Celestron Nexstar 6/8SE Goto mount first light

[Knighty2112]

11 minutes ago, parallaxerr said:

Yep, check the slew limits as Ian says Gus. I set max alt to 60° when using the ST120. You can clear the limits if you're using the 4SE or any other scope that won't hit the base.

Hi Jon. I did a factory reset of the mount when I got home, and checked that the max altitude was indeed set to 90 degrees, which it was. Maybe something in the app settings that I need to change, so I'll have a good poke around and update this next time I get to use the mount.  

[Knighty2112]

As the skies were nice and clear tonight, after sunset I set up the mount outside and fitted my new Opticstar AS90S to the mount to test it out also. I connected up my Skyportal wifi also to be able to use my iPhone 6+ to command the mount. After doing a 3 star alignment which worked first time, I then used my Baader Morpheus 14mm to give some nice widefield views. The following objects were seen below;

M41 - Open cluster in Canis Major. Saw well.

M47- Open cluster in Puppis. Saw well.

M46 - Open cluster in Puppis. Not seen, but in the right area. Not sure why it wasn't seen?

NGC2392 - Eskimo nebula in Gemini. Seen OK. Small, best seen with averted vision.

M44 - Praesepe/Beehive open cluster in Cancer. Seen well.

M67 - Open cluster in Cancer. Seen well. 

NGC2683 - Spiral galaxy in Lynx. Pretty sure I saw this with averted vision. Small. Definitely in the correct area.

M81 & M82 - The two Bode's galaxies. Beautiful view with both easily seen in the same view. 

NGC2264 - Christmas tree open cluster in Monoceros. Beautiful sight in the eyepiece.

NGC2244 - Open cluster in Monoceros. Seen well.

NGC2232 - Open cluster in Monoceros. Seen well.

NGC1647 - Open cluster in Taurus. Seen well.

M35 - Open cluster in Gemini. This was a beautiful sight. Nicest view of the night I think.

M37 - Open cluster in Auriga. Seen well.

M36 - Pinwheel open cluster in Auriga. Seen well.

M38 - Starfish open cluster in Auriga. Seen well.

NGC1893 - Open cluster in Auriga. Seen well.

NGC1342 - Open cluster in Perseus. Seen well.

NGC1545 - Open cluster in Perseus. Seen well.

At this point my iPhone 6+ battery had died, so as I was by this time pretty chilly I called it a night. All in all all objects viewed tonight were viewed well within the fov of the eyepiece used, so extremely pleased with that. I never once (apart from when I moved the scope to view both M81 & M82 in the same fov) had to move the scope to tune it into an object as all fell easily inside the view in the EP. 

If skies are still clear later on I may go out for round two!  

 

[parallaxerr]

Got any pics of the AR90S mounted to the SE Gus? I was tempted by the same scope, interested to know how it worked out.

[Knighty2112]

44 minutes ago, parallaxerr said:

Got any pics of the AR90S mounted to the SE Gus? I was tempted by the same scope, interested to know how it worked out.

Works out very well Jon on the mount. Very pleased with it so far. Great for widefield views especially.