help with this scope, and whats needed please

[just looking]

hi all

hope I have put this in the right thread,if not sorry mods.....

o/h bought me a Skywatcher Heritage 114P Virtuoso Telescope last christmas

but it is still in it's box unopened.

I am thinking of getting it out this winter to see the night sky for the first time,

but I don't want to sit in the garden with it,  due to health and back problems 

my question is can I buy some kind of lead that I can connect it to the lap top?

so I can use it indoors,

and is they anything else I will be needing?

thank you

[ronin]

I half suspect that you could but not simply.

The scope is not goto but with the right handset it can be. This means that the mount might be controlable from a PC. However I suspect that you would need the goto handset to do it.

Then you would need a webcam to go where the eyepiece sits.

The idea of remote viewing is possible, a club around here does it in effect. What I am not sure of is doing it with the scope you have. You need goto simply to get the scope to change objects without you going out to do it manually.

I would guess that you can, but it will take time, and additional expense and not 100% sure it will do what you want easily. You would still need to take it outside and set it up then perform alignment (for the goto). The PC/laptop will need suitable software loaded and this may need to be purchased. I know some of the free ones can do it but bing a non-commerical item scope control is not their primary function.

As said I have seen it, however the setup is not a 2 minute job, closer to 30 minutes and the scopes are bigger then the Heritage meaning they may be designed with remote running more in mind. You are too far away to visit the club here and see it operation and so gain some idea of the requirements.

[just looking]

hi ronin thank you for getting back to me so prompt,

yes it is a goto, sorry I should have put that,

o/h will go out and set it up for me no so problem there

as for the cost I will sell his 200p dob to get the money for anything I need lol

[ronin]

The one shown is not goto (I think anyway) you set it up looking North then you move the scope via the left/right/up/down buttons and then it will simply track whatever it is pointed at. From the presumption of starting out North the scope can work out the amount of up/down and left/right to apply.

For goto the scope need the Synscan handset to be purchased and added to the scope. You don't mention a Synscan handset.

[happy-kat]

The manual has a step by step on how to set this mount up.

You first have to set the latitude following a set process. Though if it is not moved location latitude then the next time you set it for use up it is quicker.

I think there is a post where someone was getting it to communicate with stellarium, though I guess if you get it wrong with connectors there is always fried brain risk.

[just looking]

thanks guys for your help

this is way beyond me so decided to sell it

I like to surf the skies and stargaze through the binoculars

this is way to much messing about for me 

[happy-kat]

I think you might like to read up on video astronomy as this may give you your indoor viewing of the night sky you are after. There is a forum section for this.

Perhaps look at that before making any decisions to get rid.