globular

Fair enough. I’ll stick with SkySafari where I don’t get the issue. If I ever go back to the hand controller and get the issue I’ll no doubt make a fuss with Celestron and maybe get lucky again and they’ll fix it.

Now you’ve updated your StarSense handset and no longer need to swap between it and the NexStar handset I recommend you check again if you still get the issue with CordWrap. I could be wrong but I have the feeling that changing handsets is resetting the Cordwrap setting and once you stick to the same StarSense handset the setting will stick. Yes I have anniversary edition and I love it!

As you say, now you know you can work around it. And we all can too now we know 👍 However, if you can get this in front of someone at Celestron then they will fix it in a firmware update - the difficulty is getting their attention. When I got my 60th Anniversary Edition and noticed that there was no way to see the battery charge status (because the LED is blocked on this version and the StarSense handset provided didn't have a way to view it either) I managed to get a route to Celestron via the UK distributor (Hinds) and they have since provided a firmware update (Version 1.20.20244) that adds the Peripheral Menu (where the battery status can be viewed) to the StarSense handset. It's got to be worth a try.

Haha, you must have retired young yes? 😉 It's good to have a backup I suppose.... I do worry that I'm relying on SkySafari not to lose or corrupt my data. That said there is an EXPORT facility available at the sister website LiveSky.com. I plan to do this from time to time as a back-up. Maybe you could use this to import into Excel rather than duplicate your typing and/or manual copy/paste? 🤔

Hi Siouxsie, I tend to control my Evo 8 with SkySafari rather than the handset - and this does not reset the cordwrap after alignments... thank goodness. I did use the handset for a while though and I don't recall it behaving as you describe then either. 🤔 Have you updated the firmware? Do you share the handset between your different scopes? I have experienced some settings reverting to defaults if I swap between the StarSense and non-StarSense handsets. I think each new pairing of handset and scope might reset things to default.

I'm very similar - I love the ability to create observing lists based on type / mag / size / position in the sky / etc. Being new to this game I'm not that knowledgeable of the sky and it's good to have some help on hand to suggest objects. And it's great to pull up past observations on a object to remind me of previous experiences. But, unlike you, I like to log observations straight into the app: I click new observation as I start viewing, enter my comments as they come to me, the when finished I take 1 hour off the start time (because to the glitch I get), set the end time (by clicking "now" and taking an hour off that too, grrr), fill in the scope/EPs/seeing etc then done and on to the next object. All very quick and easy.... and I'm not sure I'd have the patience to transpose hand written notes into it the morning after like you do.

Ty Jiggy. It's a shame about these little niggles... overall they have clearly put a lot of effort into it.... just not enough to polish off the sharp edges.

+1 for wanting an answer to this. Sorry I can't help @Jiggy 67. I agree it should be a list of Observation Lists rather than just one (a bit like you can select more than one eyepiece) but I don't think they designed it that way unfortunately. p.s. as a SkySafari user do you have the same issue as me regarding the Start Time defaulted when an new observation is logged? As per this thread:

If you turn the mask over does the odd effect flip too (which might suggest a dodgy mask) or do you get the same effect with the same orientation (which might suggest collimation).

Nice report John. A previous post of yours on Triton inspired me to go looking too. And this post has me itching to get hunting even more. Clouds have skuppered me for nearly two weeks now.... grrr.

Hi all, I’m using SkySafari to plan my nights viewings, control the scope and recorded observations. All fine.... except.... When I create a new observation the Start Time is defaulting to one hour ahead of the current time. Anyone know how I can fix this? The time zone and daylight saving offset are all set ok - the time in the main app is correct and the starsense align is working perfectly (which I doubt it would if the time was wrong). It just seems to be the time of observations that are wrong. It feels like this part of the app (and this part only) is doing something strange with the offset?? But then surely everyone will have noticed this by now?? Any help gratefully received.

I have the same scope and use my 9mm easily and often. At 237x mag and 0.86 exit pupil I don’t see why that should be pushing the limits of an 8” Edge HD. At the moment with Mars I’m using a zoom down to as low as 6mm very successfully too. This is 355x mag and 0.57 exit pupil. The nice thing with a high power zoom is that you can dial in to the magnification that the conditions support.

