ZWO Seestar 50

[happy-kat]

East and West up to 50 degrees or so northern hemisphere would show little to none the lower the altitude and plus being portrait helps not exaggerate it

 

Edited March 7 by happy-kat

[LaurenceT]

8 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

East and West up to 50 degrees or so northern hemisphere would show little to none the lower the altitude and plus being portrait helps not exaggerate it

Many thanks for that Kat

[StevieDvd]

44 minutes ago, LaurenceT said:

Thanks, so would a single unstacked exposure of 2.5 hours show field rotation?

The max exposure is 30 secs at present.  A 2.5 hour exposure, if possible,  would be so field rotated it would probably be all field rotation mess. Both the Seestar and Dwarf Labs devices have users setting up them up in an 'eq mode' , by somewhat controversial means to overcome field rotation.

[LaurenceT]

I've been getting this a bit wrong, surprise surprise! It wasn't a single exposure at all but 2hrs 35mins of 369 stacked images but even so I would expect considerable field rotation seeing that reviewers have suggested less than 1 hour on any single subject to avoid rotation. Have I got the concept of Seestar field rotation wrong?

 

[paulastro]

2 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

I've been thinking about getting one of these for a little while and I've been watching many YT videos. I've also joined a couple of Facebook user groups to read more. I've been aware of the problem of field rotation and had read in many reviews that because of this integration time of over an hour was not recommended.

Yesterday I saw a Facebook post claiming 2.5 hours of integration time without field rotation. When I commented about field rotation I received these replies:

"Seestar uses a Plate Solution to align and register the stars. Once aligned it adds the result to the stack. At least that is my understanding and it seems to work well over the 2 or 3 hour time span"

 "The SeeStar will automatically align the rotation of each image as it is stacked. The outcome will have a fully register object but the outside edges of the image will show skewing. It is more apparent when using the individual images and stacking them on a computer."

Is this now the experience of other users?

Anyway, I ordered one yesterday (not based on this information), hopefully will arrive tomorrow. 

I've only had the opportunity for a longest exposure of 43mts so far and it looked fine to me - which I expected.  It would be wonderfull if the chap on the Facebook group is correct. 

I'll keep experimenting when I have the chance to go to a darker site and see what the time limit of acceptabilityy is.

I've had my S50 since December but I was unable to drive gain until very recently following  an operation - hence the delay.

Whatever the outcome, the S50 is an incredible bit of kit, better than I thought it might be when I bought it!

[PeterCPC]

Had a go last night - first time of really using it due to health issues, almost 2 hours of M1.

 

[LDW1]

3 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

I've been thinking about getting one of these for a little while and I've been watching many YT videos. I've also joined a couple of Facebook user groups to read more. I've been aware of the problem of field rotation and had read in many reviews that because of this integration time of over an hour was not recommended.

Yesterday I saw a Facebook post claiming 2.5 hours of integration time without field rotation. When I commented about field rotation I received these replies:

"Seestar uses a Plate Solution to align and register the stars. Once aligned it adds the result to the stack. At least that is my understanding and it seems to work well over the 2 or 3 hour time span"

 "The SeeStar will automatically align the rotation of each image as it is stacked. The outcome will have a fully register object but the outside edges of the image will show skewing. It is more apparent when using the individual images and stacking them on a computer."

Is this now the experience of other users?

Anyway, I ordered one yesterday (not based on this information), hopefully will arrive tomorrow. 

Take a look at some of the extensive number of photos that have been posted on here, that should help answer your question, in living color.

[LDW1]

1 hour ago, LaurenceT said:

I've been getting this a bit wrong, surprise surprise! It wasn't a single exposure at all but 2hrs 35mins of 369 stacked images but even so I would expect considerable field rotation seeing that reviewers have suggested less than 1 hour on any single subject to avoid rotation. Have I got the concept of Seestar field rotation wrong?

 

Field rotation is not a big problem but many make it one, you would be surprised a the nice takes you get only enhancing for 30 min. or well less !

[LDW1]

Range Finder

Last nite at -2° C, with a fairly strong breeze I could not pick up my SS at about a 50' range, so I wirelessly hooked up my range booster / extender to a powerpack and boy did I connect to it then, never lost it all night. If you are going to be using yours at an extended range under less than ideal conditons have a range booster in your tool kit for well less than $100 C !

