Deciding on an object just like the Dumbbell Nebula will have interaction the scope’s clear out. Credit score: Phil Harrington
You and I live via a revolution in beginner astronomy. No longer way back, I might have steered learners to steer clear of astroimaging, as a result of getting just right effects is each dear and time eating. No longer anymore. These days, I inform them that state of the art good telescopes are to be had at relatively affordable costs that allow tech-savvy neophytes get implausible effects the primary night time out.
One of the vital main contenders on this scorching marketplace is the Seestar S50 from Zhen Wang Optical (ZWO). Offered in April 2023 at New York’s North East Astronomy Discussion board, the ZWO Seestar S50 seems virtually too just right to be true. It guarantees that anybody, even with minimum astroimaging wisdom, can seize fine quality pictures of big name clusters, nebulae, galaxies, the Moon, and the Solar. It smooths the steep studying curve historically related to imaging.
The Seestar doesn’t glance the rest like a standard telescope. The black plastic frame is made of 2 portions: the optical tube and the housing for the alt-azimuth mount and controls. Significantly absent is an eyepiece. That’s for the reason that Seestar isn’t made for visible observations. As an alternative, it’s a standalone astrograph designed in particular to {photograph} the heavens.
ZWO’s Seestar S50 is an affordable, moveable imaging telescope that can mean you can seize pictures of celestial gadgets. Credit score: ZWO
The Seestar is constructed round an apochromatic refractor that sports activities a 2-inch f/4.9 triplet lens coupled with a Sony IMX462 CMOS sensor. In combination, they excel at taking pictures celestial gadgets regardless of the modest aperture. Its apochromatic optics ensure that sharp, true-color pictures, loose from not unusual aberrations.
The S50 comes packaged in a form-fitting polystyrene case, which is light-weight and durable. It has a small deal with and two clips to stay it closed, however lacks a lock and a shoulder strap.
Inside of, the Seestar is nestled in its fetal-like “off” place in conjunction with a small tripod, a brief USB-C charging cable, a temporary instruction guide, and a sun clear out. The whole lot is held securely in molded cutouts and weighs a complete of seven.8 kilos (3.5 kilograms). On its own, the Seestar weighs 5.5 kilos (2.5 kg).
Two extra equipment are hidden throughout the Seestar: a dew heater and a twin narrowband nebula clear out. The latter improves pictures of emission and planetary nebulae and can have interaction mechanically when both form of object is chosen. The clear out will also be engaged manually by means of the consumer if desired.
The absolutely automatic Seestar does now not include a hand controller. As an alternative, to keep an eye on its operation, the consumer will have to obtain and open the Seestar app on an Apple or Android telephone or pill.
Until they’re completely fastened in an observatory, maximum top-end astrophotography setups require a very long time to gather sooner than use. No longer the Seestar. It usually takes not more than 10 mins from opening the case to taking the primary photographs. This is, until it’s sitting on asymmetric terrain; if that is so, it will have to be leveled in line with the app’s onscreen directions. That may upload a number of mins, even supposing there are third-party tripod attachments that make leveling more straightforward.
To start out, take away it from the case and fasten it to the integrated tripod or one with a three/8-inch threaded stud. The tripod will also be prolonged from its stowed place of 10.8 inches (274.5 millimeters) to fourteen.3 inches (363 mm). Some customers position the setup on a desk, however vibration is usually a downside. As an alternative, I most popular to position it on a strong photographic tripod.
Awaken the Seestar by means of pushing and preserving its sq. “on” button for a number of seconds, till it says “powering on; ready to connect.” 4 pink battery-status lighting underneath the “on” button point out the battery’s energy degree. When all 4 are lit, the battery is absolutely charged. ZWO states that the battery will last as long as six hours, which I discovered to be a just right estimate whether or not the night time is cool or delicate. Chillier temperatures will diminish the time. In the ones circumstances, an exterior energy supply will also be connected by way of the USB-C charging port.
As soon as the Seestar is alive, open the app and attach the 2. I discovered the app to be simple to be told without having to check integrated directions or ZWO’s on-line guide. Remember that should you do want some training, the guide will assist, however I might additionally counsel the plethora of YouTube movies, in addition to social media teams reminiscent of “Seestar S50 (Official ZWO Group)” on Fb.
The Seestar broadcasts when it’s aligned and able. From the app, you’ll view a 24-hour climate forecast, make a selection goals, alter sound, fine-tune center of attention, get started the anti-dew heater, and toggle the Seestar watermark. Make a selection publicity occasions of 10 (default), 20, or 30 seconds for deep-sky imaging, and make a decision whether or not to avoid wasting best the general stacked symbol or each the stacked symbol and person subframes. You will have to save person subframes if uploading knowledge into device like PixInsight or Siril.
After the whole lot is ready, the Seestar will silently slew to the objective. It labored flawlessly each time, even if aiming on the Solar all the way through the day. The daylight Moon gave it just a little of bother, then again, and used to be the one time I needed to manually purpose the scope the usage of the slewing toggle keep an eye on at the app’s display.
Tapping the pink shutter button within the app begins an publicity. Main points bloomed at the display inside of a minute. Whether or not it used to be spiral construction within the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) or the myriad stars in globular clusters, the Seestar delivered sharp pictures that persisted to adapt till I pressed the shutter button once more. Exposures will have to be began and ended by means of the consumer as a result of there’s no timer.
Some may assume that, with a focal duration of best 250mm, the Seestar is a wide-field telescope. It isn’t. The compact CMOS sensor limits the true area of view to at least one.29° by means of 0.73°. That may purpose some undesirable cropping of expansive goals just like the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Pleiades (M45). Including to this, the sensor has a large 16:9 side ratio (1920×1080 pixels) and can’t be circled. (The photographs are displayed in portrait orientation in your telephone.) Since there’s no technique to rotate the view at the alt-azimuth mount, you may have to attend till a distinct time of night time or perhaps a other season for the sky to tilt a goal in the correct orientation.
All over the assessment, two darkish triangles gave the impression in reverse corners of a few pictures. Those had been brought about by means of area rotation. The sky strikes in an arc, whilst the Seestar’s alt-az mount shifts in steps and rotates subframes to compensate, ensuing within the nook anomalies. To mend them, crop the picture or alter brightness and distinction the usage of techniques like GIMP, Adobe Lightroom, and even your telephone’s integrated picture app. Deciding on goals close to the celestial equator additionally reduces this.
The Seestar S50’s out-of-the-box efficiency is exceptional. In spite of now not being an skilled deep-sky photographer, I captured wonderful pictures from my light-polluted suburban yard, even below a Complete Moon. The minor problems discussed previous don’t impact my advice. It introduced me a renewed sense of pleasure and I’ve been out with it each transparent night time. For the ones taking a look to discover astrophotography, the Seestar is a brilliant funding and simply simple a laugh to make use of.