Looks ahead
Checks the conditions at your location for the coming hours.
In development
AstroStation · What it does
From weather forecast to observing advice.
AstroStation looks at the coming hours and combines cloud cover, temperature and wind. The touchscreen immediately shows whether and when conditions will be favourable enough to set up your telescope.
No separate charts to interpret yourselfOne clear answer and the best observing window.
From forecast to decisionIn three calm steps
Brings it together
Presents cloud cover, temperature and wind in one clear overview.
Gives advice
Shows whether conditions are favourable and which time window is best.
The three core screens
Three screens for one observing session.
ASTRO helps you choose the right moment, MOON adds context about the available dark window and PLAN helps determine what you can observe.
ASTRO
Score and observing window
Tracks conditions hour by hour and uses a score to show when the best period begins.
MOON
Sun, phase and moon window
Combines solar data, the lunar phase and moon window so you can quickly assess the available dark time.
PLAN
Visible planets
Shows when each planet can be observed and helps you choose a suitable target for the evening.
The development story
Built by measuring, testing and drawing again.
Project Polaris is not a ready-made product concept. Firmware, electronics and enclosure evolve together by building real prototypes and testing every detail in practice.
Unfinished elements are deliberately identified as such below.No more switching between separate sources.
Preparing for an observing session meant checking and interpreting weather forecasts and astronomical information separately. Polaris therefore began with one practical question: will the next few hours be good enough to set up the telescope?
From weather station to astronomy assistant.
On the 2.8-inch ESP32 touchscreen, the software evolved into five connected screens: WEATHER, ASTRO, MOON, PLAN and INFO. The current firmware is 3.0 alpha 9.4.40. This is the stable firmware version currently used as AstroStation's foundation.
Every millimetre had to fit inside the enclosure.
The board, display, USB cable and light sensor were measured before the enclosure was modelled in Fusion 360. Several test prints helped determine the correct touch clearance, PCB mounting, ventilation, cable routing, service opening and fixed 26° viewing angle.
Well advanced, but deliberately not a final product.
The enclosure CAD design is complete for this phase, printed and mounted on the fixed stand. The emulator provides accurate screenshots for the website and user manual 1.3 for 3.0 alpha 9.4.40. The complete prototype works; longer practical testing comes next to keep validating the stable firmware base in a wider range of conditions.
Current status
Where Project Polaris stands now
- Five connected touchscreen views
- Local support page and diagnostics
- OTA updates, brightness control and red night interface
- Enclosure and fixed 26° stand assembled
- Real screen images and user manual 1.3 for 3.0 alpha 9.4.40
- Reviewing the website and documentation
- Longer field testing of firmware and controls
- Collecting feedback on the complete prototype
- Process findings from field testing
- Refine the stable firmware base where needed
- Refine a future enclosure only where needed