- 111
- 965 691
AVT-Astro
United States
Приєднався 29 січ 2020
AVT-Astro is dedicated to bring you reviews of astronomy equipment, and other astronomy related content.
Hi! My name is Vlad. I have been into astronomy since I was about 12 years old when I got my first scope; a Tasco 60mm refractor(saved for working as a paperboy). Over the years I have had the privilege in owning over 100 telescope and more accessories then one can count. One thing that I have come to realize is that while I love to observe the wonders of the night sky, I love trying out the next piece of astro-gear even more! This is the inspiration for AVT-Astro.
Hi! My name is Vlad. I have been into astronomy since I was about 12 years old when I got my first scope; a Tasco 60mm refractor(saved for working as a paperboy). Over the years I have had the privilege in owning over 100 telescope and more accessories then one can count. One thing that I have come to realize is that while I love to observe the wonders of the night sky, I love trying out the next piece of astro-gear even more! This is the inspiration for AVT-Astro.
Losmandy GEM Telescope Mount Review: A Lifetime Investment? (Pros & Cons)
Is a Losmandy mount worth the investment? In this review, I break down the pros and cons of Losmandy GEM mounts, discussing their performance, build quality, and long-term value. Is it the right mount for YOUR visual / astrophotography journey? Watch to find out!
Get AVT Astro Gear and Apparel: avt-astro.com/shop/
My Blog full of great Astro content/reviews: www.avt-astro.com
Get AVT Astro Gear and Apparel: avt-astro.com/shop/
My Blog full of great Astro content/reviews: www.avt-astro.com
Переглядів: 38
Відео
16" Meade RCX400 SCT Telescope OTA Inner Liner Removal and Fork Stubs( Trunnions ) Removal - Part 3
Переглядів 56114 годин тому
Part 1: Rear Cover Removal / Dovetail Mount Design: ua-cam.com/video/Vg_DORzu4jE/v-deo.html Part 2: Front Cover / Corrector Removal: ua-cam.com/video/epyKR8ZlJKg/v-deo.html In this video I cover how to remove the inner OTA liner as well as the "fun" of removing the Fork Stubs( Trunnions ) on a Meade 16" RCX400 SCT Telescope. Get AVT Astro Gear and Apparel: avt-astro.com/shop/ My Blog full of gr...
Intro to Telescope Planetary EAA: Sharpcap Tutorial for Effortless Planetary Images
Переглядів 626День тому
Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to improve your existing EAA workflow, this video will provide you with the knowledge and confidence to start capturing breathtaking planetary images effortlessly. Sharpcap: www.sharpcap.co.uk/ Autostakkert: www.autostakkert.com/ Good budget Planetary camera that I used in this video is the SVBony SV205! Review: ua-cam.com/video/n_lgabE7LPo/v-deo.ht...
16" Meade RCX400 SCT Telescope OTA Front Cover Removal / Corrector Plate Removal - Part 2
Переглядів 53314 днів тому
Part 2 of getting the new to me 16" Meade RCX400 SCT OTA back under the stars!!! Part 1: Rear Cover Removal / Dovetail Mount Design: ua-cam.com/video/Vg_DORzu4jE/v-deo.html In this video I cover how to remove the front cover on a Meade RCX scope as well as removing the corrector plate. Get AVT Astro Gear and Apparel: avt-astro.com/shop/ My Blog full of great Astro content/reviews: www.avt-astro...
SVBony SV225 Alt-Az Mount Review - Perfect Budget Mount For Your Small Telescope???
Переглядів 79221 день тому
In this video, we take a deep dive into the SVBony SV225 Alt-Azimuth Mount and see if this is the perfect light-weight grab-and-go solution that you are looking for your small scope!!! Buy on Amazon to Support AVT-Astro: Extra 5% off code: 05SVBONY on Amazon US!!! SVBony SV225 in USA: amzn.to/4h3vOig SVBony SV225 in UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CMGXXNC3?maas=maas_adg_9F1DE8D977AB9E9B2F81D28C54EC0A...
Intro to Night Vision for Astronomy!!! How to use PVS-14 to Double/Tripple Your Telescopes Aperture!