[DaveL59]

6 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

I've been getting this a bit wrong, surprise surprise! It wasn't a single exposure at all but 2hrs 35mins of 369 stacked images but even so I would expect considerable field rotation seeing that reviewers have suggested less than 1 hour on any single subject to avoid rotation. Have I got the concept of Seestar field rotation wrong?

 

A search back on the thread would find posts about mounting the S50 on a wedge arrangement and using the advanced features to handle star alignment. This would reduce/eliminate field rotation tho at the expense of some loss to how low you can target IIRC. Not tried it myself yet but others here have.

[DaveL59]

On 20/02/2024 at 05:52, GasGiant said:

I see a few mods popping up as well as 3D printed filter holders, dew shield etc etc  Nice 🤙

https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=seestar+s50&page=1

 

Guys on YouTube have made equatorial mounts for the scope. Though thats probably not something I would do as its not worth the hassle ?  Apart from that, maybe the angle would put undue strain on the motor, gears and bearings?  However, this guy has posted some lovely images! 

 

here you go

[LaurenceT]

4 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

A search back on the thread would find posts about mounting the S50 on a wedge arrangement and using the advanced features to handle star alignment. This would reduce/eliminate field rotation tho at the expense of some loss to how low you can target IIRC. Not tried it myself yet but others here have.

The use of an equatorial wedge was denied by the Seestar users on Facebook that were claiming zero field rotation in integration times of 2 hours plus.

[Geoff Lister]

I too, have not had significant problems with field rotation effects on the Seestar images; but I have noticed it more with my Dwarf II. If you are going to be spending hours gathering FIT files for off-line processing, you are, perhaps, missing the point of these lovely little 'scopes. They both work at their best, capturing for a few minutes, with a "Live" display on your tablet's screen, and a download of a nice JPEG image for your records, - then a quick slew to the next interesting target, and start "Viewing" again.

I found a very good web site that explains field rotation with an Az/Alt mount.

https://calgary.rasc.ca/field_rotation.htm

About 2-thirds through the document, there is a very nice 3D graph showing field rotation with respect to the target's azimuth and elevation. As far as I could conclude, for minimum rotation select targets near the horizon, and towards the east or west. Anything close to the zenith is bad for field rotation, (and anyway would be challenging for any Az/Alt mount).

Geoff

[LaurenceT]

2 hours ago, Geoff Lister said:

I too, have not had significant problems with field rotation effects on the Seestar images; but I have noticed it more with my Dwarf II. If you are going to be spending hours gathering FIT files for off-line processing, you are, perhaps, missing the point of these lovely little 'scopes. They both work at their best, capturing for a few minutes, with a "Live" display on your tablet's screen, and a download of a nice JPEG image for your records, - then a quick slew to the next interesting target, and start "Viewing" again.

I found a very good web site that explains field rotation with an Az/Alt mount.

https://calgary.rasc.ca/field_rotation.htm

About 2-thirds through the document, there is a very nice 3D graph showing field rotation with respect to the target's azimuth and elevation. As far as I could conclude, for minimum rotation select targets near the horizon, and towards the east or west. Anything close to the zenith is bad for field rotation, (and anyway would be challenging for any Az/Alt mount).

Geoff

What initially drew me to the Seestar was as an EAA replacement for my existing mini setup. I had been using the Evoguide 50ED EAA setup as described by Cuiv on YT. It was very quick and simple. All you needed was a mount like the Az GTi, an Evoguide 50ED and a Raspberry Pi with Stellarmate, I already had all these. All you had to do was level the scope and point north and away you went doing easy EAA. That was the theory anyway. To paraphrase Longfellow, when it was good it was very good, when it was bad it was horrid. So horrid in fact that after using it for the best part of last year I tore down the setup and gave up EAA, at least temporarily.

The Seestar will do all of that for me with the additional bonus of taking reference images as you point out or if so inclined go the whole hog and do serious post processing. I've been referring to Telescopius in the past couple of days and realise the shortcomings of  the Seestar scope FOV (it's essentially an Evoguide 50ED anyway) and realise that for different targets I will still rely on my other imaging scopes which is fine.

My Seestar is arriving today 🙂.

[StevieDvd]

17 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

The use of an equatorial wedge was denied by the Seestar users on Facebook that were claiming zero field rotation in integration times of 2 hours plus.

