DwarfLab Dwarf mini - EQ Mode

Introduction | Hint: Orientation of the Telescope on the Tripod | Preparing the Telescope and Tripod for the EQ Mode | First Conclusions | Links

In progress

On this page, I describe the EQ mode for my 30 mm refractor telescope Dwarf mini 30 mm/150 mm (f/5).

See also (mostly in progress):

 

Introduction

         

Photo: My Dwarf mini and its tripod (Jan 2026)

The Dwarf mini is normally operated in AZ mode. However, it can also be operated in EQ mode, which offers the following advantages:

In addition, EQ mode has to be be used when capturing mosaics with the Dwarf mini. For EQ mode, the Dwarf mini must be operated on a tripod such as the DwarfLab tripod.

The telescope is prepared for EQ mode in two steps:

The next section can also be skipped to go straight to the preparations.

 

Hint: Orientation of the Telescope on the Tripod

This section can be skipped, in order to move directly to the preparations.

For EQ mode, the Dwarf mini must be mounted on a tripod such as the DwarfLab tripod. There are two ways to orient the Dwarf mini on the tripod, but only one of them is shown in photos and videos from DwarLab. However, this orientation makes it difficult to read the AZ scale, which complicates the azimuth alignment of the telescope.

Alternatively, the Dwarf mini can also be mounted on the tripod in such a way that the AZ scale can be used. However, this option is not shown by DwarfLab. And if you mount the telescope in this way and let the handle point forward, it is bent upwards instead of downwards – but this should not really be a problem...

    
    

Tripod set up according to the DwarfLab video for EQ mode, but the telescope is still horizontal, i.e. still in AZ mode

 

Tripod set up according to the DwarfLab video for EQ mode

  

The AZ angle cannot be identified in this setting!

   

Tripod set up opposite to the DwarfLab video for EQ mode

  

Ditto

  

The AZ angle can be identified in this setting!

When I asked about orientation in a Facebook group, it became clear that different orientations are used successfully and that some users do not use/pay attention to the scale at all, but instead align the telescope by eye, especially since the app instructs you on how to align the telescope precisely. Consequently, orientation should not matter at all... On the advice of a fellow stargazer, I sent a query to DwarfLab about the orientation of the Dwarf mini on the tripod in EQ mode. As I had expected, the answer was that it does not matter.

My query:

Here is the answer from DwarfLab:

In other words: It does not matter how you mount the Dwarf mini on the telescope, everyone can do it according to their own preferences...

 

Preparing the Telescope and Tripod for the EQ Mode

The tripod and the telescope are prepared for EQ mode in two steps:

DwarfLab demonstrates in a (for me too fast) video how both steps can be accomplished (the first one can be done in daytime):

Therefore, I do not intend to write much about the setup here. But a few remarks on things that I noticed and some experiences...

Aligning the Telescope and Tripod for the EQ Mode

First, a few comments on the purely mechanical alignment of the tripod and the telescope! As already written, these steps can be carried out during the day where you can see everything better, especially the scales.

Angle and arrangement of the legs: I would not set the tripod legs at a steep angle, because the tripod can easily tip over in EQ mode due to the slanted position of the telescope, especially if the legs are not extended at all or only slightly. Instead, I would set the angle to the middle position or even set the legs flat if necessary (but then the center column must be pulled up). DwarfLab also recommends positioning one leg in the direction of the telescope's inclination to increase stability.

Compass/North alignment : In the video, DwarfLab uses a smartphone to align the telescope to the north. Well, maybe they have never heard of magnetic declination ;) But in the next step, the telescope is fine-tuned using the app for EQ mode, which should eliminate possible such and other errors...

If you always set up your telescope in the same place, over time you will know where north is roughly ;)

Tilt of the telescope head/Geographic latitude: The telescope head must be tilted so that the angle of inclination corresponds to the geographic latitude (see photo).

Depending on the orientation of the telescope on the tripod (see here), this can be read off the angle scale of the telescope head, at least roughly (or not). This is what I thought! But that is not true, you have to tilt the telescope backwards by 90° minus the geographical latitude! This is the only way to get the correct angle of inclination. I had not thought about that at first, but somehow got it right during the correction... The DwarfLab video helped me clarify that in the end (at first I always missed the crucial part because it was so quick...).

    

Dwarf mini on the tripos tilted 41° backwards; its vertical axis of rotation points to the celestial pole with a tilt of 49° (geografic latitude); the telescope has to be rotated clockwise for 90° for proper operation!

   Dwarf mini on the tripod tilted 41° backwards (with leg for stability), telescope now pointing in the correct direction...
 

Dwarf mini on the tripos tilted 41° backwards, oblique view; "Dwqrf mini" pointing forward (in the direction of the handle)

 

Close-up of the angle scale; it shows an angle of about 40° (90° - geografic latitude)

You can also make the setting by eye, especially since you can correct it afterwards using the app. In Germany it is particularly easy because you can set around 45° (here it is 49° N), which can be easily estimated. You can then make fine adjustments using the app if necessary (up to 3° deviation is accepted).

In Germany, you can set it to approximately 45° (here it is 49° N), which is easy to estimate, and then make fine adjustments using the app.

By the way: If you orient the telescope so that you can see the angle scale (this is what I do...), the head will hit the locking knob for the horizontal axis at about 60° north latitude. So it is better to stay in Central Europe with this orientation ;) Or you should orient the telescops as shown by DwarfLab...

Adjusting the Alignment using the App

In progress

After setting up the tripod and telescope for EQ mode (tilt, alighning with true North), you can use the app to fine-tune the alignment. The app provides information on how many degrees the telescope needs to be corrected in relation to north alignment and the latitude angle. Given the lack of fine settings (and inaccurate or missing scales), this is quite fiddly and often requires several attempts for me... Up to 3° deviation is accepted on both axes; If you stay below this limit, the app reports that you can get started (but you can also optimize further...).

At first I found the instructions difficult to implement and also that they were somewhat contradictory for me. For example, the app reported that I need to tilt the telescope further upwards. When I did that, the error got even bigger. So I did not "obey" and corrected the latitude angle in the opposite way. That was how I managed to get the app's OK! I probably misinterpreted the instructions because no one on the internet has complained about it yet...

On the very first attempt I did not understand this and did not achieve correct alignment. I went ahead anyway and photographed two mosaics - and that apparently worked quite well... However, I expected that the app would not start the observation at all if the alignment was bad, but that was not the case ;)

So far I have always needed several corrections because I did not fully understand the whole thing and the correction was fiddly (especially in the dark). Things will definitely get better in the future ;)

 

First Conclusions

In progress

Basically the EQ setup is brilliantly simple, except that I would like to have fine adjustments for both axes. It probably works so well because the Dwarf mini has a very short focal length and everything does not have to be that precise...

More in due course...

 

Links

 

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08.02.2026