Question about remote imaging providers (Roboscope) - Forums

Topic starter

Jan 25, 2023

Hi gang,

so I am just about at the end of my rope here - no clear skies for the past 2+ months, and before that clear skies were already quite rare (as in 1/month).

Hence, I am considering joining a remote imaging facility, as much as that pains me (I do like to play with my kit and enjoy the sense of having produced the image myself, start to finish).

In any case, I would prefer a company within Europe - and came across Roboscope in Spain. They do offer annual subscriptions to individual systems for around 1000€.

Before committing, I was hoping to get some general feedback from existing users tho.

Things I wasn't able to find propers answers to are:

a) the size of the teams behind each system (i.e. are we talking 5 users, or 50)
b) the general quality of their skies
c) the actual "real world" number of usable nights a year

And I guess your general impression dealing with the company and their services. Also, how do you experience working with a given team - i.e. do you get much input on target selection, or are you just along for the ride? ;)

Cheers,
Marc

Well Written Respectful Engaging

James Sokolowski

Jan 25, 2023

I'm in the US and if / when I sign up with a remote provider I'd go w/ folks having solid S. Hemisphere observatories…. Australia & Chili seem great. Lots of gee-whiz-bang objects in the S. Hemi…. After that, a range of scope focal lengths and matching sensor specifics would be key…

Jim

andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

Jan 25, 2023

Marc:
Hi gang,

so I am just about at the end of my rope here - no clear skies for the past 2+ months, and before that clear skies were already quite rare (as in 1/month).

Hence, I am considering joining a remote imaging facility, as much as that pains me (I do like to play with my kit and enjoy the sense of having produced the image myself, start to finish).

In any case, I would prefer a company within Europe - and came across Roboscope in Spain. They do offer annual subscriptions to individual systems for around 1000€.

Before committing, I was hoping to get some general feedback from existing users tho.

Things I wasn't able to find propers answers to are:

a) the size of the teams behind each system (i.e. are we talking 5 users, or 50)
b) the general quality of their skies
c) the actual "real world" number of usable nights a year

And I guess your general impression dealing with the company and their services. Also, how do you experience working with a given team - i.e. do you get much input on target selection, or are you just along for the ride? ;)

Cheers,
Marc

***
I have used them in the past and I was distinctly unimpressed by the level of feedback, user intervention and the quality of the output, which I considered to be mediocre. This said, things might have moved on but I no loner use them. Spanish weather can be quite fickle at times and you might not get a lot of clear night this time of the year. Personally, whenever I need images from the boreal sky I use Skygems. Not perfect but at least good enough in terms of time/money.

Marc

Topic starter

Jan 25, 2023

andrea tasselli:
***
I have used them in the past and I was distinctly unimpressed by the level of feedback, user intervention and the quality of the output, which I considered to be mediocre. This said, things might have moved on but I no loner use them. Spanish weather can be quite fickle at times and you might not get a lot of clear night this time of the year. Personally, whenever I need images from the boreal sky I use Skygems. Not perfect but at least good enough in terms of time/money.

Thanks, good point about the southern hemisphere -and thanks for sharing your experiences. with Roboscope - exactly what I was looking for.

I am the kind of person who likes to pay once and then be able to use a service, rather than paying per use. Just a pet-peeve, I suppose. So I would prefer something that is more like a subscription-style setup. Skygems is probably not a good fit in that regard.

There is of course DeepSkyWest, but they are not cheap and not based in the EU - so that would not be my first choice obviously.

Joe Linington

Jan 25, 2023

I have been using Telescope Live. I am mostly along for the ride but it is very reasonable and my $20/month gets me about 2 images to process per month and they have a huge catalog to choose from. They are in the process of upgrading their cameras to QHY600m and have scopes in Spain, Chile and Australia. It's a little different than being a partner in a specific scope but the reasonable cost and flexibility works for my budget. Free trial is available.

Helpful

Georg N. Nyman

Jan 25, 2023

I have signed up with itelescope.net at the low end plan for 40USD.

Sofar not yet any image aquisition experience as the telescope, I want to use is in Spain and there is rain and clouds currently.

However. what I found out is that your plan expires after about one month - at least the one for 40USD - so you are required to use the credits up within that timeframe. If you enroll for the large 1000USD plan, what I understand, the dredits do not expire.

They have telescopes in Spain, Utah, Australia and Chile - but from what I see, many of them are either in maintenance or closed due to weather (clouds, wind) oder reserved. If you can accept a reservation about 8-10days ahead, it works fine, there is room and open slots.

The darks, flats, flatdarks, biases of all telescopes are available for all involed filters and binnings. Will be interesting to look at the aquired subs - they say, that the subs, they deliver to you can either be pre-calibrated or raw to let you calibrate them yourself.

The price/credits range for those telescopes is very different, depending on the size and the outfit but you can find something affordable as well. If you of course want to use their 40" astrograph, it is costly.

Anyway, I wait and see, if I can get my imaging project done and then I can tell you more about the quality of the images etc.

CS,
Georg
-in Lower Austria - under clouds, fog and drizzle :-(

Helpful Engaging

Related discussions

Moravian OAG vs. Optec Sagitta

Hello all! I am back with another rookie question. It has been several months since I made my initial order for my camera and when I did I ordered the large, maybe extra large, external filter wheel, Model #EFW-3L-7-II which is the seven slots 50mmX5...

Remote imaging facility alternative; discusses equipment automation rather than remote access.

Oct 25, 2024

Hello from Hertforshire, UK where it seems to be perpetually cloudy...

Hi All, Very new to the forum and have been looking up with purpose for about 18 months now. My son's birthday was the catalyst and we started him with a Skywatcher 200p Dobsonian and we managed Jupiter, Saturn and Venus on it but the push-to was...

Author upgraded to AP mount; remote imaging could address their clear sky limitations.

Sep 8, 2021