Anyone using sky safari as a goto for their scope?

[skir]

Specifically using skywire and an iPhone. But if you're using another combination then your views would be welcome too. I'm interested in how well it works and if it is worthwhile having?

[Scooot]

Not as a goto but push to. I sent this review to UK equatorial platforms. If I use the scope without the platform I don't even have to level it or point it north, just do a 2 star alignment. Sky safari is excellent, I use it on an ipad mostly because the screen is much larger and easier to read. Hope this helps.

I am relatively new to astronomy and purchased my scope and Equatorial Platform about a year ago. After much research I went for an Orion Optics UK 10" on their Dobsonian mount. I wanted something that I could store easily in the house and move outside easily when required. The EQ Platform also fell into the ease of setup category and provides a stable view of objects in the eyepiece. It does what it says on the tin as they say. I had purchased a planisphere and star atlas, but despite learning the night sky quite well, I tended to spend more time searching for objects than looking at them. No doubt this was partly due to the light polluted skies of Billericay in Essex where I live (although I am quite a distance from street

Iights so it could be worse). A Telrad finder helped, but I was still not happy. Then I read about Astro Device's Nexus and decided to purchase one together with the fittings from Equatorial Platforms UK. This has been a revelation. I connect my iPad wirelessly to the Nexus device that is attached to my mount. Then after aligning my scope in the Sky Safari plus App a curser on the large screen shows me where the scope is pointing. As I move the scope I can see it moving on the screen, it's marvellous. Finding objects has become a breeze and has made the evening that much more enjoyable. What's more the platform is tracking, so once I've found them I can continue to view them without constantly nudging the scope to keep them in the field of view. A not so obvious advantage is the reasonable certainty that you're looking in the right place in the sky for a particular object. So if you can't see it, its not because you're looking in the wrong place but probably because its too faint to see. This is particularly useful for people new to astronomy who are not really sure what to expect when they view an object in the eyepiece. I was amazed the other evening when I searched for Uranus half way through a tracking run and found it straight away. I was using a 10mm eyepiece & barlow lens giving me a magnification of 240 at the time, and I'd been too lazy to change it for something less powerful before I searched. Sky Safari have recently added a function to their App that displays objects in an observing list as little circles on the screen, this has made it even easier to hop from object to object using the Nexus.

In order to ensure good finding accuracy when using the EQ platform it is important to accurately point it North. If you don't need to use the platform you simply change the mount mode in Sky Safari. The system is powered by a small 12v battery so wires do not get in the way during the night.

In addition, the after sales help and advice from both Astro Devices & Equatorial Platforms UK has been exceptional. So overall I've found it to be a wonderful flexible setup and I'd recommend it to any Dobsonian owner.

[jam1e1]

its excellent bit of kit, I use with EQ6 + SkyFi unit - wouldn't be without it skysafari app is excellent one of the best apps on iphone in my view

[celkins]

I use SkySafari Plus with my CGEM-DX (formerly with the CG5-AT) via SkyFi, and find it an excellent addition to the setup - not being good at learning things such as sky layout, I find it so easy to locate targets using this combination...

Just waiting now to see whether Celestron's SkySeek will be worth adding, too.

[m.tweedy]

i had a deja vu moment when I saw the thread title.

here is a link to my previous observations

hope they help as a lot of the questions have been answered.

However if you have anything specific let me know

[skir]

Thanks for that Michael. I did a search bit it didn't really pop up all the answers I wanted, but those threads have covered most of the bases.

What was it you particularly didn't like about using the iPhone with it in terms of functionality? I'm thinking now that maybe the screen is a bit too small for an app like sky safari.

[m.tweedy]

that and battery life. Yes I got around it by plugging in an external battery but the experience was left wanting with the phone. the ipad however......................................... :grin: :grin: :grin: what a difference. size matters when it comes to the screen on this application.

It was easy for me to find the threads because I knew they existed if you know what I mean. Strangely sometimes if you Google your question it refers you to SGL easier than the SGL search.

[skir]

that and battery life. Yes I got around it by plugging in an external battery but the experience was left wanting with the phone. the ipad however......................................... :grin: :grin: :grin: what a difference. size matters when it comes to the screen on this application.

It was easy for me to find the threads because I knew they existed if you know what I mean. Strangely sometimes if you Google your question it refers you to SGL easier than the SGL search.

Ok, that's some food for thought then, a tablet may be the better way to go. Yes I've also found doing a google site search often works better than e sites own search engine.

[m.tweedy]

if you have the phone try it before investing in an ipad

[skir]

if you have the phone try it before investing in an ipad

I don't have either actually. But I think this app is a killer so to speak. So I suspect I might buy an iPhone anyway and perhaps put the basic version

[skir]

.........I'll carry on!

buy the basic version for the phone, plus I need a new computer so I think possibly an android device and then get the pro version for that and set that up to use Bluetooth to control the scope.

[m.tweedy]

have you logged into the southern stars yahoo group.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/southern_stars/

It will be a good help-full of information. You will need at least the plus version if you intend using it as a go to for your telescope.

http://www.southernstars.com/products/skysafari/index.html

[phw26]

I have been using my iPad with Sky Safari Plus and Sky Wire for a few mouths now and would thoroughly recommend it.