382 replies to this topic

[gjanke]

I was finally able to get out with the scope and I was fairly impressed with the return. No modifications at all

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[sevenofnine]

Very nice results! You will have a lot of fun with the S30 

[GOLGO13]

These ones used the S30 processing (click on the picture to see better): 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post processed this one in free programs:

 

[gjanke]

Here are mine. Not processed. I tried using the ZWO processor early on and had it crash and lost the picture. That was the first time I’ve ever had that happen. Anyway squeezed these in between clouds. The M33 shot is a mosaic. 

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[gjanke]

I have had a few nights with the S30 and here is what I have noticed.

 

A) the battery lasts about 4 hours or so not the 6.

     that could be due to the cold temps. 

B) the wifi connection doesn't appear to be as robust as the S50. Getting it to first connect is a real pain.

C) when using the de-noise I have had the app crash and lose my data totally.

D) getting the first object aligned is hinkey I have had it fail more than a few times.

E) also the first object when it aligns and starts the session the focus is wacked. I have to stop the session and run auto-focus

 

 

I can't wait till more people get the S30 so we can compare notes. 

[GOLGO13]

I have had a few nights with the S30 and here is what I have noticed.

A) the battery lasts about 4 hours or so not the 6.
that could be due to the cold temps.
B) the wifi connection doesn't appear to be as robust as the S50. Getting it to first connect is a real pain.
C) when using the de-noise I have had the app crash and lose my data totally.
D) getting the first object aligned is hinkey I have had it fail more than a few times.
E) also the first object when it aligns and starts the session the focus is wacked. I have to stop the session and run auto-focus


I can't wait till more people get the S30 so we can compare notes.

Can't say on battery life, but since cold makes sense. I've been recharging mine fairly often just to have it 100 percent.

Wifi isn't as good, but doing ok mostly.

No crashes for me. I'm on an Samsung Android phone.

I think I had one focus situation, but I caught it.

For me it's been pretty similar to the S50 and not really had much trouble.

[ZWO Astronomy Cameras]

Captured this last week on a Bortle 7 zone. Hope it's ok to post it here. ;D   

[nicknacknock]

Pacman Nebula (NGC 281) , 20 minutes exposure, 10 sec each frame, Bortle 7 skies.

 

Quick post processing with AI Denoise on Seestar, iOS Photos app, Photomator app and Astroedit app.

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[nicknacknock]

Soul Nebula (IC1848), 40 minutes mosaic exposure, 10 sec each frame, Bortle 7 skies.

 

Quick post processing with AI Denoise on Seestar, iOS Photos app, Photomator app and Astroedit app.

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[LDW47]

 

 

 

 

I have had one good nite for 8 hrs., -20° C temps to give my newly arrived S30 a try.  For the first time imaging I tried 20 sec. exposures rather than my normal 10 sec.with the S50, just as a test. This is a pretty solid, competent scope. And I love the image scale, I have always been a low power, widefield astronomer.

Edited by LDW47, 14 January 2025 - 01:21 PM.

[gjanke]

I have had one good nite for 8 hrs., -20° C temps to give my newly arrived S30 a try.  For the first time imaging I tried 20 sec. exposures rather than my normal 10 sec.with the S50, just as a test. This is a pretty solid, competent scope. And I love the image scale, I have always been a low power, widefield astronomer.

 

Those are some outstanding pictures! I have been very cautious about using it in the super cold weather.

[LDW47]

Those are some outstanding pictures! I have been very cautious about using it in the super cold weather.

I think I have mentioned a couple times before that those cold temps have no effect on any component of the SeeStar incl the internal battery and attached 20,000 mah power pack. When I used my S30 the other nite its white case was covered with heavy, white frost. The dew heater was running continually, I brought it in the house after I shut it down and recharged the power pack the next morning after everything warmed back up, it was drained to about 40%.

[LDW47]

 

Here is my first image using the S30, its not very good due to the sky conditions incl. the bright moon very close. I could see where it was going so I shut it down after about 20 min but I want to show it anyway. The Monkey Head Nebula. I have seen worse, lol.

[Airship]

These images of the T CrB field were taken this morning using a Seestar S30 (left) and S50 (right) showing the considerably wider field of the S30. Note the glare of epsilon CrB in the upper left corner of the S30 field. This illustrates how the S30 may serve as an aid for star-hopping by providing real-time finder charts. Reduction of the green channel gave nearly the same value for T CrB; Tri-G 10.00 from the S30 and 10.02 for the S50 showing that the S30 should perform quite well as an instrument for acquiring photometric images of variable stars and asteroids.