Переглядів 1,7 тис.28 днів тому
You WON'T Believe What You Can See with Night Vision! This video is and intro into night vision astronomy; what equipment & adapters you need, and what you can actually see!!! For a discussion of how night vision compares to visual and EAA see this video: ua-cam.com/video/zdfdu1Im8TU/v-deo.html TeleVue PVS-14 adapters and eyepiece compatibility list: www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=36 P...
MASSIVE MEADE / ORION / CORONADO AUCTION!!! Is this your chance to score a deal of a lifetime???
Переглядів 1,6 тис.Місяць тому
Hey guys, thanks to @paulmurphy9358 for commenting on my last video letting me know that this is going on! The entire remaining inventory of MEADE / ORION / CORONADO is being auctioned off Jan 6th-9th. There is a ton of stuff there!!! All sold in the Bay Area in California and looks like must be picked up there! Check the fees as they look pretty substantial... I'm not associated with this auct...
16" Meade RCX400 SCT Telescope OTA Rear Cover Removal / Dovetail Mount Design - Part 1
Переглядів 694Місяць тому
Part 1 of getting the new to me 16" Meade RCX400 SCT OTA back under the stars!!! Part 2: Front Cover / Corrector Removal: ua-cam.com/video/epyKR8ZlJKg/v-deo.html In this video I cover how to remove the rear cover on a Meade RCX scope as well as designing a mounting solution for the RCX as one is not commercially available. Charlie Trump Kit install: ua-cam.com/video/9M54m1ywqz8/v-deo.html Get A...
SVBony SC311 Wireless EAA Telescope Camera Review - Part 2 - The sad Sharpcap TRUTH
Переглядів 1,3 тис.Місяць тому
Want to have some fun with EAA(Electronicly Assisted Astronomy) only using your Smartphone/Tablet? The SVBony SC311 WIFI camera might be just your ticket to simple EAA fun! In this video, we'll put the SC311 to the test with Sharpcap and see if it can do actual EAA(live stacking)... If you have not seen Part 1 it's a must watch: ua-cam.com/video/UBZM28Frp2w/v-deo.html Buy on Amazon to Support A...
6-16"!!! Ultimate SCT Telescope Guide on How to Choose the Right SCT!!!
Переглядів 7 тис.Місяць тому
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (SCTs) are a popular choice for amateur astronomers due to their compact size, portability, and excellent visual/imaging capabilities. If you're considering a 6-16 inch SCT telescope, there are a few key factors to keep in mind when making your decision. In this video I cover all the must know terminology and my experience or owning 40 SCT's over the last 25 years!...
Cosmic Clash: Visual vs. Night Vision vs. EAA vs. Astrophotography!!! Best Telescope use Showdown!!!
Переглядів 1,5 тис.2 місяці тому
In this video I want to cover the different popular facets of armature astronomy including: visual, night vision, EAA, and astrophotography to help you decide what you may want to pursue. All the info presented here is from my experience of over 25 years in the hobby, WELL over 100 scopes owned, and MANY hours spent under the stars utilizing all these wonderful ways to enjoy armature astronomy!...
Celestron 130SLT GOTO Telescope Review: Is it the Affordable NexStar 6SE?
Переглядів 1,5 тис.3 місяці тому
Is the Celestron 130SLT GOTO the affordable alternative to the popular NexStar 6SE? In this in-depth review, we'll dive into the features, performance, and limitations of this budget-friendly telescope. Buy on Amazon to Support AVT-Astro: Celestron 130SLT: amzn.to/40ASqBL Celestron Omni 1.25" 2X Barlow Lens: amzn.to/3YSpsvW Astromania Anti-Vibration Suppression Pads: amzn.to/4hCEcGU Get AVT Ast...
SVBony SC311 Wireless EAA Telescope Camera Review - Part 1
Переглядів 2,4 тис.3 місяці тому
Want to have some fun with EAA(Electronicly Assisted Astronomy) only using your Smartphone/Tablet? The SVBony SC311 WIFI camera might be just your ticket to simple EAA fun! In this video, we'll put the SC311 to the test and see if it lives up to its claims... Part 2 is here!!!: ua-cam.com/video/tGStkifF0c4/v-deo.html We dive into the performance and image quality of the SVBony SC311 when used w...
What more telescopes??? Join your local Astronomy Club!!!
