Why Everyone Keeps Sending Their Telescope Here

why am i just now realizing how similar bray and Trevor look

I’m sorry but the social aspects of everyone meeting at River Place are more important

A friend of mine has a rig at starfront. While I'm incredibly jealous by their constant stream of subs, I am more on your side of thought. I enjoy the physicality of it, being outdoors, seeing the skies for what they are. That and I can never decide which rig to use, picking one to send down would be impossible XD

Trevor is just a little envious and doesn't want to rename his site Astro-Texas...

The moment I saw all those telescopes I was thinking all of them were 1 million all combined 🤯

can't they all be aimed at the same target and get optical interferometry and upscale to a 20m equivalent mirror?

Luckily, I live on a Bortle 1-3 island....𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, that same isle is known as the Wettest Spot in the World, so I feel all your pain about clouds ☁️🌫☁️🙄😂 But when it's clear...my god 🤯🥳!!

Can anyone do much imaging from Canada? You're so far north, can you even see the ecliptic? (joking)

Thank you for the super interesting video!

My rig is basically your travel rig . Besides the camera. I have a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, SA 2i , and the Rokinon lens. I’m in southern New Jersey. I am in bortle class 6 as well and every season I learn something new! I understand why people pay for this type of service but I would rather do it all on my own. $199 isn’t too steep when put in perspective… To each their own! I love the journey im on! Trevor you are the whole reason I pulled the trigger and got into all of this. Thank you and I hope you have plenty clear nights this fall / winter. 🌌 ❤

Not a bad living, mans making 340k a year just out of those 3 sheds, once the other two are up and running it'll be 5-700k a year just in subscription fees.

Reading through the comments here, I think a lot of folks are forgetting that there are different aspects to this hobby. We each have different parts that we get enjoyment from. For example, I know people who love to tinker with their rigs. Some people enjoy getting the most out of modest gear. Some people enjoy being outside. And yes.. some people like to sit at a desk, remote in and harvest data.

For me, I don't like tinkering. I don't enjoy the routine of setting up, polar aligning, tearing down.. that part of the hobby got old real fast for me.

Designing a rig, putting it together, and then collecting data.. lots of data, that is what I enjoy. And yes.. I enjoy processing.. sometimes I wish I could process as a career, lol.

Anyway, I don't think anyone should besmirch anyone else for putting their scope at a remote site. I know Trevor was kidding but I'm seeing a little tension in the comments.. reminds me of the reaction from some when Smart Telescopes starting showing up.

Personally, I run three rigs in my bortle 5 backyard. I'm not far from starfront and have considered possibly sending a small rig with a OSC down there. The price is excellent and all the rigs they are housing demonstrates pent up demand for this kind of service. I wish them well. CS!

Bro can i use gimbal instead of star tracker 😅

❤🌌Trevor Don't Be An Observatory Hater, That's Just Truly Snooty Nonsense. That's "It's My Way Or The Highway" Talk. You Should Be Promoting More Inclusion Into The Astrophotography Hobby. Are You Afraid This Alternative Method Of Capturing The Cosmos Might Decrease Your Channel's Views Or What? I've Got My ObservaDome That Is So User-Friendly & You Don't Have To Waste All That Time Setting Up Your Rig Each Time You View The Cosmos. Plus It Helps Keep A Telescope Safe & Secure. Clear Skies From Rick🌌❤

I get the idea of it but i would find it a hassle if i wanted my camera rotated to frame a specific target or if you needed to ring up and ask if someone can put a flat panel on to take calibration frames. On the other hand could you image every one of those scopes collectively pointing at one target on a collaborative image.

Wow mind blowing to have this facility! Fab video Trev

Great video as always. And beautiful shot of the Milky Way, Lagoon anf Trifid popping out beautifully 🤩! But did you say „widefield“? I just re-discovered my beautiful 14mm lens 😅! I haven’t done the math, but it sure feels like it’s covering over a quarter of the whole horizon 😳🤩

Now this makes sense cheers.

I get it, but for me thats not my thing. Alone with my scope its what I like.

Why are people sending ASIair to a remote site? You can't use sequences, operate all sky cams, or flat panels. Imagine having to baby sit your rig all night at a remote site, I don't get it.

Now sync all the same setups and take a picture of Andromeda or something. Easy 2000h exposure stack in like 2 nights lmao

Isn't it very easy to steal all those expensive telescopes?

