ZWO Seestar 50

[paulastro]

14 hours ago, Gfamily said:

A few mentions of issues with getting it level on this thread. 

Not sure if it's been mentioned previously, but I found a tripod leveller on eBay that make it much easier than trying to fiddle with the mini tripod

A little more than £20 on eBay - very straightforward

I have the same device you have.  I was rarely 'asked' to level the Seestar even before I had the device, and its the same now I have got it.

On my tripod I have a bubble level and have always made sure it's centred when I set  the tripod down.  If it's not, then I will just move it slightly until it is.  It takes no time and very rarely are any adjustments  needed.

As the leveller has a bubble level I check this as well.

I did check that the tripod bubble and the one on the leveller work accurately using a level I knew was OK before I started to do this.  Sometimes on a cheaper tripod the built-in level can be inaccurate.

At home I  set up on a driveway where its fairly flat anyway.  It will be different if you set up on uneven or sloping surface.  It' you set up on a surface with bracken or thick grass it's likely to need adjustment every time as one or more of the legs may not be on the firmer ground under the vegetation.

As I said at the start, though I have the same leveller as you, it's very rarely needed, but if it is, it works very well.

[LDW1]

I was really lucky to get NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula in my Bortle 5 backyard.  Right now it is way up in the north which is not my best direction due to my house and a big Maple tree.

 

Edited June 2 by LDW1
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[LDW1]

My first try at a comet on May 29, Bortle 5.

 

Edited June 2 by LDW1
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[LDW1]

2 minutes ago, LDW1 said:

My first try at a comet on May 29, Bortle 5.

 

The next time I will try doubling the exposure time.

[Pixies]

17 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

Mine regularly asks for levelling, I wonder what your settings are that mean you escape the message.

I find that levelling isn't necessary for deep sky stuff - although it can take a little longer to sort itself out with plate solving. However, for lunar or solar, levelling is essential.

[LDW1]

58 minutes ago, Pixies said:

I find that levelling isn't necessary for deep sky stuff - although it can take a little longer to sort itself out with plate solving. However, for lunar or solar, levelling is essential.

No piece of ground is level in relation to the sky so for the minute or two that it takes to level why wouldn't you ?  I think I know why, lol !  I am very interested in the rational, the reason.  PS: I calibrate and level every time, every nite and mine works great instantly, there is no figuring anything out.  

Edited June 2 by LDW1

[Pixies]

31 minutes ago, LDW1 said:

 I think I know why, lol

Not sure what you mean? 

I have to move the device around the garden depending on the target. I find I don't need to level it each time. I did at first - and danced the thing around for the compass - but one night I decided to try it without and it was fine.

But if you know better you can tell me 

[LDW1]

12 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Not sure what you mean? 

I have to move the device around the garden depending on the target. I find I don't need to level it each time. I did at first - and danced the thing around for the compass - but one night I decided to try it without and it was fine.

But if you know better you can tell me 

I did tell you better in my post but to each his own !  Good Luck !   PS:  You seem to know better than SeeStar, lol !

[StevieDvd]

With the advent of owners of the Seestar using it in EQ mode, ZWO have changed the code quite a bit since the requirement for levelling each time was needed. 

 

[Pixies]

16 minutes ago, LDW1 said:

PS:  You seem to know better than SeeStar, lol !

No. I was responding to you when you said:

"... why wouldn't you ?  I think I know why, lol ! "

I don't know what you mean by this?

[Elp]

From my experience using alt az goto mounts as long as you're close to north aligned, levelling isn't really that critical, even less so if you've got plate solving which the Seestar does. It's taking short exposures too in alt az config so will be less affected by misalignment, if it were running long exposure in EQ mode, that's a different story.

[LaurenceT]

1 hour ago, Pixies said:

I find that levelling isn't necessary for deep sky stuff - although it can take a little longer to sort itself out with plate solving. However, for lunar or solar, levelling is essential.

Yes, that does seem to be the case.

[Neil H]

Can you guys answer this I level it , then later it will ask me to level it ? I have not moved it still as it was last time I levelled it 

I even recalibrate the level sensor and it was reading 0.0 then 5 mins later if asked me to level it ?

[wookie1965]

14 minutes ago, Neil H said:

Can you guys answer this I level it , then later it will ask me to level it ? I have not moved it still as it was last time I levelled it 

I even recalibrate the level sensor and it was reading 0.0 then 5 mins later if asked me to level it ?

https://www.365astronomy.com/365astrobits-precision-tripod-level-adjuster-(metal-leveling-base)-for-seestar?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPCyBhD4ARIsAPaaRf2WzW4BXHc1p_QV5MUdfZlCasXp03jgexKrKiIYeEVnKjZTa_4T2ekaAkAlEALw_wcB

Would it be worth buying one of these. 

