Bookings are now open for live Seestar S50 Pro remote observing sessions starting 16 October 2026. Control a hosted smart telescope beneath Bortle 2 skies in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, using the Seestar app on your own phone or tablet. Choose a four-hour observing session or a full night of access.
This is live, timed access to a real Seestar S50 Pro at the observatory—not a pre-recorded feed and not an operator-selected image pack. During your confirmed session you can choose suitable visible targets, use GoTo, begin live stacking, monitor the result and save supported image files through the Seestar app.
Remote observing prices
| Session | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | £29.99 | A focused target, a substantial live stack or a guided first session |
| Full night—up to 9 hours | £49.99 launch price; normally £59.99 | Long integrations or several suitable targets |
A full-night session is up to nine hours. Actual usable time depends on the confirmed seasonal darkness window, safe roof operation and weather.
Questions before booking? Contact Dark Clear Skies for help with suitable targets, available imaging times or getting ready to use the Seestar app.
What you can do during your session
- Connect remotely over the internet through the official Seestar app.
- Select suitable targets that are visible from the observatory during your booked window.
- Control GoTo, framing and supported capture functions.
- Watch live stacking build on screen.
- Export supported JPG and FIT files using the Seestar app workflow.
DCS schedules one customer-control session at a time. Observatory staff retain access for safety and technical support.
How booking Seestar S50 Pro telescope time works
- Choose and purchase a session length. Payment reserves the amount of telescope time, not a fixed date. After purchase, DCS will contact you with the currently available imaging times and agree a suitable slot with you.
- We contact you to arrange the session. We will ask for your preferred dates, intended target and the email address or phone number registered to your ZWO account.
- The observatory adds timed access. Your ZWO account is added to the Seestar shared-user list with a defined start and end time.
- We confirm when the roof is open. The observatory normally sends an opening update around two hours before astronomical dusk.
- You connect in the Seestar app. Operate the telescope for your confirmed window, then save your captures through the app.
Important operating rule: do not switch off the telescope
You must not use the app to power down or shut down the Seestar S50 Pro. You may finish a capture and close the app normally, but the telescope itself must remain powered on. If a shared user switches it off, the observatory has to reconnect to it manually before remote control can be restored. This is the specific operating instruction supplied by the observatory and applies to every booking.
Shared access is issued only to the confirmed ZWO account and must not be forwarded or re-shared.
Launch date and UK imaging hours
Customer observing sessions begin on 16 October 2026.
The launch imaging window is 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm UK time. Although it is daytime and early evening in Britain, the telescope is beneath the night sky in Inner Mongolia, so you are imaging the targets visible from the observatory in China—not the sky above your UK location.
For the launch period, 13:00–22:00 BST corresponds to approximately 20:00–05:00 China Standard Time. The observatory session therefore crosses midnight in China while remaining on the same calendar day in the UK.
China remains on UTC+8 throughout the year, while the UK changes between BST and GMT. Seasonal darkness and the UK clock change can alter the converted times, so every booking confirmation will show the exact date, start time and finish time in UK time, alongside the corresponding China Standard Time.
What you need
- A free ZWO account registered with an email address or phone number.
- The current Seestar mobile app on a compatible phone or tablet.
- A stable internet connection.
- Your confirmed booking details and shared-access notification.
You do not need to own a Seestar telescope. If you are considering buying one, see the ZWO Seestar S50 Pro and our smart telescope guides.
Weather, roof safety and technical support
The observatory roof opens only when the on-site team considers conditions suitable and safe. An engineer lives at the observatory, and duty engineers can assist if a connection or equipment issue occurs. If weather prevents the roof from opening, or an observatory-side technical fault prevents the confirmed session from proceeding, DCS will work with you to reallocate the same session duration to another available date and time that suits you, at no extra charge.
Target visibility is not guaranteed: it depends on season, altitude, Moon position, local horizon and weather. We will check the intended target when arranging your date and suggest alternatives where helpful.
Frequently asked questions
Is this live control of a real telescope?
Yes. You receive timed shared access to the hosted Seestar S50 Pro and operate supported observing and capture functions through the official app.
Can beginners book?
Yes. A four-hour session gives you enough time to connect, learn the workflow, select a suitable target and build a worthwhile live stack. DCS provides joining guidance and can help you choose a sensible first target, but the booking is not continuous one-to-one tuition unless agreed separately.
Can I download the images?
Yes. The Seestar app supports batch export of JPG files, FIT files or both. Export options depend on the current app and device workflow.
What happens if it is cloudy?
If weather or an observatory-side issue prevents the confirmed session, DCS will work with you to reallocate the same session duration to another available date and time that suits you, at no extra charge.
Is a full night always exactly nine hours?
No. It is sold as up to nine hours because darkness, roof-open time and safe operating conditions vary. Your confirmed start and end times are supplied before the session.
Can I share my access with somebody else?
No. Access is assigned to the ZWO account confirmed for the booking, and a shared user cannot pass that access to another account.
Why must I not shut the telescope down?
Powering it off breaks remote availability and requires an observatory team member to reconnect manually. Finish your capture and leave the telescope powered on at the end of your session.
Where is the telescope hosted?
The Seestar S50 Pro is hosted at the DCS partner observatory in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, under Bortle 2 skies.
Learn more
- Remote telescope rental from Dark Clear Skies
- How remote telescope rental works
- Official Seestar remote device sharing guide
- Official Seestar file export guide
Choose your session length above to reserve remote Seestar S50 Pro observing time. DCS will contact you to agree the date and arrange secure timed access.