1015 replies to this topic

[themis_greece]

Hi All,

It looks like PegasusAstro is teaming up with SkySafari to develop a new electronic eyepiece. Here is the image they shared on their FB page  with the caption "Redefine small telescope aperture."

They're planning to showcase it at the upcoming NEAF event. I don't know about you, but I'm super curious to see what they've come up with!

 

Here is the “blurred” image...

 

 

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[Navy Chief]

Camera with a built in OLED or other display to do EAA through an "eyepiece"?

[Polyphemos]

Cool ! ?

[themis_greece]

Camera with a built in OLED or other display to do EAA through an "eyepiece"?

I really don't know. I saw it on Facebook. They wrote that the first presentation would be at NEAF! Anyone attending will be able to see it live at the exhibition.

[Jonathan Shields]

It sounds interesting. Is it like an "eyepiece" but you are looking at a tiny display or do you connect to a device and view through software as usual. All will be revealed I guess.

[alphatripleplus]

I really don't know. I saw it on Facebook. They wrote that the first presentation would be at NEAF! Anyone attending will be able to see it live at the exhibition.

I guess most of the astro community in the world does not attend NEAF, so we'll just have to wait to find out what the offering is. I'm having a hard time thinking of how it will be a "game changer" as there have been variations on electronic eyepeices starting with the Collins I3, twenty years ago.

[dtripz]

I guess most of the astro community in the world does not attend NEAF, so we'll just have to wait to find out what the offering is. I'm having a hard time thinking of how it will be a "game changer" as there have been variations on electronic eyepeices starting with the Collins I3, twenty years ago.

The Collins was a game changer that most people couldn't afford.  Plus it was only good at enhancing some objects, stuff that shifts towards the blue spectrum looks worse in nightvision then without.

Edited by dtripz, 30 March 2024 - 01:49 PM.

[themis_greece]

Great news, guys! It was officially announced on their website!

 

https://pegasusastro...ducts/smarteye/

 

 

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[alphatripleplus]

Thanks for the link. I see the SmartEye has an IMX533 colour sensor - I wonder when they will announce pricing?

[pothos]

I had to check the date on the product announcement...

[kgb]

Little disappointed that they elected to use misleading images of M31, M45, the Sculptor Galaxy and (possibly) the Pelican Nebula on this web page. Why not post actual images captured using this eyepiece?

[lwbehney]

Great news, guys! It was officially announced on their website!

 

https://pegasusastro...ducts/smarteye/

Versatile Functionality: From identifying stars and celestial objects to annotating views with augmented reality, SmartEye offers a range of features that enhance your understanding and appreciation of the universe.

 

I am very curious about this capability. Since Pegasus teamed up with Sky Safari, have they found a way to let you recognize individual stars on the fly? 

If so, then I am thinking this little guy could be wonderfully helpful to visual astronomy when trying to hunt down the precise location of individual stars or faint objects, like 3C 273. Once identified by the smarteye device, just plunk in your favorite eyepiece and view a Quasar, knowing you have the exact specific point of light identified. You can find the T tauri  protostar, you can identify the Methuselah star, Wolf-Rayet stars, exoplanet stars, and identify the precise location of faint galaxies in the field of view such that I could verify that the extremely faint blur of light I noticed with averted vision, actually is IC 1101. Will it annotate the names of Saturn's moons or identify asteroids in the field of view you are looking at?

These are the questions I have about this device. Imagine it drawing a little circle around Pluto, so that when you swap it out with your 4.5 mm Delos, you can rapidly identify the correct point of light!

 

If it can actually perform these types of functions, this device could potentially be of great assistance to visual astronomy. The people like myself who want to have their retinae tickled by the ancient red and blue shifted photons, which traveled across oceans of time to say hello. 

[rgk901]

interesting..though not sure how you view traditionally as it looks like a sensor at bottom.

those sample pics definitely need a bit of time and tracking/ processing as they are pretty nice

this may be the NV substitute pending price/performance at a manual scope.

I'm looking forward to hearing how this works in reality.

Edited by rgk901, 04 April 2024 - 01:57 PM.

[dtripz]

Little disappointed that they elected to use misleading images of M31, M45, the Sculptor Galaxy and (possibly) the Pelican Nebula on this web page. Why not post actual images captured using this eyepiece?

I would think a 533 sensor would easily be capable of taking such images

[Astrojensen]

I would think a 533 sensor would easily be capable of taking such images

Yes, but it's not specified anywhere that the images are taken with the specific camera. I find the homepage appallingly bad. It leaves me with more unanswered questions, than it answers. 

 

- The chip is square, but is the field of view in the eyepiece round, to mimic a real eyepiece?

- What's the resolution of the screen in the eyepiece? 

- Is it high enough to avoid pixelation? 

- Does it come with a power supply, or do you have to bring your own?

- How short or long exposures can it take?

- Does it work on a non-tracking telescope? (I suppose not, but nowhere does it say it doesn't...)

- Is the brightness of the screen dimmable? 

