Explore Scientific ED102

[Mac]

The Explore Scientific ED102 is 25% off at $899.

Would this be a good scope on a Celestron AVX mount, should be fine at 10lbs. plus guide scope, DSLR?

https://explorescientificusa.com/produc ... -telescope

or the Esprit 100

https://www.skywatcherusa.com/collectio ... -refractor

[JayTee]

Yes, that OTA and the AVX mount are a very good fit for each other. You should be able to capture excellent images with that combo.

Cheers,
JT

[Juno16]

I have that same combination. The AVX easily handles the ED102. The Orion MMAG is an excellent addition.

Great combination that works well for me.

That is a great buy on that scope!

Thanks,
Jim

[Mac]

I have that same combination. The AVX easily handles the ED102. The Orion MMAG is an excellent addition.

Great combination that works well for me.

That is a great buy on that scope!

Thanks,
Jim

Thanks Jim. We would have almost identical setups with the camera being the difference. I been reluctant to order it fearing I would make another wrong purchasing decision.

While there isn't a lot of good weather in my area for many months, having it now would mean I can make plans to travel to some dark skies early next year.

[Mac]

Yes, that OTA and the AVX mount are a very good fit for each other. You should be able to capture excellent images with that combo.

Cheers,
JT

Thanks JT

[Mac]

I have that same combination. The AVX easily handles the ED102. The Orion MMAG is an excellent addition.

Great combination that works well for me.

That is a great buy on that scope!

Thanks,
Jim

Are you using a flattener with yours Jim?

I should only need the additional Nikon T2 adapter to mount my camera?

[Baskevo]

Crying T.T I wish it was on sale a few months ago... AVX went on sale too, right after I purchased my ED80 and AVX mount...

[Mac]

Crying T.T I wish it was on sale a few months ago... AVX went on sale too, right after I purchased my ED80 and AVX mount...

Yeah, happened to me too, AVX went down 2 weeks after I bought it. If I wait now, it will probably go back up in price!

[Juno16]

Crying T.T I wish it was on sale a few months ago... AVX went on sale too, right after I purchased my ED80 and AVX mount...

That is not right! I’d be crying too!

At least your consolation is that you have had a few months to use the equipment. I know that in a few months, you have gained a lot of priceless learning!

Thanks,
Jim

[Juno16]

Hi Steve,

No flatterer yet.

I retired last August and had about $2000 of banked vacation that I was going to cash in and use to upgrade my equipment. I wanted a better visual setup than what I had (Celestron 130 SLT) and maybe play around with modest AP just to get a better view of targets that I could barely see visually.
I quickly learned that 2k wasn’t much money, even with the AP goal as modest as it was.
With much help from members of the old hacked forum (now migrated here) I started looking for an AVX and a smallish APO refractor.
After months of looking, I found a damaged box AVX on Highpoint and a Explore Scientific ED102 on sale for $879 on the ES website.
Instead of the usual clouds and rain follow a purchase of astro gear, I got very lucky and had one of those once in a year really good transparency and seeing nights. I was completely blown away by the views of Saturn and Jupiter. Amazing views with an inexpensive 5mm Celestron x-cel eyepiece and a cheap Highpoint 2x Barlow (285x). I could never go above 130x with the 130 SLT and that was usually not a good view. I was very happy!

I started dabbling in AP and man, that was fun and very challenging (I’m a slow learner).
Actually, I think overcoming each challenge is what makes it so rewarding.

I started imaging unguided and I did have some success, but my AVX didn’t take too well to exposures of one minute (really 30 seconds was better). I would have to toss 30-40% of the light frames because of bad star trailing. Even with that, I was managing images that made me happy.

I had a few hundred left (out of the 2k budget) and threw in a Christmas present this past Christmas and bought an Orion mmag package.
Wow, world of difference! Guiding made an honest mount out of my AVX. I hardly toss any light frames.
Yes, there are definitely better guiding mounts out there, but for the money, I am happy. I am accomplishing my goal of doing modest AP.

Back to the flattener. Based on advice from a very good AP’er on the AF forum (here now), I ordered an Astrotech AT8R flattener/0.8 reducer back in February from Astronomics. It turned out that it was on back ordered. After many inquiring emails from me I finally gave up. I’m sure that I will look into it again someday, but for now, I’ve been using the LENS module in Startools to round the stars in the corners. I know that I will be scoffed at by serious AP’ers, but again, my goals are modest and the LENS module works quite well.
This is the magnified bottom right corner of an image that I recently shot that I processed in Startools using the LENS module. Sorry that I don’t have a before shot, but believe me, the stars in the corner suffered badly from field curvature. The original image was only cropped to remove stacking artifacts.

I will look into a flattener/ reducer again, but my next move is to have the D5300 h-alpha modded.

Story about writing this book! I just want to share my experiences.

Thanks,
Jim

[Mac]

Thanks for taking the time to write your book Jim and share your experiences. Nothing wrong with a little verbosity

I am having some success with the AVX unguided but it's hit or miss and seems to depend on the direction it's pointed. I tried some drift-alignment after visual PA and was able to get 2minutes at 400mm with round stars only to turn to a different object and it went to hell in a hand-basket.

