Celestron Origin Smart Telescope - First Impressions (EAA, Astrophotography, Research)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.พ. 2024
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Several of you reached out and asked me for my thoughts on the upcoming Celestron Origin Smart-Telescope. Here are I share my thoughts about this new technology and its potential for EAA, astrophotography and research. Thank you to Celestron for giving me permission to use their excellent animations and graphics!
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Thumbnail background image: Credit: Lance C. Lucero, Celestron, used with permission.
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I see a lot of objections here to the price. I have a NexStar Evolution EdgeHD 8"; Aluminum dew shield; ZWO ASI385 with IR Cut Filter; Starsense Autoguider; HP Laptop. All this cost $5,490.05, and I do visual and EAA. So far I'm using free software on the laptop. My Seestar S50, which I bought for the pre-order price of $399, runs circles around what I can do with EAA with the other equipment I listed. $3,999 for a 6" RASA smart telescope, with all the built in features, does not seem like overpricing to me at all.
People typically only think of the BoM prices and forget development and integration costs…
Interesting angle where you’re coming from 👍🏼
I think your observations are right on. I've watched some other videos of the executives at Celestron and the mindset for this product is exactly what I've been looking for and by taking out the complexity is very exciting and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it
Hey Cody, I'm glad you put this video together as I think a lot of astrophotographers, myself included, have poorly judged the design of this new smart telescope. Many of us are so used to just "imaging", we forget that there are people out there who just want to do EAA. I myself have given up on visual due to optical nerve issues but for someone like me who doesn't want to lug out the heaver RASA 8" and a heavy EQ mount, this would be a nice option to have. I would still like an RASA 6" option as it would be a good smaller scope to take to dark sites without all the extra weight. Thanks for the video and Clear Skies!
Great Video on your thoughts on the Origin. Please do a review on it when it’s released. I’m holding off on doing the pre-order till you do the review.
Had one preordered a couple of months ago when i saw the first video.
Yes the appeal for the Origin as compared to the other smart scopes out there so far will be to collect the image FAST. This will be nice for EAA style usage. It is kind-of for everybody who previously wanted to put together a RASA or hyperstar system but was hesitant to figure out getting all the parts to work together. And for those that don't want to spend more than around $500, there are other options.
Agreed, I think half of this is paying for the simplicity. There are those that don’t want to do all the setup and are willing to pay for a system that does everything for them. As I mentioned in the video, I think this would be awesome at the university level too. Basic undergraduate research would be simple with Origin. This could get more students excited about astronomy and pursue it.
I have a lot of confidence in Celestron products. I own the Nexstar 6SE, Evolution 9.25 and the CPC Deluxe 1100 HD and have never had an issue with any of them. When I had called Celestorn for customer service I connected right away with a tech and my questions were answered. With this and the specs of the Origin I decided to pre-order one. Really looking forward to its use!
That’s great! I’ve had the same experience with Celestron, and it’s why I buy a lot of their equipment.
Yes they are first rate company no doubt.
Yes I'm the same, can't say enough about Celestron.
Thanks for the review. I think it’s quite cool to put a RASA to use for EAA and beginner astrophotography. I don’t think the rig is overpriced either. My two main reservations about it are the sensor and the mount. The 178 was my first planetary sensor, and I always found it quite noisy. The mount is alt-az, so for whatever one is gaining with the speed of the RASA, one is also getting field rotation and, with 30-second exposures, trailing. Lots of potential in the Origin setup for sure, but the sensor-mount combo have some drawbacks too. But big picture, the smart telescope competition is heating up, which in the long run will be great for everyone.
I wish there was an option to use it with an eyepiece as well
As an Evolution owner, I hope the 6" RASA package becomes available. Thanks for your thorough video.
That would be awesome. My RASA 8 is pretty portable, but a RASA 6 would be even more so!
Picking mine up next week! Trading in my rig. Which cost way more, and provides rather less.
Nice.
Unistellar EvScope being do this for 4+ years and 2K less... But very interesting...A great and informative review, Thank you.
Personally i feel smart telescope's are for those who want to get their feet wet in astronomy to see if they like it, to then jump in and upgrade to better gear as they progress. This is very steep for beginners. Curious to see how this goes. Thanks Cody.
