97 replies to this topic

[groom]

Finding the 'right' solution for mounting the Seestars has been an ongoing quest. With the addition of Equatorial Mode, it was almost like starting all over again!

So, here is my ultimate, final solution. At least for this week...

I installed a 'panoramic base' below the Skywatcher wedge. Between the compass app I use to roughly align the tripod, the wedge's slow-motion azimuth controls, and the 360° rotation of the panoramic base, getting essentially 'perfect' polar alignment with the Seestar is easy!

Don

Don, I found that adding a Neewer (or equivalent) tripod leveler between the panoramic base and the Skywatcher wedge, allows very fine control of the azimuth angle and polar alignment. I suggested doing this in a post in this thread on 26 May 2025.

Edited by groom, 11 June 2025 - 09:15 PM.

[Ironrust]

Hi,

I just got a fluid head for the S50.I got it out tonight for a bit before the clouds came in. But I ran into a problem. When I threaded the 3/8 adapter to the quick release it went fine, but when it came to tear down time I found the quick plate was too tight and took some effort to get it and the adapter off of the seestar. What is the best way to prevent this from happening and requiring tools to remove every time. I tried to not over tighten it. Is there a trick to getting it secure but not too tight?

Thanks in advance.

[Digital Don]

Don, I found that adding a Neewer (or equivalent) tripod leveler between the panoramic base and the Skywatcher wedge, allows very fine control of the azimuth angle and polar alignment. I suggested doing this in a post in this thread on 26 May 2025.

Yes indeed!  Your post is the one that prompted me to look into that device.  I've tested the setup, and it makes precise alignment really simple.

 

Thanks for the idea!

 

Don

[groom]

You're welcome, Don!

[mourip]

Sky-Watcher here with the eq balance arm from Peterson Engineering. They also sell an easy-to-use wedge that simplifies polar alignment.

That looks like a good option for viewing from a fixed home location. When traveling, a second adjustable type could be good to have also.

 

I am using a fixed 3D printed wedge that was made by another CNer. I will be picking up a second adjustable travel wedge soon. I also have one of those panoramic bases coming which should make tweaking EQ much easier than nudging the tripod!

 

Here is "R2D2" on its wedge...

Attached Thumbnails

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Edited by mourip, 23 June 2025 - 01:27 PM.

[gooeytek]

This is what I use now.

I don't use the level for any other reason than to use it to screw the head/leveler assembly onto the tripod without handling the head too much.  The base of the leveler lines up perfectly with the tripod legs so I know center of gravity is always on over one of them.  I then use that to orient the forward leg North.  I also used to have a panoramic base under the leveler that's also not needed anymore.  After all, once you set one of the tripod legs tripod correctly to North, panning it around will just move your center of gravity away from alignment with leg it's leaning on.

 

Tilt is set to whatever latitude I'm in. 

While I'm home, it's stored that way after I take it apart and goes back together without any adjustments needed.

I've just been putting it together and place it on the same general area on my deck and start imaging.  I don't even bother with level or polar alignment anymore.

 

 

Last night:

 

 

 

 

[mourip]

@gooeytek. I did wonder about the panoramic rotator. I bought it thinking that I would no longer need to rotate the entire tripod however the downside is that now the scope will rotate away from a favorable position relative to the legs.

 

I think that I am missing something regarding getting polar alignment set properly. I usually start by using my phone's compass app to point the scope body to magnetic north. Once I initiate the EQ routine of the scope it always has me rotating the scope body quite a bit further. In the end I am getting some decent images although I usually lose subs when set past 20 seconds. I am a bit limited for viewing from my deck as it faces NE with obstructions blocking SE and further south. I end up viewing a lot of objects too close to the pole so I must be fighting field rotation? This makes me think that I might not fully understand polar alignment.

 

In the end do I just need to get the scope pointed roughly north and then let it plate solve to adjust itself? Perhaps I am also starting my viewing too early before it has enough stars for solving?

 

I seem to have more questions than answers at this point!