That's possible under certain scenarios:

• The images are heavily cropped, rotation artefacts are in the four corners.
• The post processing is heavy and the corners artefacts processed out
• The 2 hours are comprised of several nights imaging with short exposures 
• The final image is sharing data from several peoples sessions
• It's Facebook so must be true🙄

[LaurenceT]

4 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

That's possible under certain scenarios:

• The images are heavily cropped, rotation artefacts are in the four corners.
• The post processing is heavy and the corners artefacts processed out
• The 2 hours are comprised of several nights imaging with short exposures 
• The final image is sharing data from several peoples sessions
• It's Facebook so must be true🙄

Yep, that makes sense, particularly the last bit🤣. Thanks.

[LDW1]

3 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

What initially drew me to the Seestar was as an EAA replacement for my existing mini setup. I had been using the Evoguide 50ED EAA setup as described by Cuiv on YT. It was very quick and simple. All you needed was a mount like the Az GTi, an Evoguide 50ED and a Raspberry Pi with Stellarmate, I already had all these. All you had to do was level the scope and point north and away you went doing easy EAA. That was the theory anyway. To paraphrase Longfellow, when it was good it was very good, when it was bad it was horrid. So horrid in fact that after using it for the best part of last year I tore down the setup and gave up EAA, at least temporarily.

The Seestar will do all of that for me with the additional bonus of taking reference images as you point out or if so inclined go the whole hog and do serious post processing. I've been referring to Telescopius in the past couple of days and realise the shortcomings of  the Seestar scope FOV (it's essentially an Evoguide 50ED anyway) and realise that for different targets I will still rely on my other imaging scopes which is fine.

My Seestar is arriving today 🙂.

If it is only arriving today you may change your mind about how and how much you will use it once you do !

[LaurenceT]

21 minutes ago, LDW1 said:

If it is only arriving today you may change your mind about how and how much you will use it once you do !

I hope to use the Seestar to it's fullest capacity.

[LaurenceT]

First image, took all of 2 minutes after unboxing, clouds and sunspots are included apparently.

[cimh]

On 08/03/2024 at 09:14, LaurenceT said:

What initially drew me to the Seestar was as an EAA replacement for my existing mini setup. I had been using the Evoguide 50ED EAA setup as described by Cuiv on YT. It was very quick and simple. All you needed was a mount like the Az GTi, an Evoguide 50ED and a Raspberry Pi with Stellarmate, I already had all these. All you had to do was level the scope and point north and away you went doing easy EAA. That was the theory anyway. To paraphrase Longfellow, when it was good it was very good, when it was bad it was horrid. So horrid in fact that after using it for the best part of last year I tore down the setup and gave up EAA, at least temporarily.

 

I hope you enjoy. I was interested in Cuiv's stuff too. I gave up trying astrophotog some years ago. I had a reasonable set up but it took so long to set up that by the time i got it working the lens was either dewed up or the clouds had arrived.  With my SS-50 I can be imaging within 10 mins of taking it outside. I am quite new to this and rotation is an issue especially with objects close to the zenith (star trails can also be an issue high up too). Certainly an hour is fine and you can go longer if you are prepared for a larger crop.

I would jump at the chance to have something as neat as the SS but with an EQ mount. I am sure such a scope will be along in a year or two. 

This image is of 12PPons-Brooks. It is v low in the sky. I cannot find it/see it with my 200mm reflector but the SS makes it all so easy. 702 stacked 10s shots taken over 2.5 hours from my light polluted garden. Processed in Siril which is a bit tricky because it is moving against the stars

 

.

 

 

[Oortraged]

Heya folks, I'm in the process of joining the SeeStar S50 club after a  long time researching, going backwards and forwards on relative merits and detriments. Order placed with FLO this afternoon  Apologies, given the length of the thread already I am not going to catch fully up to speed, but shall read with interest from now on  - and I have really enjoyed looking at some of the images people have captured and shared!

Personal motivations were:

• I could justify the price for the amount of kit, as a chance to see how I take to the processing side of imaging - because if I don't enjoy that, then spending more in time and resources on AP gear could be for nought.
• Similarly, an introduction into Solar - I've always loved the idea of visual Ha, but have repeatedly talked myself out of it in case it didn't get the use. This provides a good acid test of my interest in Solar!
• A companion scope to my much loved ED80 that is purely used for visual - I lack the space to store a large Dobsonian currently, and this seemed a neat alternative whilst also trying something new.
• Sharing my hobby with friends, family and anyone else who will listen - personally I love looking at faint fuzzies through the eyepiece, but I really hope this can convince some more of my nearest and dearest that those smudges I have made them stand in the cold and squint at really ARE interesting.
• Portability (and this really was the final decision maker) - I can be in the Brecon Beacons in half an hour or so from home (apologies, Bannau Brycheiniog, keep forgetting), and the little S50 case will fit in my rucksack with a bivvy and sleeping bag and some 8*50 binoculars, and let me walk out into some of the best dark skies available to us here.

