how to find coordinates w/out comp program?

[nikocel8]

I have a goto mount but am wanting to look at things that i cant just plug into the handset. I have coordinates but i have no clue what to do with the information. is there a place i can put that info into my handset? I can see it on a chart but if youre off a bit from earth youre of miles and miles in space!

thanks

tracy

[Atlas]

google your gps coordinates, the remote should ask you as soon as you power up and go to set up.

[nikocel8]

I think maybe I am wording the question wrong. not my gps coordinates..but when you look up a neb, star etc and its tells your what hour, deg,dec and ascention...how do i turn that info into something i can use?

[Capricorn]

If you have the RA/Dec values of the object then there is an option on the 8SE to Goto RA/Dec.

So you read from whatever, book, web, the RA/Dec of the object and somehow tell the scope to goto those co-ordinates.

The catch is that there is almost nothing in the 8SE manual of this, basically just the statement that you can do it. Without telling you how.

If no-one comes along here to supply an answer then I would suggest you join the Cloudy Nights forum and put a similar post in the Telescope Specific section, about half way down and ask there. Since they have a section for NexStars I guess you would have a good chance of an answer.

This assumes that what I have said is what you require to know.

By the way the 8SE manual says that if you input invalid co-ordinates then the scope ignores you. Well I think it did. The chapter/heading relevant is User Defined Objects, just in case your manual is better then the one I can see.

[nikocel8]

capricorn thats it! thank you! I have had the SE8 for several years and have read and reread and must have been having a mental block. I have seen the RA/Dec setting and of course pushed the button to see what it does (ha! it does nothing without input!). Yesterday I was looking for something online and it gave coordinates (doesnt matter not in my hemisphere ). After reading your post I went to the handset and had an AHA moment! Thank you!