Переглядів 5685 місяців тому
In this video I discuss the huge benefits that you get by becoming a member of your local astronomy club! Also, a shoutout to my awesome astronomy club: the Rose City Astronomers! Thanks, and congrats on acquiring our own dark sky observing site: SkyLark!!! Get AVT Astro Gear and Apparel: avt-astro.com/shop/ My Blog full of great Astro content/reviews: www.avt-astro.com
@AVTAstro meets @JoeJaguar! From 100's of telescopes owned our top picks and ones we regret selling!
Переглядів 9336 місяців тому
I'm excited to do my first co-video with Joe from @JoeJaguar !!! In this intro video me and Joe talk a bit about our respective channels as well at the topic of our top scopes and ones we regret selling! If you find the content on my channel interesting, I'm sure you will also love Joe's content as well! www.youtube.com/@JoeJaguar groups/486048426415317 Get AVT Astro Gear and Appar...
Dobsonian Telescope Collimation Made Easy! (Get Sharper Images From your Dob)
Переглядів 1,2 тис.7 місяців тому
Dobsonian Telescope Collimation Made Easy! (Get Sharper Images From your Dob)
Ultimate Refractor Lens Cleaning Guide! Safe even for $8000 AstroPhysics 130GT optics!!!
Переглядів 4,6 тис.8 місяців тому
Ultimate Refractor Lens Cleaning Guide! Safe even for $8000 AstroPhysics 130GT optics!!!
Telescope EAA Game Changer: How Darks & Flats Boost Image Quality
Переглядів 1,4 тис.9 місяців тому
Telescope EAA Game Changer: How Darks & Flats Boost Image Quality
ULTIMATE Nexstar 6SE / 8SE Telescope / EAA Astrophotography Accessory Guide! MUST BUY Accessories???
Переглядів 9 тис.9 місяців тому
ULTIMATE Nexstar 6SE / 8SE Telescope / EAA Astrophotography Accessory Guide! MUST BUY Accessories???
Stellarvue APO Telescopes: The Perfect Premium Scope for the Common Guy / Gal???
Переглядів 3,9 тис.10 місяців тому
Stellarvue APO Telescopes: The Perfect Premium Scope for the Common Guy / Gal???
==2024== Celestron Telescope Hand Controller Firmware Update
Переглядів 3,5 тис.10 місяців тому
2024 Celestron Telescope Hand Controller Firmware Update
Is This the WIDEST VIEW in Astronomy? - Explore Scientific 3" 30mm 100° Telescope Eyepiece Review!!!
Переглядів 2,7 тис.10 місяців тому
Is This the WIDEST VIEW in Astronomy? - Explore Scientific 3" 30mm 100° Telescope Eyepiece Review!!!
Protecting Your SCT Nexstar Telescope Optics: Review of the Celestron Dew Ring and Aluminum Shield
Переглядів 1,7 тис.11 місяців тому
Protecting Your SCT Nexstar Telescope Optics: Review of the Celestron Dew Ring and Aluminum Shield
Celestron DEW HEATER RING Installation DEMO! Install Your Nexstar HD Dew Heater Ring Like a Pro!!!
Переглядів 2,2 тис.11 місяців тому
Celestron DEW HEATER RING Installation DEMO! Install Your Nexstar HD Dew Heater Ring Like a Pro!!!
What's in my eyepiece case??? Bonus: Keep Your Telescope Gear Organized & Protected!!!
Переглядів 1,1 тис.11 місяців тому
What's in my eyepiece case??? Bonus: Keep Your Telescope Gear Organized & Protected!!!
EAA 101 PART 2 - Basic Sharpcap EAA / Astrophotography Tutorial
Переглядів 1,6 тис.Рік тому
EAA 101 PART 2 - Basic Sharpcap EAA / Astrophotography Tutorial
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2024 - $100 Budget Solar Telescope SVBONY sv510
Переглядів 1,1 тис.Рік тому
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2024 - $100 Budget Solar Telescope SVBONY sv510
Telescope Diagonal Cleaning Guide - How to safely clean the MIRROR!
Переглядів 1,4 тис.Рік тому
Telescope Diagonal Cleaning Guide - How to safely clean the MIRROR!
