How We Built a Smart Telescope Array for Primary School Astronomy Education Using Seestar S50

From One Telescope to Twelve
This article documents the journey of PLKFLPY Primary School from using a single smart telescope to developing a multi-unit array system and reflects on the potential of smart telescopes in primary school education.

1. School Background and STEAM Education Philosophy
PLK Western District Women’s Welfare Association Fong Lee Pui Yiu Primary School (PLKFLPY Primary School) is dedicated to advancing STEAM education, with a strong focus on astronomy, robotics, AI, and maker learning. The school has established a Creative Technology Application Centre and an Astronomy Park to support hands-on, project-based learning in science, engineering, coding, and design thinking.

Through its STEAM Talent Training Programme, students explore interdisciplinary fields such as astronomy, electronics, programming, 3D design and printing, and artificial intelligence. The programme emphasizes learning by doing, encouraging students to solve real problems using real tools and technologies.

Astronomy is a key pillar of the curriculum. Students go beyond theory to engage in telescope building, astrophotography, 3D-printed accessory design, and remote observation systems. The Smart Telescope Array System was developed as a direct outcome of this practical, innovation-driven learning approach.

The Smart Telescope Array installed in Astronomy Park

Why the Seestar S50 Was Chosen

The astronomy education programme began with a practical challenge: astronomical observation takes place at night, making it difficult for primary school students to participate consistently. The goal was to find equipment that students could operate independently, rather than relying on teacher-led demonstrations.

The Seestar S50 was selected as the first smart telescope for the programme. Its automated star-finding and tracking capabilities allow students to complete observations on their own, supporting true hands-on learning. This level of autonomy aligns closely with the STEAM Talent Training Programme, which emphasizes learning through authentic, student-driven projects.

How the S50 Has Been Used

Since its introduction, the Seestar S50 has been integrated into multiple learning environments:

• Classroom sessions: Used for solar imaging, enabling students to safely observe the Sun and learn basic principles of astronomical observation.
• Home lending programme: Students take the telescope home to observe the Moon and deep-sky objects with their families, extending learning beyond the classroom.
• Off-site stargazing activities: Deployed in dark-sky locations where students independently perform target selection, tracking, and imaging with minimal assistance.
• STEAM enrichment curriculum: Incorporated into project-based learning that combines astrophotography, image analysis, and engineering design.
  

"Working with the S50 made us realise something important: the value of a smart telescope lies not simply in its ability to photograph stars automatically, but in how it enables students to connect astronomy learning with genuine scientific inquiry."

A New Challenge: Expanding Student Participation

As the programme developed, new challenges emerged. Off-site stargazing activities were limited by time, location, and weather conditions, making them difficult to conduct regularly. At the same time, in-school demonstrations could only involve a small number of students at once.

This led the school to reflect on a key question: how can astronomical observation become a regular part of school life, rather than an occasional experience?

This challenge prompted a rethinking of the role of the Seestar S50 and ultimately inspired the development of a smart telescope array system to support broader and more sustainable student engagement.

Campsite stargazing sessions, a pre-dawn comet, and celestial objects photographed during our Australia stargazing trip

The Smart Telescope Array Concept

To expand access to astronomical learning, the school developed the concept of a Smart Telescope Array at its Astronomy Park. Multiple Seestar S50 units are installed as a fixed observation system, allowing teachers to schedule imaging sessions when weather conditions are suitable. Students then analyze the captured data in class the following day, reducing reliance on nighttime activities.

The system is designed as a scalable array of up to 12 Seestar S50 units, which can operate either independently or as a coordinated group. This flexible structure enables both individual experimentation and larger-scale observations.

A key component of the system is a school-designed 3D-printed equatorial wedge, ensuring consistent mounting angles across all units and improving system stability and maintainability.

The “distributed use, centralized management” model also serves as an educational resource within the STEAM programme. Students study the geometry of the wedge, the engineering principles of 3D-printed structures, and the mechanics of astrophotography tracking that compensates for Earth’s rotation, integrating astronomy with practical engineering learning.

The process to build 3D printed EQ-Wedge for Telescope Array

Defining the Roles of the S50 and S30 Pro

The school is currently planning to introduce Seestar S30 Pro units to further expand its astronomy programme. Due to its compact and lightweight design, the S30 Pro will be designated for off-site stargazing, overseas field trips, and other mobile astronomy activities.

Meanwhile, the Seestar S50 units will remain at the school, repurposed as a fixed telescope array within the Astronomy Park to support curriculum-based teaching, image data analysis, and remote observation sessions.

In this evolving system, each product serves a distinct role: the S50 provides stable, large-scale observation infrastructure, while the S30 Pro enables flexible, student-portable exploration. Together, they form a more complete ecosystem of astronomy education tools, supporting the long-term development of the STEAM Talent Training Programme.

Impact on Astronomy Education

Throughout the implementation of the programme, several unexpected outcomes have emerged. These findings have deepened the school’s understanding of how smart telescopes can enhance learning, further reinforcing its commitment to hands-on, project-based STEAM education grounded in real equipment and real scientific practice.

Finding 1 · Parent Engagement
When students borrowed the Seestar S50 for home use, it was intended to encourage parent–child stargazing. However, many parents became equally engaged, actively exploring the telescope and asking for more advanced guidance. Some even went on to purchase their own smart telescopes.
This showed that smart telescopes lower the barrier to astronomy, extending STEAM learning from school into family life. The S50 became a shared gateway for both students and parents to explore the night sky together.

Finding 2 · Learning Motivation
After introducing smart telescopes, students began asking more frequent and deeper science questions.
Instead of simply identifying stars, they started asking:

• Why do nebulae have different colors?
• Why is image stacking needed?
• How does tracking compensate for Earth’s rotation?

This reflects a key shift in learning—from passive observation to active inquiry, which is central to the STEAM Talent Training Programme.

Finding 3 · Confidence and Self-Efficacy

A clear pattern emerged around the difference between seeing an image and creating one. In the past, students mainly learned astronomy through professional images from websites or astrophotographers. While impressive, these images remained distant and unattainable.

After using the Seestar S50 to capture their first nebula images, a noticeable shift occurred. Students showed increased interest in astronomy and a stronger sense of confidence in STEAM learning overall. Astrophotography, once seen as highly professional, became something they could successfully achieve themselves.

This “I can do it” experience cannot be replicated through textbooks or videos, and it often carries over into how students approach other STEAM subjects, strengthening both motivation and self-efficacy.

A selection of celestial objects photographed by students themselves
These three findings have convinced us that the impact of smart telescopes in education goes far beyond making observation more convenient. What they change is the relationship between students and science, and that is the most fundamental goal of everything we do in STEAM education.

Credit: Mr. Ian Chung
PLK Western District Women's Welfare Association Fong Lee Pui Yiu Primary School
Innovative Talent Training Scheme · Astronomy Park