- How do you control the thing? With a smartphone? PC? It doesn't say. 

 

 

Clear skies!

Thomas, Denmark

[kgb]

I would think a 533 sensor would easily be capable of taking such images

Yes, the 533 sensor can capture the data for those images. But, the images I identified all appear to be post-processed images. Given the name of the product and the fact that the images in the webpage appear to be circular, they are marketing this primarily as a live image viewer, hence the name 'Smart Eyepiece.' If this 'eyepiece' can deliver those views in real-time then I will gladly eat my hat (except for my fitted, wool Canadiens cap). Pegasus should post the live views obtainable through this eyepiece and not use the deceptive marketing practices of department store telescope manufacturers.

[dtripz]

Yes, the 533 sensor can capture the data for those images. But, the images I identified all appear to be post-processed images. Given the name of the product and the fact that the images in the webpage appear to be circular, they are marketing this primarily as a live image viewer, hence the name 'Smart Eyepiece.' If this 'eyepiece' can deliver those views in real-time then I will gladly eat my hat (except for my fitted, wool Canadiens cap). Pegasus should post the live views obtainable through this eyepiece and not use the deceptive marketing practices of department store telescope manufacturers.

I will gladly pass the salt and pepper if you are wrong. I also suspect you're not, as there's definitely some post processing going (I own a 533mc) however I would love to see software that can automatically stack calibration frames and tune the histogram in the eyepiece.

[Gleason]

Viewing will not be real-time with the IMX533 sensor. A good 10 seconds would be required to see anything decent. Track and stack will require a tracking mount. A bunch of 10 second shots stacked can look quite nice IF you do a little post processing to brighten the image and adjust saturation and contrast. That could be AI automated. The concept is taking the smartscope idea, and decoupling the camera and software so it can be used on any optical system. Probably controlled by an app on your smart phone via wireless connection, perhaps bluetooth. Adding a barlow lens could be quite interesting for planet viewing if it will live stack video frames, sorting the good from the bad and presenting a quick, detailed image of planetary objects. It's a clever idea but don't expect it to be $499. I'm thinking more like $1499.

[dtripz]

Viewing will not be real-time with the IMX533 sensor. A good 10 seconds would be required to see anything decent. Track and stack will require a tracking mount. A bunch of 10 second shots stacked can look quite nice IF you do a little post processing to brighten the image and adjust saturation and contrast. That could be AI automated. The concept is taking the smartscope idea, and decoupling the camera and software so it can be used on any optical system. Probably controlled by an app on your smart phone via wireless connection, perhaps bluetooth. Adding a barlow lens could be quite interesting for planet viewing if it will live stack video frames, sorting the good from the bad and presenting a quick, detailed image of planetary objects. It's a clever idea but don't expect it to be $499. I'm thinking more like $1499.

On their Facebook page they stated that it would be priced close to a cooled version of the 533mc. I wager it will be 999$

[scoale]

The concept is taking the smartscope idea, and decoupling the camera and software so it can be used on any optical system. It's a clever idea but don't expect it to be $499. I'm thinking more like $1499.

This.  Whether this first iteration from Pegasus delivers on that value proposition remains to be seen...but it seems inevitable that this proposition will ultimately be realized - and I can't wait.

[kgb]

Despite being slightly put-off by their marketing, I have to admit that I am also intrigued.

[PEterW]

What it’ll deliver will depend on what optic it is connected to, lot f-ratio is preferred for producing images quickly.
Interested in what they have patented? That price estimate seems about right. It won’t replace NV as you need an accurately tracking mount for it to be able to stack the images. More accuracy for smaller fields of view. Any auto ID may well rely on a phone doing the hard work, it knowing the scope that it’s connected to will help with plate solving. If software could control the mount then it could do auto align and correct put any major misalignments. Field rotation shouldn’t be an issue unless you like waiting hours to see what you’re pointing at. Image enhancement always benefits from some tweaking, so I’d expect some control from an app, though maybe not that often. Are there any obvious buttons for at the eyepiece control of some simple functions?

Interesting to see how this performs.

Peter

[artik]

The good thing it is IMX533 which is large sensors (so about 1.6deg FOV in 400mm scope)

The less good thing... given IMX533 you can expect it to cost...

 

The idea of putting a screen isn't that new but if you look though the screen why just not a tablet/phone? Quite a few camera vendors allow to connect their astro cameras directly to a handheld device.

Edited by artik, 06 April 2024 - 12:38 PM.

[Clouzot]

 

The idea of putting a screen isn't that new but if you look though the screen why just not a tablet/phone? Quite a few camera vendors allow to connect their astro cameras directly to a handheld device.

I guess the view through the eyepiece is a bit more immersive, that's why.
 

[rgk901]

I'd also guess looking through an eyepiece is more immersive vs looking at a small phone screen as the view takes up more of your field of vision and removes the background 'noise'

like watching IMAX vs a 19" tv

Edited by rgk901, 06 April 2024 - 02:50 PM.