TeleVue Eyepieces and Telescopes. The Best Gear in Amature Astronomy???
Переглядів 6 тис.Рік тому
TeleVue Eyepieces and Telescopes. The Best Gear in Amature Astronomy???
EAA 101 - "See" amazing Color DSO with your Telescope for UNDER -$200!!!
Переглядів 5 тис.Рік тому
EAA 101 - "See" amazing Color DSO with your Telescope for UNDER -$200!!!
thanks for the review !
Question for you Vlad. I’m seeing significant coma on stars when viewing visually with my 102mm refractor. It’s particularly noticeable with my 2” Pentax VX30mm eyepiece. I consider this my best eyepiece, so I can’t imagine it’s the eyepiece. I use this Pentax for viewing Orion and star fields. I don’t see this coma with higher power 7mm etc, but that could be because I’m not looking at stars. Planets look good. Stars are extremely elongated. Any help greatly appreciated! ps. It’s not coma. It’s astigmatism apparently. I don’t recall seeing this when I had an FSQ85 and WO123.
Sorry to say but the Pentax wide angle eyepieces have the worst coma of any premium eyepiece I have tried. It is the eyepiece sadly.
@ wow! Should I be buying Televue?
Interesting video. Vlad an off topic question, from your experience approximately what f-ratio does a 80-100 mm achromat need to have to equal a f7 ED / FPL51 of the same aperture in color correction ? Thank you!
To be frank I have not used achros all that much. I have reviewed a Celestron f9.8 on my blog and that's about the min for acceptable color correction above 50x. I'd say to really equal an ED you would need to be at f/15.
I have the celstron zoom lens and was wondering if i used a barlow lens too
Sure you can use a barlow with it.
@@AVTAstrowill it improve the view
What is the device on the back of the scope? It appears to be plugged into the 12v jack
Its the Celestron battery pack: ua-cam.com/video/n5MuSxIxsPE/v-deo.html
Maybe when you 3D print covers add cooling fans?
That's a good idea. This scope will be in an Observatory and will be equalized with the environment so fans are not really necessary.
Delos, Delite, Nagler … what’s the difference between all these tele vue eyepieces? It’s very confusing 🫤
good job.....just a question. did you know that a ryobi 18v saw cost only 100 dolars....right..? 😂😂😂
Lol, i sure did. I actualy own the saw. I also know that that 18v saw would likely destroy the carbon fiber OTA. 🤦
good job ! thanks for the vid.
Thanks for watching!
That was interesting to see the inside. That took a lot of effort to cut those things off. I don’t know if I would have the patience for all that.
It was definitely a lot of work, but I'm happy with how it turned out! Overall it's a fun project but honestly, these RCX's are a lot of work to defork properly.
@ I hear you I got the 12 inch LX 90 which is also big and heavy but I think I’m just gonna sell mine complete and just use my 12 inch Dobson
I recently found out 14TPI hacksaw blades work much better on aluminum than the out of the box 24TPI ones. It makes a hyoooge difference. Stuff that takes a half hour becomes a few minutes: seems unbelievable, but it's true. Aluminum gums up cutting surfaces.
I wish I know that. I just had a general blade. I even looked it up and it's what's recommended for aluminum. Oh well the job is done now👍
@@AVTAstro Haha everyone does that at least once! I was trying to make little coupler things for my NV gizmo in aluminum and figured there must be a better way of chopping up aluminum.
I think it would have been well worth it to pay a skilled person to use a cutting wheel on that aluminum. I myself would have probably screwed up and cut the carbon fiber OTA! Having said that, your arms looked substantially bigger by the end of the video. 😊. Great job!
I would have if I knew anyone competent in that trade. There is zero chance I'd trust someone to do this besides myself unless I know that they had done this job several times before. One wrong move and I'd have a nice but in my CF tube. 😬
Did you actually buy this monster?
Bought and use it all the time!
The Little Mermaid blanket really ties this video together...
Ugahhhh... U don't get my blanky at all! It's not just the Little Mermaid... There are 4 Disney princesses on there!!!😅
What’s the sharpest eyepiece for viewing Saturn 🪐 in a 4” refractor?
“You’re going to need a bigger scope!” ⛴️ 🦈 😊
Comprei o meu mas só achei de 60mm no Aliexpress.
