Astrophotography equipment and techniques and questions

[Levina de Ruijter]

Here is an example of the difference between the two sensors. The S50 is an older sensor so has slightly more noise, the S30 is an upgraded sensor, they are both still 2 mpx and same size and pixel density but the S30 is an upgraded sensor and it is noticeable in the noise in the fits image. You can overcome the noise with longer, i.e. more, exposures but it is nice to have a good sensor to begin with. SO when they say bigger and better, we will see what they do and when.

Here are two images, the S30 is on the left and the S50 on the right. they were not taken on the same night but they were taken about the same time with the same sky conditions. You can see first that the S50 has a bigger image size (they are both M31 the Andromeda Galaxy) the galaxy is bigger and the stars are bigger than in the S30 image, but you can also see there is more noise in the S50.

View attachment 12603

About the noise, does the Seestar also take darks?

 

[Jeff WX1USN]

About the noise, does the Seestar also take darks?

The Seestars take darks automatically although you have total control of that. They call it Horizontal Calibration and Enhancing where it plate solves where it is looking at and then it says it is enhancing for about 30 seconds, that is when it takes the darks. You can do that every object but I tend to do it for the first one as it needs enough sky to do 3 shots one center one left about 20 degrees and then one right 20 degrees and I have lots of trees. I am pretty sure that it "enhances" for each object. It also automatically subtracts the darks from the image and you can get a live stacked image straight from the Seestar, or the individual fits images to process on your PC BUT you can also stack them on the seestar so you can delete any images that have satellites or planes or trees (I get those a lot). Also you can edit in the Seestar with brightness contrast saturation denoise and cropping.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

The Seestars take darks automatically although you have total control of that. They call it Horizontal Calibration and Enhancing where it plate solves where it is looking at and then it says it is enhancing for about 30 seconds, that is when it takes the darks. You can do that every object but I tend to do it for the first one as it needs enough sky to do 3 shots one center one left about 20 degrees and then one right 20 degrees and I have lots of trees. I am pretty sure that it "enhances" for each object. It also automatically subtracts the darks from the image and you can get a live stacked image straight from the Seestar, or the individual fits images to process on your PC BUT you can also stack them on the seestar so you can delete any images that have satellites or planes or trees (I get those a lot). Also you can edit in the Seestar with brightness contrast saturation denoise and cropping.

Wow. Okay, sounds good!

Now the question is: do I wait for the new S50 version?

 

[Jeff WX1USN]

Wow. Okay, sounds good!

Now the question is: do I wait for the new S50 version?

That is the question, however I haven't heard a release date yet and it could be a while...

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

That is the question, however I haven't heard a release date yet and it could be a while...

Yes. And as always, it's a problem: get what is available now or wait for the latest, greatest.

 

[Jeff WX1USN]

The NEWEST Seestar the S700!

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

The NEWEST Seestar the S700!

View attachment 16824

Yay!

So, what do you think? Is this the one to get?

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Or is it an April Fool’s joke!

 

[Jeff WX1USN]

Or is it an April Fool’s joke!

April Fools

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

April Fools

LOL It dawned on me when I looked closer and saw the date! Good one!

I had actually thought about a joke, something like New York Times mentions us in an article! But then I thought that no one would buy that!