Goto Tracking Speed.

[banjaxed]

I am a bit confused as to how a Goto tracking mount can know how fast or slow to track an object when using different magnifications. The reason I am asking is the last time I was looking at Saturn with my push to 8” Dob it was obvious how much quicker it moved with higher magnification and I am confused as to how a mount can perform this task.

[johninderby]

The tracking speed of a GOTO mount never changes except when you select lunar or solar tracking modes. Magnification is irrelevant. The illusion of Saturn moving faster at higher mag in a dob is just that an illusion. .It’s just a case of at higher mag you are seeing a smaller patch of sky so Saturn moves out of the smaller patch of sky more quickly.

[Cornelius Varley]

5 minutes ago, banjaxed said:

I am a bit confused as to how a Goto tracking mount can know how fast or slow to track an object when using different magnifications. The reason I am asking is the last time I was looking at Saturn with my push to 8” Dob it was obvious how much quicker it moved with higher magnification and I am confused as to how a mount can perform this task.

The mount  can't differentiate between magnifications, it just tracks at the rate set by the user, sidereal, lunar or solar. At higher magnifications the planet will obviously appear to move across the FOV much quicker, but the mount is also moving at the same rate across the sky as the planet so should stay in the eyepiece much longer.

[banjaxed]

Thank you John and Cornelius your explanation is now apparent, it’s funny when things are explained clearly how obvious it becomes. I still have a lot to learn.