Yes, there are lots of potential uses for smart telescopes. I’m excited for more outreach opportunities and to see how research can be applied using them. Clear skies!
Not at all. I’ve been into astronomy for nearly 50 years. Qualified since 1983. I’ve own many telescopes and own 2 imaging rigs. I don’t get enough clear sky time to mess around setting up EQ rigs to find out it rains after 15 mins and have to pack it away. Smart scopes means quick and easy setup and and ability to see decent images of objects I struggled to see in eyepieces over the decades. It’s for astronomy enthusiasts of all levels. People think to be a proper astrophotographer you need to polar align, dither, guide , use mono filters and huge mounts. Wrong.
Does this scope eliminate the need for callibration frames? 71 yr old here. I have an evo 8” and did a bit of EAA last year, going the ZWO 294/AsiAir route but all the prep with alignment, plate solving, calibration frames, light panels, and processing felt like a major instrusion into the act of locating a remote galaxy and “seeing” it. So I wrapped all that stuff up and kinda went back to visual for time being. I’m not at all adverse to viewing on my iPad or a remote monitor inside (especially when it’s cold out) and am very intrigued with the RASA 6” optics. Ultimately I’m less concerned about the cost, and more resistent to the endless fussing about to get a clear (less noisy) image. Is this a viable option for my profile?
Great video Cody. I’ve already decided to order an Origin. I’ve been an amateur astronomer for over 50 years and I’m very excited to see where this device takes me. I’ve been looking for smart solutions to simplify my setup and to spend more time imagining. Is there a solar filter?
Awesome, congrats that will be fun! Regarding the solar filter, I’m not sure if the EclipSmart 6” SCT will work or not, but I don’t think there is official word on that yet or not.
I hope they come out with a wedge for this
I think they will! A motorized/automated wedge would be awesome too, but it would probably be very pricey.
Cody, great video. On the Celestron website it state’s future features ‘compatibly with SSAG, Wedge and Polar alignment’. Have you heard anything more from Celestron? The ability to take longer exposures is what I think is important. Also I watched another review that the IMX178MC Sensor was outdated and Celestron should have used a more current sensor, what are your thoughts and do you think Celestron could offer different sensor options in the future? Thanks for any feedback, Bob. I currently have a Celestron 9.25” Edge with a HyperStar, I use a Canon 60Da camera and I like how it images but I’m almost 64 and want to continue astrophotography but it maybe easier with a setup like the Celestron Origin. Thank you again.
The eVscope and eQuinox are both used for citizen science programs. Do you see the same possibilties for the Celestron Origin, Dwarf2 and SeeStar S50?
Thanks for the video Cody! I am looking for an all in one solution for both planetary and DSO imaging (if that’s even possible). Will the Origin be able to do both well or is it mainly focused on DSO imaging?
The Origin won’t be a capable planetary scope, the field of view is way too small. For an all in one solution, a Schmidt Cassegrain with a reducer lens and Hyperstar would be great for deep sky imaging, and in its normal configuration, excellent for planetary.
Thanks Cody, keep up the great work!@@AstroBlender
Anytime, clear skies.
Unfortunately the unit is cost prohibitive for me. The 178MC is a strange choice of sensor to use tbh.
Yes, my guess is a camera upgrade will be offered later, but that’s just me speculating.
Actually, the IMX178 sensor makes perfect sense to use, Cody even explains why in the video. Small pixels and sensitivity (back illuminated) are key.
ASI678 uses smaller 2 micron pixels than the ASI178 (2.4 micron) and suffers no amp glow while also being back illuminated sensor.
Indeed it does and STARVIS 2. The 678 sensor would be a great choice for a future camera upgrade.
Guess I will get one of the future versions of this telescope ... waiting for the system to mature a bit. The price seems reasonable for what we get (a well built system that simply works). 😊
This does look like an amazing product. Would it work better on a Gem mount from celestron? Maybe that is an option?
If manufacturers were able to make a motorized wedge that automatically polar aligned itself, then yes, that would be an absolute game changer!
Good review BUT you didn't talk about the price of 4 grand. 4 Grand.
