Who loves their computerized telescope? Why?

[AEAJR]

This is not a computerized vs manual discussion. This is about why we love computerized telescopes.

Me first.

I have an Orion XT8i Intelliscope. This is a PushTo scope that has no motors. It tells me where to point the scope to find what I want to see and I swing the scope. Very accurate and very easy to use.

I love that it will help me find my targets whenever I want the assist. I go out with a list of targets, punch them in one by one and know I will be able to locate them quickly. I also love that I can use it manually when I wish. It is easy to use and gives me great views.


I love my Meade ETX 80. This was my first scope. This is a fully motorized scope that will find what I request and then track it. It gives me great wide views with its short focal length but I can barlow up to get to reasonable magnifications.

I love the great portability of the scope. I can pick it up, one handed and toss it in the car. If I only have 20 minutes to view I can pull it out and use it manually if I wish.

I really enjoy the computer assist of these two scopes when I want it and enjoy that I can use them manually when I wish.


How about you? Do you love your computerized scope? If so, why?

[Atmos]

I love computerised scopes because I am a very lazy observer :P

[AEAJR]

Good answer. :D

[raymo]

Having used manual and motorised EQ mounts for many many many years, the HEQ5 didn't help me as much as it would a newbie. I, along
with quite a few others, from what I see on IIS, have had a number of
frustrating and expensive electronic faults and failures. I never know
on any given night whether it is going to work properly or not. The longest fault free run I have had is about 6 weeks. I've seemingly got
a lemon, and think that in my case I'd be better off with a simple
motorised mount. If HEQ5s are usually more reliable, then I would
probably just about plump for having one.
raymo

[xelasnave]

I have two but I dont use their facility.
I look at the star chart well before I go out and manually move the scope
I find things rather easily and quicker but thats after many years of not using a goto and playing pool. The first time I sort to observe the ring neb. I point the scope in the direction did not use the finder and yet there it was almost dead center in the field of view.
There are times I cant find something but I enjoy that. .. the hunt and all that.
I am fortunate because I am in a very dark site and always out there.
I do understand it must be handy if you only get out now and then.

[bojan]

I built two GoTo systems.. and I am using none of them, just like Alex.
Nothing compares to hunt after objects.. fiddling with electronics, cables, laptops in the dark is not fun any more, manual is way quicker.
My current AP gear is very symple, mount has only hand-pad with 4 buttons... The second gadget is intervalometer to control 60D.. and that's it.

[julianh72]

I love my Meade 8" LX-90 (and the Celestron SLT 130 and 5-SE which preceded it) - because I'd rather look AT things than look FOR them!

[lazjen]

I think that's the issue for me too. I want to look or image stuff, not hunt for it. I can understand the other viewpoint, but in this case, I like the automation helping out.

[croweater]

Like Bojan and Alexander I too prefer to hunt for the objects. I have an old Samson mount that has RA drive but no goto. I'm quite happy to just spend more time observing a few objects a night rather than rushing through lots. A star atlas and telrad will get me pretty close most times. I don't like fiddling around with computers and cables, software etc. Cheers Richard. ps There is also a satisfaction that I know where in the sky some things are.

[Steffen]

Less hunting – more observing.

Plugging in two cables (literally, or three if I use the iPhone) doesn't count as fiddling for me. The polar alignment procedure is a nice way to fill the cool-down time.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, tracking makes observing at high magnifications possible and fun!

[casstony]

The Celestron computerized alt/az mounts are my favourites to use - easy to align, easy to find objects and then let the mount track. I have a Celestron Evolution and Celestron CPC converted to single arm. The Evolution is particularly easy to set up as it has the internal battery, the mount and tripod stay connected and I leave the hand control plugged in.
The computerized Advanced VX is also dead easy to use but needs a few more trips to set up.

On occasions it's nice to wander around with a simple push-to mount though. It's also a lot easier to find things manually at a darker site since the brighter DSO's are visible to the naked eye giving more reference points.

Lately I'd noticed less difference between filter and no filter for viewing DSO's and everything seemed a bit brighter, then one night I was out the front of the house and noticed that my closest street light is blown - hoping they replace it with newer, less polluting technology.

[The_bluester]

I use the best of both worlds with the Orion AZ/EQ-G. Alt_Az operation for nice easy eyepiece placement for visual use and the multi encoder setup that lets me point it manually (Which I often do) while still having tracking that works.

[AEAJR]

I selected GoTo primarily because of my very light polluted sky. Not a lot of naked eye visible stars for pointing a telrad or a red dot. The 9X50 RACI finder on the Dob makes it easier but still not a lot up there.

I find the computer aid most valuable when I am looking for new targets or when I am working a list. As my viewing sessions are usually about 60 to 90 minutes long I would rather spend the time on the targets rather than searching for them. Aligning the scope takes 5 minutes so that leaves more time for viewing and less for hunting.

I work 10 hours a day so I don't do a lot of chart work today though I am accumulating the tools and charts and will some day better develop those skills, perhaps if I ever retire.

I am still a casual observer, not deeply focused. Still very much a tourist rather than a committed astronomer. More interesting in looking at than looking for what I want to see.

