Paul Derby has followed up his presentation from last year with another great update on where eVscope and EEA is overall. Correction - Slide 9 reference to M31 is actually M13
Hello Mr Derby, I just enjoyed watching your presentation. I have also been using an eVscope 2 for awhile and love it. The automatic enhancing/stacking is a game changer for amateurs like me. With my other scopes, I just looked at planets, the moon, a few stars and that was it, which got boring after a while - I mean I just looked at them over and over again because I could not see much of anything else and the stars looked like stars just with different dimensions, colors and brightness. But now with the eVscope, the entire cosmos has opened up - nebulas I've never seen in all sorts of shapes and colors, plus far off galaxies, etc. It's just incredible. I'm embarrassed to say I have never been interested in expending the time and energy to learn astrophotography (I know my limits) and I really respect the individuals who take that route. But for me, if all I wanted were pretty pictures I can just google images from Hubble or James Webb. My goal with the eVscope, is not only see dramatic images (and they are dramatic), but to know where these objects are in space when I look up from my backyard. Which led to this: Whenever I went to different star parties, I would see astronomers using green laser pointers to outline different constellations for the public. And that was the missing link for me. So using the included adhesive tape, I purchased a light-weight laser pointer mount (#SFM1 Starfinder Mount with Base Rail - ScopeStuff website) and aligned it with my eVscope. Then I inserted the Z-Bolt® ASTRO-10-XT a 515nm astronomy green laser pointer -Low temp operate at 14°; constant on switch; 6 hour CR123A battery life. And now when my scope slews to a new area and before I start stacking I briefly turn on the laser and can see the area where the next object is located. At your star party you could show the public exactly where you are pointed. And for people who do not believe the image is real, you can turn on the laser and see the green light in the images on both your phone/IPad and through the eyepiece. I stress the low temp laser is better because I had other green lasers that would not work once the temp dropped below a certain level. For your consideration and thanks again Mr Derby.
Thank you very much! In our skies around the Washington DC area we have to be cautious using laser pointers, but this sounds like s good, simple solution to showing people just where an object is located.
BTW, as much as I enjoyed Mr. Derby's focused presentation on the eVscope, where he hooked me was @38:01 when he alerted aspiring innovators about Wayne Viney's book: William James's Pluralism: An Antidote for Contemporary Extremism and Absolutism. I came to this video to hear opinions about one of the new breeds of smart scopes that allow us to navigate and view the cosmos and unexpectedly came away with a fresh and excitingly new (to me) way to navigate and view the world through innovation. What an amazing time to be alive when a random, completely anonymous contact with one person can have a profoundly positive influence on another. Bravo, Mr. Derby!
Presentation clarified many questions regarding these new automated scopes and their ease of use. In particular the SeeScope versus the equinox 2 and others. My specific interest is due to being physically handicapped and unable to properly use the equipment I have. Even GoTo Nexstar scopes are too challenging for me to set up especially once it gets dark and in a wheelchair. Cataracts don't help despite having surgery to correct them 2 years ago so it's gotten more difficult but my interest remains.
My experience in splitting double stars with the eVscope hasn't been great. Unfortunately stacking doesn't seems to help much with the limitation of the 4" Newtonian design. What really gets the interest of the people I've interacted with are nebula and globular clusters and the larger galaxies. Those particular objects provide the most wow factor showing off what the eVscope can do in less than optimal skies.
Thanks for all your updates!
Hello Mr Derby, I just enjoyed watching your presentation. I have also been using an eVscope 2 for awhile and love it. The automatic enhancing/stacking is a game changer for amateurs like me. With my other scopes, I just looked at planets, the moon, a few stars and that was it, which got boring after a while - I mean I just looked at them over and over again because I could not see much of anything else and the stars looked like stars just with different dimensions, colors and brightness. But now with the eVscope, the entire cosmos has opened up - nebulas I've never seen in all sorts of shapes and colors, plus far off galaxies, etc. It's just incredible. I'm embarrassed to say I have never been interested in expending the time and energy to learn astrophotography (I know my limits) and I really respect the individuals who take that route. But for me, if all I wanted were pretty pictures I can just google images from Hubble or James Webb. My goal with the eVscope, is not only see dramatic images (and they are dramatic), but to know where these objects are in space when I look up from my backyard. Which led to this:
Whenever I went to different star parties, I would see astronomers using green laser pointers to outline different constellations for the public. And that was the missing link for me. So using the included adhesive tape, I purchased a light-weight laser pointer mount (#SFM1 Starfinder Mount with Base Rail - ScopeStuff website) and aligned it with my eVscope. Then I inserted the Z-Bolt® ASTRO-10-XT a 515nm astronomy green laser pointer -Low temp operate at 14°; constant on switch; 6 hour CR123A battery life. And now when my scope slews to a new area and before I start stacking I briefly turn on the laser and can see the area where the next object is located. At your star party you could show the public exactly where you are pointed. And for people who do not believe the image is real, you can turn on the laser and see the green light in the images on both your phone/IPad and through the eyepiece. I stress the low temp laser is better because I had other green lasers that would not work once the temp dropped below a certain level. For your consideration and thanks again Mr Derby.
Thank you very much! In our skies around the Washington DC area we have to be cautious using laser pointers, but this sounds like s good, simple solution to showing people just where an object is located.
BTW, as much as I enjoyed Mr. Derby's focused presentation on the eVscope, where he hooked me was @38:01 when he alerted aspiring innovators about Wayne Viney's book: William James's Pluralism: An Antidote for Contemporary Extremism and Absolutism.
I came to this video to hear opinions about one of the new breeds of smart scopes that allow us to navigate and view the cosmos and unexpectedly came away with a fresh and excitingly new (to me) way to navigate and view the world through innovation.
What an amazing time to be alive when a random, completely anonymous contact with one person can have a profoundly positive influence on another. Bravo, Mr. Derby!
Presentation clarified many questions regarding these new automated scopes and their ease of use. In particular the SeeScope versus the equinox 2 and others.
My specific interest is due to being physically handicapped and unable to properly use the equipment I have. Even GoTo Nexstar scopes are too challenging for me to set up especially once it gets dark and in a wheelchair. Cataracts don't help despite having surgery to correct them 2 years ago so it's gotten more difficult but my interest remains.
An excellent presentation (from Sydney Australia)
Glad you enjoyed it
How viable is the eVscope for double star hunting and viewing as an alternative to "traditional" refractor/reflectors?
My experience in splitting double stars with the eVscope hasn't been great. Unfortunately stacking doesn't seems to help much with the limitation of the 4" Newtonian design. What really gets the interest of the people I've interacted with are nebula and globular clusters and the larger galaxies. Those particular objects provide the most wow factor showing off what the eVscope can do in less than optimal skies.