Marvin Jenkins

I am using a 130mm Orion, so only a little larger in aperture. Your biggest advantage is your access to your dark sky site. I can’t tell you how much of a difference it makes. I don’t completely subscribe to bigger kit means you see more every time, but in the future, if you can upgrade your mount then do. My package came with an eq2, after one year I upgraded to a sw eq5 and the difference was incredible. It was so much more solid and precise I started seeing dso’s that disappeared in the eq2 wobble. It took another seven months to save for the syn scan kit but that has taken it to whole new level, being able to track an object has been a revelation. I still use the 130 on it so don’t worry about putting a small scope on a larger mount, it should be that way round.

Do you know what..... can’t be bothered. I am just going to do visual for the future. I am in it for the astronomy not a work shop for computer geeks. Out of here Marvin...... don’t reply.

The power issue is not easily resolved as the neq5 does not have a power light. The cigarette lighter socket has an led and it is lit up when I am connected to mains power via my 12v transformer, so I have to assume that it is working fine. I powered up the mount with the handset connected instead of the laptop and all the handset functions work fine, I can slew and park the scope perfectly.

I am not connecting through Stellarium as I am still only in the first eqmod setup stages. I used the device manager as shown in the light vortex tutorial and it shown as com port 3. I have selected com 3 in the eqmod screen but get no connection. If I click the binocular button for eqmod to find the com port I get a list of 16 ports. I select port 3 from that list and click ok, toolbox connect still nothing. I was beginning to wonder if it is a Windows ten issue as all the tutorials are 7 based and it’s looking like I am an odd one out. I maybe able to borrow an older laptop and test the mount connectivity to see if I have the same issues. Thanks for all the help.

Definitely the format of my long lat. I am now through that screen as I get no further message when I click ok. Onto the next problem. In the toolbox I made sure the com port was correctly selected, in my case 3. I click Ascom Connect and I get the message ‘ Connect error: Time out’ in the mount position box. I am definitely using the correct com port and light vortex says the only other thing that causes this is low voltage. I am connected to mains power. Any ideas.

The best Saturn moment for me, after the first time which was the same as MKHACHFE for emotion, came when a friend expressed an interest. He looked through the eye piece for the first time and jumped like he had been shocked with electric. Ten minutes in he still couldn’t believe what he was clearly seeing. That old saying ‘you have to pinch yourself’. Makes you realise that the vast majority of people have only ever seen a picture. A smaller percentage have seen a photo which is why the real thing makes such an impression. M

You are going to have a great time if the weather is kind to you. Our moon is especially relevant right now and a magnificent object to study. If you get successive nights compare the features from the previous night, the changes on the terminator are astonishing. Saturn is my favourite. You don’t say what equipment you are using but I couldn’t believe how bright the planet and rings are. I hope you have good seeing as I managed to see the Cassini division at the fourth time of trying in one week and it made it all worth while. You should be really happy with the clusters, they are not hard to find, but careful with planetary nebulas, they tend to be small and easy to miss. Happy hunting

Do I dare say UFO.... didn’t saying flying saucer. Funny thing is it’s a flying object that is as yet unidentified..... so UFO it is.

Thanks for all the help and concern. I think I have been imputing my long/lats incorrectly. I can’t say for sure as I have had no time to try again (sorry). Try turning a cow barn into a house and see how much time and money you have, explains why I still use a 130 newt. I will get back to it tomorrow afternoon and let you all know how it goes. Apologies Marv

I love the statement “I am not a morning person” I am quite new to this as well (two years) but my main lesson has been that the skies and weather don’t work around you. If what you need to see is visible at 11pm or 5pm with clear skies then you need to be up. I am a natural 9 to 10 hours a night sleeper and hate the alarm clock. But if I had not got out of bed at 2am into a freezing garden in winter I would not have the smile on my face knowing what the Orion nebular looks like, or seeing the Crab neb for the first time. This thing we do does not come with comforts, that’s part of the pleasure of discovery. Just because it has already been seen, photographed and studied by many, it is a first for your eye, it’s your discovery. From the list of what you have seen you are a star in the making. Study what you see, make notes, keep a diary, post your observations here. You have no idea how informative your posts are to beginners joining this pastime who have hundreds of questions. Keep up the good work and I have only one bit of advice as far as equipment. I still use a 130 newt which came on an eq2. I have moved to an eq5 mount and the difference is incredible. Same scope whole different ball game. If you can afford it scale up the mount, your scope is good enough for now. The old saying “no mount, no scope” is one of the many things I have learnt from the good members of SGL. Marvin

Not good really as I can’t get past the eqmod setup screen. I understand what the programs are for and I will be using Stellarium with Stellarium scope. My problem is I won’t be using anything at all as I can’t get past eqmod setup. Why do I keep getting an invalid field error that stops me moving to the next stage?

