Telescope Reviews: The FUTURE of Astro-video--when to spend the $$

This is a chance to voice your opinion, because there is a healthy group of new owners of astrovideo tools, a large group of those with checkbooks nearby, and a much smaller group of experienced tool users that have seen the field develop. I consider myself a relatively new but reasonably experienced user. Since this forum is new, I thought some opinions, in addition to mine (that is stated below) might provide some interesting reading that also might help decisions. Read on if interested:

OUR BIAS. I have had 3 products...STELLA CAM EX (now owned by our local club who uses it for outreach), a super-charged MallinCAM Pro Dob (has extended integration periods), and the MallinCAM Hyper Color. We have observed with these tools about 200 times or so in public and private settings using 5 inch to 12.5 inches of aperture. My wife is an avid believer in seeing color. Both of us study and sketch objects. We are not glorifiers of tools--they are means to an end--to observe the heavens. I am a cheapskate: if the tool does not deliver for live viewing and is not easy to use and will not last, I won't buy it. That said, we love astro-video live viewing. We do not image. We use EPs about 1/5 of our observing time.

THE FUTURE. I recently provided this description to a couple friends in a couple different forms. It is my personal opinion: "The field is going to get (in my estimation) much larger. Consider these things: Current user feedback demonstrates significant technical ability (using astro video tools) for medium and small scopes (the vast majority of astronomy observers). Digital live video and the next generation chips have yet to reach the field of astro video and they will significantly improve the tool set in the next generation of tools. A second generation integrated cooler on the MallinCAM series is in final testing; preliminary reports are very good. (Efficient small and well integrated coolers act as a multiplier in ability to use integration settings effectively--especially in warm/moist conditions.) The potential of some marriage betweeen imaging and video in technical terms for the purposes of live viewing is down the pike, but will occur sometime in the future. The technical solution for real time live digital video has not yet been seen (not offered in the current set of astrovideo tools), but will be in a few years. Significant changes in the tools are occurring (like a new technology hitting the wider public) about once every 3 years or so (this is a fast rate of change).

All these things point to a competitive development atmosphere, a larger audience of users, and a wider dissemination of the tools. Astrovideo tools have costs that are currently reachable to a wide grouping of observers. Because that group likes the tools, competition and production demands are likely to keep costs relatively stable. Therefor, I expect the current "relative cost" to remain pretty constant: about two times the cost of a good Nagler.

WHAT TO DO. If it was me entering the field today, I would not wait for the "next generation" of astrovideo tools because the field is going to continue to change pretty fast. In other words, I would buy what I could today--knowing that my use of the tool would dominate my observing. I estimate getting 5 years of use out of my MallinCAM Hyper Color, although it is likely it will be upgraded before then. As said in another thread, you can do the math for your own expected observing to find that the cost per observing session is pretty low while the results are pleasing. Yes, there are big areas of development that will come, but the overall maturity of the better astrovideo cameras is currently very respectable.

OTHER BENEFITS. When we use astrovideo, our available periods of observing have doubled because light clouds, moderate haze, and sky glow do not prevent us from observing. In real terms, our schedule of observing during the 1st quarter moon period simply means we observe moon things for a little bit, then go find objects of choice at least 30 degrees away from the moon (to reduce obvious glow). From the 1st to second quarter, we observe lunar things but choose brighter DSOs that are a decent angle away from the moon. As soon as moon rise occurs more than 2 hours after sunset, then it is observing as normal: whatever we want. To press for small stuff, we still wait for really good traditionally dark and dry nights with good contrast, but that is only a fraction of our observing periods.

HELP FROM OTHERS. The field of astro video users has small group of experienced users. My initial choices to purchase the EX and then subsequent choices were heavily affected by contact with experienced users. The good news: they are out there to help. Because of the electronic world, I received help from as far as Tasmania to as close as 100 miles away. I know their names, their setups, and their opinions have greatly assisted me. This CN forum is likely to be meeting point that will include experienced users. In these days and times, that asset is part of what you "buy into" when you get one of these tools. My recommendation: make use of it.

Roland (and Linda)
Crozet Va