How to setup a Celestron 6se to track the Sun

[starman1969]

I've recently aquired a Baader filter for my telescope, so I've just started using it. The problem I have is finding the Sun in the first place ( I use a white card behind the scope until the shadow is minimal ), but is still difficult.

The other problem is that my telescope does not give me an option of using the sun for alignment. I had to align the sun, then pretend it was Venus for tracking purposes.

That said, I still managed an decent shot. A stack of 3 images, processed with Registax & Photoshop CS3.

[Capricorn]

There must be an option to select the sun to locate and track.

Page 33 of the manual covers it, it says to select the Solar Tracking rate option and I would say from the rest of the blurb that selecting Sun as an object is present somewhere in the menu.

Since you cannot align on any stars the you have to have the scope as close as possible to whatever the default start is for the 6SE as no fine tuning is possible through viewing and centering stars. On Meades this is Level and North, not sure about the 6SE.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I have an 8se and it also will not allow me to align the scope to the Sun. I think its a safety feature built into the software.

My 8se lets me track every solar system objects except for the Sun.

You can do it nanually using the directional buttons on the keypad..............................once you have a proper filter fitted.

[Helen]

You can do it and it works well - see here http://www.nexstarsite.com/Book/Updates/SolarSystemAlign.htm To find the sun you can make a simple pinhole finder.

Helen

[The Sailor]

I have just Googled the 6SE and from what I can see it is a GoTo, if you have that mount attached to your computer and you have Stellarium then click on the sun in Stellarium and it will slew to it. I have the same problem with the NEQ6 and using that method I am spot on each time, easy peasy . My CG5GT has the sum menu so no problem there.

Jim

[red dwalf]

i use eq mod also, i once had a celestron cg5 gt mount and in the hand set settings there was a sun menu, it did need turning on and once on it says are you sure you want to look at the Sun or something like that.

[ggreene1]

I've recently aquired a Baader filter for my telescope, so I've just started using it. The problem I have is finding the Sun in the first place ( I use a white card behind the scope until the shadow is minimal ), but is still difficult.

The other problem is that my telescope does not give me an option of using the sun for alignment. I had to align the sun, then pretend it was Venus for tracking purposes.

That said, I still managed an decent shot. A stack of 3 images, processed with Registax & Photoshop CS3.

Nice shot, first of all. Here is a Solar alignment tool I made from a piece of PVC pipe... Just use the blue arrows top right to go through the pictures during the construction process.

http://gordongreene.com/photogallery/displayimage.php?album=77&pid=3023#top_display_media

Just an idea...

[TheNorthernMonkey]

I use a 5se. To initially align to the sun, I just look at the shadow cast by the scope. When it's aligned, the shadow is circular. I've always managed get it sufficiently aligned using this method for the sun to be visible in a 25mm ep

[matsey]

I've got the 6SE and yes you definitely can do it.

It's like red dwarf said for the cg-5 mount - for the 6SE (and for the 8SE too, it's the same mount) the option to track the sun is turned off by default, so you just have to turn it on once in the settings. To do that, hit the Menu button on the handset, then scroll to Utilities, then Sun Menu, then Allow Sun, hit enter and it'll save the setting for future sessions.

Then to align on the Sun, you choose Solar System Align, and now you'll see Sun as an option. You'll get a big scary warning about never viewing the sun without a proper filter (which obviously should ALWAYS be adhered to!), click enter to clear the warning, then you'll be good to go.

The best advice I received to help with aligning the sun in the eyepiece, was to place my hand behind the red dot finder and use the shadow of that - when it's a perfect circular shadow, you should be able to see the sun in the eyepiece.

Good luck, hope that helps.

And lovely picture of the sun by the way

Matsey

[starman1969]

Thanks for all the replies. There are obviously a few different ways of doing this. I'll look into all of these ways. Its all good experience.