The 22mm Nagler T4 will give you 1.5 degrees of sky at 55x mag and would be lovely no doubt. If you can’t find or afford one you could consider going the other way from the recommended 24mm to the APM UFF 30mm which will give you 1.8 degrees of sky at 40x mag for £180 new. But the exit pupil will be 6.4mm which might be a bit large depending on your age. And it is then a bigger step to the ES92/12 or the APM HI-FI 12.5 both at 0.9 degrees.

I use an insulated cooler bag with a heated cat mat lining the bottom. I also have a dew heater band around my diagonal that keeps the eyepieces clear while in use but doesn’t get in the way of eyepiece changes.

Thanks very much (yet again) Don. No such thing as TMI in my book - I love detail.

Bortle 4 has magnitude range 20.4 to 21.3. Perhaps you and your father are at either ends of this scale? So have almost 1 bortle difference even though both a 4? It's better to use the magnitude scale if you can to compare different locations. That said, you could both have very similar magnitudes too. This could be because Norfolk is generally a less populated and lower light polluted area than Kent; i.e. you get pollution from your local town and from 1 large city (Norwich) while your father gets no local pollution but lots and lots of pollution from the many and larger towns and cities round and about. So your some + some is similar to his none + lots. You should really only use published figures as a general guide. If you observe at both sites you'll soon know which is better in practice.

I'm sure you know where to measure from... but just in case you don't it's from the red line in the below image: With a visual back in place it can be hard to do this because it hides the exact point you need: I suggest you measure the distance from the red to the blue line, add this to the 133.35 your'e after, then measure your actual back focus from the blue line (which is always visible): I only mention this because it looks to be about the amount of back focus you're missing.

SCTs take a good while to cool before optimal use - so taking your time to set up won't actually cost you any real usage time anyway.

It's great you have both scopes and can try the non Edge reducer on each one and draw your own conclusion. Not cynical at all - very sensible. I do wonder if you'd notice a difference if you were imaging rather than just visual. And in that case you'd probably use a wedge or a different mount and the size difference would be a moot point too. However as you are visual and it's working (in fact is better due to the size difference) then that's great news for you and good to know for the future for me too if I ever feel the need / can lay my hands on one. 👍

Interesting. I guess they mean "not optimal" rather than "won't work at all". But you can't detect any issues? Are you using it visually only or for imaging too?

Even with the long eye relief requirement met it seems to be EPs with wider AFOV that have more mixed opinions about glasses suitability. I guess this makes sense, after all there are similar mixed opinions about the ease of use of wide verses narrower AFOV EPs amongst non glasses wearers too? I notice you settled on the APM UFF for your 30mm EP, Don, not the ES 82. And the Morpheus rather than the ES 92 at 17mm. Is their slightly narrower AFOV part of the reason?

+1 on that Many thanks for your help.

Sorry to hijack your thread @StarGazingSiouxsie but can I check that I'm doing roughly the right thing with my Evo StarSense? I tend to: * level pretty accurately * [ location, date and time from SkySafari - happens automatically ] * StarSense auto align * goto a bright star (if I'm going to be viewing Mars then I pick one near to Mars - it's easy with SkySafari - you just tap it on the screen) * Use Hyperflex zoom lens on 21mm and make sure the star is visible (it always is) * Zoom in and centre the star, ending up on 7.2mm setting. If no centring needed stop here. * Calibrate on the centred star and let StarSense re-auto align. Job done and it stays aligned all night. Total elapsed time 5-10 minutes or so (longer if I've slowed the slew speed to reduce noise for neighbours if >10 pm) But that's not to say everything is always bang in the centre. They are always in the EP view (15mm+) but some small centring adjustment is often needed. Once centred the tracking keeps everything bang on - I'm really impressed with it. Am I doing this all wrong / missing anything important / doing too much?

Thanks TheLookingGlass. ES report eye relief of 22mm and I've heard it's recessed a couple of mm? So doesn't that still leave 19 or 20mm usable? I know it's not just the relief mm that determined suitability with glasses... eyecup design and placement etc important too... and everyone mileage may vary.... I guess if there are differing opinions then it goes in the marginal box?

I control it with SkySafari Pro rather than the StarSense Handset so it gets the location, date and time automatically from that. As you say some times (most times) perfect and occasionally just a little off.