Review of The Dwarf II Smart Telescope Part 2 of 2

Review of The Dwarf II Smart Telescope - Part 2 of 2 

A very short un-boxing video

Right from the start, let me just "blurt out" some thoughts, from the top of my head: 

I've had this Dwarf 2 for about 2 months now, and even though there have been more clouds & rain than clear nights - Every time I leave it out there, to do it's imaging: I head inside the house, thinking to myself "I love that thing!"

It is amazing! That's why I (thought of) and shared this video on one of The Dwarf 2's Facebook groups:

Again, it really comes down to - Me having been into astrophotography for years; and now having a smart telescope:

• It takes under 5 minutes to set-up!
• It has GoTo ability - Which means it can find, and track any DSO you want!
• It automatically produces results, which in many cases, are even better than my DSLR set-up used to!

What's there not to like??

• The images, look great as-is, straight out of the Dwarf 2 (right off of the memory card).
• If you do just a little bit of post processing, right on your smartphone's default photo app: The images look fabulous!
• You can then share them wherever you'd like - Super easy!

For me, personally: I seriously dislike spending all of that time in front of a laptop screen - when doing normal (conventional) astrophotography. Having to do all of the arranging in file folders, and (necessary) stacking, etc., etc. 

As a former Computer Engineer, I used to spend all day at work, looking at computer screens...do you think I wanted to spend any more time looking at a computer? (in order to enjoy my astrophotography hobby)?

No way! I want to avoid it as much as possible.

Okay. What about the expense?

Yes, astrophotography is (and always has been) an expensive hobby. The Dwarf II is currently priced at $459 for the standard version; and $595 for the Deluxe version - You can just get a modified DSLR camera for about that much...and you still would need to buy:

• A lens of 135mm FL (or longer) -or- a telescope.
• A (good) tracking mount.
• A sturdy tripod.

This quickly brings you into the realm of about $1500+!

An image produced with my Dwarf II - The Eastern Veil Nebula

341 images of 15" each, taken & stacked by The Dwarf II; cropped and post processed in PixInsight software.

 

M20 - The Trifid Nebula. 153 individual shots of 15" each, taken & stacked by The Dwarf II. Cropped and post processed with Siril and Gimp (both free applications!).

When I first started astrophotography, I also experimented with film cameras! I even used (the increasingly rare) gas-hypered film - Which was only offered by a company called Lumicon. I believe I purchased the last rolls of that 35mm film in existence. 

And mounts as primitive as homemade (wooden) barn door trackers! These used simple gears, a not-so-simple curved bolt, and 12v powered stepper motors.

For those of you who have never done astrophotography - What you need to keep in mind, are all of the procedures and steps, which are required for traditional astrophotography - And that they simply don't exist when using The Dwarf II! 

The more thought I give to this subject in particular, the more I feel I could write about it. And, I wouldn't want to make this review too "drawn-out". Or, longer than it needs to be! It bears repeating at this point: Those who will appreciate The Dwarf II the most, are those who have done some conventional astrophotography in the past.

I couldn't resist showing a photo I managed; several years ago - Using a Ha (Hydrogen-Alpha) modified Canon DSLR:

An image taken with (conventional equipment) - Hydrogen Alpha modified Canon T3i DSLR, Clip-in light pollution filter, on a wooden barn door tracking mount. Shown here is The Heart & Soul Nebulae, as well as The Double Cluster in Perseus. Bortle 4 skies.

In operation, The Dwarf II is very easy to set-up and use; and more importantly, it is an accurate device. It's calibration sequence is automatic, and completes quickly. When you ask it to goto an object (from the Auto Goto List) it always centers the DSO in the center of frame.

In the past, while using conventional astrophotography gear: If there was a clear night, and I wasn't feeling well - that was it. I had to deal with the disappointment of not getting any astro-imaging done. With a smart telescope like The Dwarf 2, you only need to pop outside for a few minutes for set-up. Then you can go back indoors, and be comfortable while the tiny Dwarf II capture and stacks the images for you. You also get to watch it's progress, from your smartphone or tablet's screen - Excellent!

This is M8 - The Lagoon Nebula. A stack of only 37 frames! of 15" each, stacked by The Dwarf 2. Cropped and post processed using PixInsight.

Pros:

• Super small, lightweight, easy to transport anywhere.
• Additional (optional) batteries are available for purchase - which can be a great convenience.
• Ability to purchase & use third-party nebula filters, providing excellent results (especially in light-polluted areas).
• Offers a wide-field of view, required for larger DSO's.
• Offers good control over manual focus, which stays in place once set.
• Single exposures taken by the Dwarf 2 are made accessible by default, if user would like to stack them manually.
• Acquired images are written to an accessible MicroSD card, convenient for post-processing (on PC).

Cons:

• The list of goto/DSO objects (to automatically goto) is currently rather short.
• Imaging the same object for long periods of time, will begin to show the effects of field rotation (if The Dwarf 2 isn't polar aligned).
• Not ideal for smaller nebulae (such as planetary nebulae).
• Battery life could use improvement.

The Dwarf II may be ordered directly from DwarfLabs. Several Dealers of astronomy products also have them in stock/currently available for order.

NGC 281 The Pacman Nebula - A stack of 63 frames, 15" each, taken by The Dwarf II. Cropped, and processed in PixInsight.

Until next time,

Wishing you clear & steady skies!

Review Of The Dwarf II Smart Telescope From DwarfLabs Part 1 of 2

Part 1 of 2, of the full 2-part Review of The Dwarf 2 

The Dwarf II is the smallest, lightest, and most portable of all the smart telescopes available today. It also happens to be the most budget-friendly! At it's current (on-sale) price of only $459 - It is the lowest-cost smart telescope currently available! It is basically a user-friendly, entry-level, introduction to astrophotography! One which an entire family may enjoy.

