DEVELOPMENT OF A SMART FINDER FOR A TELESCOPE

This paper presents an intelligent electronic finder for amateur telescopes, designed to enable accurate and convenient alignment with astronomical objects. The developed system integrates with a mobile application on a smartphone, providing users with real-time coordinates of selected celestial bodies and step-by-step guidance for telescope orientation. The relevance of this work is determined by the limitations of traditional optical finders and the high cost of commercial Go-To systems, which restrict access to astronomy for amateur users. The aim of the research is to develop an affordable and efficient device for telescope alignment with celestial objects, improving the accuracy and convenience of astronomical observations within the amateur community. The research methods include the analysis of existing solutions, development of astronomical calculation algorithms, construction of a prototype based on microcontrollers, inertial sensors, and wireless communication modules, as well as experimental verification of the accuracy of results by comparing them with data from the "Stellarium" software.The solution involves the creation of an integrated system that calculates the coordinates of celestial objects in the horizontal coordinate system (azimuth and altitude) based on the observer's location, current time, and device orientation. The main user interface is implemented as a Telegram bot, which allows users to receive coordinates and control the device. The system significantly simplifies telescope alignment for faint or invisible objects, such as dim stars, planets, galaxies, and nebulae. sThe practical value of this work lies in the development of an accessible tool for precise telescope alignment, promoting the growth of astronomical culture among amateurs. The results confirm the high accuracy of astronomical calculations, which closely match data obtained from "Stellarium." Further development of the project envisions the implementation of automated motor control, creation of a custom mobile application, expansion of compatibility with different telescope models, and improvement of the device housing for outdoor use.