StarGazingSiouxsie

Hi, So I'd like to learn more about Celestron's mirror locks that are installed on their Edge HD models. I have an Evolution 8" Edge that has these lockls. * What do they do? * Why do only the Edge models have themn installed? * When should I have them screwed in? * Should I leave them loose most of the time? Any help you can give me in answering those questions will be much appreciated, thanks, plus anything else you'd like to tell me about these mirror locks, I am here to be enlightened. I did initially have my locks done up which is maybe why I was creaking noises from the focuser area............ I now have them both unscrwed 6 turns. I am just into geneal astronomy, I don't do astrophotography nor use a guider, if that info helps you pitch your answers to me. As always, thank you. Siouxsie

Yes! I was lucky enough to get one just before they sold out 😍

Was very excited in preapring two of my telescopes this evening for the first clear conditions in a long time. It was great to get Celeste (8" Evolution) and Cubble (CPC1100) out in the open air and observing again, it's where my soul's at. Also had an eyepiece BBQ while I was at it As it turned out the viewing conditions were really poor but I still enjoyed the evening. Looks like there's a few more clear nights to come here, hope you get some, too. Siouxsie

Made this today from a $39.99 Celestron eyepiece carrying case. In it I have my StarSense camera, StarSense hand controller and Baader mirror diagonal with 2" Click Lock with 1.25" Click Lock adapter. I just took out some of the foam with a craft knife. Tip - keep the foam for the moments when you discover you took out too much Siouxsie

On a general note - maybe geared for anyone reading this down the line - I can really highly recommend Celestron's Lthium Power Tanks. I have the 3amp model #18771 and the 5amp model #18768. Both exhibit extremely high build quality and also have the feature of adjustable red / white lights, as well as the ability to charge items via a USB. The 5amp version also comes with a female cigarette lighter type power port which is very handy for using the power cord that came with Cubble. They tanks are a little pricey but I think these are of sufficient quality to last many years and charge cycles. Its a big YES from me!!!

@Shimrod @Jiggy 67 Thank you I think I'll contact Celestron now and tell them my batteries are on the blink - even they don't and they are not. If you follow me. That should confuse them

Hi, I have just purchased a couple of these https://www.celestron.com/products/powertank-lithium-pro The manual says that when the battery is powering something that the 4 red battery will blink in sequence to show that power is flowing. My units are fully charged up, yet when I use them the red lights don't blink in sequence. I just have 2 red static lights lit under the 4 red battery lights. I have 2 of the smaller power tanks, the next model down, and the blue battery lights on those do blink in sequence when they are powering an object. I have tested my new units and they do seem to be providing power. But, if you have one of these, could you confirm please that your red lights don't flash when powering something? Thanks. It's just that the manual is very specfic about this. (I have double checked and the manual is specific to my new units) Still, it's a Celestron manual so maybe my expectations are too high Thank you Siouxsie

Note that there are 2 plates in the kit - one for OTAs up to 9.25 and the other for the 11 & 14s. I'm not sure if your mounting plate screws will be long enough if you wanted to try to the 2 plate method but you can see. Anyway, I hope it won't come to that and that your install is problem free.

Celestron Focus Motor install problems on a CPC1100 I've read enough threads online to know I'm not the only person to encounter problems with installing the Celestron Focus Motor. Despite following the install instructions to the letter and watching a load of videos on how to do this, I could not get the motor work correctly with the screws for the mounting plate and motor mount installed anything other than loosely - which is obviously not right. I read up on a lot of threads about this and it seems the basic problem is that the mounting plate supplied with the motor causes pressure to be put on the focus bearing and thereafter causes binding and locking up. People have come up with many solutions including installing washers / shims and, taking Celestron's Tech Support advice, to install the orginal focus mounting plate first and then the Focus Motor kit mounting on top. - and that's what I did. Whether by luck or design, Cubble came with quite long screws in his original mounting plate so there was ample thread left to pass through both plates. With both plates installed, all the screws can now be tightened down (snugged down, nothing OTT), including the 2 hex screws for the motor mount. Before, the screws had to be left loose just to allow the motor to turn and, believe me, I spent hours making sure everything was true and aligned correctly to try and solve this. Anyway, that's what worked for me and I am happy that my motor is now working as intended. Celestron are a strange set up - they produce great scopes but some of their kit and accessories leaves a lot to be desired, from a R&D point of view. I hope this may help someone else out down the line. Siouxsie

@Starwatcher2001 Thanks, Mark, I'll take a look at that later

Oh, I know, I wasn't taking the ***s. Just being happy

Thanks all for your replies and insights, I appreciate them. My tracking is set to sidereal. I did the usual Starsense (SS) alignment and followed up with at least 6 additional alignment reference points. When I first calibrated the SS camera to the OTA I'm thinking I could have centered the star a little better and I'm wondering if that's affected my goto accuracy? All my goto targets are in a 32mm eyepiece but most appear at the 7 o'clock position in the eyepiece. I might do a new calibration and see if that helps. People say it's a one off thing but in my mind if it was not done accuaretly then surely it will affect alignments? Planets move differently through the sky relative to stars, right? So does that mean that tracking rates for planets are different than for stars? IE does it follow that planets will stay centered in the eyepiece for a shorter time than stars and DSOs will??