Dwarf II in it's box

An interesting point to note: Is that The Dwarf 2, provides a user with an actual "taste" of real (conventional) astrophotography - but with the most annoying factors omitted! It's safe to say, that all of the other smart telescopes on the market don't. Rather, all of the others (many of which can get expensive!) are devoid of any bits of the astrophotography experience. In other words, all of the other auto-telescopes are completely automated. Removing the user from the experience (or process) altogether (they are fully automated). 

This is a very interesting point to consider.

If you'd like to see a few pics from the day The Dwarf II arrived; and was unboxed, then have a look at this post.

The Dwarf II measures 204 x 62 x 130mm or 8 x 2.4 x 5.1 inches. And weighs only 1 kg or 2.4 Lbs.

It's main features are that it is:

• It's super small / compact

• Controlled by your smartphone (or tablet) / Android or iPhone based.

• Object GOTO ability / and Automatic star tracking

• Automatic stacking of your images from space.

• Ability to do daytime photography (and video), as well as panoramic images.

• Comes with rechargeable battery & 64GB MicroSD card.

I'll be covering these features in more detail, sometime later in this review.

 

Additional technical specifications include:

• A formidable resolution of 8.46 Megapixels

• Pixel size of 1.45um

• A 24mm lens aperture, @F/4.2 

• 100mm focal length refractor

• Utilizing a Sony IMX415 sensor chip

The Dwarf 2 being unpacked (Deluxe Package)

The unit itself consists of a unique, super-compact design - It isn't much larger than a typical hardcover novel. 

All things considered, it is fairly easy to use. The thing to keep in mind, is that The Dwarf 2 is not a fully-automated smart telescope. Again, it is designed to allow the user some involvement in the astrophotography process.
But, I can promise you, it isn't a lot! The learning curve is not steep at all. Typically, by the 2nd night out, you'll be well-versed in it's proper operation. By the 3rd or 4th night out, you'll be an expert!

This makes The Dwarf II ideal, for someone wanting to do some astrophotography of DSO's (Deep Sky Objects) without having to learn or study the subject.

Generally speaking - The steps for using it for astrophotography are as follows:

• Attach the included tripod.
• Set it down outside.
• Turn the lens unit upwards (bet. 30 and 90 degrees).
• Click Auto focus (which will focus the stars).
• Choose Calibrate...
• Then choose the DSO you'd like to image.
• Check a few basic settings, and click the red button.
• You are now doing astrophotography!

The Dwarf II and all accessories fit nicely in carry bag.

Next, I'd like to draw your attention to the things which are required for normal astrophotography. The stuff one must do in the traditional hobby... 

Things like Polar alignment. Something which is a must, when doing conventional astrophotography. Many astrophotographers (myself included) are not fond of polar aligning a set-up. Depending on your equipment, it can be quite annoying. As evidenced by the existence of so many funny memes on the subject!

Things like:

• (1.) Polar alignment - Not needed, but optional with The Dwarf 2. If you chose to, it is easily done.

• (2.) Having to take Calibration frames: Darks, Biases, and Flats - Oh my!

• (3.) Monitoring of the progress.

• (4.) Having an autoguider to purchase, and then worry about.

• (5.) Having to wait until the next day (typically) to sort through, organize, and stack your frames.

• (6.) Stacking and post-processing "your data" - this necessitates being in front of a computer screen, for substantial lengths of time (always my least favourite part).

Below, I've provided detailed explanations of each component:

1. Polar alignment - Aligning your telescope's mount, to the star Polaris, "the North Star" in the Northern hemisphere. Or the Southern Celestial Pole / the 4 stars of The Southern Cross constellation; if you live in the Southern hemisphere.

2. Calibration frames - 

Darks: A series of (anywhere from 20 to 60) exposures taken for the same length of time as your Lights; with the lens cap on.

Biases: Similar to above, except using the fastest shutter speed your camera is capable of. 

Flats: Similar to taking Darks, except with a white T-shirt stretched over the front of the lens, while aiming at a uniform source of illumination. Such as a slightly overcast sky during the day.

3. Frequent checking, on how everything is going. More specifically, things like: Is the system still tracking properly? eg. Are the stars still round? Are they beginning to trail? If so, that's more frames for you to discard when you're going through them later... A moot point with The Dwarf II!

4. Autoguiders! An autoguider is a smaller telescope, equipped with it's own small (CMOS or CCD) camera - you center it on a star, and it communicates any tracking corrections needed to the main imaging system.

Well, as I have a habit of being honest to a fault: I will state, that I've been intrigued by autoguiders over the years. 

However...There are some things to consider: In order to use / take advantage of an autoguider, your set-up needs to be a certain level of capability. In other words, if you're not using an advanced tracking mount to begin with, an autoguider cannot be a consideration. Less expensive tracking mounts simply don't feature an autoguiding port.

If you do have a top-of-the-range tracking mount; then you can purchase a small guidescope and guide camera. Which will ensure that your tracking mount avoids tracking errors, etc.

Okay, all of that 🠉 doesn't exist with The Dwarf II.

5. Yep, all shots - Lights*, Darks, Biases, and Flats must each be placed in their own, dedicated file folders. Later, each folder must be specified (you must inform your software where each folder is). Or, things will not go well for you - LoL!

*Lights are the actual photos (frames) of the object you're imaging.

6. This is the part where your software has already stacked all of the (various types) of frames. This is when and where your post processing (of the final image) takes place. This was always one of my least favourite parts. It consists of sitting in front of your computer screen; and applying one minor adjustment after another to your final picture.

However, I'll state that it's inherent versatility, allows a user to get as involved as they please. Again, optional - as in, if a user is so inclined to. I'll touch on this a bit more below.

After one becomes competent (proficient) in this skill, they develop what is referred to as a workflow. Essentially, a series of steps of adjustments to your final image, which further enhances and sharpens your final result.
If someone were to ask me: Who is The Dwarf 2 good for? I would say (1st and foremost) it's well-suited for anyone wishing to try astrophotography. Virtually anyone from a (patient) teenager to a seasoned/experienced astronomer would likely enjoy this smart telescope. The only prerequisite being a desire to photograph objects in the night sky. 

