Goto help

[novice123]

Right, I'm in real need of help with my GOTO set up. I've been looking online, but nothing says anything about the scenario that i'm in with my GOTO system. right... here it is: I've downloaded Stellarium for my computer to help me get started with my new telescope, and I have also been using to check whether my telescope is giving me the correct coordinates to align my stars to. It hasn't. In fact I tried it the other night, and basically I tried to align to Capella. Stellarium told me that it would be around the 313 degrees by 23 degrees. My telescope told me differently, it said that it was something like 280 degrees by 60 degrees, and I'm very confused. I've followed every procedure step for my alignment. Can anyone help me? Also if this helps I have the Skywatcher Explorer-130P SynScan AZ GOTO 130mm.

Also I'm only 15, so please don't think I'm stupid if it is a simple mistake I've made!!

[Nexus 6]

Hi, have you entered your own location settings for Stellarium? That may be why you cannot control the scope or on the scope itself are all the setings for your location correct like date, time etc?

[Sparrow]

The difference you give between Stellarium and the scope for the Capella co-ordinates would suggest perhaps an hour's difference - your scope and your computer both need to be set for British summer time or GMT (presuming you're in the UK)

Hope this helps

Regards

John

[Capricorn]

Place to locate Skywatcher manuals and instructions. Have found that all the main scope manufacturers actually have their manuals available on line, which is good.

Skywatcher.com, Customer Support, Downloads, Synscan and Syntrek Manuals.

TELESCOPE SUPPLIERS - SKY-WATCHER TELESCOPE

Download the manual, read at least twice, think about it, read again. Do not decide to try for the first time at night, in the dark and cold.

If S Devon is Plymouth then Lat = 50deg 20 min (50.33deg), Long = 4deg 10min (either -4.15 or 4.15W). Timezone is probably 0, DST is On.

Always get the thing as level as possible, if Alt/Az. When the scope is slewing round it is also trying to work out the slope that it is actually sat at. The less this slope is then the less that the scope has to take into account and compensate for.

[swamp thing]

Download the manual, read at least twice, think about it, read again. Do not decide to try for the first time at night, in the dark and cold.

This is key advice.

Lost count of the amount of times I did not heed this advice when I used GEM's only to end up cold and frustrated with unfamiliar kit in the dark and the middle of nowhere.

Regards Steve

[JamesM]

Steve and Capricorn, I totally agree with you there.

I read many times that the Skywatcher manuals were poorly written and so when I bought my NEQ6 mount, I did so with a degree of trepidation. I actually found that the manual was very good and after reading it a few times and marking out bits of the mount with my own little labels so I didn't get confused with which bit were what, it all came together very easily and worked out great right from the first time. Familiarity is the key here.

James

[valleyman]

Stellerium defaults to Paris............1 hour time differance, make sure you set your home position to the default setting.

[MorningMajor]

Stellerium defaults to Paris

Don't I know it - see here

[novice123]

ok, great thankyou all so much!

[Nexus 6]

Let us know how you get on with it after you change the info.

[JimStan]

Being the past president of, and current editor of its' monthly newsletter, I am a STRONG advocate of being a member of a local astronomy club. If you join one of those organizations, you will find MANY fellow enthusiasts that are willing to help you figure out those little glitches and frustrations that keep so many from enjoying the hobby from the beginning, as they should.

I am sure that some of your local citizens will chime in and advise you more about where you can join a good group of fellow amateurs.

Don't delay, do so quickly ! Good luck, and clear skies to you.

Jim S.

[novice123]

well, after finally trying and trying, and reading the manual I have managed to sort out the alignment procedure! Now I just need to get out of my back garden and into a rural area, my house gets in the way, along with multiple trees in my area, and every break is dotted with street lights but oh well after 2 months of waiting it will be worth it! thanks again everyone.

[Capricorn]

Your position sounds the same as mine, problem is I planted the tree 22 years ago and it is now 30+ feet and BIG. That blocks out Polaris and the house blocks anything to the West.

I found that the person where I work will turn any manual I get into a proper "book" basically a purpose made plastic cover that melts glue onto the rear edge and forms a nicely "bound" manual. I have 2 for every goto scope I own.

Shame that you cannot use the garden much, as I learnt that I could set the scope up to its initial position then leave it until it got dark. Then switch on, align and get going. It really made the whole thing half way to pleasurable.

Hope it all goes well.

[Nexus 6]

Glad to read you managed to straighten things out and would agree with the comments on reading the manual a few times.

[novice123]

I finally got my first sight of Jupiter yesterday, and I was amazed!!! Just really want to see Saturn now!

[Nexus 6]

Jupiter is looking superb at the moment! glad you had a look at it as for Saturn, you won't be disappointed when you get a chance to see it.