This is the hobby killer. I would never send my scope there, the problem, cold, clouds etc are what is rewarding this hobby and keeping you motivated. not sitting at sofa watching your remote images.

My Texas home and property offers a rural Bortle 3 with nearly complete view to the horizon.

WOW!

Great video and sense of humour!

So is it a monthly fee ie:$199 month or?

Haha! "A bunch of cheaters" that last line in there put a smile on my face. But I think it's really cool what is being done here. And as you stated, I love the opportunity it offers people who might otherwise never have it. Super awesome!

Yes I agree bunch of cheaters. Make the rest of us look bad. lol😁

Incredible facility. Great to see how much it's grown since Bray first introduced it.

Because the price is decent, these 800 dollar piers at other remote sites is way to much for a small consumer scope, it's like buying a large Takahashi and throwing it out every year.

Oh Man! That "Bunch of Cheaters" was unexpected yet epic 😆🤣 Loved it 😂❤

Looks great, this site with all the gear. But for me, actually it is not a real option to send a whole gear to Texas from Switzerland because the freigth costs are tremendous and would be sufficient for another gear. What I'm wondering is, how this is insured. Are the costs covered in case of a rebuilt and replacement of the gear after a tornado visited the location? I hope that will never happen.

What an awesome idea for people that can’t image from home.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I loved this one. This is a great premise and for those who’ve chosen that route, God love em. I, like you, feel the need for some degree of challenge to my endeavors. Something feels wrong if whatever I’m doing is too easy, however I might define that. Example, I love sailing. Not just as a weekend endeavor but actually living and traveling on the waters of the world, ya da, ya da, ya da. It’s very challenging sometimes but I love that about it. In addition to the sense of freedom, the smell of the ocean, the sunrises and sunsets, news faces also comes the challenges of keeping the boat moving and in one piece. Same with stargazing and astro imaging. The challenges of set up, equipment, weather, all make the final image that I’m happy with well worth the time and effort it took to create it. LOVE YOUR UNDER THE BREATH SNARKY COMMENTS AT THE END! Couldn’t stop chuckling.

I've wanted an observatory of my own for 30 years. Job, kids, wife, etc. kept that from happening. Dream almost died. I live under Bortle 8 skies with probably less than 30-40 clear nights a year. Having a scope at SFRO, while not my OWN observatory has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. And I can still have a scope in my backyard and shoot narrow band when the conditions allow. Now I am drinking from a firehose of data to process. A good problem to have.

"Bunch of Cheaters" = "I'm so jealous"

I like astrophotography from the backyard but I understand that people want a scope under Bortle 1 skies

Im impressed with those roll off roof buildings. You should do a video with info about them.

Pretty cool Texas ranch! Love those long horns! Bray saw a need and filled a niche. Good on him. I’ll just continue to brave the partly cloudy skies and frozen fingers! lol. Dr B from Manitoba, Canada 🇨🇦

There is a lot of merit to both arguments, I sent my B team rig ( which got me some off colored comments in the Discord Server) I live in Central Cal and this summer has been brutal, plus Bortal 7 skies. I keep my A rig and head to Kings Canyon whenever I have time, and the weather permits. Hoping ultimately for a good experience at StarFront !

Skies are so 💩 here in western canada i will be lucky to see tsuchinshan-atlas..

Taylor Steven Lee Eric Martinez Nancy

I am curious about their setup procedure. Whatever it is, it has to be reliable. Do they publish such things? Cable routing strategies, technical details of their setups, things they do every time they set up a scope.

What an amazing idea this is! Thanks for showing us!!

Such a cool video mate, and it's nice to see opinions from folks on both sides of the fence on the remote vs backyard debate! - Both sides are right really, as long as a person is having fun and getting value from their time (and money!) - that said, I'm certainly more of a backyard guy myself, the data/tech side etc I could care less about, it's more of the experience of capturing it and making the photos that I enjoy, I really think I'd lose that by going remote!
Clear skies mate! :-)

What do you guys do for security?

If Trevor put a rig in Starfront, he’d have to change his channel to AstroRentalSpace

I think the less effort you put into astrophotography, the less fun it becomes

I had no idea this was available. I think it is fantastic. We are in a world of increasing light pollution, and not everybody can go to a dark site., and I am sure there are people who have physical limitations that would benefit from this. I finally got a Star Adventurer and a new tripod, and I am in the process of figuring it out. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.