Finally, a telescope everybody should own.......for $349.

[Vladimir]

For years buying a telescope was a tough decision, with all sorts of factors to consider for a first scope.

That's all done.  The ZWO SeeStar S30  ($349) telescope or its big brother the ZWO SeeStar S50 ($499).  Both are wonderful, USEFUL and VERY EASY to operate telescopes.

Even advanced amateur astronomers with lots of telescopes have been buying these simply because they work well and are very easy to operate.  They are actually a telescope and camera combination.  You don't look through it. You run it with your phone or tablet.  The telescope can sit outside while you use it from your easy chair inside the trailer!!! 

They work great for the night sky, the sun and moon.  They don't work well on planets due to optical size and camera combination.

It is a perfect gift for a young kid that is interested in astronomy or a old fart that never got around to buying a telescope.

Here is a link to Agena Astro which is a reliable astronomy shop.  It has a description of the SeeStar S30.

https://agenaastro.com/seestar-s30-all-in-one-smart-telescope-by-zwo.html?utm_source=G.Ads&utm_medium=Search_Ads&utm_campaign=NH_OCT2024_P.Max&utm_id=NH_Oct.2024_SeeStar_S30&utm_term=SeeStar_S30&utm_content=SeeStar_S30&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpYCdrcHniQMVHyCtBh0MBTl_EAAYAiAAEgLTJ_D_BwE

Other reliable astronomy shops that carry the two SeeStars are:

https://astronomics.com/ in Norman, OK.

https://starizona.com/ in Tucson, Arizona

https://cloudbreakoptics.com/ in Seattle, WA

You can do a search on UTUBE for videos that show how to use these scopes.

Vladimir

 

 

Edited November 19, 2024 by Vladimir

[NDBirdman]

For the $$, you can't beat the S50 which I have had since they came out.  I have the S30 on pre-order, guessing I'll see it late Dec to mid Jan.  I have my S50 taking pics every night the sky is not cloudy which unfortunately is 75% of the time.  While it will not give you the same pic you can achieve with a fancy rig, which I also have, my very expensive set-up sits collecting dust.  I love being able to turn it on, sit it down and go inside where it is either cooled or heated depending on the season.  I have the app on my cell phone as well as a 12.9" ipad.  People are getting very good pics even from inside the city but where I live, very dark, I get some incredible pics with it.  It is light and very easy to *grab n go*.  I carry it in our RV, it takes up very little room or any time I'm going to be out and about after dark, it's usually with me.  It's fairly smart in it's own right, ya don't need a degree in astronomy or cameras to get great pics!

Edited November 20, 2024 by NDBirdman

[stevekk]

I watched a video on this telescope. Will not work on planets. All you see on the screen is a small dot of the planet.  To me it’s not worth getting if I can not see planets.

Edited December 10, 2024 by stevekk
More to say

[NDBirdman]

Correct, you can't see planets up close with a Seestar.  I have no problem seeing planets up close, I spent a bundle to do it.  As far as the moon and sun, these are from the Seestar.  With my other set-up, I can shoot down into canyons, etc.  I find planets boring after a couple times, DSO, there are enough to keep you and/or a youngin gazing the rest of your life.  It's your choice, your pocket.

I will also mention the Seestar was designed for the beginner.  You can use it to decide just how far you want to chase that rabbit down the hole.

 

Edited December 10, 2024 by NDBirdman

[Vladimir]

4 hours ago, stevekk said:

I watched a video on this telescope. Will not work on planets. All you see on the screen is a small dot of the planet.  To me it’s not worth getting if I can not see planets.

There are ONLY three planets worth viewing through a telescope.

Mars every two years comes into opposition and is worth looking at through a small telescope for about six months.

Saturn is so pretty, that is how most people got hooked into astronomy as a hobby.  Not much happening on Saturn, but it is gorgeous every time.  Everybody needs to see Saturn under steady skies and a good telescope.

Jupiter is worth viewing every night.  Between it moons and belts, lots of stuff goes on up there.

That's it for planet observing.  But a planetary scope also makes a good scope for the moon.

Which is why the SeeStar is oriented towards deep sky objects.  

[NDBirdman]

You nailed it!