A useful tip: I use this digital thermometer to check that The Dwarf 2 has cooled down (close to the outdoor temp.) before taking 'Astro Darks' (automatic Darks).

It is especially well-suited for anyone who has tried some astrophotography in the past, but perhaps found a facet of it annoying, unpleasant, or tedious. Since what a smart telescope does, is effectively handle almost all of the boring stuff! Why do I use the term almost? because in the case of The Dwarf 2, some things are still possible (at the user's discretion).
The unique thing about The Dwarf 2, is that it doesn't do away with everything. It gives the user the optional opportunity to:

• Attach 3rd-party nebula filters, including experimenting with various narrowband filters (Ha, OIII, or SII).

• Attach it to a standard, adjustable photo tripod, to do a (simple) polar alignment. This will allow you to accomplish much, much longer imaging sessions, before the effects of field rotation become apparent. 

• Take their own (additional) calibration frames (Darks, Flats, & Biases) to manually stack in software later. Someone might do this, in an effort to "squeeze" every additional amount of image quality out of the unit's capability. Think of this as something an experienced astrophotographer would be apt to do.

The Dwarf 2 smart telescope - In it's carry bag - Ready to go anywhere!

For my part, I have purchased an excellent nebula filter...And it has provided a very noticeable improvement in my images of deep sky objects (especially nebulae). What I'm actually referring to is called a Duo Band filter. The one I bought, from High Point Scientific, is manufactured by ZWO:

The ZWO Duo Band nebula enhancing filter.

Part 2 of 2 is coming up next... 

Until next time,
Clear skies!

Just Sharing Some Recent Images From The Dwarf II (for now)

Just Sharing Some Recent Images From my observatory Dwarf II!

There will be lots of images accompanying my upcoming review of The Dwarf 2 smart telescope...So, I thought I'd share a few now:

What can I say about The Dwarf II? This tiny device produces amazing results!

Affordable, smart telescopes, like The Dwarf 2 - Have changed the hobby of Astrophotography forever!

Galaxy M33 - Directly out of The Dwarf 2 - Zero Processing

The same image - With some processing in PixInsight

Please keep in mind: These images of DSO's, captured by The Dwarf 2, really don't require much post-processing. In other words, you certainly don't need to use expensive software like PixInsight. 

In my experience, some minor post-processing in free software Apps like: Paint.net, Gimp, and especially Siril - allow you to achieve excellent results! And, with less of a chance of "over-processing". Which it seems I may have been on the verge of doing, with the example above, of M33.

Also, the more time you dedicate to capturing images of each object, the better they'll look. The examples here, were very short duration sessions. None of them were much more that 100 images of 15 seconds each.

The following image of The North American Nebula, was accomplished with under 30 exposures:

The North American Nebula NGC 7000 - Straight out of The Dwarf 2 - Zero Processing.

Same image - With minor processing in PixInsight.

Some might be surprised to learn, that The Dwarf 2 was able to image a nebula as small as The Iris - Shown in previous post (below). But, this little unit continues to surprise me. 

The raw image of The Iris Nebula in particular, would benefit from some post-processing... It was taken with The ZWO Duo Band Filter attached. I bought my filter from High Point Scientific. I've ordered from them before, and they have great customer service. I bought my 10" Apertura Dobsonian from them, a couple of years back. And, this Duo Band Filter arrived very quickly.

Until next time,

Clear skies!

Some Images From The Dwarf II - Last Night!

Okay...of course, a full 2-part Review of The Dwarf 2 is coming... 

But, I couldn't resist showing some more comparison shots!

The Cocoon Nebula - 36 Min. total exposure time.

With The Dwarf II - 15" Exp. x 144, Gain:80, IR:Pass, 1.25" ZWO Duo Band filter.

Cropped, and only minor processing in Paint.net & Gimp.

Same for The Bubble Nebula

The Iris Nebula - About 30 to 50 minute exposure time.

The Dwarf II has changed the course of Astrophotography forever... I would never go back to a DSLR!

A GOTO scope with a CCD Camera...Maybe? I really like The Virtuoso GTi from SkyWatcher...

Until next time,

Clear skies!

Last Night, I Was Amazed By The Dwarf II Smart Telescope!

Astrophotography: Some of the things that come to my mind (things that I'm remembering) are the attempts which I (and I'm sure many other people) have tried in the past.

I used to use a DSLR, but before that - I experimented with film cameras, and a Meade Color CCD camera (the lowest cost unit they made). 

And here's an attempt at M31, many years ago, using a Meade color CCD camera attached to a Canon lens, on a cheap Orion tracking mount:

(under Bortle 8 skies)

M31 Beginner mistakes!

And here is an image from last night, under my Bortle 4 skies - about 150 15 second subs, stacked by The Dwarf II, with minor post processing in Paint.net:

I'm amazed by this little device! It used to take twice as much work, to get an image only half as nice!

Thoughts On The Dwarf II Smart Telescope From DwarfLabs Part 2 of 2

Thoughts On The Dwarf II Smart Telescope From DwarfLabs Part 2 of 2

Continued from Part 1 of 2.

First and foremost: It's here!! Yay! The Dwarf II arrived today (directly from DwarfLabs in China). Now, I usually "save" all the unboxing Pics for the actual review post...but, I'll share a couple:

😁

Box delivered by DHL - Pen shown for scale

Unboxing The Dwarf II

Let’s consider the realities of Astrophotography. We should really be thinking about, or more specifically remembering our early attempts: those which many of us have made, to capture Astrophotos in the past.

People who enjoy amateur astronomy, almost inevitably begin to get interested in astrophotography...At some point! The first steps (some of the first attempts) are what some of us usually try.

