The Hopper e-finder is a lightweight, high-performance push-to navigation device designed for amateur astronomers looking to maximize efficiency during observing sessions. At just 80 grams, the Hopper attaches directly to your telescope via a standard Synta/Vixen-style finder dovetail and integrates seamlessly with your existing setup. Despite its compact design, Hopper delivers precision pointing by combining a dedicated onboard camera, a small processor, and a powerful software platform called Cedar.
Cedar is a real-time star detection and plate-solving engine developed specifically for e-finder applications. It processes the live sky view through the Hopper’s camera and instantly determines the telescope's current position by matching star patterns against a catalog. This data powers a push-to interface that eliminates the need for manual star-hopping or polar alignment procedures, giving users a dramatically simplified experience.
One of the main strengths of the Hopper system lies in its software backbone. Cedar handles all camera functions, including exposure adjustments, white balance, and background light management, completely autonomously. Even in sky conditions compromised by tree branches, clouds, or city lights, Cedar maintains reliable functionality.
Users interact with the Hopper through an intuitive app called Cedar Aim, available for both iOS and Android. This mobile interface gives real-time position feedback, facilitates object selection, and offers seamless push-to guidance. Cedar Sky, an included catalog within the app, offers a library of over 11,000 celestial targets, including objects from the Messier, NGC, IC, and IAU catalogs, as well as all major planets, yes, including Pluto.
Unlike traditional manual push-to systems, which require aligning setting circles or visually guessing telescope orientation, Hopper provides precise feedback via the Cedar Aim interface. Once aligned using a quick “any star” calibration at the start of the session, Hopper delivers constant updates, up to 20 per second, on your telescope's orientation. This data is rendered onscreen as directional cues, allowing you to move the telescope until both vertical and horizontal indicators reach zero, at which point your target is centered in the eyepiece.
This system works with virtually any telescope type and mount, alt-azimuth or equatorial, making it highly versatile. Because it's based on visual orientation using real sky imagery, Hopper avoids the need for a mount encoder or GPS. Your phone becomes the control center, and WiFi connectivity ensures a stable link between the device and the Hopper unit.
With its sub-arcminute positional accuracy, Hopper ensures that deep sky objects appear in your field of view even at high magnifications. Whether you’re hunting for faint galaxies, chasing nebulae behind tree lines, or trying to spot planets in light-polluted skies, Hopper remains accurate and responsive. During slow slewing, Cedar’s plate solving keeps pace with up to 20 solutions per second. When you pause movement, it locks into place with another solution immediately, often within a single second.
Because all of this computation happens onboard, there’s no lag, no dependency on remote servers, and no need for internet access at your dark site. You can bring your telescope into the backyard, power on the Hopper via USB-C, connect to your mobile device over WiFi, and start exploring the night sky almost instantly.
For those already using astronomy planning tools, Hopper doesn’t force you to switch ecosystems. The Cedar system is compatible with SkySafari Plus and Pro, version 7. When connected, Hopper’s orientation data can be shared with SkySafari, allowing you to view your telescope's pointing direction within the app. Selecting an object in SkySafari triggers Cedar Aim’s guidance, merging the powerful catalog and visualization tools of SkySafari with the real-time plate solving of Hopper.
This level of integration makes it easy to plan observing sessions, find targets, and log your progress without toggling between systems. Hopper also supports night vision mode and landscape display orientation, keeping your screen dark-adapted and your viewing experience flexible.
Cedar started as an open-source software stack and gained traction among astronomy hobbyists building DIY e-finders. Several tinkerers on Cloudy Nights developed and refined their own units around Cedar’s capabilities, proving its reliability and appeal. Hopper represents the next stage of that evolution, a pre-built, fully supported version available directly from Clear Skies Astro.
This transition from hobby project to commercial-grade product ensures that users benefit from professional calibration, consistent build quality, and ongoing software updates. The Hopper pre-production edition is fully feature-complete, includes the same hardware and software as the final release version, and will receive the same support.
Hopper is housed in a PETG shell that’s both lightweight and durable, suitable for field use in temperatures ranging from 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C). It stores safely in conditions up to 158°F (70°C). Its dimensions, about 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide, keep it compact enough to fit comfortably on small refractors, Newtonians, and even travel scopes.
Power requirements are modest: a USB-C connection supplying 400mA (about 2W) is all that’s needed. This opens up compatibility with many portable battery packs already used in the astronomy community. The device itself weighs less than 3 ounces, meaning it won’t affect the balance or tracking of your telescope.
Hopper appeals to visual observers who are ready to go beyond the limitations of red dot finders and manual charts, but who don’t want the overhead of full GoTo systems. It’s ideal for beginners who want push-to simplicity and for seasoned observers who need fast target acquisition with minimal setup. There’s no polar alignment, GPS setup, or extensive calibration process, just mount it, align it on one star, and start exploring.
The included Cedar Aim interface walks users through the alignment step at the beginning of the night. From there, you’re ready to hop from object to object without readjusting or recalibrating. The efficiency gains are especially appreciated during short observing windows or outreach events where setup speed and precision matter.
The Hopper e-finder is available for pre-order through Clear Skies Astro. The pre-production version is priced at $325 and is fully functional, using the same camera, processor, and software as the upcoming full release model. Every pre-production unit will receive regular firmware updates and full customer support.
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