[gooeytek]

@gooeytek. I did wonder about the panoramic rotator. I bought it thinking that I would no longer need to rotate the entire tripod however the downside is that now the scope will rotate away from a favorable position relative to the legs.

 

I think that I am missing something regarding getting polar alignment set properly. I usually start by using my phone's compass app to point the scope body to magnetic north. Once I initiate the EQ routine of the scope it always has me rotating the scope body quite a bit further. In the end I am getting some decent images although I usually lose subs when set past 20 seconds. I am a bit limited for viewing from my deck as it faces NE with obstructions blocking SE and further south. I end up viewing a lot of objects too close to the pole so I must be fighting field rotation? This makes me think that I might not fully understand polar alignment.

 

In the end do I just need to get the scope pointed roughly north and then let it plate solve to adjust itself? Perhaps I am also starting my viewing too early before it has enough stars for solving?

 

I seem to have more questions than answers at this point!

I also use my phone's compass app, and put it on the floor under the tripod, align the forward leg with North, and pick an object.  That's exactly what I did last night for the Eagle Nebula.  I had a tiny window of opportunity, but I did it for about half an hour until my house eventually blocked the view.  

 

Do you have enough space between the base of the S50 and the wedge?  the rubber feet on the S50 will catch/drag if there's not enough room.  Also make sure the contact patch of the base doesn't rotate as the S50 does its thing.  I had that issue before, but I used some grip pads and lock washers to make sure that wouldn't happen.

 

[mourip]

I also use my phone's compass app, and put it on the floor under the tripod, align the forward leg with North, and pick an object.  That's exactly what I did last night for the Eagle Nebula.  I had a tiny window of opportunity, but I did it for about half an hour until my house eventually blocked the view.  

 

Do you have enough space between the base of the S50 and the wedge?  the rubber feet on the S50 will catch/drag if there's not enough room.  Also make sure the contact patch of the base doesn't rotate as the S50 does its thing.  I had that issue before, but I used some grip pads and lock washers to make sure that wouldn't happen.

 

Good tips about the feet. My 3D printed wedge has a round raised surface that interfaces with the bottom of the S50 so that the feet will clear. When I put the panoramic rotator in yesterday I did notice that the scope was not tighten enough and fixed that.

 

BTW. What brand of adjustable tripod "wedge" are you using? I am considering the Move Shoot Move or the Innorel F20 Fluid Head that ZWO has rebranded. The Innorel is the same head at 2/3 of the price...

Edited by mourip, 25 June 2025 - 10:35 AM.

[mourip]

Oops!!! I found one big issue. My built-in iPhone compass app was not set to "True North" so it was pointing to Magnetic North which put me way off for initial pointing to Polaris.

 

In my case this was around 13 degrees difference. This makes sense as the EQ config would often tell me to rotate the scope by about that amount.

Edited by mourip, 25 June 2025 - 11:45 AM.

[gus1989]

 

I use a Desmond DMH-2 with leveler and 8" cheese plate to offset-mount my S50.

 

Very new to all of this. Can you provide a link to this “cheese plate”?

[gooeytek]

Very new to all of this. Can you provide a link to this “cheese plate”?

This is the one I got:

https://a.co/d/gU5ZFIX

[gooeytek]

Good tips about the feet. My 3D printed wedge has a round raised surface that interfaces with the bottom of the S50 so that the feet will clear. When I put the panoramic rotator in yesterday I did notice that the scope was not tighten enough and fixed that.

 

BTW. What brand of adjustable tripod "wedge" are you using? I am considering the Move Shoot Move or the Innorel F20 Fluid Head that ZWO has rebranded. The Innorel is the same head at 2/3 of the price...

This is the head/"wedge" I use:

https://a.co/d/2JPhDAL

 

It was $50, solid as a brick, came with an arca-swiss plate, no handle, no panoramic base, supports 22 lbs.

[gus1989]

Thanks for the links - much appreciated!

[slatts]

Here is my solution: https://www.cloudyni...s50/?p=14207819

 

[slatts]

What's the best integration percentage you have seen with your set up in EQ mode? Last night I was collecting data for 184 total minutes, the Seestar S50 stacked 158 minutes of exposure. 158/185 =

85.86% integration.