But, for now, having that computer help when I am looking for new things is really great. And having the Goto scope track when I have my private star parties is a great assist. Allows me to focus more on my guests and less on guiding the scope.

[skysurfer]

I use a kind of push to by using the setting circles on the SP Mount with my ed110 of with an inclinometer for the altitude and self made horizontal setting circle on my Do . in combination with a smartphone app which displays coordinates.

[AEAJR]

I hear more and more of people doing this. Sort of a homemade setting circle hybrid.

[astroboof]

Shouldn't this be a poll?

Telescope Computerisation falls into a few needs categories, at least;

1/. Uber newbs who are to lazy to learn astronomy
2/. long term amateurs or professionals who have so long ago learned the night sky that they need the expedience for their research or work, payed or not.
3/. The just plain curious with more money than sense, or even astro-photographers, especially since the advent of the internet.

[astroboof]

Been on this site since 2005, BTW.

[AEAJR]

Since the thread is about sharing what you like about your computerized scopes I can't think of what the poll choices would be.

This is not a request for a debate it is a opportunity to share your positive experience if you have one.

Who loves their computerized telescope? Why?

[casstony]

Whew, here I was agonizing over my lack of imaging skill yet reluctance to enter the field - maybe I'm a real astronomer after all :)

[Mark]

My first GoTo scope was an LX-90. The very first time I used it, I saw more galaxies in one night than in the previous 20 years of star hopping.

[AEAJR]

I have heard this kind of report before. Had you seen these galaxies before or was this the first time?

Seems you are a star hopper too. Many enjoy both methods. Did having the scope find the targets for you in any way diminish your enjoyment of the galaxies?

[Mark]

Some I had seen before, it was just faster to find them. Some I had never seen before. To be brutally honest, I had tried and failed before on several. I suspect it was because I wasn't sure of what I was looking for. GoTo increased my confidence substantially.



No, the opposite in fact. I found star hopping infuriating at times. :lol:

[75BC]

I traded in my dob last year specifically for something with goto and tracking.

I’m a fairly casual observer. It can be anything from a few days, to a few months between sessions for me. I was finding that with my localized light pollution (big main street lights shinning into my back yard) it was difficult star hopping to targets. Especially anything really faint. I could spend a good few hours without any success. I’m also finding I have a choice now. If I want to, I can still star hop (everyone should know how) by manually slewing to a target instead of using the goto.

I also found the constant nudging and waiting for the vibrations to stop frustrating. My dob didn’t have the smoothest of movement which didn’t help matters. But being able to just sit at the eyepiece for extended periods and not having to do anything, far more comfortable and relaxing. I‘am now able to concentrate more on things like training my eyes to eke out fine details in objects.

I’m loving it. :D

[tonybarry]

I love my LX90.

It's my third Goto scope - first was an ETX80. That was too small in aperture, but it convinced me that Goto was the right system for me.

Then I upgraded to an LX90-8 GPS. Goto was essential because I put a GStar-EX videocamera on it to hunt down galaxies, and I could not see the galaxies visually. With Goto and a videocam , I nailed a lot of galaxies, then went on to hunt occultations. For that, goto was absolutely essential.

After a lot of agonising, I got the LX90-10 ACF. It needed a fair bit of love to get it working, but once it was up to scratch, it became the scope to beat. Goto works a treat, and the unguided tracking gives me pretty round stars at 30 seconds exposure in Alt-Az (!)

I use it for outreach at the local Penrith Observatory. I give the kids the hand paddle, get them to key in an NGC number, and hit GOTO. They watch the monitor as the galaxies come up as a fuzzy blob (at 1 second exposure). And then we look for 10 seconds ... and see spiral arms and knots and all kinds of stuff.

Goto for the public is a great system.

Nowadays I know where a few things are (e.g. M1, NGC 2070, etc) - stuff that gets a lot of traction. But I would never choose star hopping as a means to get there. It's too likely to fail.

Of course you may see things differently. As is your right.

Regards,
Tony Barry
WSAAG

[AEAJR]

75BC, tonybarry,

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[madwayne]

Great topic Ed. I have an Orion XT12G, go to dob, and love it. It is my third goto after an 8" LX90 and an EQ6. I still have the EQ6 and an FSQ106N for photography when the bug bites again.

The convenience of the quick setup and pack up is a bonus but the quality time I get from it because of the goto makes it so much easier. My preferred eyepiece is a 16mm Nagler and living on the edge of a village of 1,500 people means I have very little light pollution. With that combination all objects land in the fov after a two star alignment. Scanning the field for planetaries or carbon stars or whatever takes my fancy is great.

The dob lives in our garage and I can be out observing within a few minutes. The fact I can then knock over 15 or 20 objects in a session or just one or two if the mood dictates. Being able to slew all over the sky makes life pretty easy.

How reliant have I become on the goto? Last Saturday night I took the dob out to observe comet P252. I left the power cable at home, I was out with our small observing group at our observing site, and could just not find the elusive comet as I only have a red dot finder and would have killed for a bit of magnification in my finder. Settled for some lovely views of Jupiter at 250x with my 6mm Delos, fine compensation ��

Great thread and clear skies

Wayne