[LDW1]

1 hour ago, StevieDvd said:

With the advent of owners of the Seestar using it in EQ mode, ZWO have changed the code quite a bit since the requirement for levelling each time was needed. 

 

Please explain where this comes from because its news to my experience !  ZWO and EQ, really ?

[mozzauk]

What feels like the only moment of no cloud, zo did some solar, with some nice sun spot action

 

Edited June 2 by mozzauk
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[Gfamily]

17 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

https://www.365astronomy.com/365astrobits-precision-tripod-level-adjuster-(metal-leveling-base)-for-seestar?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPCyBhD4ARIsAPaaRf2WzW4BXHc1p_QV5MUdfZlCasXp03jgexKrKiIYeEVnKjZTa_4T2ekaAkAlEALw_wcB

Would it be worth buying one of these. 

That's what I got on ebay for a bit cheaper. Given the current season, I've used the SS50 more in the daytime, which rules out platesolving - so being level shortens the process of 'hunting the sun'. 

If it asks you to 'make the two white dots' overlap, it's much easier to do using the level adjuster than trying to shorten or lengthen the tripod legs.

Adjustment is basically: if the bubble isn't centred, adjust one knob until the bubble is exactly lined up with one of the other knobs. Then raise or lower the knob as required to centre the bubble. Can be done smoothly without causing wobble. 

[LDW1]

30 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

https://www.365astronomy.com/365astrobits-precision-tripod-level-adjuster-(metal-leveling-base)-for-seestar?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPCyBhD4ARIsAPaaRf2WzW4BXHc1p_QV5MUdfZlCasXp03jgexKrKiIYeEVnKjZTa_4T2ekaAkAlEALw_wcB

Would it be worth buying one of these. 

I have one for each SS, they work perfectly and very fast leveling, if you want to be bothered !    PS:  I do !

[paulastro]

56 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

https://www.365astronomy.com/365astrobits-precision-tripod-level-adjuster-(metal-leveling-base)-for-seestar?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPCyBhD4ARIsAPaaRf2WzW4BXHc1p_QV5MUdfZlCasXp03jgexKrKiIYeEVnKjZTa_4T2ekaAkAlEALw_wcB

Would it be worth buying one of these. 

I have the FLO supplied version and it works very well.  There to to be a lot of suppliers of these - not sure if they all originate from the same manufacturer.

[Cosmic Geoff]

22 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

On 01/06/2024 at 22:11, Cosmic Geoff said:

I don't level my Seestar manually.  With the appropriate settings it will do a three point alignment and sort itself out at the start of the session.

Mine regularly asks for levelling, I wonder what your settings are that mean you escape the message.

It obliged me to update the firmware which may have changed my settings, but if you look in Advanced Settings:

I have 'Skip Horizontal calibration' turned off. "Adjust Level" looks like a button you can click on to adjust the level.

[Appiantiqua]

M 104 last week ... very bad weather in France since ... hope tomorrow night shall be better!

 

 

[StevieDvd]

15 hours ago, LDW1 said:

Please explain where this comes from because its news to my experience !  ZWO and EQ, really ?

Yes it's all over the CN forums & YouTube and even in this thread here

 

 If you are into watching YouTube then checkout the videos with a search for 'Seestar S50 EQ mode'

[LDW1]

7 hours ago, Appiantiqua said:

M 104 last week ... very bad weather in France since ... hope tomorrow night shall be better!

 

 

There is something about the Sombrero that you never get tired of.

[LDW1]

2 hours ago, StevieDvd said:

Yes it's all over the CN forums & YouTube and even in this thread here

 

 If you are into watching YouTube then checkout the videos with a search for 'Seestar S50 EQ mode'

I didn't read all of this ......, I have seen most of this before.  So are you saying this is official from ZWO  ie  that they intend to go EQ  or just more heresay on CN, this site and the FB sites, many on there are good for this kind of .....p.  I and I am sure many others are interested in the official statis not more idle talk / rumors, lol !

[LDW1]

2 hours ago, StevieDvd said:

Yes it's all over the CN forums & YouTube and even in this thread here

 

 If you are into watching YouTube then checkout the videos with a search for 'Seestar S50 EQ mode'

It is the same as with all this Mosaic talk !