The equipment and things we first experiment with, when we first try to capture images of the Deep Space Objects (DSO's) for example.

Typical first attempts include things like: 

• Holding a cell phone camera up to the telescope (or binocular's) eyepiece.
• Probably followed by using a cell phone holder attached to the eyepiece of the telescope, or pair of binoculars.
• Holding a point & shoot digital camera up to the eyepiece.

Note: Only very short exposures are possible - Most likely, only one or two seconds; which, then makes it necessary to collect very large numbers of exposures to stack.

•  You'll have slightly better success if using a scope on a tracking mount, but after a while, you'll probably become dissatisfied with the results.

Again, I suppose I'm of the opinion that anyone who has enjoyed astronomy for any modest length of time, has at least made some attempt at getting a picture of what they're seeing...

In traditional astrophotography, there is a lot of work involved for post processing your acquired images on a PC. 

I can't say that Adobe Photoshop is required; but it is highly recommended (and it's not cheap!) Luckily, there are a few free programs you can use nowadays - Gimp, and Siril come to mind; there are others too. Incidentally, I'm currently learning my way around Siril :) Why? because most owners of The Dwarf II are using it! It's actually a nice bit of software (more on that later).

Sometimes, you can end up spending money on additional, third-party software. I'm referring to the (small) software applications, sometimes even Plug-Ins, specifically designed to help astrophotographers. 

More often (these days), someone might go in the direction of using a standard or modified DSLR camera, and a tracking mount. I've done this several times myself, in fact! This solution isn't as expensive as the others; which some people get involved with, further down the road in the hobby. I'm referring to good quality refractors, mounts (GEM's, etc.), and cooled CCD cameras...but let's slow down here a minute! 

Main factors still consist of having to work to acquire dark frames, flat frames, bias frames, and finally light frames (actual image frames). These then need to be transferred to a PC (a seperate file folder for each). Followed by the preliminary stacking. After the first raw stacking/raw image stacking takes place, then comes:

• Multi step process of manipulating (enhancing) the image commonly in Adobe Photoshop. 
• After applying all of the basic modifications, to improve the overall image.
• The next step is to apply the features of various third-party software, etc.
• So, finally, after all of the image processing is complete you finally have an image that you’re somewhat happy with.

This entire process becomes even more involved, and more labor-intensive (post processing) when an amateur moves to a dedicated camera such as a (cooled) CCD.

With a small relatively inexpensive system like the Dwarf II - You get to eradicate many of these steps!

The Dwarf II is like a miraculous gift when it comes to astrophotography! It is especially going to be most appreciated by many of us who have already gone through the steps of getting into, and sometimes out of, the astrophotography hobby. 

Unboxing The Dwarf II

It simply makes everything much more pleasurable. It makes astrophotography much less frustrating. Also much less labor-intensive. As for me, the post processing of images was my least favorite part of astrophotography. Have you ever tried post processing astro images on a somewhat older (slower) laptop??

That can be very frustrating! (OK, painful!).

When using The Dwarf II, this issue is practically nonexistent. Post processing can be done on the smartphone itself! And done! Your pics are ready to be shared with your friends on social media!

Doing some simple post processing - practically just a few minutes worth of adjustments, right on your cell phone is typically enough to render pretty nice deep sky photographs! You can achieve very nice looking astrophotography images of DSO’s, with just a few minor adjustments - available right in The Dwarf II's software! On your smart phone!

Then the image can be uploaded straight to your social media accounts to share with friends! What could be better than this? 

Another point that comes to mind, is the difficulty of enjoying astrophotography during the Summer months: it’s hot, humid, uncomfortable...and there's lots of mosquitoes. In some places, the mosquitoes can be really awful, necessitating the use of bug spray all over yourself. And for those of us who have done astrophotography during the Summer months, we can attest to the uncomfortable, frustrating issues involved. Ugghh!

Something else to consider: I'd like to draw your attention to the early months of Autumn - Or should I say, the months between Summer and Autumn? When there are certain combinations of temperature and humidity, which causes lenses to fog up! The areas between your eye and the eyepiece also fog up. These are things that can make visual astronomy, and conventional/traditional astrophotography quite frustrating. 

The Dwarf II eliminates all of this, because you can simply leave it in position, and then go inside - While it continues to capture images for you! And what’s even more astounding, and perhaps could be described as miraculous: is that you can control everything, by simply using your smart phone! Now of course, I realize that some of the conventional (expensive) rigs allow you to do this too. However, it can be said in a nutshell, that for under $500 US (or under $600 US for The Deluxe version), you can have a tiny little observatory - Which can be controlled remotely from inside your home! If you have a window facing The Dwarf II (WiFi/control range is ~15 feet).

What this translates into is: You can now do all of the astrphotography that you’ve been wanting to do (your Summer constellations & DSO's) without having to endure all of the drawbacks, the sweating and humidity, and mosquitoes! 

So again, The Dwarf II comes to the rescue by being a unit which doesn’t have to have your face placed against it - Causing: Fogging, condensation, humidity buildup, etc... Once again, it’s a matter of setting The Dwarf II on the tripod provided, or tripod of your choice - and completing some very easy steps.

A sneak peek at some unboxing Pics!

Doing the initial turning on, acquiring just some 'Astro Darks' (dark frames) and once again, either controlling it from a short distance, or even controlling it from inside your home (if you have a window facing the Dwarf II's position). 

Another point I’d like to bring up: I happen to be one of those people who didn’t mind cold temperatures.

Many years ago, I was able to tolerate cold temperatures with no problem. But now that I’m older, the cold seems to bother me a little bit more. Once again, The Dwarf II comes to the rescue – because once again, the set up is so easy and quick! Once the unit is set up outside, and the preliminary set up and positioning is done: You can then retreat inside, to the warmth of your home, to finish controlling it via your smart phone. 

These basic capabilities, these basic ways of operation of The Dwarf II, simply make it a no-brainer, when considering whether or not to get one!