Back again..... successful download of the Ascom platform. Eqmod downloaded and the instructions on light vortex followed to the letter. After registering in the toolbox I get an error box and success box at the same time. I continue onto the Eqmod Ascom setup screen. Found my com port number and filled out all the fields per the instructions, Click ok and I get a small box with the words ‘invalid parameter’ and I can go no further. There is no indication what parameter is invalid. Anyone know what is causing this. Marv

I am going to persevere and try to install the Ascom platform after reclaiming the cable from the bin. Thanks for the light vortex tip, I will give it one last try. If it wasn’t help like this I would lose hope. Thank you fellow SGL’er M

Extremely frustrated. EQ5 mount, bought a Lynx Astro eqmod cable in the insane thought that it would be great to control my telescope from my laptop via Stellarium. Laptop, Acer inspire W10. Downloaded eqmod. Already had a bunch of Ascom drivers that came free with my scope and SN7. Initial download and connect up just didn’t work. I thought perhaps the Ascom drivers from two years ago bundled with SN7 were the problem, so I uninstalled all the Ascom programs and eqmod to start again from fresh. Today, downloaded EQMOD. Won’t even start up! I get an active x control problem and a run time error 429. I took up star gazing to ‘literally look at the stars and planets’ time taken messing with computers is time wasted. If anyone out there wants a free 5m eqmod cable you can collect it from the bin at the end of my lane. And I thought the person on here who said get an eqmod cable, connect it all up then start scratching your head must have been joking, how wrong I was. If there was ever a bit of kit that ensured that I would be a no frills visual astronomer, that cable and that platform is it. If it is that difficult you guys have done me a favour. If you need any further validation, watch the instructional videos on YouTube. The designer of this stuff can barely communicate. I had to keep checking my internet connection to see if the feed had frozen. He is obviously a very intelligent man, but perhaps not the best choice to instruct the non tech masses how his product works Marvin

All ways a big deal, not just the first time. I am smiling for you as it was only a couple of years ago that I saw my first planets and danced around the garden giggling like a maniac. Good job I don’t have neighbours. Nice set up, keep up the reporting. Remember to take note of moon positions and weather patterns on the surface. Look out for shadow transits on the surface, my first was only five days ago. Isn’t Saturn beautiful?

Unfortunately for me a hat trick of Jupiter’s did not materialise. That stream of water effect you have described was in constant attendance for me. I could make out the moon positions and just see the main belts but nothing else. Still nice to be out as it was 25 degrees c and the pool beckoned.

Up till now I haven’t really looked at the moon in that period between sun disappearing behind the trees and the onset of night time. I know most people would say “twilight” but it is a really fast changing period for conditions and one word does not cover it. It has been amazing, and knowing Jupiter is right behind it is all I need to get out in the garden 1 hr 29 minutes from now. More power to the Stu

Just took the dogs up the road and there are quite a few clouds around but I am staying hopeful. Was the moon coming out from Jupiter’s shadow the one I thought it was?

Thanks, I am on a bit of Jupiter frenzy at the moment, partly because I can get a bit of astronomy in and still be in bed before it interferes with work the following day. I was out the evening of the tenth looking at the moon and a little after ten turned my gaze to Jupiter. The four satellites were visible as was the GRS and a shadow transit near the north from Ganymede, (I stand to be corrected) first time for me. last night same deal, Lunar then Jupiter. Only three of the Galilean satellites visible, it did occur to me that one may be behind the planet and at about 10:15 a fourth suddenly appeared closest to the planet. I looked it up and appears to be Europa (second correction possibly) Do I dare for a third clear evening and thanks to you a second stab at the GRS. That thing must be really moving. Marv.

Great work. I am planning an obsy build for next year and I ‘thought’ I had had an original thought..... there you go, brake disc, obviously not. I got mine from my friendly Renault garage for nothing (traffic van front discs) used obviously, just need a little grinding and a coat of paint. Ventilated as well helps with mount calibration 😂

I am so envious. Everyone thinks moving south means better skies, but it has been an age since I have seen anything. Work mates were here end of April..... one night in May..... total cloud cover till 23rd June then 40deg! I am new to astronomy, and was hoping to catch a glimpse of Ceres at least, but right now I am content to wait until the summer is over. Chances are Ceres will not be visible until next years heat wave. marv

Always looking for new places to visit. What’s Tupelo Mississippi got to offer? Looking to visit the USA sometime soon, got family near Jackson’s hole Wyoming. Big country, lots of options. Marv

I know exactly where you are coming from, interested in astronomy since a child, first scope age 44! Last two years have been a blast, I hope you get viewing soon and have your brain re arraigned by what you see, just like mine. You might already know more about the night sky than I do now, but if you are a complete beginner then get out there and learn the night sky. I got my scope then started to learn the constellations and how to find the north celestial pole etc, all stuff I could have done with the internet and my eyeballs. Marv

I agree, the first one gives my eye more definition, keep up the good work.

A figure of speech ‘you have to be joking’ a work of art is what it is. Like a photo negative from back in the 35mm era. Well done.