Are we heading towards tablets instead of EP's? :(

[Chris]

I'm not sure I like where we're heading!

 

[Alien 13]

I would say that digital eyepieces will be the norm before long (you could even integrate the sensor and display into the barrel for stand alone use), advantages are no more limitations with exit pupil size and almost real time viewing that a normal rig couldn't get close to. I think the digital eyepieces will come in differing resolutions/pixel sizes and sensor size so people will still need any "eyepiece" case for them 

Alan

[vlaiv]

I have to say I'm guilty of thinking alike ...

At least my vision is not removing eyepiece from the picture, but rather relying on it, but yes, EAA and "interactivity" will become ever larger part of amateur experience in my view.

Extending scope capability to do "everything" is something I dedicate quite a bit of my "thinking cap" time. Hooking up camera to eyepiece is part of this. Hooking up that camera to different content consumer devices like smart phones and tables comes naturally. I'm more along the "laptop" lines, but I can see the appeal of consumer devices (by consumer devices - I'm strictly speaking of device division along the - content production / content consumption lines).

[Dr_Ju_ju]

… and the power fails, and you do what ???

I'm an imager, so have total reliance on 'juice', but if all else fails, I have some trusty bits of glass, that I can replace the camera with....

Also I don't like the idea of any 'connected' device, that is able to report on everything your doing.....

[dweller25]

Technology is a good thing and astronomers will benefit from it, the great thing is you have the option to do the digital stuff and/or the eyeball stuff - the choice is yours....  ?

[Paz]

Personally I don't like this and wouldn't use it but it does add a new option and opportunity for many who will enjoy it so on that basis it is welcome.

[Louis D]

1. I find it amusing that they tout using it at a campsite where power may be an issue, especially if you're doing an extended backpacking trip away from a campground.
2. I would imagine this moving to the cloud pretty quickly since the sky is basically the same from anywhere on earth.  You'll just pick a telescope somewhere on earth, pay your usage fee, and start observing remotely in real time.  There's really no good reason to lug the telescope along on a camping trip since you'd have the same views at home under this scenario.  You could then enjoy non-stargazing activities while camping.  You could also avoid a costly trip to Australia to observe the southern skies this way.  You could even observe under awful local conditions because the scopes would most likely be located in desert locations with consistently good seeing conditions.
3. Today's connected generation might actuallly be tempted by astronomy if it is just another app that can be downloaded to their mobile device.
4. There would probably be less disappointment with EAA based astronomy than with today's department store telescopes.  Users might actually be enticed to virtually "look up" multiple times if the results are good enough.  Because the cost of entry would probably be quite low on a per hour basis, excellent results could be had by those of modest means.
5. There would be far fewer department store scopes being dumped on Craigslist after one or two uses.

[JamesF]

I absolutely think there's a place for EAA though I think it's a shame if that's at the expense of people ever looking through a telescope themselves.  If it gets people interested in astronomy (and science generally) who wouldn't otherwise have done so then surely it can't be a bad thing.

For me however, nothing can ever beat the "reach out and touch it" feel of having an eyeball at the eyepiece.  That's something an image just can't replace.

James

[mikeDnight]

As long as my eyesight allows for it, I'll use eyepieces. Eyepieces show the real thing and observing takes real skill learned over time. Electronics show an artificial reproduction of the reality. 

[scarp15]

Dark adaption, direct vision, photon gathering, those three principles are what I consider to be compelling and exciting. 

[vlaiv]

I think that many people get worked up on mention of EAA as it is a bad thing. It's not. Maybe thinking about it in following way can help "ease transition"

We all enjoy going to a live concerts and listening performance first hand. We also enjoy listening recordings, or listening to live stream of live performance. We don't get so worked up over those, do we?

I think same should hold for visual astronomy, EAA and looking at nice images of astronomical objects. We don't always have opportunity to go to live concert - that does not mean that we don't enjoy, or practice it. If someone is living in light polluted environment - why not do a bit of EAA, in the same way we like to tune in to radio station and listen to recordings, or play our favorite tunes on mp3 or whatever? Going to dark observing site will bring us same pleasure as going to live concert ...

[JamesF]

Very much agree, vlaiv.

And as we become more, ahem, "experienced" and eyesight isn't what it once was, perhaps EAA offers an experience that is no longer available just with eyeballs and glass.

It's neither better, nor worse.  Just different.

James

[NGC 1502]

 

Technology is very clever, but for me I want to view the sky first hand, not second hand.  If I want to see sky objects other than first hand by looking into an eyepiece, it doesn’t cost me a penny, I can just do a search on the ‘net and see an image moments later on my screen.

Your mileage may vary........?

Ed.

