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V 2.1 will be / is the next version of the app, that will update the onboard OS software perhaps to 3.???
Hello Paul, the App update has been issued, this also updates the onboard O.S. & Kouda, Masaki has published an updated guide to ver 2.1.0, where it talks about imaging Alberio which I must admit I will try skies permitting – When photographing the double star Albireo in “Stargazing Mode,”
you can see that it is a double star in the preview, but with a 10-second
exposure you cannot see. By setting the camera to “Lunar Mode” and
adjusting the gain and exposure time, you can see that it is a double star
at the appropriate brightness. Also, if you zoom in at “x4” you can see
that it has beautiful colours like sapphire and topaz.
To operate, first align the target star using SkyAtlas, then exit the
mode after it is in “Stargazing Mode”, then set it to “Lunar Mode” and
“Skip Goto”.I have attached the PDF hope it helps.
Diane.
The app and firmware updated nicely this evening.
I have also downloaded seestar_alp (https://github.com/smart-underworld/seestar_alp) which works remarkably well and is much more controllable than the Seestar app. It can send the S50 to a specified position in RA/Dec (either Jnow or J2000 epochs), those data can be typed in, pasted from the clipboard or transferred from Stellarium. It also has a scheduler for fully unattended usage. Very highly recommended and I hope that the official ZWO app takes some of the features on board. The app has finally caught up with seestar_alp in that it now does mosaic mode.
Of course, just as I was getting the hang of seestar_alp this evening the sky clouded over completely and I didn’t get a single image.
Hello
I am in Canada and use the SS50. I use it with the local wifi connected onto my android tablet, and it works fine. Connect and go into the WAN settings to pick the SeeStar it, loads, then you are good to go.
Kim HayThank you Diane for the manual. I have not tried the Mosaic mode yet, of course its been cloudy since the download.
This helps alot. There is a FB official group of the SS50 but not to much documentation.
Kim
Oh, woe is me.
My life is a misery.
Oh, can’t you see
That I’m at the start of a pretty big downer?This is just a self-pitying whinge, please ignore if you wish.
I am still having immense difficulties starting an imaging session with the Seestar, having just spent over an hour trying to get it set up. Part of the problem was that it took four attempts to install the latest firmware upgrade. I have no idea what I did differently this time, other than changing the firmware, for the occasion when I had a mostly successful session.
One problem, though, appears to be that the SS starts by looking at the zenith (I may be wrong) and if there is cloud around that point it fails to initialize its calibration (again I may be wrong). Although that may be an issue, waiting until the zenith is clear didn’t seem to ghelp much. Even after performing an explicit polar alignment, telling it to point to a specific object, and the telescope occasionally appears seems to be pointing in that general cloudless direction, it fails to show anything, let alone auto-focus or stack incoming images.
Perhaps I need to find a reasonably local to Cambridge and clueful SS owner whom can give me a tutorial as to how to get the damn thing working within a few minutes of taking it outside and applying power.
I have had the same problem when the S50, tries to plate solve through clouds, I have at times had to switch to “Scenery” mode to centre my target,anyway am attaching 2 PDF’s to cover v2.1 & v2.2 updates they might be of use to one and all.
Thanks.
I never thought of switching to scenery mode, so thanks!
Dunno. Think my mind must be too highly trained Diane. (Extra points for knowing where that came from.)
I have been using the S50 for a few months and have been having a great deal of fun with it. Following the recent software upgrade for IOS the device has performed very well and I am beginning to believe that this little instrument is the future.
My objective is to explore variable star photometry – eg of cataclysmic variables – and perhaps supernovae patrolling. Any experience in these areas offered by other Members would be much appreciated.
It would be great to be able to input RA and Dec of target objects, but the Guide map will suffice for the time being.
I’m also playing with an objective diffraction grating and hope to secure some spectra soon. Again, any experience here of other Members would be most interesting.
Here are some recent images….
Hi Malcolm, unlike you I am still a newbie with the S50 but, like you, I plan to use it for photometry. Some of my initial research may prove useful to you.
First, the seestar_alp program is a useful extension of the iOS / Android control app. Put the S50 in station mode and control it with a real computer with a real screen, real keyboard, and real mouse, doing so from a nicely lit and warm room indoors. The program supports RA&Dec input (in J2000 and Jnow) which can be taken from a variety of sources such as Simbad as well as being typed or pasted in. It is wrotten in Python & Javascript and allegedly runs under Linux (most hosts, including RaspberryPi), Windows and MacOS. Find it at https://github.com/smart-underworld/seestar_alp
Second, AAVSO have published a set of transformation coefficients which allegedly convert native RGB measurements into (an approximation to) standard BVR photometry bands. These can be found at https://www.aavso.org/bvr-transformation-coefficients-seestar-s50
Finally, here is an image of SS Cygni taken when the VS was in outburst. I have not measure the FITS files yet.
HTH,
PaulEvening All, there was another update today V2.2.1, which will update the firmware to V3.68, it has added 1 sec exp’s for both scenery & planetary modes but only when using time lapse, along with some “bug fixes” I came across the attached image,looks like the strap has somehow frayed.
Diane.
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