Yeah, I’ve been trying to make my reviews a little shorter. I cut out about 5 minutes of additional discussion about the sensor, price, and UBVRI filters for photometry research.
Regarding price, I can certainly understand it being cost limiting. Do you go with a large SCT, large RASA, or get a scope that you can set outside and let it rip? Definitely tons of considerations to make for any potential buyer. Astronomy is a small market though, so anytime we get innovative new technology, I think a lot of the cost comes from R&D, especially if 3rd party companies were involved in development.
Thanks for doing this video, I just wish Celestron would go down with the price a bit. I love Celestron and I have a Nextstar 8se. But the price on this is just not very friendly compared to other smart telescopes 🔭on the market.
my dream scope but $4k is rough. If it was $3k I could understand.
Old school astro-nut here. If I want to look at a screen, I can see photos from Webb and Hubble, as well as many other photos from amateurs who have achieved very near professional quality images. I don't disdain what these new automated telescopes are bringing to the hobby, especially for the new initiates who don't have sources to provide the proper education because they can and will make it so much easier to be self taught. Also , the ability to observe from urban and suburban backyards is phenomenal.But, for all those who are joining the hobby these days, I say find the time to attend a well known dark sky party. Have a look through a giant dobsonian or two and feel what it's like to see that with your own eyes. I saw color in the veil and Orion nebulae, I saw comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 as it was bombarding Jupiter close up. That kind of absolutely awe inspiring and deeply personal viewing is still available, and you guys should try to have the experience at least a few times in your life. Enjoy these new technological wonders, but check out the old ways and remember the hobby 's history as well.
Great perspective. I like this comment a lot. I started with the eyepiece, moved into cameras but still use both. I just view this as another great tool for astronomers. It doesn’t mean the other methods will get left in the dust, it just adds to the tools available to us. Thanks for the great outlook.
Would if I was rich..I'm happy with my seestar..
That’s fair for sure, it ain’t cheap.
I’d like to get one but first I have to sell an arm and a leg. It looks like the release date has been pushed back to May or June. I wonder if they’ve read the grumbling about the camera and are swapping it out for a better, cooled model.
Possibly. I didn’t think about the cooled nature about the camera. That’s a good point. For the short exposures it would still be helpful.
As a current Evolution mount owner my main concearn with the Origin would be have Celestron improved the Wifi ability of the Evolution mount?? The wifi on my Evo mount is terrible, it locks up on the mount so you then loose connection and cant reconnect until you power cycle the mount. so, if Wifi is the only way of connecting to the Origin then this would be one of my major concears, Celestron dont have a very good track record of Stable wifi, its not just me whos had issues.
Oh that’s too bad you’re having issues. My Evolution does pretty good. The only time I really have connection issues is when I let my iPad sleep. Sometimes it reconnects on its own, other times I have to force it to reconnect. I have to try and remember to disable the lock function on my iPad before using the evolution. If I do, then I usually have a great night. That is a valid point though, so hopefully they addressed that.
@@AstroBlender hmm, mines a mk1 version of the mount, before the board was changed and the battery connector, so maybe the newer control baord is better?? My battery has died now so i either need to get it replaced, along with a new control board, or bin it!! Lol, only becasue it constantley y throws up low battery warning messages, even when running on mains power, and beleive it or not thoses warnings stop the tracking a bit, thus making it unusable. ive a support ticket raised with celestron about it anyway.
People I've talked to said the camera is the weakest link of this scope.
I think the camera will be fine for short exposures. Sony STARVIS is quite sensitive. Perhaps we will see Celestron upgrade to STARVIS 2 and the 678 cameras in things future? It will be interesting to see where Origin goes.
does it require any kind of internet access and server up-keep from celestron to keep functioning properly into the future
No clue, I guess we will find out!
i wouldnt have thought so, but might take software upgrades like the current batch of Evolutions
When you said the Sensor is a great choice , i noticed this is an advertise.
I'm looking at this scope but don't quite understand why you think the sensor is a good choice. It's low res and large pixel size, basically like two year old sensor, right? Can you explain why you think it's actually the right sensor further please? How do you know it's a well designed or simple app? No one has used it and you say a smartly designed app is a big advantage.