Anyway, glad to be here, and looking forward to learning from you all about how to get the most out of this new and exciting way to look up!

Ryan

Edited March 9 by Oortraged
Typo

[LDW1]

1 hour ago, Oortraged said:

Heya folks, I'm in the process of joining the SeeStar S50 club after a  long time researching, going backwards and forwards on relative merits and detriments. Order placed with FLO this afternoon  Apologies, given the length of the thread already I am not going to catch fully up to speed, but shall read with interest from now on  - and I have really enjoyed looking at some of the images people have captured and shared!

Personal motivations were:

• I could justify the price for the amount of kit, as a chance to see how I take to the processing side of imaging - because if I don't enjoy that, then spending more in time and resources on AP gear could be for nought.
• Similarly, an introduction into Solar - I've always loved the idea of visual Ha, but have repeatedly talked myself out of it in case it didn't get the use. This provides a good acid test of my interest in Solar!
• A companion scope to my much loved ED80 that is purely used for visual - I lack the space to store a large Dobsonian currently, and this seemed a neat alternative whilst also trying something new.
• Sharing my hobby with friends, family and anyone else who will listen - personally I love looking at faint fuzzies through the eyepiece, but I really hope this can convince some more of my nearest and dearest that those smudges I have made them stand in the cold and squint at really ARE interesting.
• Portability (and this really was the final decision maker) - I can be in the Brecon Beacons in half an hour or so from home (apologies, Bannau Brycheiniog, keep forgetting), and the little S50 case will fit in my rucksack with a bivvy and sleeping bag and some 8*50 binoculars, and let me walk out into some of the best dark skies available to us here.

Anyway, glad to be here, and looking forward to learning from you all about how to get the most out of this new and exciting way to look up!

Ryan

You won't regret it but just remember, make note that solar work is not Ha like with dedicated solar scopes ie you don't see flares, plages etc. the SS does not get into the chromosphere layer !

[Oortraged]

Thanks @LDW1! I appreciate the encouragement!

You're right, reading that back I worded it rather poorly - to my understanding, its a white light sort of view offered from the S50? I rather meant, if I catch the bug for getting out and having a peek whenever it is clear through the S50, then I can be assured that a dedicated Ha solution is a solid investment if that makes sense? The S50 seems to potentially be an astronomical gateway drug into a multitude of rather more expensive 'hobbies within the hobby'!

[LDW1]

5 minutes ago, Oortraged said:

Thanks @LDW1! I appreciate the encouragement!

You're right, reading that back I worded it rather poorly - to my understanding, its a white light sort of view offered from the S50? I rather meant, if I catch the bug for getting out and having a peek whenever it is clear through the S50, then I can be assured that a dedicated Ha solution is a solid investment if that makes sense? The S50 seems to potentially be an astronomical gateway drug into a multitude of rather more expensive 'hobbies within the hobby'!

You're right and astronomy, one of its branches, is a great world to be in !  Thats why we have credit cards, lol ! With the SS you see the sunspot layer ( WL ) !

Edited March 9 by LDW1

[LDW1]

15 minutes ago, Oortraged said:

Thanks @LDW1! I appreciate the encouragement!

You're right, reading that back I worded it rather poorly - to my understanding, its a white light sort of view offered from the S50? I rather meant, if I catch the bug for getting out and having a peek whenever it is clear through the S50, then I can be assured that a dedicated Ha solution is a solid investment if that makes sense? The S50 seems to potentially be an astronomical gateway drug into a multitude of rather more expensive 'hobbies within the hobby'!

And I hate to say this but daytime solar ha astronomy is another great branch to get into, with the way night skize have been for the last several years it extends your astro activity considerably !  If you haven't already, your 80mm refractor together with a wedge or Baader film filter will put you into some great WL viewing also while your S50 is working away doing its thing.  As they say ' the sky is the limit ' !