Post by Rick in NWArk on Apr 28, 2015 16:15:14 GMT
I've recently purchased the Celestron StarSense for my AVX mount to make alignment easier. I have a small window to the North to spot Polaris in and massive trees to the NE, E, and NW. Polar aligning and 3-star alignment is touch and go at times. I have no observatory or semi-permanent pier (I am considering this however). I had been using it successfully this winter in the few times I've been able to get out -- but using it with my Orion 80EDT. No problem.
So Saturday I had the first clear night in a while, so I thought I would get my VRC8 out and do some planetary and small DSO viewing. I proceed to try to put the StarSense on my VRC8 and its really really tight and I get it about halfway on. I try to take it off and its stuck. Well, I went ahead and tried to do the alignment but it must have been slightly crooked or something because it was quite a way off.
Still for moon, Jupiter, and Venus I was able to eye-sight align it and view it through my MC Jr Pro. At the best, I was able to get 4 moons and still see the stripes on Jupiter. This was without anything but an IR Cut filter. That was fun. Now some DSOs. So I took off the IR Filter and went after M95 and spent 20 minutes playing with settings on the camera and blindly slewing around the field to try to find it. Ok, so I figure maybe its too big for my current effective focal length. So I go to a smallish glob. I check it in the field of view calculator and yea I should get a view full of stars. Nope, I scan around and get nothing but a sea full of hot pixels. My DSO settings really turn my Jr Pro into a confetti viewer.
The predictable response from Rock was that of course Orion products are made by Synta in a conspiracy to only accept other Orion products and the VRC8 is made by GSO - which uses actual standards. I replied asking if the StarSense was also made by Synta, since its not fitting in the VRC8. But I didnt get a response to that. Maybe that's the case, I'll have to look myself.
So, I'm about ready to get rid of my VRC8. I can only remember seeing the Ring though it once. And some planetary views. I've never been able to get galaxies or nebula. Even with a full MFR5 reduction. Either the focus is off or something else is just wrong. Versus many enjoyable views with my 80 EDT triplet APO. I may get rid of my Jr Pro too. Tired of the soup of hot pixels. And I'm not exaggerating - I was looking at dozens of them Saturday.
Too embarassing to broadcast, for sure.
So Saturday I had the first clear night in a while, so I thought I would get my VRC8 out and do some planetary and small DSO viewing. I proceed to try to put the StarSense on my VRC8 and its really really tight and I get it about halfway on. I try to take it off and its stuck. Well, I went ahead and tried to do the alignment but it must have been slightly crooked or something because it was quite a way off.
Still for moon, Jupiter, and Venus I was able to eye-sight align it and view it through my MC Jr Pro. At the best, I was able to get 4 moons and still see the stripes on Jupiter. This was without anything but an IR Cut filter. That was fun. Now some DSOs. So I took off the IR Filter and went after M95 and spent 20 minutes playing with settings on the camera and blindly slewing around the field to try to find it. Ok, so I figure maybe its too big for my current effective focal length. So I go to a smallish glob. I check it in the field of view calculator and yea I should get a view full of stars. Nope, I scan around and get nothing but a sea full of hot pixels. My DSO settings really turn my Jr Pro into a confetti viewer.
The predictable response from Rock was that of course Orion products are made by Synta in a conspiracy to only accept other Orion products and the VRC8 is made by GSO - which uses actual standards. I replied asking if the StarSense was also made by Synta, since its not fitting in the VRC8. But I didnt get a response to that. Maybe that's the case, I'll have to look myself.
So, I'm about ready to get rid of my VRC8. I can only remember seeing the Ring though it once. And some planetary views. I've never been able to get galaxies or nebula. Even with a full MFR5 reduction. Either the focus is off or something else is just wrong. Versus many enjoyable views with my 80 EDT triplet APO. I may get rid of my Jr Pro too. Tired of the soup of hot pixels. And I'm not exaggerating - I was looking at dozens of them Saturday.
Too embarassing to broadcast, for sure.