It may be small, but there’s no reason for it to have to be large. The fact that it’s so small, has a lot to recommend it. There are lots of great advantages to the fact that it's such a tiny unit. It allows you to place it in an endless choice of locations. I only had it outside for 10 minutes (during the day) today. And there were many places where I could place it, where I would never be able to put a conventional DSLR, etc.

One of the things that need not be a concern is your smart phone's battery running low, since you can plug in your smart phone. You can charge the battery while you’re still controlling The Dwarf II.

This is also a great convenience! A final thought, for now: With The Dwarf II - you don't need to spend so much time sitting in front of a laptop to post-process your images. This is one of my favorite advantages. I was getting a bit tired of all the post processing steps. With DSLR-based AP: I was especially tired of all that time spent in from of the laptop screen. That's one of the big reasons why I welcome The Dwarf II! I can say goodbye to all that stacking and post processing! 

The images look good enough, where they don't need it! The Dwarf II does the stacking for you - and all you typically need to do, is a little bit of basic "post processing" and viola!

You have astrophotos ready to be shared with your friends!

I'm looking forward to comparing the astrophotos I took with my $1000+ set-up, against the ones I'm going to take with The Dwarf II! I'll be imaging the same Messier objects!

Much, much more to come, stay tuned!

Check out my AstroProducts Review YouTube Channel!

Clear skies!

The Dwarf II - An Awesome New Product!

I want to bring your attention to a smart telescope, which was released earlier this year (2023). It is The Dwarf II automated photography system, and as you’ll see: it's a miraculous device!

The Dwarf II on it’s included tripod (stock photo).

It allows you to:

• Create astrophotos of Deep Sky Objects - Pretty much automatically!
• Focus on, and take photos of terrestrial animals.
• Create sharp, panoramic photos of landscapes - With just a few clicks!

I’m very happy to inform you, that I will be posting a full, multi-part review of The Dwarf II soon…

So, while writing this first, "online look" at The Dwarf II: A random question/idea just occurred to me - Who, exactly would appreciate The Dwarf II the most? 

Well, that's easy: Folks who have previously dabbled in (low-cost) astrophotography.

We are the ones who will appreciate this unit the most.

Why?

Because we have already gone through many attempts at astrophotography, while staying under a modest budget.

The many objects you can photograph with 

The Dwarf II (stock image).

It’s definitely the perfect device for those wanting to learn about astrophotography. It allows the user to be involved in the process-which is very much like traditional astrophotography. This allows the user to enjoy learning about the subject, and the process - which gives a feeling of accomplishment.

Image of M31, The Andromeda Galaxy, taken with a Dwarf II (stock image).

In an upcoming post, I can use myself, as an excellent example - I will share the equipment I acquired, and the resulting astrophotos (of DSO's) I was able to manage. 

This will give a baseline idea, of what it’s like, trying to do astrophotography on a budget.

Among the equipment which I will be discussing, will be:

1. Cameras on tripods.

2. CCD camera attached to Canon Camera lens, on an Orion motorized mount.

3. Modified DSLR, with Light Pollution filter(s) on various tracking devices.

Much more to follow - Stay tuned!

Clear skies!

🌌 

Review: The GCE Filters from DGM Optics

Possibly the best kept secret in nebula filters, the GCE filters from DGM Optics

I live in a heavily light-polluted area, right in one of the five boroughs of New York City. It's unfortunate; But, like other (dedicated) urban observers, I don't let it stop me from enjoying visual astronomy. For me, it's DSO's; In fact, it's almost always been DSO's for me. Except of course, for that first year... With the first small refractor kit - Back when I was 14 years old: During my first year of observing, I went for planets and the moon. Well, I'm 48 now - And I'm a confirmed chaser of faint fuzzies. It also seems that I appreciate and enjoy binocular astronomy more and more each year. I'm always on the lookout for that next instrument (usually Binos these days), or an accessory to help me fight light pollution. Generally, anything that will give me a bit of an advantage help me to locate and view fainter and fainter DSO's.

For a few brief years (while in my late 20's) I was fortunate enough to own and use some fine optical instruments: A TeleVue Pronto (70mm refractor), along with Televue and Takahashi EP's; Fujinon 7x50's & 16x70's - Both with proprietary screw-on Fujinon nebula filters, as well as an 8" Dobsonian with lots of nebula filters... I took a short "hiatus" from astronomy for a while (while pursuing other hobbies), and ended up selling all of my high-quality equipment.

Today, my equipment consists of the following: Bushnell 8x30's, Barska 15x70's, Garrett Signature Series 10x50's, Celestron 80mm Spotting scope (20-60x), Bushnell 5" Truss Tube Dob, Apertura AD8 8" Tweaker's Dream Dob, Standard Bushnell & Apertura EP's, Tripods, and lots of Nebula filters...
My latest accessory purchase, was a pair of unique "nebula" filters from a company called DGM Optics. Not only are these filters priced lower than many other companies' offerings - But, according to an excellent review I read, they perform better than filters from the other well-known companies!
I ordered a pair of their GCE filters for use on a couple of pairs of binoculars, etc., to help me in spotting DSO's.

GCE stands for Galaxy Contrast Enhancement! Neat, huh? Of course, I was initially very intrigued by them.
Well, it's true - I've seen it for myself now; using a pair of them on my Garrett Signature Series 10x50 binoculars (and also on EP's, with my 8" Dobsonian).
I have no affiliation with DGM Optics, by the way (aside from being a satisfied customer).
Here are the filters screwed onto the threaded eyepiece barrels of my 10x50's - This is basically their permanent location now.

As far as I know - These are the only filters currently in production, that are actually indicated for the image enhancement of galaxies! I think this is great! And although (as one would expect) the difference isn't jaw-dropping - So far, I have seen a noticeable improvement when viewing several of the brighter galaxies: M31, M51, M101. And I'm really looking forward to using them on many more (smaller & fainter) galaxies!
These filters are great for use on small aperture instruments - especially Binoculars. One of the reasons for this, is that they allow a generous amount of light through (while blocking light pollution, of course).

