What's Up? Webcast: Heliostar Introduction

[@alandyer910]

Excellent introduction to what looks like an exciting new product. Thank you! 🙏

[@solareclipsetimer]

This is a sweet scope! Good work SkyWatcher! I have a Coronado SolarMax 60 with a T-Max Tuner that is rated to

[@AstroNumpty]

Man... the amount of times I have had to do a switcheroo mins before the cast! Nicely handled 🙂

[@craiglowery4427]

I enjoyed this video. Happy Thanksgiving

[@sandman2693]

Does the Trifid support stalks add central obstruction induced diffraction artifacts? What about contrast reduction?

[@SkyWatcherUSA]

From the testing I have done I have not noticed any diffraction artifacts. Maybe on a very bright flare but so far I have not seen anything to hinder the image as all. The contrast from the samples I have used does not seem to be affected. Comparing to other solar scope I had on hand it kept up with the best of them. -Kevin

[@wodclerc]

I hope this price point is an exception because it's a solar scope, and not a new trend for Skywatcher 😔 I see too many brands focussed on the budget-aware customer segment suddenly changing to "we want to be a premium brand now" as a strategy to satisfy shareholders or compensate for an economic downturn. And I'm not just talking about astronomy gear, seeing it everywhere these days. On the other hand, seems like other brands of solar scopes with similar specs are similarily priced, so I hope it's just that. It is a nice scope though, but out of my budget. Still waiting for my lunt 40/400 to arrive, which is half the price of this one. Had it been the same price, would have cancelled my order and gone with this one immediately. By the way, you're referring to the engineering team. Are they ever a guest on this stream? Would love to meet the geeks behind the skywatcher telescopes 😃 And yes, I mean geeks in a positive way, as in: the technical gods of Skywatcher 😅

[@SkyWatcherUSA]

Our business model has been to provide premium level products at reasonable prices. That's not going to change. But we do need to take into consideration the cost that goes in to making these products. As a business, we need to make money to continue operating.

[@wodclerc]

​@@SkyWatcherUSA I get that. It's just a leap from newtonians of < 1000 to a solar scope of 3000. As I said, I hope that's because this is a solar scope and not a new general trend. So where is your engineering team based actually? Would love to see an interview with them 😊

[@SkyWatcherUSA]

@@wodclerc Our product development/engineering team is spread out in various places around the world, but the actual rubber to the road engineering is done in China at our factory. Doing an episode with them would be fun, but we'd have to coordinate a time. It would probably end up being a pre-recorded episode just because of timing/logistics.

[@wodclerc]

​@@SkyWatcherUSA oh I would be perfectly fine with that 🤗

[@whatmattersmost6725]

You have a nice backyard Kevin! That scope makes your backyard better for sure!!! Tax write off...LOL

[@nicksmith7579]

What is the aperture of the internal Etalon itself and does it have tilt-tuning?

[@SkyWatcherUSA]

The coated portion of the etalon is 40mm. It is not a tilt tune, but a physical pressure tuning.

[@wodclerc]

"Call daystar, ask Tiffany", love how everybody knows everybody in these astronomy companies 😃

[@SkyWatcherUSA]

Its a small word in the telescope industry. A lot of us are friends and there is a lot of respect for one another amongst the teams. Everyone deserves a seat at the table even if we compete against one another. I see it like playing a board game with family. You can be competitive and be friends at the same time. -Kevin

[@berndweisheit1157]

A white-light solar telescope with the same size that could even mounted together side by side would be fine.

[@SkyWatcherUSA]

One of our Evostar ED refractors and a basic white light filter and you are set.

[@sjpp71]

Even a celestron astromaster 70 f12 will do for solar. Sometimes I use my Skywatchers ST80, Evoguide, 90mm f10, with a lunt wedge or with baader solar film for white light.

[@berndweisheit1157]

@@sjpp71 Yes, but I would like to have two identical (!) telecopes side by side - one H-alpha, one white-light.