Stellarium

[Pig]

Does anyone know how accurate Stellarium is when you use it to slew to a desired object ?

For example is it as accurate as goto ?

Thank you

Shaun

[SniffTheGlove]

It is as accurate as "GOTO on the mount" but all that depends on how accurate your PA is when setting up your mount for observing and imaging and then doing the x star alignment.

[The Sailor]

I have never had any problems using Stellarium as a GoTo tool, my target is always in the eyepiece but as Sean says your mount has to be accurate.

Jim

[SniffTheGlove]

My PA is really just a guess as I am still trying to workout how to PA when one does not have a view of Polaris, neither the western horizon or Meridian due to houses and trees.

Closest I can get currently is to use PHD on Eastern horizon to drift on AZ (I switch on the grid and centre on a known star that will be at 90deg Az then drift align)), then I manually point to the meridian and the lowest elevation I can get with is 25deg (coz my house sits right in my way) then wait for a known object to be directly on the meridian then centre the star in PHD Guide Cam and adjust the Alt bolts till it's centrered. That is as close as I get and 3 star alignment works ok and I can get at least 4 mins long exposure on my Canon 350D with out trailing.

Just download AstroTortilla to see if plate solving will work better.

[Pig]

Thank you guys

I tend to get quite good results with 3 star align ( more or less in the centre these days) Hopefully Stellarium should be pretty good then,

I cant get the nexremote software to align at all.

[SniffTheGlove]

I cant get the nexremote software to align at all.

Sorry, don't know about NexRemote.

PS, Not sure if Stellarium can talk to your mount. If it's ASCOM based then look for StellariumScope as this provides Slew and Sync for ASCOM mounts.

[keithatrochdale]

You can train Stellerium, send it to an object, correct alignment if needed and it will take this into account in the future.

[Pig]

Thank you guys - just need some clear skies now

[The Sailor]

just need some clear skies now

Right, everyone down on their knees and pray, Shaun and a few thousand others need a miracle

Jim

[Pig]

Yes - everyone on your knees - I like it - pray to the moon god