[ballisticbrian]

I haven't even got my telescope working yet but my 2 cents... thinking for yourself is something to develop and aspire to, not automatic for most people. Taking a look through a telescope seems to hold some of the wonder of looking for yourself, whereas seeing a digital image seems to rely on trusting several fold of translations and data manipulations., which while may be technically accurate, you have still invested your trust in someone else to produce it for you.

[niallk]

It's cool tech nicely executed, and will suit many people no doubt.  The more people having fun and enjoying the night sky the better.  It's all good in my book.

I personally happen to like using a mirror and lenses just like the dedicated astronomers we all know did over the past hundreds of years, but I'd be delighted to look through a night vision assisted setup to see new aspects, and do enjoy reading reports from various members here on SGL.  I've seen Mallincams on YouTube do impressive stuff: the orig post is a very neat package bringing this to a tablet.  I might not buy one, but I'm sure I'd enjoy seeing one in action.

[Guest]

I think they're onto a real winner here.  Odds on that FLO will be selling these before the year is out. 

[cuivenion]

12 hours ago, Louis D said:

1. I find it amusing that they tout using it at a campsite where power may be an issue, especially if you're doing an extended backpacking trip away from a campground.

To be fair it's got a built in battery that can be recharged via a usb power bank. That's something I like and often wonder why mount manufacturers don't include something like that.

[cuivenion]

I gave up on visual observing from my backyard due to security lights. Moving to EAA allowed me to view objects I would never have seen through an eyepiece, and getting the right settings for the conditions to get the best image keep me immersed in the experience. I find it very much more entertaining than looking up images on the net.?

I fully understand the thrill of visual observing, but I've never quite understood the resistance to using electronic aids in amateur astronomy. Nasa and professional observatories all over the world use them after all.

Telescopes and mounts are after all a type of technology that we use to explore the universe, but nobody suggests that we go back to just our eyeballs. I've noticed the same attitude towards Goto on occasion as well, which is really just a more advanced version of the setting circles on EQ mounts.

All that being said I am going to have to arrange a look at M51 through a massive Dob sometime.

 

[Alien 13]

49 minutes ago, cuivenion said:

To be fair it's got a built in battery that can be recharged via a usb power bank. That's something I like and often wonder why mount manufacturers don't include something like that.

I agree and with battery banks being so cheap (22AH for less than £20) it would be good if the more portable mounts had the options for 5V operation, thankfully there are some 5V dew heaters around now which are ideal for a lightweight DSLR/lens rig and my EQ3-2 runs fine with a 5.2V power bank.

Alan

[ollypenrice]

It would be interesting to see the real quality of the images. I'd say this has its place and doesn't have to replace the eyepiece any more than, say, an e-bike replaces the normal one. For outreach purposes I don't think this is comparable with remote observing. The key thing is that people are standing under the sky in real time, looking up and then discovering by looking at the scope what is actually up there now. This sense of immediacy and 'presence' remains an abiding memory of my first night's observing.

However, technology can also lead people to do the stupidest things...

Olly

 

[Macavity]

I cannot have "moral" objections... since my own "Mk.I Video Astronomy"
really saved my interest in Astronomy from complete neglect / oblivion!
Of course, back then, it was about Watec Cameras (w/internal stacking)
and signals that could be piped via simple COAX to indoor screen(s) etc. ?

"EAA" really took off... with the advent Software stacking / processing?
I found myself quickly "left behind". Couldn't afford more Cameras! lol. 
Some forums became "sniffy" among real-time EAA, post-processed EAA
classic imaging etc. "Rules" were laid down. My eyes / mind glazed over. ?

When I actually showed my (software stacked video) images to Classical
imagers & Visual astronomers there was always a favourable reaction!?!? ?

The diverse technologies (within such limits) of imaging are converging?
I can readily see "all-in-one" solutions attracting those with no idea how
to begin with Astronomy/Imaging. If they are keen, they can learn more! ?

[paulastro]

Not really my cup of tea as a visual observer, but everyone has a different angle on astronomy, and if it suits some people and is good for outreach then that's fine.

I just hope the equipment is considerably better than the 'music' accompanying the video .

[Paul73]

I’m one of the Luddites who gets a kick out of hunting down a target and soaking up the actual photons which have made it across unimaginable vast distances and into my Mk1.

But...... how cool is that little scope. EAA for those who can’t be trusted with camaras, staking, stretching, drizzling etc.

And. I really really want a go a Night Vission setup.

I’ll always go back to a couple of lumps of glass and an eyepiece. But, wouldn’t life be boring if we didn’t step beyond the familiar from time to time?

Paul

[Alien 13]

I still think that a few bits of glass in a tube is very limiting and many camera viewfinders have moved on from this, I cant see any issues with having a self contained eyepiece with a sensor at one end some processing unit with an adjustment ring to set "capture time" and a display with lenses at the other, I am sure they would sell quite well if colored green and black 

Alan

[Paul73]

I notice that Sky-Watcher have adopted Green to go with black tubes for their Pro range.......