 

 

Fun stuff.

 

[LDW47]

I tried my new Baader WL filter today at 1:45 pm, -5° C with a bright sun, brighter snow and lots of heat rising with a very slight breeze. I didn't climatize the S30, it found the sun instantly, without effort, a bit of centering and AF and away it went, it took all of 20 min. total. These are at 1x and 2x. What a difference between the Baader filter, as usual, and the stock mylar filters, eh.

 

 

Thanx ZWO and thank you ETSY !

 

Edited by LDW47, 23 January 2025 - 02:43 PM.

[JimVision]

Hi LDW47

I also just snap this shot (first light) with my new S30 using the stock Sun filter.  Never did anything like this before.  Interesting to see the Sun spots comparison.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Jim

 

Edited by JimVision, 23 January 2025 - 04:15 PM.

[LDW47]

 

Hi LDW47

I also just snap this shot (first light) with my new S30 using the stock Sun filter.  Never did anything like this before.  Interesting to see the Sun spots comparison.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

Jim

 

I have used Baader WL filters for years with all my telescopes, they are the industry leader by far. Recognized by all solar wl astronomers, in the know.  PS:  As you must know the natural color of the sun is white not orange or yellow, eh

Edited by LDW47, 23 January 2025 - 04:24 PM.

[LDW47]

I started these last nite at about 9pm and finished at 3am, temps went from -14° C to -23° C at the end, skies were pretty hazy with moisture even though they were almost cloudless, maybe Bortle 7 rated.  I am amazed at what the S30 can do with 20sec. exposures instead of my normal 10sec. I did about 10min. touchup each in Lr with these, no mosaic just denoise. The Witch Head Neb is very faint I am glad I got what I got in just 70 min., it should have had maybe twice that, maybe.

 

  Witch Head Nebula

  Sea Gull Nebula

   M101

 

So far this S30 is very capable unless you are a dreamer of sugar plums dancing in front of your eyes or in your head, lol !

Edited by LDW47, 24 January 2025 - 10:58 AM.

[gjanke]

 

I started these last nite at about 9pm and finished at 3am, temps went from -14° C to -23° C at the end, skies were pretty hazy with moisture even though they were almost cloudless, maybe Bortle 7 rated.  I am amazed at what the S30 can do with 20sec. exposures instead of my normal 10sec. I did about 10min. touchup each in Lr with these, no mosaic just denoise. The Witch Head Neb is very faint I am glad I got what I got in just 70 min., it should have had maybe twice that, maybe.

 

  Witch Head Nebula

  Sea Gull Nebula

   M101

 

So far this S30 is very capable unless you are a dreamer of sugar plums dancing in front of your eyes or in your head, lol !

 

you are cranking those shots out. Excellent work. I am waiting for the tmps of the 30s to return before I get mine going again.

[LDW47]

you are cranking those shots out. Excellent work. I am waiting for the tmps of the 30s to return before I get mine going again.

I have no choice, most nites are so bad that I have to take advantage of the good ones. Many, many are in the same boat, lol.

[Airship]

First-light image take with my shiny new Seestar S30. It was bitterly cold (-2F) with a fair amount of haze, so I chose the open cluster M37 as my first test image. This is 38x10s, binned 2x2 average to resample the image and mild noise reduction in Photoshop.

 

 

[Airship]

By now M42 had risen above the trees. I decided to give it a try despite the poor sky conditions. This is 90x10s, binned 2x2 average to resample the image and mild noise reduction in Photoshop. I forgot that the Seestar automatically selected dual band filter when an emission nebula was the target. Ugh. (See next post.)

 

 

[Airship]

After realizing that the image of M42 was taken with the dual band light pollution filter I set my S30 back outside to grab another image, this time without the dual band filter. This is 90x10s, binned 2x2 average to resample the image and mild noise reduction in Photoshop.

 

 

I wish that the Seestar did not automatically select the filter or made it more obvious which filter was being used. I need to be more careful next time. Anywho, both images turned out pretty nice considering the poor sky conditions.

 

[Airship]

This was my first test image of the sun. This was a 2-minute video, saved as RAW, stacked with Autostakkert, mild wavelets in Registax, cropped and desaturated in Photoshop.

 

 

[Airship]

This was a quick test image taken of the moon at dusk this morning. This was a 2-minute video, saved as RAW, stacked with Autostakkert, mild wavelets in Registax, levels and curves in Photoshop to adjust the brightness and contrast.