Question is, do i buy one of these or upgrade my C6 to hyperstar :)
If I could only choose 1, it would definitely be a C6+ Hyperstar!
@@AstroBlender I am tempted. I've just not got a very good camera as currently been using either dSLR or the asi224 for lunar, so I'd have to look at my camera setup
recommended by the celestron guy
I wish I got paid for this stuff, but I don’t. My views are my own.
I’m mostly excited about the research implications and EAA. Outside that I wouldn’t buy one for myself for astrophotography. I’ve got a RASA 8 and full control for that.
@@AstroBlender But you do not even mention the competition like evScope, and even seem to suggest the Origin is a first. You do not reply to comments that mention those products.
I am sorry but you seem biased, be it to Celestron or to American-made products.
@@jango71 Not at all. This was a first impressions video, not a smart telescope comparison video. A 6” RASA is much, much different than any of the current smart telescopes.
@@AstroBlender You mention “existing Smart Telescopes people flock to” but show as advantages of the Origin features that exist on (mainly French) competition since years and for one quarter of the price (but for beginners you need to spend 4k?). Apps that show the progress of the stacking, ease of use of the app, screen instead of eyepiece…
I agree the features on Origin are above those offered by the products of the competition at the same price point, on the higher part of the smart telescope market, and I am happy to see them arrive, but most of the advantages you mentioned for beginners are available on current cheap smart telescopes.
Cooperation Proposal from Move Shoot Move
I am waiting for real hands-on review before deciding.
SeeStar is an amazing scope for the price. I wonder what the extra 3500$ getting me.
A telescope that is 6.25x faster than SeeStar with much higher resolution. SeeStar is a great entry from ZWO, and if you’re happy with it then great. Clear skies.
Origin has almost 10x the aperture. Bigger, more capable, telescopes cost more.
Not at $5400 CDN ! Wow , that is some serious sticker shock .
Absolutely! It’s very pricey!
Seems a bit expensive for a 6" scope...
Yeah, I can’t speculate on the exact price point, but I’m sure there were significant R&D and 3rd party costs, and Celestron in addition to their vendors have to make money. Essential my guess is people are mostly paying for the simplicity.
I'd really like one but £4000 seems like too much. I'm sure you could build a better system for less.
Definitely! I think a lot of the appeal for many people (especially the younger folks) is the simplicity and “cool” factor. The big appeal for me is the ease of showing students how to do undergraduate research and maybe get more students to love astronomy.
I would have expected more balance with your concerns. Surely you have them? I have concerns myself about the quality of the camera vs newer models (why the choice vs the 585 etc), the lack of some degree of cooling, the use of the ring dew heater (which has problems with the bigger scopes). The star sharpness in their PR images are frankly underwhelming and i can’t quite work out why this is vs images from other similar smart set ups given the rasa. The price just does not seem to justify the benefits vs the competition. However they hint at polar alignment and autoguiding in the future so perhaps the next upgrade is the one to wait for. Otherwise Seestar and its like seem better value for the newbie.
I think the 178 is fine but the IMX 678 would be even better if sensitivity is what they’re after.
I think too many people think this is going to be an astrophotography marketed scope. I’m pretty sure EAA and outreach are the primary uses for it. I’m mostly excited about the research implications. Universities can afford these scopes no problem. The price is definitely hefty. No arguing that. I’m sure they had to pay for a lot of the R&D that went into it plus 3rd party costs on software.
I tend to agree but for many of us EEA means 60s exposures for 30subs and then move on. A lightweight quick-setup scope with decent resolution that can live in this space will be a winner for many senior citizen observers 😉👴 @@AstroBlender
That’s true, but now you can take shorter exposures and move on faster if you’re using Origin. Unless you’re already using a RASA for EAA than the point above is moot.
@@AstroBlender And that is why i wanted to see the quality of the images. I use an 8”SCT at FR 0.7 and 30mins max exposures. These remain much superior to the quality i see from Origin PR, even if i just screenshot my ASIAIR stacks on the ipad. Of course we are not talking like for like i understand (ie cooled telescope and good tracking) but Origin is not the answer i seek -yet!
