Hey Astro-nuts and fellow DWARF-wranglers,

Get ready for one of the most breathtaking and accessible events in the night sky. A total lunar eclipse is a slow, majestic celestial ballet, a silent drama that unfolds over hours. Early on the night of September 7-8, 2025, we all have a front-row seat. 

As the full Moon glides into Earth's shadow, we'll watch it transform from a familiar silver beacon into a ghostly, coppery-red orb. It’s a profound and beautiful reminder of our place in the cosmos, a moment where you can genuinely feel the motion of our solar system. This guide is your all-in-one resource, not just to witness this spectacle, but to capture it in stunning detail with your DWARF smart-scope!

See What This Lunar Eclipse Looks Like from anywhere on Earth! 

Interactive modules from Time&Date.com Plus the Live Stream on the day!

The longest total lunar eclipse since 2022. Totality will be visible from Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe—around 85% of the world’s population has a chance to see this eclipse.

Watch it LIVE on TIME&DATE.com

Direct from DwarfLab: A little preparation ensures a smooth and rewarding imaging session.

Pre-Eclipse Checklist

• 🔋 Power Up: Fully charge your DWARF 2/3 and your phone. A portable power bank is essential for this multi-hour event.

• 📲 Update Everything: Ensure your DWARFLAB App and the telescope's firmware are up-to-date before eclipse night.

• 🔭 Get Level: Set up your tripod on a stable, level surface. Use a bubble level to ensure your tracking remains precise over several hours.

• ☕ Get Comfortable: This is a marathon, not a sprint. Bring a comfy chair, warm clothes, and a flask with a hot drink.

DWARF APP Setup

1. Connect & Find: Power on your DWARF, connect via the app, and point the lenses roughly toward the Moon.

2. Centre the Moon: Use the dual-lenses locating feature (double-click the wide-angle view) or the joystick to centre the Moon in the telephoto view.

3. Focus: Switch to the telephoto lens and tap auto-focus (AF). The app will detect the Moon and set the initial brightness.

4. Track: Go to "Function" and enable "Moon Track". The DWARF will now automatically follow the Moon, keeping it perfectly centred.

5. Choose Your Mode: You're now ready to switch to your preferred shooting mode (Astro, Video, Time-Lapse, etc.) and start imaging!

Let's push our DWARF scopes to the limit and capture every facet of this incredible event. Here are some challenge ideas—try one or try them all!

1. The Classic Totality Portrait (Telephoto Astro)

This is the hero shot! The goal is to capture the deep red color and subtle details of the Moon during totality.

• Mode: Astro

• Target: The fully eclipsed Moon.

• Settings:

  • Exposure: 1s - 5s

  • Gain: 0 - 60

  • White Balance: ~4900 or ~5000 K (to bring out the red hues)

  • Frames: 20-30 for a clean, low-noise stack.

• Challenge: Capture the faint stars that become visible near the Moon during totality.

• NOTE: From Germany to the UK the moon will rise already in eclipse, be sure to capture the moment of moon rise!

2. The Celestial Context (Wide-Angle Astro)

Show the eclipsed Moon as part of a grander cosmic scene. For this eclipse, the planet Saturn will be visible nearby, offering a stunning composition.

• Mode: Astro (using the Wide-Angle lens)

• Target: Frame the eclipsed Moon and Saturn in the same shot.

• Challenge: Create a beautiful landscape-style astro-photo that tells the story of the night sky during the eclipse. You might need to experiment with settings to balance the brightness of the Moon and the faintness of the stars.

3. The Time-Lapse Journey (Time-Lapse Mode)

Capture the entire 3+ hour journey of the Moon through Earth's shadow in a single, compelling video.

• Mode: Time-Lapse

• Target: The Moon, from the start of the partial phase, through totality, and back out again.

• Settings: Set an interval of 30-60 seconds between shots.

• Challenge: Create a seamless video that shows the dramatic change in brightness and color. This requires adjusting your exposure settings manually as the eclipse progresses!

4. The Critical Moment (Burst Mode)

The moments when the Moon enters and exits totality are fleeting and beautiful. Burst mode is perfect for capturing them.

• Mode: Burst

• Target: The edge of the Moon just as the last sliver of sunlight vanishes (or reappears).

• Settings: Use short intervals (1-5 seconds) for rapid-fire capture.

• Challenge: Capture the "diamond ring" effect—a brilliant flash of light on the Moon's limb—at the precise start or end of totality.

5. The Duo-Band Experiment (Advanced)

This is for the adventurous! A Duo-Band filter is designed for nebulae, not the Moon. However, during the deep darkness of totality, could it reveal anything interesting in the surrounding sky?

• Mode: Astro (Telephoto)

• Target: The eclipsed Moon.

• Challenge: Take a series of shots with the Duo-Band filter during totality. While the Moon itself will be very dim, this is an experiment to see if any faint, background hydrogen-alpha nebulosity is revealed in the starfield now that the Moon's glare is gone. This is purely for scientific curiosity!

Advanced Tips from the Community

• Refocus Constantly: As the Moon dims and brightens, its focus will shift. Use MANUAL focus to check and tweak sharpness frequently, especially before and after totality.

• Re-center Tracking: If you notice any drift, gently nudge the Moon back to the center with the joystick and tap "Moon Track" again to re-lock.

• Bracket Your Exposures: During the partial phases, the contrast is extreme. Take multiple shots at different shutter speeds to capture detail in both the bright and shadowed areas, which you can blend later.

Don't let clouds ruin your night! If your view is obstructed, or if you're outside the visibility zone, you can watch the entire event live with astronomers from around the world.

• The Virtual Telescope Project: Will host a free, expert-commentated livestream on YouTube.

  • Link: Watch the Eclipse Live Here

• Time and Date: Also provides a comprehensive live stream with multiple camera feeds.

  • Link: Time and Date YouTube Channel

Good luck, and clear skies! We are incredibly excited to see the amazing images and data our DwarfVision community will capture. Share your results with the hashtag #DwarfVisionEclipse!

Good luck, and clear skies! We are incredibly excited to see the fantastic images and data our DwarfVision community will capture. Share your results with the hashtag #DwarfVisionEvent

Duncan from DwarfVision