I have the 6" SCT but found I was more interested in DSO AP more than lunar and planetary and without guiding it's impractical for AP. The AVX was a good choice to get started, not too small or too big. This rabbit hole hobby is much like regular photography or ham radio, always another toy to buy.

The Altair reducer/flattener should suffice for getting started. Eventually I will move away from DSLR so I can leave it unattended out in the cold using ASIair and monitor from my office.

[Juno16]

Sounds like a good plan Steve.

The AVX definitely has its directional sweet spots. Guiding will absolutely help.

I don’t see moving from the dslr anytime soon. The images that I’m getting are working for me. It will be nice to add some more Ha to the mix soon.

I will have to get back with you about the flattener. If it works out well for you, I will look into it again. I am very interested in the focal reducer aspect also, as many targets are just a tad large for my field of view.

Thanks,
Jim

Thanks,
Jim

[Mac]

Sounds like a good plan Steve.

The AVX definitely has its directional sweet spots. Guiding will absolutely help.

I don’t see moving from the dslr anytime soon. The images that I’m getting are working for me. It will be nice to add some more Ha to the mix soon.

I will have to get back with you about the flattener. If it works out well for you, I will look into it again. I am very interested in the focal reducer aspect also, as many targets are just a tad large for my field of view.

Thanks,
Jim

Thanks,
Jim

Going to build upon it slowly and the goal is to be able to run it remotely, including viewing the live capture on the camera. I came across StellarMate vs. ASIair, basically the same product but SM is much more open and built-upon standards that I can use on my Mac and iOS.

[Juno16]

Sounds good Steve.

Absolutely! I run the imaging session with a refurbished Dell laptop outside with the scope. I control the laptop with Teamviewer from the desktop indoors.

I do a quick PA with Sharpcap and set focus on a bright star. Then, I plate solve to my target and start the imaging session. After that, all scope/image monitoring are done inside.

I do go outside every now and then to check for cable snags and watch the automatic meridian flip. Also, to check for any signs of dew on the guide scope or main scope objective.

Best of success with the Mac and IOS. I'm sure that will toss some challenges into the mix!

Keep us posted!

Thanks,
Jim

[Mac]

Sounds good Steve.

Absolutely! I run the imaging session with a refurbished Dell laptop outside with the scope. I control the laptop with Teamviewer from the desktop indoors.

I do a quick PA with Sharpcap and set focus on a bright star. Then, I plate solve to my target and start the imaging session. After that, all scope/image monitoring are done inside.

I do go outside every now and then to check for cable snags and watch the automatic meridian flip. Also, to check for any signs of dew on the guide scope or main scope objective.

Best of success with the Mac and IOS. I'm sure that will toss some challenges into the mix!

Keep us posted!

Thanks,
Jim

I've been trying to run the Windows software in a VM on my Mac, but it needs a lot more RAM. Then I need a Windows license, buy the Virtual Machine software and there is $200, plus more RAM in the Mac. Almost 1/2 way to a laptop to run like you do with Teamviewer.

StellarMate looks very good and it will run on Windows as well as the Mac. It's the best software package I have seen for the Mac. I will stick with Photoshop for now to align and stack images, it did a great shot with the 15-20 images I tried. I do need to clear HD space, the SSD with 50GB left ran out of space because it needs more RAM and it turn to VM swapping.

[Mac]

The ED-102 will be here tomorrow!!!

[Juno16]

Wow, that is super! Very exciting!

The ED102 is a fine scope. You will like it.

I am not familiar with StellarMate software. I use Astrophotography Tool and like it very much.

Maybe it might work out cheaper to get a used windows laptop and remote it to your Mac?

Thanks,
Jim

[Mac]

Wow, that is super! Very exciting!

The ED102 is a fine scope. You will like it.

I am not familiar with StellarMate software. I use Astrophotography Tool and like it very much.

Maybe it might work out cheaper to get a used windows laptop and remote it to your Mac?

Thanks,
Jim

No, it wouldn't be cheaper. The Stellarmate is $179 and I want to go iOS and eliminate the wires as much as possible for guiding purposes.

Here at home I can use my iMac or my MacBook Pro out in the field I can run Stellarmate connect on WiFi or ethernet cable on Mac/iOS/Windows platform.

[Juno16]

Cool!

Looking forward to your first impressions of the ED102!

Thanks,
Jim

[Mac]

Cool!

Looking forward to your first impressions of the ED102!

Thanks,
Jim

My first impressions of it are this : great build quality, love the focuser, it's light, looks pretty and I have yet to see first light through it. I am awaiting the StellarMate and guide scope/camera to arrive in the next couple of days.

I have only the 25mm Plossl from the Celestron for an eyepiece but with cold and clouds, no chance to try it out. Maybe I can point it out my office window. The StarPortal software works well thru Wifi connection and I am curious if the StellarMate will interfere, it shouldn't.