SeeStar S50

 Okay, I bought the kool-aid and purchased a SeeStar S50. I watched a couple of reviews, one by an amateur I really respect who said to wait. I didn't. I would like to share my reasoning and my experience with this new telescope.

I purchased it as a way to get images without investing a ton into astro photography. Also the ease of use on the app is a plus to me and I installed SeeStar app on my iPhone 14 and my iPad.  I then spent two evenings in my SQM L 19.4 skies practicing imaging. I sat on the grass as the telescope went to work. Here are the images from those nights of June 17th and June 18th from my backyard in Herriman Utah. 

I tried some of the eye candy objects as you can see and a also a couple of Hershel 400 galaxies. I liked what came out even with the short exposure times.  I have a purpose on this and one will be to capture the images of what I sketch and list them side my side moving forward. 

I also took the SeeStar S50 to Forest Road 006 and imaged as I observed and again at Wolf Creek.  Here is the telescope at Forest Road 006: 

It's light, portable and easy to use! I actually really am enjoying imaging with it. Here are my images from Forest Road 006: 

You can see at a dark site that the SeeStar performs quite well. Here are the Wolf Creek Images: 

Again, I really like this both in my backyard and especially in the field. I have wanted to use it the last couple of nights but clouds have been in the way. I am hoping later in the week. I have some special in mind to use this. My only compliant on it is they do not include an adapter to plug into the way for the USB C cord they provide. They should provide the adapter as well in my opinion and the 2" filter adapter. 

I know for new moon in September I will be on the Oregon coast and with no scope except for the SeeStar S50. I expect it to get a lot of use there as well! 

My overall impression is for someone like me, a visual observer, the SeeStar S50 provides an rather inexpensive way to do some imaging. Here are some projects I thought I would or could use it for. 

1. First project will be to image all the Herschel 400 so I have an image of each one to go with the sketches I do. 

2. Supernova Hunting on the main galaxies of the season. I love supernova and being able to image 5-10 galaxies every couple of nights and compare them to see if there is a supernova could be fun. 

3. To confirm my observations if I have questions. 

4. For those nights when I cannot get out but can image from my home by setting up the SeeStar S50 in my backyard. It will also help to to decide if some of the objects I want to visually go after at a dark site are worth it. 

Top View May 29th and 30th, 2025

Man, that IS REALLY the pits. I'm typing up here and almost ready to add sketches when some dumb AI eliminates my text and I cannot get it back. 

So, after Lakeside the weather was great and Shane and I decided to head out to Top View. Top View is about 55 minutes away if I leave in the afternoon or 45 minutes either way after the commute traffic is done. I've talked about it before but it is wide open, off the road a decent way and is on a ridge so in the fall there is far less dew. Pit n Pole where I used to go 10 plus years ago has become a dumping ground and a shooting area and I now avoid it at all costs. 

It's unfortunate because I have great memories there with my friend Shahid, Jorge, Matt, Jeff and others. It was easy to get to and a quick hit. Now with all the development in Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain, and the ever increasing light dome that brings, Pit n Pole has, I believed, for the most part, been abandoned by observers. 

I think that is the one thing I find hard about all the changes over the last 10 years. It now adds time to drive out during the commute hours of 4pm to 7pm if I head out then. I either need to leaver earlier, which come fall and winter and spring is fine, or in the summer, arrive really early as I did this day. 

Top View is a weeknight quick hit for me. I never sleep over here. I get there, set up, observe and then pack up and drive home, leaving the Ascent loaded up in the locked garage so I can enjoy the comforts of my own bed. For that it is GREAT.  It is a rather decent dark site. I get SQM L of 21.5's there right now, an occasional 21.60.  I love that it is wide open. The eastern views are hard as the light pollution dome of the Salt Lake Valley is to the NE and of Provo, Saratoga Springs and the southern part of the Wasatch Front are to the east. 

The light dome 10-15 years ago only rose up about 5 degrees. Then it inched up to 10 degrees, then 15 degrees and now two closed fists or about 20 degrees in that direction. 

I like to give you the reader a feel for the location, so here are a few pictures. 

The southern view. This is one area I observe a lot towards as it is dark. 

The southwest view with the Sheeprocks near Forest Road 006 starting to show. Again, a good direction, nice and dark. 

The western view toward the Sheeprocks and again nice and dark. I mainly observe SE to S, S, S-SW, W, W-NW at Top View and of course, heading up toward zenith. 

