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Synscan location

RobertC

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Gomtuu

Gomtuu

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Just having another go at trying to understand why my hour angle is 20 mins difference for my iphone app and my handset. My iphone is saying im -2 but i can't enter a negative into my handset, how do i simply enter that data for my longitude ?

These here is where i am stuck, i am entering into my handset 002 26 W    53 30 N and when i check on google maps i am in the correct area. So where is this 20 mins difference coming from ?

Iphone coords:

-2:26 W

53:30 N

The minus on the latitude is misleading. If using W/E & N/S notation, the minus sign is irrelevant. The minus sign would only be relevant for decimal notation and is used to represent W or S.

Out of curiosity, I've just compared my Synscan HA to the one from the Polaralign app and I find that mine is also different by about 15-20 minutes, so unless I did something seriously wrong, one of them must have a bug/issue.

I've just tried using  http://www.trutek-uk.com/takahashi/polarisfinder1-2en.htm and I get something similar to the phone app.

Also, looking for previous threads I found this http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/118142-which-hour-angle-is-right/  which suggests that the Synscan HA is the inaccurate one, but is still useable.

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RobertC

RobertC

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The minus on the latitude is misleading. If using W/E & N/S notation, the minus sign is irrelevant. The minus sign would only be relevant for decimal notation and is used to represent W or S.

Out of curiosity, I've just compared my Synscan HA to the one from the Polaralign app and I find that mine is also different by about 15-20 minutes, so unless I did something seriously wrong, one of them must have a bug/issue.

I've just tried using  http://www.trutek-uk.com/takahashi/polarisfinder1-2en.htm and I get something similar to the phone app.

Also, looking for previous threads I found this http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/118142-which-hour-angle-is-right/  which suggests that the Synscan HA is the inaccurate one, but is still useable.

Ok, well i guess ill use my handset readout then from now on. That is one of the contributors to my goto not working as it should be.

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jambouk

jambouk

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Ignore the minus sign. You are 2 degrees, 26 minutes west (or whatever). The minus sign is used to show you are not east of the greenwich meridian.

Unless you have set up your polar scope and put the polaris circle at the 6 o clock position (where polaris transits) and zero'd your setting circle accordingly, i wouldn't use the hour angle to polar align. Just roughly get the polaris circle in the right position on the larger circle with the first time setting the handset gives you.

Did you manage to two star align? Did it help? Did any hedghogs mug you for your astro snax? :)

James

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RobertC

RobertC

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Yeah i use the circle it transits around and place it on the transit circle. Only just got in from a good 2-3 hours of imaging and nabed my first nebulae shot, off course the usual M42 ;) Got the images now stacking in DSS so shall post an image later in the imaging thread section.

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RobertC

RobertC

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I did the 3 star alignment but it didnt track very well so went back to my one star and it worked well :) 

This is the image from tonight, work for improvement but for my first nebula shot i'm quite happy, only just thawing out myself.

2qjdmwg.jpg

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jambouk

jambouk

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That is really nice! Your facebook friends will be amazed if you post it. I'm impressed. Well done.

If your tracking was off, this is down primarily to your polar alignment, not your star alignment. The star alignment only influences how good the GOTO will be, once it has GOTO'd an object, all the tracking is down to polar alignment and the motors on the RA axis (there are numerous other things which make tracking poor, but star alignment isn't one of them).

But for a first image, this is fantastic.

I think you need to embrace no mans land, and go there more often :)

I hope you have a good sleep.

James

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Gomtuu

Gomtuu

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Ok, well i guess ill use my handset readout then from now on. That is one of the contributors to my goto not working as it should be.

I've just flashed the Synscan EQ to firmware v3.35 and this seems to have rectified the Polaris Hour Angle issue.

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RobertC

RobertC

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I've just flashed the Synscan EQ to firmware v3.35 and this seems to have rectified the Polaris Hour Angle issue.

Where can i download the update from ? Just had a quick look but to no avail finding a download location.

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RobertC

RobertC

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That is really nice! Your facebook friends will be amazed if you post it. I'm impressed. Well done.

If your tracking was off, this is down primarily to your polar alignment, not your star alignment. The star alignment only influences how good the GOTO will be, once it has GOTO'd an object, all the tracking is down to polar alignment and the motors on the RA axis (there are numerous other things which make tracking poor, but star alignment isn't one of them).

But for a first image, this is fantastic.

I think you need to embrace no mans land, and go there more often :)

I hope you have a good sleep.

James

It certainly looks it but it's a hefty walk at 4 am trying to be quiet as you can to not wake anyone. I won't be doing it very often :)

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jambouk

jambouk

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Build a little observatory in no-mans land, then you can set up and be a bit warmer and sheltered from the breeze :)

Yeah, might be worth updating the handset firmware, I hadn't thought about that. You need a computer with an old serial port on, or an adaptor to convert serial to USB. I've got one I could post you to do it if you want to borrow it and post it back.

James2

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RobertC

RobertC

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Build a little observatory in no-mans land, then you can set up and be a bit warmer and sheltered from the breeze :)

Yeah, might be worth updating the handset firmware, I hadn't thought about that. You need a computer with an old serial port on, or an adaptor to convert serial to USB. I've got one I could post you to do it if you want to borrow it and post it back.

James2

I've just took hold of a serial to usb so i can control my scope but on my pc i have a serial port so wired it to that and updated, thankyou anyway :)

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jambouk

jambouk

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You could use your laptop to control the mount and use other software like Stellarium or SkySafari, they have many things listed.

Also, most objects will have a code which you can input to the handset using the object option, and there are various catelogue options there.

James

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RobertC

RobertC

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Oh, yeah. Stellarium ceases to want to work with my mount. Everything is correctly setup, correct comm port and everything. Aligned and ready to go, (ctrl+1) and.... Nothing at all.

It's one of my many problems on going at the moment. I've given up trying for the moment whilst i focus on the main problems.  :confused:

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