Advanced VX with StarSense-problems

[vertigo262]

I am new to astronomy and have a vx mount with a star sense. I am having problems getting it aligned right. Although I'm sure it's me and not the equipment

[vertigo262]

This was my original post from another thread for those with similar setups

Hi,

 

I decided I wanted to get into a new hobby and also, new category of my photography, so I bought a telescope.

 

Because I don't know what I am doing I bought an advanced vx mount with a meade lx80 and a starsense. a skyfi with skysafari.

I've been out 7 times and this is a lot harder then I thought even with all the computer equipment to help me.

 

My problem seems to be consistent which is the alignment.

 

At first, I went out and aligned the telescope to Polaris and auto aligned the star sense, which seems to align. so it says. Usually though, when I try to point it to a star, or even the moon, it does not align and I have to slew it manually. It gets close, but never in view as I think the moon would be the easiest of tests.

 

While slowly learning, and watching the skyfi, I also noticed the the tracking is off. After a minute or so, the telescope moves off of position.

 

After doing some research, my conclusion was that I was aligning Polaris to the telescope and not using a polar scope, and the reason my alignment is always off is because the equatorial mount needs to be precise on polar alignment.

 

After going out the other night, and using the polar scope, alignment was way off. even more then before I think,

 

although, being new to this, I have a really difficult time using the viewfinder, telescope, and polar scope and seeing whats in the lens. Even though I can map out Cassiopeia, big dipper, and Polaris looking up, I have a hard time seeing it in the lenses because the crowded stars in the lenses.

 

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, and I'm sure this is probably a common problem among beginners. 

If anyone has any input on what I am doing wrong, or the sequence of steps I should be taking to get everything aligned right, I'd appreciate the input.

[ronin]

Think I posted in the other, or I may have deleted what I started.

One problem is that the star sense is fairly new and many will have no idea what the set up for it should be and to an extent what it does.

From a read elsewhere, possibly yours, would I be correct in saying that it is a plug on item that has a camera to recognise and centre stars? In effect it "should" do the alignment for you by centering the alignment stars.

I think from previous to you I tried with someone else to determine their problem and to be honest failed miserably. I don't think I ever quite worked out if you set the mount data, the starsense data seperately or if they share data.

As in do you tell the mount where it is and the Starsense exteracts this from the mount or the other way round.

I would expect you to set data on the mount, then Starsense reads this, but the way add on items are done I would not be surprised if not.

I will say that for AP you really need to get the polar alignment right. The polar alignment means tracking is better but also more correct - an Alt/Az mount will track but it tracks wrong. Tracking might be accurate but also not quite "right".

Does Starsense have GPS ?

Here is a question, and I am assuming the mount is a "standard" goto:

Can you enter your data - location, timezone, date, time, DST.

Then polar align the mount accurately with the Polar scope.

Then do a "normal" alignment where you move the scope to the alignment star(s) and when in the middle press Enter.

Effectively detach/remove the Starsense and do not use it.

Just at present you have to learn/know how to set up the mount and set up the Starsense, and it seems that until both are learnt you have nothing that enables you to do anything.