Here is the Ascent after I've unloaded what I'll use that night.  I got out before Shane and picked my spot and got set up. The clouds as you'll see dispersed as we got later into the evening until at dark, they were gone. 

Here is the back of the Ascent. I have it set up to where the Interior lights remain off even with the tailgate up. I have always used my tailgate, from my Nissan Pathfinder to my Subaru Outback's to the Ascent to open up my eyepieces and that is where I go to get them. I usually in my bibs, and I wear my bibs year round as I have two pair, a late spring, summer and early fall and a late fall, winter and early spring pair with pockets that will hold any eyepiece I have in them. I usually have 2-3 on me. When I want to change out what I am using I go to the back of the Ascent and swap them out. Or if I need a filter it is there. The cases that hold the PiFinder and finderscope and Telrad and 4 inch riser are in the back as well. 

Here is the 17.5 all setup and collimated and ready. I find that I get out early enough now to use my Catseye Collimation tools, I have all of them and then after the sun goes down, I confirm with my Howie Glatter laster and TuBlug. I find now that usually the Howie Glatter is just confirming that I am right on or I just need a very, very minor tweak. 

Here are my two scopes, my main ones. The 14" an the 17.5". I get asked sometimes which I prefer and I have to openly admit I LOVE both my scopes. I find that as most who read my blog will see I use the 17.5" the most, but I can see myself using the 14" more and more as I age into my 60's now and then into my 70's. Shane has been using the 14" a lot but now that he has his own 17.5" I expect that to end. 

I also suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease. It means that at times I may have to use the 14" to keep both feet on the ground or in my chair and because it is far easier because of weight to load. When the kidney's flair then the 14" will be the scope I use. For the most part I keep my kidney function good but more on that on the posts from observing when I get to them from last week. However, as I keep swimming everyday, get down from 220 to 200 and maintain, I also walk on a regular basis, I think I can keep using both scopes for many more years. 

I try hard to take care of my scopes and the wood and parts and do so because I want them to last the rest of my lifetime, however long that is. Afterwards, my son gets first dibs on them and I believe he wants them. 

I have to admit that there are many things I love about living in Utah, and a few I wish I could change. It would be the same wherever I live. However, the sunsets here are to die for! Here is the sunset that evening at Top View. Yep, clouds are gone and we are ready for magic time, the transition from day to night and the observing it brings!

This night was a great night for me. I did something that I need to make sure I do before observing each time. Either using my dimmed up iPad and Sky Safari or the finder charts I print off from Sky Tools 4, I need to plan out my hops to each object and if I do that, I find that I find the object 100% of the time. As I install and begin using my PiFinder I am sure that will take the place of some star hopping, but sometimes I just like to star hop and so will keep doing that. 

The following is what I observed on May 29th through the early morning of May 30th. Not in order necessary.

Location: Top View, West Desert, Utah 

Antoniadi II 

SQM L: 21.52-21.61 during the night 

17. 5 f/4.4 dob; Paracorr II on all observations  

1. NGC 4535 The Lost Galaxy; 22mm Nagler, 10mm Pentax XW. 

This is a very bright galaxy with spiral arms in a S pattern north to south with lower contrast. Small tight core and I could discern darkness between the core and the arms during my observation. Beautiful!!!!! 

2. NGC 4535 and NGC 4526 in Virgo. 22mm Nagler T4, 26mm Nagler T5; 30mm Pentax XW; 

This is a wide field view of NGC 4526 and NGC 4535 the Lost Galaxy.  NGC 4535 showed hints of spiral arms even at this low magnification and NGC 4526 has a bright stellar core. 

3. NGC 4526 in Virgo. 10mm & 7mm Pentax XW; SQM L 21.53, Antoniadi II 

This is a very bright and elongated galaxy and lays WNw to ESE. It has a very bright core and a stellar nucelus. located between a 6.9 mag and a 6.7 mag stars. Nice at higher magnificiation. 

4. NGC 4365 and NGC 4370 in Coma Berenices; Elliptical Galaxy; May 29, 2025, Antoniadi II; SQM-L 21.52. 22mm Nagler T4 10mm & 7mm Pentax XW. 

NGC 4365 shows as an elliptical galaxy and is very bright with a brighter core region. Hint of a stellar nucleus. Lays NE to SW and is a good example of an elliptical. 

