ALLSKY: A RASPBERRY PI CAMERA IN A WEATHERPROOF DOME THAT FILMS THE WHOLE NIGHT SKY BY ITSELF
A Raspberry Pi in a dome that wakes at dusk, shoots all night, and assembles the timelapse by morning without you touching it.
by AllskyTeam
ScienceOpen-hardware
Built withRaspberry Pi3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE1,632 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · MIT · 1,632 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
Allsky is software that turns a Raspberry Pi and a wide-angle camera into an automatic all-sky camera. It captures through the night (and optionally during the day, with separate settings), and builds a timelapse, a keogram (a single strip image compressing the whole night so you can see cloud cover, meteors and aurora at a glance) and star trail composites automatically. It can upload results to a website, and modules add meteor detection, star counts, dew heater control and sensor data. A typical build uses a Raspberry Pi with the HQ camera and a short fisheye lens, or a ZWO astronomy camera, inside a weatherproof enclosure with a clear dome and a dew heater. The software is polished and the install is scripted, but the hardware is up to you: the project docs link third-party enclosure designs on Printables, a complete parts list from the German AllskyKamera project, and commercial housings. Moisture on the dome is the problem the docs address with a dew heater module. If you live somewhere reasonably dark and want automated sky monitoring, this is the build.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —MIT licence, 1,600+ GitHub stars, actively developed with commits as recent as October 2026.
- —Third-party enclosure designs on Printables (and a full build from AllskyKamera) are linked from the Allsky documentation.
- —No bill of materials in the Allsky project itself. The docs list supported cameras and hardware suppliers and link a complete third-party parts list from the AllskyKamera project.
- —Installation guide and configuration docs are in the wiki, but there is no step-by-step build video from the project itself — community walkthroughs exist.
- —The software is the entire project; hardware is standard Raspberry Pi plus a camera module and a dome.
- —No restrictions on commercial use under MIT licence.
Parts to buy
8 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
All-Sky Raspberry Pi - How my all sky cam works automatically in my backyard. (Alaskan Astro)
No official build video from the AllskyTeam project. Community walkthroughs exist but vary by camera and enclosure choice; start with the GitHub wiki install guide.
More builds like this
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the installation wiki (Start with the README's Requirements (supported Pi models and cameras) and the Allsky documentation, which covers the scripted install, hardware choices and third-party enclosures.)
- 2.Pick your camera(The Pi HQ camera with a short fisheye lens (the docs say 1.5 to 2.5 mm is typical for all-sky work) is the common budget path; ZWO astronomy cameras are supported too. Avoid the ZWO ASI120, which the docs warn against.)
- 3.Source a dome and heater(The docs list third-party hardware suppliers and enclosures. Plan a dew heater (Allsky can switch one) or a fan to keep moisture off the dome.)
- 4.Download enclosure files (Multiple enclosure designs on Printables, linked from the wiki; pick one that fits your camera and mounting setup.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Moisture on the dome ruins a night of frames. The docs recommend a dew heater (Allsky can control one) or a fan that moves warm air from the Pi into the dome, so plan for it from the start.
- Allsky has no parts list of its own. Use the third-party parts list the docs link (AllskyKamera) or build your own; sourcing the dome, enclosure and heater takes longer than the software install.
- Aurora in example footage is location-dependent (Alaska, high-latitude sites); the camera captures what is in your sky, it does not create phenomena.
- The Pi HQ camera is the cheap, well-supported choice and, per the docs, hard to beat unless you also want to use the camera for astrophotography. Avoid the ZWO ASI120 series, which the docs say produces noisy, error-prone images.
- First-light testing will take several nights to dial in exposure, heater timing and focus — the automation works, but the tuning is manual.
- If you live under significant light pollution, keograms will show the glow more than the stars; this build is for dark or semi-dark sites.
What is a keogram and why does it matter?
A keogram is a single strip image that compresses an entire night into one picture by taking a vertical slice from the centre of each frame and stacking them. One glance shows when clouds rolled in, when a meteor went through, or when aurora appeared — you do not have to scrub through hours of timelapse to find the event.
Do I need the dew heater, or can I skip it?
Plan for one. Moisture on the dome is the problem the Allsky docs address with a dew heater, and Allsky has a Dew Heater module that can switch an external heater automatically. The docs also suggest a fan that blows air warmed by the Pi into the dome.
What dome size do I need for full-sky coverage?
The project does not specify a dome size; it depends on your enclosure and lens. The docs list third-party hardware suppliers and enclosures (for example Altair Astro, Allsky Optics and Deep Sky Dad) and printable housings on Printables.
Can I use a webcam instead of the Pi camera module?
No. Allsky supports ZWO astronomy cameras and a specific list of Raspberry Pi, Arducam and other camera modules (for example the Pi HQ camera); ordinary USB webcams are not on the supported list. Check the Requirements section of the README before you buy.
How much storage does a night of shooting take?
It depends on your camera resolution and capture interval; the project gives no fixed figure. Allsky keeps images grouped by day, and the Days To Keep setting controls how many days stay on the Pi. If the SD card fills up, the FAQ explains moving to a bigger card, an SSD or a second USB drive.
Do I need a GPS module?
No, but it helps: the GPS timestamps frames accurately and provides location data for overlay graphics. The software works without it if you set the location manually in the config.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Moisture on the dome is the problem the Allsky docs tackle with a dew heater or a fan. What would your setup look like: a heater strip switched by Allsky, a fan, or something else?
AllskyTeam
Allsky was originally created by Thomas Jacquin and is now maintained by the AllskyTeam organization. The project grew out of the astronomy and meteor observation community, where automated all-sky cameras are used to monitor for fireballs, aurora and satellite passes. The software is MIT licensed and built by contributors worldwide.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the repo is actively maintained, with more than 1,600 stars, an MIT licence and commits as recent as October 2026. The software install is scripted and the documentation is extensive, but the project is software first: you choose and assemble the camera, dome, enclosure and dew heater yourself. Allsky includes a dew heater module that can switch an external heater automatically, so it is worth planning the heater wiring from the start rather than adding it after the first fogged night. The repository is the place to check supported cameras and Pi models before you buy; the Pi Zero is explicitly not recommended. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.