[mourip]

That sounds pretty successful. I am out of town for a while, so will need to check the stats for my captures later. Usually, I just set it to capture in the late evening and then let it run overnight until the low battery condition shuts it off. I have never really looked at the stats, but usually get a pretty nice image. 

[CA Curtis 17]

What's the best integration percentage you have seen with your set up in EQ mode? Last night I was collecting data for 184 total minutes, the Seestar S50 stacked 158 minutes of exposure. 158/185 =

85.86% integration.

What exposure sub are you using. At 30sec the overhead (dithering, evaluating each frame ,etc) come to 10%. So the max stacking efficiency one can get is 90%.  In your case that would be just under 166min

with 10sec subs overhead is 24%
 

[slatts]

What exposure sub are you using. At 30sec the overhead (dithering, evaluating each frame ,etc) come to 10%. So the max stacking efficiency one can get is 90%.  In your case that would be just under 166min

with 10sec subs overhead is 24%
 

Sorry forgot to mention I was using 20s subs that night. Do you know what the max stacking efficiency is for 20s subs?

Edited by slatts, 04 July 2025 - 12:57 PM.

[rkaufmann87]

Sorry forgot to mention I was using 20s subs that night. Do you know what the max stacking efficiency is for 20s subs?

I am doing 20 second sub, last one was last night. I only got about thirty minutes of exposure time (funny story if anyone wants to hear it) and got 100%. I was also in Bortle 3 sky’s.

 

Normally I am in Bortle 7 sky’s, have done up to 4 hours of 20 second exposures and get about 85-90%.

Edited by rkaufmann87, 04 July 2025 - 03:12 PM.

[gus1989]

I also use my phone's compass app, and put it on the floor under the tripod, align the forward leg with North, and pick an object.  That's exactly what I did last night for the Eagle Nebula.  I had a tiny window of opportunity, but I did it for about half an hour until my house eventually blocked the view.  

 

Do you have enough space between the base of the S50 and the wedge?  the rubber feet on the S50 will catch/drag if there's not enough room.  Also make sure the contact patch of the base doesn't rotate as the S50 does its thing.  I had that issue before, but I used some grip pads and lock washers to make sure that wouldn't happen.

 

Did the bolt to attach the Seestar to the "cheese plate" come with the plate"? If not, what would I get?

What did you use for the grip pad?

I'm just trying to figure out all the pieces I might need and get them all at the same time instead of discovering later.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited by gus1989, 11 July 2025 - 02:46 AM.

[gooeytek]

Did the bolt to attach the Seestar to the "cheese plate" come with the plate"? If not, what would I get?

What did you use for the grip pad?

I'm just trying to figure out all the pieces I might need and get them all at the same time instead of discovering later.

 

Thanks in advance.

I had to get a special 3/8"-16 x 1" Captive Panel Screw to go through the cheese plate and into the S50 base.
This was part# 95966A634 from McMaster-Carr

 

The McMaster-Carr 3/8"-16 captive panel screw compared to the typical ones we normally come across:

 

 

I also used a couple of these at the S50 mounting point because it had a tendency to loosen the screw during goto.  These provide added grip where the S50 meets the plate, and on the underside where the 3/8"-16 bolt goes through.

https://a.co/d/4Gazugs

 

I used a lock washer, 1.5" flat washer and threaded the screw through those and through the cheese plate that had the grip pads on both sides.

 

Edited by gooeytek, 12 July 2025 - 01:24 PM.

[gus1989]

I had to get a special 3/8"-16 x 1" Captive Panel Screw to go through the cheese plate and into the S50 base.
This was part# 95966A634 from McMaster-Carr
 

I also used a couple of these at the S50 mounting point because it had a tendency to loosen the screw during goto.  These provide added grip where the S50 meets the plate, and on the underside where the 3/8"-16 bolt goes through.

https://a.co/d/4Gazugs

 

I used a lock washer, 1.5" flat washer and threaded the screw through those and through the cheese plate that had the grip pads on both sides.

 

Once again, much appreciated!