At a quick glance, they could be considered close to a 'Broadband' type of light pollution filter - As opposed to say, a UHC-type for example. I suppose the only popular filters that they could be compared to, would be the 'Deep Sky' types. However the GCE's actually do improve the view on galaxies in my heavily light polluted backyard.
I've never taken the time to accurately determine what the NELM is at my observing site. But, I would say it's about magnitude 4 (maybe 4.5, on a really good night!). Using the GCE filters on my Garrett 10x50's, mounted on a good Manfrotto tripod set, I've been able to see (and confirm) the following objects: The Rosette nebula, The Christmas Tree Cluster, The Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392), IC 405 & 410, and Pk219+31.1. There are a few more faint nebula that I thought I may have seen, using averted vision - But, cannot confirm 100%, so I haven't listed them.
This was just during the first few weeks since their arrival.

The GCE's give all objects under observation an interesting hue of magenta. Sort of a pinkish/purple, that I happen to find pleasing. It doesn't seem to be as restrictive, or distracting as other nebula filters that I've used. Anyone who has an assortment of nebula filters in their collection knows what I'm referring to.

In addition to my 10x50's, they perform very well when carefully taped to the eyepieces of my cheap Barska 15x70's. I also use one with my 8" Dobsonian when scanning/searching for DSO's, using wide-field (30 & 25mm) 1.25" eyepieces. They work very well on my higher-power EP's also (10 & 9mm).

I was going over my Astronomy notes recently...And realized, that there are some interesting technical details about these nebula filters that I can share. This is info copied directly from DGM Optics, hence the quotations: My comments are italicized.

"The Galaxy Contrast Enhancement™ filter aids in the visual observation of galaxies and milky way dust clouds and dark lanes. The GCE filter takes a different approach to enhancing galaxy observation by allowing high transmission through nearly the entire visible spectrum while rejecting only the harmful light pollution wavelengths. Because of those attributes it also is a very good general purpose LPR filter, unlike traditional wideband filters, which exclude most of the red portion of the visible spectrum. - I like this very much, because until now, it seemed that you couldn't "have your cake & eat it too" - If you used a broadband filter, from other manufacturers, some of the desired wavelengths were getting blocked as well (especially the desired red).

"Specifications
The GCE filter design stresses maximum optical throughput utilizing state-of-the-art optical thin-film designs and materials. This filter is a “first surface” hard oxide thin-film and is much more durable and long lived than laminated “soft film” designs used by several famous makers." - I'm also very happy about this, no one wants a light pollution filter with a surface that will deteriorate over time.

"They are also much less prone to the internal reflectance problems that plague laminated filters. Laminated filters can produce a very undesirable “doubling” of stellar images often with one of the doubles being red. Contrary to popular belief, this image doubling is not due to the red sideband component that many nebula filter designs produce, but in many cases is due to laminated glass not being exactly parallel to the protective cover plate after lamination. Many laminated filters display this annoying characteristic." - After learning about this, why would anyone want to buy an inferior nebula filter again? I won't be!

"This filter averages around 1% Transmission (optical density of 2) through the rejection region from 540 to 590nm, and average transmission greater than 90% Transmission in the passbands, and greater than 75% at the 656.3nm H-Alpha line. The design yields a filter with a very symmetrical shape and high optical throughput, for maximum enhancement of nebula with a minimum of loss of stars in the field of view.
The substrate is quartz and has measured total wavefront values of .25 waves. - I find this fact awesome. These filters don't use plain glass as their substrate; it's Quartz!
The combination of first surface optical thin-film technology and a polished, flat substrate enables this filter to be used with high magnification, a real plus for small planetary nebula." - And, finally, this last part - about being "a real plus for small planetary nebula" It just so happens, that I have become very interested in hunting planetary nebula recently So, I was also happy to read this.
If there is any area that has room for improvement, it would be with the (1.25") metal filter housing. The small notches on the outer diameter of the filter housing: These serve to provide a better grip, or traction for a user's fingertips (while screwing the filters on or off of EP's). It would be nice, if they could be made to be less likely to slip between fingertips. My other nebula filters seem to be easier to hold on to, by allowing fingertips to gain a firmer grip. The actual filter cells on these GCE's could be considered "low-profile" when compared to the Zhumell brand filters, for instance.


As for me: One of the joys of using this GCE filter - Is that I simply leave a pair of them screwed into the threaded EP barrels of my Garrett signature series 10x50's - And, I just leave them attached all the time. I don't find my views of Asterisms, or Open Clusters darkened very much at all. Yet, they improve the views of all DSO's at same time. They constantly help me to detect nebulas (of all kinds), which I simply could not/would not see without the filters in place. I've actually tested this quite a few times.

It would be great, if someone who has other name-brand "Broadband" LPR filters (or DeepSky/SkyGlow types) could also do some tests verses the GCE filter...
The smallest (good-quality) binoculars I currently have, are my Garrett 10x50's. But, I believe these filters would also perform well on smaller Binos (if one were willing to experiment) - Which would be great when scanning for/observing even larger, diffuse DSO's. In fact, I believe I just gave myself an idea for a future project...
In conclusion, I just wanted to share my experiences. I happen to be a huge fan of binocular Astronomy (and nebula filters!). And, hope that fellow Astronomers, who have similar interests, will find these GCE's to be a useful addition to their equipment.

Clear skies!

Sears-branded, 60mm Refractor Telescope - Model #6333-a

My recently acquired, and almost completely restored 60mm refractor telescope — made in Japan. It is a Sears # 4 -6333-a achromatic refractor, from about the late 1960's (or early 1970's).