Hi Tonight I was looking at Jupiter and got some nice views with a range of eyepeices. The best image detail wise and for clarity of image was a 15mm, which on my 8" Evolution gives me appx 135X I tried using my Televue 2X Barlow which normally works fine. I can't remember exactly which eyepiece this happened with, maybe the 15mm or a 9mm, but when I used the barlow the planetary image would soon disappear out of the eyepiece. The mount seemed to otherwise be tracking OK although notice the planets seem to move out of the eyepiece view after a while. So did I have too much magnification with the Barlow? I think I did manage to get focus, the image just wouldn't stay put. Thanks for any insights or advice Siouxsie

Yes! And Io has that slighty burnt pizza topping surface,. which, whilst not really discernable through an eyepiece, given nice viewing conditions one can make a slightly orange tinge to it, like Mars had a baby and it ran off to Jupiter. I noticed this the other night, I checked and I was correct, it was Io! 1 in 4 chance, I know, but I'll take that

OK cool, thanks.

Hello Some people may already know about this site but for those that don't (which included me half an hour ago) I can highly recommend it. I asked someone how they were able to identify which moon was which in their eyepiece and they pointed me to this site. You can select any time / date you wish so that you can plan your observing if you want to see a particular transit or moon's shadow. (Jupiter's moons page at bottom left of the page linked to) https://shallowsky.com/satsat/ Siouxsie

So you don't have to go: Auto Align >> Calibrate >> Auto Align ? (As you would the first time you use SS) If you have an exsiting / extant alignment model, you can just do: Calibrate >> Auto Align Do I have that right?

Hello I have a couple of StarSense related questions please. 1. So this would be a new calibration point between the camera & OTA, not a new or additional alignement reference. The reason I ask is because I'm wondering if doing a new calibration now and again might sharpen or help the accuracy of the GOTOs?? I'm not sure how accurate my initial calibration was, but in any case I'm the type who likes to continually make my set ups are as sharp as they can be. Regardless of why I want to do it, If it were possible, then maybe I could go to the StarSense menu and follow the calibration proceedure that I did when I initially calibrated the camera / OTA (the one you have to do when you first use SS and then another Auto Align is required after) ?? 2. I added a load of additional alignment points. If I wanted to scrub those (because StarSense stores them - right??) and add new / updated ones is there a way of clearing out the stored additional alignment reference points? Any help, insights, tips, advice or ideas all very gratefully received, thank you. Siouxsie

@Miguel1983 (Sorry for late reply) Thanks for your insights, ideas and photo, I found them all really helpful

Alternatively, I could still get an Edge and when using the Focal Reducer I could investigate if there is a way of attaching the diagonal straight to it (without the Click Lock, thereby giving me the mount clearance I need); I know that it is possible to attach some Baader diagonals (for example) directly to the rear of the OTA by unscrewing the nose of of the diagonal and using a locking ring. Then, whe I am not using the focal reducer EG for planetery visual work, I can use the Baader Click Lock as a visual back with the diagonal inserted into it with nose re-attached. It's a bit of work but I think worth it to get the benefits that using a focal reducer for DSOs brings along with Edge optics. Any thoughts, insights, comments or views on my plan are all very glady received, thank you. Siouxsie

@Miguel1983 Thank you very much for that I suspect you are using Celestron part number 94175 which is the focal reducer for non Edge telescopes. The CPC I am considering is an Edge, and I need part number 94241 - which is another 3.5 inches bigger than the 94175. I think this is why I have received varying responses thus far. I feel I may not have the diagonal / mount clearance with the Edge rated reducer. This may influence my purchasing decision to buy an non Edge telescope. I like your set up. You have a Baader click lock - right? This one ? https://agenaastro.com/baader-2-sct-click-lock-eyepiece-adapter-visual-back-3-25-sct-thread.html Is your diagonal a Baader too? Does your focal reducer screw straight onto the threads at the rear of the OTA? How do you like your Feather Touch focuser?

Yes, just shy of 90lbs

Hi Could anyone who has or had a CPC1100 and used a focal reducer (Celestron #94241 ) along with a 2" diagonal enlighten me please as to whether or not there is enough clearance between the back of the OTA and the top of the azimuth clutch on the mount? As we know, the OTA cannot be moved within the forks of the CPC so it's an important consideration for me. I have so far asked 2 people - one has said yes there will be clearance, the other said that the above set up will hit the mount. I am considering getting one of these telescopes and whilst not being able to use a focal reducer with a diagonal is not a deal breaker it is part of my important information gathering process. So any information or insights regarding this will be very gratefully received, thank you. As a bonus question attracting bonus thanks from me - can a 8" Edge OTA mounted on an Evolution mount (my current set up) be fitted with a focal reducer & diagonal? Maybe with the OTA moved to its very forward most position in the fork arm saddle?? Thank you Siouxsie

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