NGC 4370 is up and to the left and is a very faint fuzzy in the sketch. NGC 4370 is a small and faint fuzzy laying E-W; is rather faint with no details to it. 

5. NGC 4245 in Coma Berenices; May 29th, 2025, Antoniadi II, 22mm Nagler T4 and 7mm & 10mm Pentax XW. 

Bright galaxy, somewhat elongated SE to NW.  Very bright core.  Core increases in brightness to a hint of a stellar nucleus and can be held in direct vision. Shows hints of a bar with very good transparency this evening. Brightening of that bar on the SE end and NW end. 

6. NGC 4278, 4283, 4286 in Coma Berenices. Antoniadi II; SQM L 21.54, 22mm Nagler T4 and 10mm & 7mm Pentax XW.  

NGC 4278 is rather bright, roundish in nature/shape and rather large galaxy that has a faint edge seen with averted vision. Leads to a prominent core with a somewhat stellar nucleus. 

NGC 4283 is a rather bright, small galaxy with a small bright core and a stellar nucleus. 

NGC 4280 is a really faint and low surface brightness galaxy. Just slightly elongated and is a faint fuzzy. 

7. NGC 4448 in Coma Berenices; May 30th, 2025; Antoniadi II; SQM 21.54; 22mm Nagler T4 and 10mm and 7mm Pentax XW. 

NGC 4448 is a large and elongated east to west galaxy that is bright and has a sharp concentration. It also has a bright inner core and is oval in shape. 

8. NGC 4251 in Coma Berenices; May 30th, 2025; Antoniadi II; 22mm Nagler, 10mm & 7mm Pentax XW. 

NGC 4251 is a bright and rather large galaxy, elongated ESE-WNW. It has a bright core that is roundish with a fainter extension which dims near the tips and I tried to capture that in the sketch. 

9. NGC 4259 Intermediate Spiral Galaxy in Coma Berenices; 

10. NGC 4754 & NGC 4762; Antoniadi II; SQM L 21.58; 22mm Nagler T4, 10mm Pentax XW

NGC 4762 is a beautiful edge on galaxy with really elongated edges that took averted vision to see. Leads to a bright inner core and a small stellar nucleus. 

NG 4754 is a bright and roundish/oval shape galaxy that is bright with a  bright inner core region and together they make a beautiful observing pair. 

11. NGC 4638, NGC 4637, Messier 60, NGC 4667, NGC 4660; 5/29/25; 11:34 p.m.; Antonaidi II; 22mm Nagler T4 

NGC 4638 is a small oval shape galaxy with an even surface brightness. 

NGC 4637 is a very small, taking averted vision to see, even surface brightness and very, very faint. 

Messier 60 is a large oval shape galaxy, roundish with a bright inner core and a stellar nucleus. 

NGC 4647 is easily seen next to Messier 60 and has a very bright core. 

NGC 4660 is oval, small and bright with a bright inner core and stellar nucleus. 

12. NGC 4429, May 29th, 2025 11:55 p.m.; 10mm Pentax XW. 

This sketch came out blurry so I will need to reimage it. Very bright elongated galaxy that situates NE-SW. It has a bright inner core and that brightness increases to a nice stellar nucleus. 

13. NGC 4596 a galaxy in Virgo. May 30th, 2025, 12:10 am; Antoniadi II; 10mm Pentax XW. 

Small, round galaxy with a bright inner core region that is proportionally large compared to the size of the stellar nucleus. 

14. NGC 4590 and NGC 4608 in Virgo. May 30th, 2025; 12:20 a.m. Antoniadi II; 22mm Nagler T4 

NGC 4596 is a roundish, bright galaxy, large inner core with a stellar nucleus. 

NGC 4608 is slightly smaller, still bright with an even surface brightness. 

15. NGC 4442 in Virgo; May 30th, 2025; 12:30 a.m.; Antoniadi I; SQM L 21.58., 10mm Pentax XW. 

NGC 4442 lays east to west and is a semi large oval with a bright inner core and a nice stellar nucleus. 

16. NGC 4698 in Virgo; May 30th, 2025; Antoniadi II; SQM 21.58; 10mm Pentax XW 

NGC 4698 is an elongated oval galaxy laying north to south. Bright inner core with a good stellar nucleus. This was nice! 

It was a wonderful evening of observing!