Here are a few quick videos, to serve as a brief look at the current status of this Sears 60mm refractor:

When it arrived (well packaged) it was in very nice condition. So there's only been some very minor (and super easy) restoration steps taken:

The small chrome levers, for locking the RA and Dec movement of the scope, had a tendency to be in a constant state of being slightly unscrewed / un-tightened. It was very annoying! You can see both levers in the center of the  video frame above.

Well, applying just a tiny amount of Loctite Blue to the screw threads of those small shafts solved the issue.

The black handled screwdriver, seen in this video frame - is actually designed specifically for Japanese screws. They may have laughed at me, when I left the hobby shop with a couple of these screwdrivers all those years ago...But, who's laughing now?

Upon disassembly of the star diagonal (to find the cause of the minor rattling sound) - I suppose I was fully expecting to see a mirror. In my experience, that is what was always found residing in a star diagonal.

Not so with this one; it uses a glass prism instead. 

There will be much more to follow, in the upcoming posts. I will be covering the minor steps I'm taking, to make this vintage refractor look, and perform as well as it can. Stay tuned.

In even more exciting news: Not one, but three wonderful, vintage telescopes are being delivered by new friend Scott sometime soon...just waiting for the weather to cooperate. 

As mentioned briefly in the previous post, these 3 telescopes: a 4.25", and two 6" reflectors (different F/ ratios) were manufactured by Edmund Scientific. Probably in the mid-seventies to early eighties (prob ~1981 for the red tube).

All the wonderful details about these 3 optical instruments will be revealed here on the blog, in due time :) Along with "before" and "after" Pics and (YouTube) videos. It's going to be a lot of fun!!

The short version of the headline is: Yes, there still are thoughtful, decent, and generous people in the world. 

Stay tuned! - It appears that I will become a vintage telescope collector overnight! 

It's going to be amazing! If all goes according to plan - This blog will have the unique distinction, of being a depository of information and photos on Edmund Scientific telescopes. Along with detailed pictures, and restoration steps, etc.

Until next time - Clear & steady skies to you!

Out With Astrophotography - In With Video Astronomy?

As stated in my previous post: I just have had it with AP.

The Star Adventurer Pro mount has been sold (on eBay) and is en route to it's new owner, in warmer climes. With Winter fully upon us now, equipment functioning properly in seriously cold temperatures is a concern. Not only electronics for Astrophotography, but even professional equipment for wildlife sound recording - I will be covering these topics, both here, and on my bat detector reviews blog soon...

I'll also be covering how intrigued I've been by a couple of the latest 'Actual Astronomy Podcasts ' recently, and what they had to say about cold weather observing. They discussed one instance, when temps were so low (-30° C) that cameras couldn't be counted on to function! And they had to resort to sketching - just wow!

And finally, I want to touch on a subject matter which is close to my heart. Without going into too many details:

I was fortunate enough to have a Want Ad responded to, by an extraordinary gentleman. A former Research Scientist, current Educator, and collector of vintage astronomy equipment. He collects the good stuff! 

Such as telescopes by: Cave Astrola, Edmund Scientific, Unitron, Questar, Optical Craftsman, etc.

His name is Scott, and he's a super nice guy, who generously offered to go to great lengths to get not one, but three lovely vintage telescopes to me (here in upstate New York). I always thought stuff like this only happens to other people - LoL! I recently read about a fellow (on one of the Facebook groups) being gifted a complete, beautiful, Unitron refractor! 

However, the undertaking is not only comprised of a great distance to travel - but some weather forecasts promised to add snow to mix, on the proposed travel dates... 😢

So, I was beginning to lose hope of getting them anytime soon...As of Jan. 14th, that has changed :) This real, amazing human being will be making the trip...

As some of you may recall, I happen to be disabled. I have 8 damaged discs in my spine (which are inoperable), and Fibromyalgia. So I deal with chronic pain, and don't drive. This Scholar-Gentleman agreed to drive 6.5+ hours, to deliver the 3 telescopes to me! For just the cost of gasoline. Yes, people like this still exist among us. And it's very fortunate for me.

I've just now been reminded of a line from a H.S. textbook (Asian history): "...Confucius would accept a student, even if all he had to offer was a bundle of dried meat."

One of the topics I'd like to cover in future posts here on the blog, is the challenges, methods and optical instruments used for super-cold weather astronomy.

If you have a favorite optical instrument, which you use for (relatively short) astronomy observing sessions (in Winter) - I'd love to hear about it! Please mention in the comments section below.

Until next post, clear and steady skies!

Got Myself A Serious Tracking Mount - A (used) Skywatcher Star Adventurer

 So, I was shopping around (all over, actually) for a Star Adventurer tracking mount. I was on eBay, Astromart, and Cloudy Nights classifieds for a little over three days...

When, finally, someone listed one (on Astromart) - with just about all the accessories (except the small green anodized ball head mount). And I snatched it up; within hours of it being listed.

Seller's Orig Pic

The Seller was a really nice guy, and shipped it out right away. And for the first few nights, it worked great! Polar alignment doesn't even have to be perfect in order to get nice (trail-free) exposures of between 30" up to 2'! - Depending on how well you're polar aligned.

The Seller included a heavy duty ball head

 

I've even been keeping myself busy buying even more accessories and doo dad's for this mount...Including a new ball head holder, etc., etc.

For now, I just wanted to state: That although my astrophotography attempts have been easier than ever before; and some of the results I'm getting have been better than ever:

In all honesty, I still don't think I'm 100% "all in" when it comes to AP. I'm into it for now, strictly because of the close-to-freezing Temps we're facing over the next couple of months. 

The only way to enjoy any kind of astronomy, is via AP - where you can set everything up outside on a deck, take 15-20 Min. to frame & focus, etc., and then retreat back inside. While the equipment diligently takes the sub-exposures for you.

The bottom line, it seems: is that I much rather be enjoying the simple pleasures of observing DSO's and creating pencil sketches. The simple joy of using a telescope (or binoculars) to observe.