I had the 12 inch RCX 400 for many years and was very happy with the telescope. At the time I would have liked to have lined the tube with felt but didn't dare to do it.
Thanks for the feedback on the scope. The plastic lining in there is very reflective. Not a good choice at all...
Always enjoy your videos 👍
I appreciate that!
You know someone has money to burn if they have such a expensive scope only to leave it somewhere in their garage where it gets all kinds of crap on it.
Yeah for sure...
Hey! Great guide, I wish i have seen it before i scratched my optics. If my optic has dew spots in the inside, (doublet) what should be done? When it is cold outside and i bring it in, it does dew a LOT :(
Hey sorry about the issue! If it's on the inside of the lens cell and your asking me then quite frankly I'd leave it alone unless it's affecting the view/image. If it is get professional help cleaning it. Not something you want to tackle unless you know what your doing...
@ i’ll do it then. I am always concerned if i see a little bit of dirt, but as i read, i know the less it cleaned the longer it remains in good condition
I use the camera for moon videos. I think it also produces good results on the moon. It is currently useless for anything else. The sensor is not bad! But it is limited by 90% by the firmware and app. That is the problem. Svbony is apparently working on an update, possibly with ROI format and live stacking. We'll stay tuned. 🤔😊
I'm hoping for it!!!
Hello Vlad, a question: Mostly for the planets and also the brightest DSOs, which one do you think would have a better optical performance, a Skywatcher 90/910 mm f10 achromat or a 80/560 mm ED FPL51 semi-APO ? The focuser or the sliding dew cap are not that important. I’m looking for a relatively cheap, lightweight and easy to use refractor. Thank you !
Get the 80mm APO!
Hi Vlad! May I ask, did you buy this scope from a website called "ENS Optical" in England? The reason I ask is if yes, I was actually considering buying this exact scope from the aforementioned website, but I decided against because I decided it would be too heavy and impractical for my astro' circumstances. It's a monster of a 'scope, I look forward to seeing how you get on with it Vlad! Clear Skies! Wes, Liverpool, England.
No, this one came from the SF bay area in the USA.
@@AVTAstro Oh ok sorry, I thought you said in the video you bought it from a guy in England? My apologies sir!
Very helpful vid! I'm just getting started with planetary. Got a decent Jupiter the other night with a lowly 6SE and 224 camera. Seeing was awful, but SharpCap came through with a decent stacked image showing the bands and coloration. 🎉🎉🎉
That's awesome, good job on capturing Jupiter!
Live stacking produces poorer quality images of the planets when compared to taking SER files and derotating then processing. I do like live stacking for EAA though.
Can't disagree if you have a night of great seeing and your capturing very good data. In my seeing the Planetary EAA is as good as what I ever got with the more advanced stacking software. In general garbege in=garbege out. No matter how great the software, unfortunately.
thanks for the vid!
You bet! Thanks for the comment!
Imperessive. Hopefully I can capture these planets with similar detail.
Give it a try, not too much cost involved if you already have a decent scope!
thanks for the comparison!
Glad you liked it!
wanted to ask you a question--do you know if the optical tube can be removed from the base on a meade rxc400 14" to be shipped-- looking at a 14" but only option to get it is to ups from Long Island New York.
It can but not easily and really permanent.
Sorry to be party pooper but feels like you were just showing them off..
Lol, ok sure👍
Hi Any advice welcome: I'm about to purchase a C9.25 or C11 with Starizona IV CC. I live in a cloudy and wet climate (the UK- NW England), the ZWO ADC makes a huge difference with my Skymax 127. Imaging wise I have a 678M & 462M for Planetary, Lunar and Solar. For £900 cheaper I can get the C9.25 XLT, I'm worried I'll get the use out of the C11 XLT one or two times a decade. That helps my budget for an Altair 26M to match my Altair 533C for DSO's and its payload is more suitable for my Juwei 17. The C11 is a beast for planets and faint DSO's but if I don't get to use it it's £900 wasted and I need a new mount The other contender is both a Skymax 180 Pro along side an Esprit 120ed while on deal for a similar price to the C11 XLT. Current Scopes: -Skymax 127 (Travel Celestial Scope with AZ-GTI Equitorial Mount) -Esprit 80ED & FF (Widefield Scope) -Evoguide 50ED & FF (Extra Widefield Scope & Guide for SM127) Ultimately hoping to leave Esprit 80ED running long exposure DSO's on a future Juwei-14 while playing with the SCT visually, for Celestial AP or DSO AP at 0.63 on my Juwei-17
Weight diffrance between the c9.25 and c11 is not that much at 10lb. I'd say that if you have a mount that can handle the weight then go for the c11!
