Does Nexstar SE mount work right handed?

[Flyingpig]

Just pondering whether the Nexstar 5SE mount will work when orientated the opposite way around? The mount usually holds the Nexstar 4 or 5 ota's with the arm to the left of the tube. I'm wishing to mount a PST on the mount but if I use the sun shield it will only fit when the dovetail is to the right so I'm wondering if the mount would work with the PST's ota to the left and with the arm on the right as in this photo?  

[Knighty2112]

I’m pretty sure you can’t do that. I once placed my smaller short fraction on the mount that way (by mistake) and couldn’t get it to align correctly. After 6 attempts I gave up and went in. It was only after I’d sat and thought about it for a few minutes did I realise what I had done. 

[Flyingpig]

Thanks for replying I just wondered if there was some kind of menu or utility that would allow it but I've not found anything. Obviously i can use it in the correct orientation without the sun shield. I'm guessing you are right but I might just try emailing the query direct to Celestron. 

[Peter Drew]

It works for me with regard to tracking as I use my solar telescope on the left of the forrk arm or the 8" OTA on its right. I can't comment on the effect it might have for goto as I don't need this function.     

[The Admiral]

When I used the Nexstar with my solar scope with the arm to the right of the 'scope I could never get it to track. Not a problem with the arm on the left. I should have thought it a simple switch to make it work, but I never found a way.

Ian

[Flyingpig]

Thanks guys I appreciate your thoughts; there seems to be a single post over on Cloudy Nights where a chap claims to have spoken to Celestron and been told that you can mount an ota on either arm and then follow an alignment and the Goto should work... the post does not say if there is any specific mode for that to work but personally I would have been surprised if it just worked as easy as that.  Likewise I wouldn't imagine it would be a complicated setting in the software to get it to work.  I might just give it a go tomorrow (if it's sunny) but I assume that Ian and Knighty above are correct. I've emailed Celestron for comments so I'll see what they have to say too. 

[The Admiral]

Well, of course in my case I was just using a single object alignment (the sun), so there was nothing telling the mount that 'up should be down' if you see what I mean. One would like to think though that with a 3 star alignment it should recognise the set up and model accordingly. Perhaps it just doesn't work like that. Interesting to see what Celestron have to say. Without a settings or mode change though, I can't see it working for solar.

Ian