NS8-GPS Handset & the Sun

[dazza1639]

Does any one know how to get the Sun to show up on the handset of the NS8-GPS? I'm currently doing a gps align and accepting where it say the reference stars are then manually slewing to the Sun, when you get it to report the Ra & Dec it doesn't match the Ra & Dec reported in Stellarium, so when I try & goto venus to try and view it in the daylight it misses, I have calculated the difference in Ra & Dec of the object I want to view from the Sun then added this to the reported Ra Dec of the Sun and input this in the hand set and it ends up on the object. So how do I setup during the day using the sun as a reference object without making my head hurt doing sums.

Darren

[moondog]

I think that the CPC version can be aligned on the Sun , but not the GPS.

I've used the NS8 to view daytime (well light dusk!) objects like Venus and Saturn.

I use Quick Align - manually levelling the scope and pointing North (make sure you level the tripod on both axes first) Then let the GPs pick up the time, date, position.

Go To the planet and it's usually in the field of view of the finder.

8)

MD

[dazza1639]

Cheers MD I'll give it a go.

Darren

[dogfish]

If it's like the Nexstar handset (which I think it is) you have to switch the sun on to be able to see it on the solar system menu. This is explained in the manual as a safety measure. I can't remember where it is (probably in scope setup) in the menu system, but I saw it in my 6SE manual last night, so presuming it would be in the NS8 manual.

Cheers, Martin

[dazza1639]

I think the 6SE has the new sky align handset the one that comes with the NS8 is an older version, I couldn't see anything in the manual but I may be wrong.

Darren

[Astroman]

And people wonder why I find daytime stuff before GOTO's.

[dogfish]

Hi Darren

You're right that the SE series have the new skyalign handsets, but there's probably a fair degree of overlap with the older versions. I looked at the SE manual again last night to check where this section was. It's not in an obvious place, but it's a single item in the utilities menu. Worth having a check. Let me know if you have any success.

Cheers, Martin

[dazza1639]

I don't think its under utilities, here's the menu list from the manual.

Darren

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

And people wonder why I find daytime stuff before GOTO's.

Surely using goto to find the sun is a bit too much automation?

Captain Chaos

[dazza1639]

I was thinking more Checking alignment by going to the Sun to find planets in the daytime.

I tried the quick align last night It was quite successful when I did a goto Venus it was in the finder Just outside to FOV of a Revelation 32mm EP. So I centered it in the 12mm and did an align from then on the goto & tracking was spot on.

Darren

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Sounds very scary to me.

What if it zooms across the sun, does the inside all light up?

So the GPS bit doesn't actually line itself up properly, is that it? I thought that it just did all the aligning from the GPS so you plomk it down, switch it on and let it cool, and after an hour its all ready to go.

Captain Chaos

[Astroman]

And people wonder why I find daytime stuff before GOTO's.

Surely using goto to find the sun is a bit too much automation?

Captain Chaos

I was thinking more Checking alignment by going to the Sun to find planets in the daytime.

Darren

That's how I do it. I check the RA and Dec of the Sun on a computer, rough align the scope to point north, put the solar filter on, point at the Sun, finagle the mount until the Dec is as close as possible, set the RA, then move to the RA and Dec of the daytime object. I always find stuff before the GOTO's. Always. GOTO guys check my alignment to go hunting afterward.

Since I don't use a GOTO, I'm not sure how it might handle sweeping across the Sun on its way somewhere else, but since you don't generally have your eye to the EP as it slews, I wouldn't think it to be a problem.