Seletek family—autonomous focus controller

Tarsier

Tarsier logo

The most advanced autonomous focus controller.
Leave the computer at home.

This product belongs to the Lunaticoastro focuser and rotator controllers family, which has reached End of Life status. Remaining units are sold while stocks last. Future software updates and compatibility updates are not planned.

The Tarsier was built for astrophotographers who want full motor control without a laptop. Its own display, physical controls, focus memory, and temperature tracking give you everything you need: at the telescope, on the field, with no software to set up.

Seletek Tarsier autonomous focus controller, with its LCD and six-button keypad
The concept

A complete focuser in your hand

Where the Armadillo, Platypus and Limpet are driven from a computer, a browser or a smartphone, the Tarsier is fully self-contained. Its 8×2 character LCD and physical controls handle everything at the scope.

Borrow the best of the Seletek family, leave the cables behind.

The Tarsier inherits all the motor expertise built into the Seletek line—compatible with every Seletek motor, coupling and focusing accessory—and extends it to almost any third-party motor on the market.

At the same time it operates as a fully standalone unit: no laptop, no ASCOM, no WiFi required. The LCD shows position and temperature in real time. The controls let you move the motor at any increment or speed. And when you find focus, you save it and come back to it any time.

The red-backlit display is dim enough for dark-adapted eyes and fully adjustable in brightness.

What you get out of the box

  • 8×2 LCD with adjustable red backlight
  • Physical controls—no phone, no PC
  • Focus position memory with «goto» to any stored point
  • Temperature display and auto-correction
  • DB9 connector for stepper motors
  • Mono jack for DC motors
  • 12V DC standard power jack
  • Full configuration: backlash, power, speed, backlight…
  • Compatible with all Seletek focuser accessories
Features

Everything a focuser needs

Focus position memory

Remember focus points and «goto» any of them directly. Switch from one target to another without refocusing from scratch, useful for star parties or multi-target nights.

Temperature tracking

The Tarsier monitors ambient temperature continuously and can apply automatic focus corrections on the fly, by itself, without any command from a computer.

Variable speed and step size

Move the motor at small precise increments for fine focus, or continuously at slow or fast speed for coarse adjustment. All from the physical controls.

100% configurable

Motor model, backlash compensation, output power, speed curves, LCD backlight intensity: every parameter is accessible through the on-device menu.

Avoids vibration at the scope

Moving the focus motor from the controller instead of by hand avoids introducing vibration at the scope when adjusting focus, which matters for long-exposure imaging.

Red LCD backlight

The 8×2 character display uses red backlight to preserve your dark-adapted vision. Brightness is adjustable so it's never more intrusive than it needs to be.

Motor compatibility

Works with almost any motor

The Tarsier has two separate motor connectors—one for stepper motors, one for DC motors—covering the great majority of focuser motors already in use in the field.

A Tarsier controller with its stepper motor, mounting bracket and cables

Stepper motors

DB9 connector

High-accuracy stepper motor control with full position tracking. DB9 plug for stepper motors, such as our own time-proven 3600 steps/turn motor, or others from Robofocus, Moonlite, Lakeside, FeatherTouch and more. Compatible with the complete Seletek motor range and the main third-party stepper focuser brands.

Seletek motors Robofocus Moonlite Lakeside FeatherTouch

DC motors

Mono audio jack

DC motor support brings the Tarsier to the many focusers that use simple bi-directional DC drives, without any adapter or modification.

Orion Rigel Systems Most DC focusers

Seletek accessories included: Every Seletek family motor, coupling and focusing accessory is compatible with the Tarsier; if you already have Seletek hardware, you can connect it directly.

Why are the Seletek controllers (Armadillo, Platypus and Limpet) still the best option to automate the focuser?

Specifications

Technical details

Display8×2 character LCD, red backlight (adjustable)
Stepper motor connectorDB9 (9-pin D-sub)
DC motor connectorMono audio jack
Power supply12V DC, standard jack (positive centre)
Dimensions144 × 95 mm
Compatible motorsSeletek, Robofocus, Moonlite, Lakeside, FeatherTouch (stepper); Orion, Rigel Systems (DC)
Focuser accessoriesAll Seletek family motors, couplings and plates
OperationFully standalone—no PC or smartphone required
Configurable parametersMotor model, backlash, power, speed, backlight intensity
Availability

Where to buy

Documentation & purchase

Get the Tarsier