The first (and ever looming) issue, when it comes to AP - Is the cost. It's an expensive hobby. Especially if you want to do it right.

Mind you, this is coming from a guy who used to use a homemade barn door tracker ($25) as a mount! My entire AP set-up cost me about $600 (with camera, which was bought modified, for ~ $300+). That was my first foray into AP...while living under Bortle 8 skies.

Then, I moved to Bortle 4ish skies; and things were great. I was still using the barn door tracker, and getting good results. Short sub-exposures, though. Then, I got out of AP. Sold my modified Canon, and all the AP goodies.

Now, we moved to some solid Bortle 4 skies. So...I tried it again. By acquiring this Star Adventurer mount, etc. But - Here's a spoiler: The mount is currently for sale, right back on Astromart and Cloudy Nights.  ((sigh)) ...Well, I tried.

I guess what bugs me the most (these days) is the necessity of taking Darks, Flats, and Bias Frames - Ugh. Annoying.  

But, if we really get down to brass tacks - It's the expense. It's just naturally an expensive hobby. Much more expensive, in my estimation than even Mini Reef Keeping (marine aquariums). A person can set-up a very small ("Nano Reef") of a few gallons -to- 5 gallons in size, for much less than it takes to get started in AP.

YouTube is practically littered with videos on exactly how to do it. From 0 to thriving mini-reef aquarium in under $300. It's just an example...

Anyway, the expense - That's what's been "bugging" me lately. Most likely, because as of late, I'm on a lower budget than ever. Plus, the idea (mostly, the simplicity) of just observing (and maybe sketching) DSO's with an optical instrument has a quaint appeal to it.

What I've been fascinated with lately, are vintage optics. Vintage telescopes, both reflectors and refractors; as well as binoculars. I have even contemplated selling my Star Adventurer mount...so that I can buy a nice, vintage telescope. By this I mean something like a Tasco, or Edmund Scientific 4.5" reflector... Or a 76.2mm Tasco refractor, or any of the other desirable vintage models. Again, the only thing stopping me - are these really cold temperatures...

If you're one of the 3 people who occasionally visit this blog, and you have any opinions/thoughts to add on this subject: Please do!

To be continued...

Clear and steady skies to you!

Maybe the Best Kept Secret In Nebula Filters! Part II

Maybe the Best Kept Secret In Nebula Filters! Part II

The filters were shipped out to me on Monday, and arrived on Wednesday. Preliminary tests showed that they seem to: Darken the background sky nicely, Allow a good amount of light through (compared to OIII filters for example), And I like the way they render most stars a hot purple-ish hue (it's a nice change from the usual green of all other filters).
Since their arrival, several weeks ago - I've had quite a few opportunities to use them. And, I really like them!

OK, so I was going over my Astronomy notes recently...And realized, that I left out some interesting technical details about these nebula filters while haphazardly writing my original Post. So, in re: to the GCE nebula filters, from DGM Optics - Here's some more details, along with my comments in Purple - (this info is directly from DGM Optics):

"The Galaxy Contrast Enhancement™ filter aids in the visual observation of galaxies and milky way dust clouds and dark lanes. The GCE filter takes a different approach to enhancing galaxy observation by allowing high transmission through nearly the entire visible spectrum while rejecting only the harmful light pollution wavelengths. Because of those attributes it also is a very good general purpose LPR filter, unlike traditional wideband filters, which exclude most of the red portion of the visible spectrum. I like this very much, because until now, you couldn't "have your cake & eat it too" - If you used a broadband filter, from other manufacturers, some of the desired wavelengths were getting blocked as well.

Specifications
The GCE filter design stresses maximum optical throughput utilizing state-of-the-art optical thin-film designs and materials. This filter is a “first surface” hard oxide thin-film and is much more durable and long lived than laminated “soft film” designs used by several famous makers." 

I'm also very happy about this, no one wants a light pollution filter with a surface that will deteriorate over time. 
"They are also much less prone to the internal reflectance problems that plague laminated filters. Laminated filters can produce a very undesirable “doubling” of stellar images often with one of the doubles being red.

 

Contrary to popular belief, this image doubling is not due to the red sideband component that many nebula filter designs produce, but in many cases is due to laminated glass not being exactly parallel to the protective cover plate after lamination. Many laminated filters display this annoying characteristic." This is awful! After learning about this, why would anyone buy an inferior nebula filter again? I won't be!

"This filter averages around 1% Transmission (optical density of 2) through the rejection region from 540 to 590nm, and average transmission greater than 90% Transmission in the passbands, and greater than 75% at the 656.3nm H-Alpha line. The design yields a filter with a very symmetrical shape and high optical throughput, for maximum enhancement of nebula with a minimum of loss of stars in the field of view.
The substrate is quartz and has measured total wavefront values of .25 waves. I find this fact awesome :) These filters don't use plain glass as their substrate; it's Quartz! 
The combination of first surface optical thin-film technology and a polished, flat substrate enables this filter to be used with high magnification, a real plus for small planetary nebula." And, finally, this last part - about being "a real plus for small planetary nebula" It just so happens, that I have become very interested in hunting planetary nebula recently; so, I was also happy to read this. 

As for me: One of the joys of using this GCE filter - Is that I simply leave a pair of them screwed into the threaded EP barrels of my Garrett signature series 10x50's - And, I just leave them attached all the time. I don't find my views of Asterisms, or Open Clusters darkened very much at all. Yet, they improve the views of all DSO's at same time. I plan to do a side-by-side comparison of these, vs. the pair of Zhumell OIII filters I have, and post my findings.
It would be great, if someone who has other name-brand "Broadband" LPR filters could also do some tests vs. the GCE filter...
The smallest (good-quality) Binoculars I currently have, are my Garrett 10x50's. But, I believe that these would also perform well on smaller Binos - Which would be great when scanning for/observing large, diffuse DSO's. In fact, I believe I just gave myself an idea for a future project...

Clear skies!
-Al