Hey Vlad, have you ever flocked the interior walls of any of your SCTs, and if its even worth the effort? Curious as to what your opinion is on the topic.
Hi, i have done it in the past. Worth the effort? Not a major difference so I have not done it on my current 12" ACF. Been using that scope for like 6-7 years already.
@@AVTAstro Thanks for the reply.
nice scope and nice new mount hopefully this fix come out ok and you can give us first light after cheers
Will post it up for sure! Project is moving along faster then I thought. 👍
@ ok nice
There is update 5. Adjusted gain and exposure to fix brightness issues
I'll need to check that out, thanks!
@AVTAstro let me know cos i think to buy this cam
can it be taken on the plane?
I don't belive so. But not sure so I'd call Celestron.
One buyer took it all, any bids submitted were nullified by the auctioneer, but they didn't disclose who bought it (Chinese?) nor did the auction house disclose the selling price.
Yeah, I honestly figured that a big fish would take it all.
No guts, no glory. 🎉
For sure!!!
Just got my first Televue eyepiece, a 12mm Nagler and have to agree with your comments regarding eye relief vs field of view. The two do not necessarily apply together. Great eyepieces though, clear, bright and sharp wide fields, no coma. Things of beauty. I've not tried an Explore Scientific yet so can't compare. Great review Vlad, thanks.
Thanks for sharing, enjoy the EP!!!
Thanks for working on this - super interesting!
Glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for the feedback 👍
Very cool, please keep documenting!
Glad you like it!
I had a WO123 that made that same noise when the 2” diagonal was removed. Wish I’d kept it!
Had one as well, at one time it was a dream scope on mine!
risky business
Pulling the corrector??? Just need to be careful, noting to it!
Do you get nervous at all when doing this? My stress level goes through the roof; with just a corrrector cleaning!!
Well, I have done this at least 20 times. So no not at all. But caution is a good idea as one mistake and the entire scope is gone...🫣
Vlad, how is the glue holding up between the corrector plate and the secondary mirror? There have been a few owners that have had the glue fail, which results in the secondary falling off. From the video, the glue still looks decent.
I have seen the case with the 20" that fell off. Mine looks good. I don't see any indications of it failing. That 20" case was in the tropics. Any glue will weaken when extreme heat and moisture are involved. I don't think that it's a widespread issue.
@ that’s good yours is OK.
Vlad, one other thing that you should inspect is the stop mechanism that is on all three of the collimation/focus motors. You just exposed them when you removed all that housing structure. I know that there is a thin metal strip on the 14 inch and smaller RCX telescopes that occasionally falls off and causes runaway motor issues.
Thanks for the tip! The metal pieces are all there and in good shape. I'm going to extensively test the operation of the entire focusing mechanism before putting the front end all back together. Are these light sensors that get triggered when the metal pieces go between them?
@@AVTAstro you’re welcome! I’m not sure about optical sensors. I think that it is piece of thin sheet metal that acts to stop to motors. It is glued on in the 14 inch and smaller models, and the 16 inch supposedly has a screw holding it in place. The glue failing over time is the main issue here.
Great Series, cant wait to see the progress, thanks Vlad!
Glad you like it, thanks for the feedback!
Does it need collimating after cleaning the glass??
Most likely yes you will need to tweak the collimation if thr corrector is removed. If not then no.
What’s your recommendation for a grab ‘n go refractor to see Saturn 🪐 when it’s seeable?
Tv-85 will do nicely but any APO will.
How about the pixel size influencing the amount of light (sensitivity) the larger pixels can detect?
Sorry I can't comment on technical stuff like this.
Interesting how many are from Dobsonians. And from a refractor guy!
Lol, yeah in a way I learned that myself by making the video and actualy thinking about it....