudges in the Eyepiece
New observers often expect Hubble-like views and are disappointed by the dim, low-contrast images in a traditional eyepiece. SmartEye boosts faint detail and colour so galaxies, nebulae and clusters look exciting and recognisable, right from the first session.

2. Complicated Imaging Setups
Conventional astrophotography requires cameras, spacers, laptops, cables and software. SmartEye simplifies everything into a single device that drops into the focuser, making EAA and imaging approachable for anyone.

3. Light Pollution and Poor Skies
Urban observers battle bright skies and washed-out views. SmartEye’s sensitive sensor and live stacking help cut through skyglow, restoring contrast and revealing objects that are normally hidden by light pollution.

4. Accessibility & Ease of Use
Many people find it difficult to position their eye correctly at a conventional eyepiece. The SmartEye display and smartphone mirroring make the experience more forgiving and inclusive, ideal for families, schools and outreach events.

5. “What Am I Looking At?”
Integrated SkySafari support and plate-solving (via compatible software) mean SmartEye can help you identify targets, overlay information and share annotated screenshots, so there is no confusion about the object in view.

6. Outreach & Group Observing
With SmartEye, everyone sees the same bright, detailed image rather than taking turns at a faint eyepiece. It dramatically improves the impact of star parties, public events and classroom demonstrations.

SmartEye bottom view – Sony IMX533 colour sensor at the heart of the Pegasus Astro smart eyepiece.