etsatlo

I bought directly through their website using a credit card so covered as I can be. At this price it's a fair risk in my mind as I imagine demand will be high and a backlog will build up once it launches

At about 15% of the price of the eVscope (give or take), that's the stand out feature. Whilst I agree specs and aperture and flexibility can be challenged, at that price point I think they could be sat on a gold mine. Mount, scope, sensor, plate solving, live stacking, goto, tracking, plate solving, solar imaging and daytime imaging all in one package the size of some binoculars? That's worth a punt (which I have!)

Really good to hear peoples experiences and reaction to this. As some of you say, keeping one eye open is certainly a possibility though for me, as others have mentioned, the light pollution precludes that. I have tried the eyepatch idea though found it gave me eye strain after only a short while. The cost concern raised with respect to both the binoviewer and EAA camera is very valid, though as many of us have found, there is no free lunch in this game! I've certainly found the modest investment in a planetary camera provides excellent ROI and could certainly use a DSLR in lieu of that which many may already have to hand.

Something that I've not seen mentioned very often that is absolutely crucial to consider before spending any money on a telescope is to consider how much you enjoy looking at things with just one eye. It doesn't matter how big the aperture is, how good quality the eyepieces are or how dark the skies are near you, if you don't like squinting to peer with only one eye then it's all going to be for nought. If that sounds like something that could potentially apply then I would recommend looking into binoviewers or electronically assisted astronomy (so that you are viewing an image on a screen). You may also want to consider binoculars but those probably won't show the types of objects you're imagining e.g Saturn's rings. Clear skies.

Forgive me but why aren't you able to do planetary with the mount?

Oh very interesting. What's the name of the lens + adapter if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks Vlaiv, that's pretty much where I'm up to in terms of understanding so just looking for some specifics from anyone who may have attempted before

Hi all, I'm looking into purchasing a Skywatcher AZ GTi mount and it's fair to say my brain is melting with all the different software that I'd need. Here's an overview of what I'd like to achieve. For reference I'm using a Mac, scopes are an ST80, 102 Mak and 60 mm guidescope. Cameras are a ZWO ASI 224MC and Canon 550D/Rebel T2i: Ideally I would point the scope at the sky, use plate solving in lieu of star alignment and then use a planetarium or other software to find objects of interest and use that to instruct the mount where to point. I will then do Live Stacking for EAA with the mount tracking the objects from then on, probably without auto-guiding. If anyone has any experience or advice with this kind of set up it would be much appreciated! I've tried ASILive with the 224MC and that seems OK for live stacking but other than that I'm bit lost at sea. Cheers.

A shroud is almost a necessity for these scopes so would invest in some foam sheet and sticky back velcro from Hobby Craft

Well, what a depressing bunch a lot some of you turn out to be! The anti-human undercurrent of wanting to send large portions of humanity with one-way tickets, us not being worthy of another chance as we have spoilt this planet, the limiting of our ambitions to fixing this planet first before exploring others whilst deep down we know that the technology of surviving on another planet might bring to the table is immense, and the anti-capitalist vibe of billionaires being a scourge whilst being the ones advancing the space industry is quite disappointing. Is going to Mars an objectively good idea? I don't know. Will it do more to inspire generations to come than anything else on the table, give us a back-up population in case of disaster on Earth, provide untold scientific advancement or simply expand our knowledge? Yes. So whilst a portion of the posters here have an implicit anti-human slant, I say go for it. Move the boundary forwards. Those with the cynical view on the world will be pleased none the less in X years time once it's been completed and of the things we'll learn. OK rant over.

Have you attempted to mount your Newtonian on the AZ5 at all? That would be my first call before purchasing anything new given the similar aperture

Just to chime in with my experience which the OP is finding too but Celestron are appealing to beginners but the quality isn't amazing and the price is high. Like other have said, avoid starter kits and just buy what you find you need. Offerings from Skywatcher are usually better value I have found.

I would echo the short tube refractor on alt az with a red dot finder and zoom eyepiece. Would also add that you use an erecting prism diagonal not a mirror so it's less confusing

I use binoviewers a lot and the moon is still very bright when near full. Recommend picking up a 0.96 Moon filter from FLO, only £9 and makes it far more comfortable. Can't quite imagine not using a moon filter as I find it equivalent to having the optician shining the light into my eye to examine my retina!

Was that due to chromatic aberration at all? I similarly found the views less impressive through the Heritage 150p than my 102 Mak. This was using 26mm and 17mm Plossls.