IMX 585 has larger pixels, would not be an upgrade.
It looks like a coffee flask.
This thing is dead on arrival. Nobody with a clear head spends 4K on an altaz mount and an old uncooled sensor. Heck the 678 is cheaper than the 178. What are they thinking?
This new approach to astronomy leaves me feeling totally unengaged. With so much automation, what's the point of doing it "yourself"? Why not just browse an online image dump and skip the late nights and cold hands?
This is the typical old geezer/gatekeeper angle. "Things are not legit unless they are as hard as it was for me when I did them.". Technology makes things easier. That is the way of the world. Many people will get these scopes and then dive in deeper. Personally I went from Dwarf 2 to a Nexstar Evolution 9.25 in 3 months. They both serve a good purpose but some people just do not want to deal with the tedious work involved with traditional scopes. This one is a great medium between the smart scopes and traditional ones. It's okay if it's not for you but this is going to get a lot of people interested in astronomy and that's a good thing.
I think this will be huge for outreach and EAA. At the university the students love the smart telescopes we have and routinely flock to them more than the traditional scopes. Smart telescopes show more detail than large telescopes with short exposures, just because the human eye is so inefficient. This will be a great tool for research from high school all the way to basic graduate level. Teaching students how to perform research will be easy with this, especially if the school doesn’t have an observatory. I can see your point where a lot of people would just take it outside and that’s it. However, I do think many people will stay outside with their origin while they do planetary imaging or outreach, and so it fits a good niche. We will see how it’s received though, that’s why I wanted to see everyone’s thoughts. :) Clear skies.
Those of us of a certain age are looking to reduce the weight of astronomy (setting up) and yet fully appreciate observing quality targets and image processing. We also generally have more disposable cash. So the theory is sound but it should be aimed at an equatorial mount and cooled camera market. A “pick up and go” but where 60s exposures are the norm for EAA. Not outreach, not students. I think we need to wait for the next upgrade before we have a product with real potential at that price.
To me, it’s reminiscent of going to a concert or sporting event and just watching the whole thing through your phone as you record.
@@RobotSnake Majored in chemistry in college. When I started, we used slide rules. When I took Analytical Chemistry slide rules didn't cut it, we had to use 5 place log tables, and interpolate. For one problem in my Nuclear Chemistry class, I used several sheets of paper, landscape, to complete all the calculations. Then calculators came along and things got easier. Now you can program a spreadsheet to do all your calculations and save a ton of time. You still have to know how to do the calculation, but the drudgery is taken out of it. No one I know misses using slide rules (try to buy one) or log tables. Time moved on and technology with it. I see the same thing happening with amateur astronomy.
An advert, not a 'review'!!
Sad day when the noobs will be posting better space photos than the old heads who have been working on their craft for decades. Sad to see that computers have made everything too easy for us now. Nobody will ever appreciate your photographs the same.
I'dont agree with you ...
So it looks like you can be a great driver because you're able to use autonomic Tesla (car)...?
If you don't know how to setup telescope and how it works ... well...
Yes it might be easier in use but it should not create dumb-users who know only how to "start", "download" and maybe "shutdown" this device (because AI should check the fog or cloud and shutdown device auto-magically without even notify the user ...)
anyway might be a nice choice -but not with this price tag... and no chance (? more pixels would kill rasp Pi control unit) to replace the camera to better model
You would be surprised how many professional astronomers don’t know how to setup a telescope and mount. Many sit behind a desk and download their space telescope data or ground based data. That said, yes the price is quite hefty. I’m sure a lot of the R&D has to be recouped, but I’m not sure on that.
Technology changes though. Using your analogy, most people don’t drive a stick shift/manual transmission anymore. Who knows in the future if people will even know how to drive?
Astronomy is for everyone!
Sorry but too expensive
why waste time watching a video of somebody telling you what Celstron already tells you on their web site - I want toi see somebody who actually has a scope and can test it
Why waste the time making a pointless comment like yours? Just move on. Obviously its not out yet so your solution about any product being made is we should never talk about it until it's out? That's not how the world works pal.
5000 euro😂😂😂😂😂👋👋👋