ASCOM Alpaca bridge for DWARFLAB smart telescopes.
dwarfAlp makes a DWARFLAB telescope available to astronomy software through ASCOM Alpaca. It is intended primarily for Windows users who want to control a DWARF 2, DWARF 3, or DWARF mini from NINA, while keeping the DWARF protocol and network handling inside one Control Center application.
dwarfAlp is an independent, experimental open-source driver, not an official DWARFLAB or ASCOM product. Device firmware changes may affect compatibility. Start with an attended, short test exposure before using an automated sequence.
| Device | Telescope | Camera | Focuser | Filter wheel | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DWARF 2 | Implemented | Implemented | Implemented | Not present | Automated tests; current hardware not physically verified |
| DWARF 3 | Implemented | Implemented | Implemented | Implemented | Automated tests and physical camera, focuser, filter, slew, and NINA capture tests |
| DWARF mini | Implemented | Implemented | Implemented | Implemented | Automated tests and physical camera/filter capture tests |
All three profiles use the shared V3 protocol family. “Automated tests” means simulation and protocol mocks, not certification against every firmware version. See device support for details.
- ASCOM Alpaca telescope, camera, and focuser devices
- Model-aware filter wheel support for DWARF 3 and DWARF mini
- NINA discovery, connection, slewing, focusing, and FITS capture
- Windows Control Center with model, address, location, and server settings
- Wi-Fi onboarding through BLE provisioning
- Simulation mode for setup without hardware
- Structured logs and a generated API/protocol reference
- Open the latest GitHub release.
- Download
DwarfAlpacaGUI-<version>-windows-x64.exe. - Place it in a writable folder and start it. Windows may show an unrecognized-app warning because releases are not currently code-signed.
- Allow private-network access if Windows Firewall asks. Alpaca discovery needs it.
See the Windows installation guide if you prefer to run from source or need release checksum instructions.
- Power on the telescope and connect the PC to the same network. The device can be in its own access-point (AP) mode or connected to your home network (STA mode).
- In Settings, select the exact model and enter its reachable IP address.
- Enter or fetch your observing coordinates if calibration or slewing will be used.
- Select Start server and wait for the Control Center to report that the server is running.
Use the Provisioning tab if the DWARF still needs home-network credentials. The first-run guide explains both network modes.
With dwarfAlp still running, open NINA and scan for Alpaca equipment. Add the DWARF camera, telescope, focuser, and—where supported—filter wheel, then connect them. Follow the illustrated NINA setup guide for the exact order and discovery checks.
Begin with an attended short exposure. Indoors or in daylight, use very low gain and a millisecond exposure on DWARF 2/3; ordinary astronomy values can saturate the sensor. Confirm that NINA receives the FITS image before starting a sequence.
Simulation verifies the Alpaca server and NINA setup without connecting hardware. Enable Force simulation mode in the Control Center, start the server, and connect NINA normally. See simulation mode.
- Documentation home
- Installation and first run
- NINA setup
- Configuration reference
- Capture behavior
- Troubleshooting
- Developer setup and contributing
- Protocol, APK, and firmware research
- Generated API Observatory
- Hardware verification covers specific devices and firmware, not every release.
- The DWARF remains responsible for calibration, tracking, safety limits, and much of the astronomy workflow; dwarfAlp translates the client requests.
- Graceful
StopExposureis not advertised because distinct firmware behavior is unproven. The astronomy workflow supports abort. - DWARF 2 has no built-in filter wheel and does not expose one through Alpaca.
Code, documentation, hardware observations, and sanitized protocol evidence are welcome. Physical hardware is not required for ordinary contributions. Read CONTRIBUTING.md for the reproducible development and validation workflow.
dwarfAlp is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.