Celestron 4se tips

[knobby]

Hi all

Wondered if it would be ok to start a thread dedicated to the diminutive orange gem, just aquired one 2h.

Any hints or tips greatfully accepted.

Mine to start with is gently open the centre pin of the DC adaptor pin to improve connection!

[knobby]

Guess not then!

[mikehab]

Been wracking my brain trying to think of some 'top tips' for the 4SE - but couldn't really think of much that's specific to the 4SE which wouldn't also apply to any other scope. For example, both the following apply to pretty much any scope, but I've found them to be 'gotchas' for me when using my 4SE...

1) Make sure you have your DST setting correct during initial time set-up, otherwise your alignment and tracking will be way off.

2) Make sure you set your traking mode set correctly - choosing between Sidereal and Lunar depending on what you're tracking.

Mike

[knobby]

Cheers Mike ... I have found another site with quite a bit about the 4se but I'm a pretty loyal chappie and thought I'd like to get some info on here !

all the usual stuff as you say...

1-Use a power tank as align seems to fail on batteries

2-time / date/ location

3-when aligning try to make the last alignment steps the same for each target ie: get near below / right and then fine tune up / left (eliminates backlash in theory)

4-flash firmware, there have been a fair few improvements including using the newer star maps

5- DIY a 232 serial cable http://www.nexstarsite.com/PCControl/RS232Cable.htm

6-try defocussing the alignment stars as it makes them bigger and easier to centre

7-check your menu settings to ensure the tracking is set to sidereal ( can be on lunar / planet ?) edit ------------------Cheers Mike------------------

8-Check which scope is in the settings also make sure its set to alt / az as these can be set to eq ( mount has a built in wedge)

9-keep a fresh set of batteries in the scope even when using a power tank, that way when you inevitably knock / pull the cable out you wont have to align again

10-Balance the scope well, it helps with the motors (stick it on a pencil, find the balance and mark it)

11-blaa blaa blaa

[knobby]

And don't forget the date is in American format mm/DD/yy

[Ronny]

I made the US date mistake on my 8se. It stumped me for 3 hours!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.

"Go out, look up!"

[knobby]

Maybe me being a plank but has anyone had fun with firmware ?

I spent hours trying to update without any joy.

Most sites point to a link for CFM (Celestron firmware manager) but I had no luck at all with it.

Eventually I read the info on the Celestron site and downloaded this http://www.celestron.com/c3/support3/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=585&nav=0,7 and this http://www.celestron.com/c3/support3/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=586&nav=0,7

worked first time !

[mikehab]

Just resurrecting this thread as I have a question about the 4SE wedge - the answer to which could well end up as another 'hot tip'. Then lifting the wedge plate on the 4SE mount and reading the latitude off the scale on the metal rod ... where should you be reading the latitude marking from - the marking on the rod when viewing from above the top of the plate (where the rod disappears into the base of the plate), or the marking on the rod when viewed between the gap in the wedge plate below the plate (and then is it the top or bottom of that gap...)? I assume / guess you should be reading off the scale from the top - where the rod disappears into the base plate yes?

[LukeSkywatcher]

I made the US date mistake on my 8se. It stumped me for 3 hours!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.

"Go out, look up!"

Same here. I just could not see the problem for love nor money.