ZWO Seestar S30 Plus 2K Dual-Lens Smart Telescope

Real deep-sky photos from your phone, with the same APO lens as the S30 Pro

The ZWO Seestar S30 Plus Smart Telescope is an all-in-one telescope, camera, GoTo mount and controller for people who want better astrophotography results without the cost and learning curve of a traditional imaging setup. It pairs a 2K telephoto camera for nebulae, galaxies and the Moon with a second, wide-angle camera for the Milky Way, star trails and nightscapes. At 1.65kg (3.6lb) and 210 × 140 × 80mm, it fits in a daypack, comes with its own carrying case, and sets up on a balcony, in the backyard or at a dark-sky campsite in a couple of minutes.

Key specs: 30mm f/5.3 four-element APO · 160mm focal length · 2K telephoto camera (1/1.8", 1440 × 2560), 3° field of view · 2K wide-angle camera, 43.5° field of view · built-in dual-band nebula filter · 6,000mAh battery (up to 6 hours) · 64GB storage · 1.65kg (3.6lb)

What you can capture

• Bright nebulae: the Orion Nebula, the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae, the Rosette and the Eagle Nebula. Switch on the built-in dual-band filter and emission nebulae show color even from a lit-up suburb.
• Galaxies and star clusters: the Andromeda Galaxy fits in one frame with its companions M32 and M110, and the Pleiades, the Double Cluster, the Whirlpool Galaxy and Bode's Galaxy all make good targets. For bigger targets, deep-sky mosaic stitching covers more sky in one image.
• The Milky Way and star trails: the wide-angle camera covers 43.5° of sky for Milky Way shots, star trails, nightscapes and night-sky time-lapses. The app can lock the foreground so the landscape stays sharp while the stars track, and it turns star trails into a video automatically.
• The Moon and the Sun: whole-disk lunar photos and sunspots with the included magnetic solar filter in place.
• Daytime subjects: Scenery mode turns it into a long telephoto lens for birds, wildlife and distant landscapes.

Why it's so easy to use

Tap your phone on the S30 Plus to pair it by NFC (on NFC-capable phones), and the Seestar app takes over. Pick from more than 80,000 deep-sky objects and 600,000 stars and tap GoTo. It points the scope, centers and tracks the target, and stacks each exposure live so the image keeps getting cleaner. It also suggests what's worth shooting tonight and labels the constellations on screen with one tap.

When you want more, queue several targets in Plan mode and let it work through the night, or tilt it into Equatorial Mode on a wedge for 60-second exposures. Finished images can be cleaned up in the app with one-tap enhancement, noise reduction, star reduction or star removal, curves and cropping, then shared straight from your phone or saved as FITS files for processing on a computer. Remote Control lets you run a Seestar set up at a darker site from wherever you are.

Inside, a folded light path fits the 160mm lens into the compact body, and a built-in heater keeps dew off the front lens on damp nights.

Using the S30 Plus in Colorado

• Light pollution along the Front Range: from Denver and its suburbs, the dual-band filter does the heavy lifting on emission nebulae. Save galaxies and star clusters for a darker site.
• Dark skies within a drive: Jackson Lake State Park (about 1.5 hours northeast of Denver), Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (about 2 hours southwest) and Westcliffe and Silver Cliff are all certified dark-sky places, and the S30 Plus fits in its carrying case or a daypack.
• Cold mountain nights: ZWO rates it down to 14°F (-10°C), and it charges only above freezing. Keep it in a warm car between sessions and bring a USB-C power bank, since batteries drain faster in the cold.

What to add for the best results

• Seestar TH10 Fluid Head and TC20 Tripod Kit: a steadier full-height stand plus the wedge for Equatorial Mode and 60-second exposures, in one box.
• Seestar TC20 Carbon Fiber Tripod: a light, low tripod for a more comfortable height. Any tripod with a 3/8"-16 thread also works.
• Precision Tripod Leveler: quick, accurate leveling on uneven ground.
• A USB-C power bank (5V 3A) for long nights or cold weather.

Seestar S30 Plus vs. S30 Pro vs. S50 Pro

Choose the S30 Plus if you want the S30 Pro's lens and easy app at a lower price. Choose the S30 Pro for 4K images, a wider field and Milky Way mosaics, or the S50 Pro for nearly 3× the light-gathering area. See the whole ZWO Seestar lineup.

What's in the box

• Seestar S30 Plus smart telescope
• Tabletop tripod (standard 3/8"-16 thread)
• Magnetic solar filter
• Protective carrying case with shoulder strap
• USB-C cable
• Quick-start guide and safety instructions
• Sheet of astronomy-themed stickers

Full-height tripod and EQ wedge are sold separately.

Seestar S30 Plus FAQ

Is the Seestar S30 Plus good for beginners?

Yes. It's built for beginners: the app handles alignment, finding targets, tracking and stacking, suggests targets for the night and labels the constellations. Plan mode and Equatorial Mode give you more control as you learn.

Seestar S30 Plus or S30 Pro?

Both use the same 30mm four-element APO lens, battery and body. The S30 Pro adds a larger 4K telephoto sensor with a wider 4.6° view, a 63° wide-angle camera, wide-angle Milky Way mosaics and arches, simultaneous dual-camera capture, comet stacking and 128GB of storage. If you mainly want nebulae, galaxies and the Moon at a lower price, the S30 Plus is the better value.

How is it different from the original Seestar S30?

The S30 Plus has a four-element APO lens instead of a triplet, a larger 1/1.8" telephoto sensor with 2K output instead of Full HD, a wider 43.5° wide-angle view, NFC pairing and a carrying case in the box.

Can I see Saturn and Jupiter?

Yes, but small. At 160mm focal length the planets appear as small disks, and Saturn's rings are visible. The S30 Plus does its best work on nebulae, galaxies, the Moon and the Milky Way. For planets, a longer-focal-length telescope does much better.

Do I need a tripod?

No. A tabletop tripod is included. For a more comfortable height or for Equatorial Mode, add a full-height tripod such as the Seestar TC20 or the TH10 and TC20 kit. Any tripod with a standard 3/8"-16 thread works.

Does it work under city light pollution?

Yes, especially for emission nebulae like the Orion and Lagoon Nebulae, where the built-in dual-band filter (OIII 30nm / H-alpha 20nm) on the telephoto camera cuts through light pollution. Galaxies, star clusters and the Milky Way look best from darker skies.

Does my phone need NFC?

No. NFC just makes pairing faster. Any phone or tablet that runs the Seestar app can connect over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. NFC pairing works on newer iPhones and many Android phones.

Can I look through it with an eyepiece?

No. Like all smart telescopes, it's camera-based. You view and save images on your phone or tablet.

How long does the battery last?

Up to about 6 hours of stargazing on a full charge, or about 4 hours of video in Scenery mode (ZWO's lab figures at 25°C). It charges over USB-C, and cold nights, the dew heater or keeping your phone connected all night shorten that time.

Can I photograph the Sun?

Yes, with the included magnetic solar filter attached. Never point the S30 Plus at the Sun without the solar filter in place.

Specifications