Stellarium\CDC\StellariumScope - Cant sync to object

[DonLumioni74]

Hi all

Have a little problem that is driving me nuts! 

 

Just got myself a Eagle Pro computer for my scope and setting up all the bits and pieces, have installed Stellarium 0.19.3 and Stellarium Scope and can Slew (Ctrl + 1) and Cancel (Ctrl + 5) within Stellarium and works a treat, however the sync (Ctrl + 3) doesn't do anything. I installed Cartes du Ciel to see if I could get on with it and getting the same issue. Can connect to telescope and slew and cancel but can't sync.

 

I'm roughly pointing at Polaris but not close enough. Have checked my lat/long settings and they match within all 3 apps. Had a look at the logs files in stellariumcope and they don't show anything in layman terms! Have got this error message in CDC (below image) and had similiar in Stellarium Scope. Have also tried using the EQMod_Sim telescope and getting exact same behaviour.

 

Anyone had similar issues?? Was working perfectly on my laptop before I switched over to the Eagle!

 

 

[Merlin66]

I use the HEQ5 and NEQ6 with CdC with no issues.

What ASCOM setting are you using for the mount?

 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

1st things first, If you have a recent version Stellarium, you don't need StellariumScope, the functionality is now built in, the same as CDC, and they just work....  Do you have the appropriate Ascom drivers installed for your mount, which is what BTW ?? 

[DonLumioni74]

Hi Merlin66

 

Using these......

[DonLumioni74]

Just now, Dr_Ju_ju said:

1st things first, If you have a recent version Stellarium, you don't need StellariumScope, the functionality is now built in, the same as CDC, and they just work....  Do you have the appropriate Ascom drivers installed for your mount, which is what BTW ?? 

Hi Dr J!

 

Got a HEQ-5 Pro and yes have Ascom driver installed, actually should check that.....

 

Let me try the new Ascom setup for Stellarium. I did try CDC and was getting the same issue, slew and cancel fine just errors on sync.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

from your picture, the 1st obvious point is that you've selected COM16 for the port, which is highly unlikely, you need to check in Device Manager \ Ports what is connected and their appropriate COM port

[DonLumioni74]

4 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

from your picture, the 1st obvious point is that you've selected COM16 for the port, which is highly unlikely, you need to check in Device Manager \ Ports what is connected and their appropriate COM port

I've checked Device manager and got 3 coms ports.

 

Comms Port (COM1)

USB Serial Port (COM 15)

USB Serial Port (COM16)

 

I've got a the Lynx Astro USB EQ Direct connector for HEQ5 to Eagle computer. Basically RJ45 to USB.

I checked and it is COM 16.

 

 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I don't have a Lynx adaptor, as I make my own, but do you have the driver installed for it ? Have you set the EQMod port settings, also in Device Manager port check that the mount is using the correct driver, & personally I'd change the assigned port number to a lower value.

These are my settings....  

 

[DonLumioni74]

Have changed to COM2 and working as expected. Can slew ok just can't sync.

 

The troubling thing for me is I can't sync using the EQMOD Sim telescope in either Stellarium or CDC

 

 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

what do you mean by Sync ? are you referring to Alignment / Sync ? i.e.

[DonLumioni74]

So using Stellariumscope in sets up a Slew to, a sync anmd a cancel mode.

 

This is what I see when I open up Stellarium (first image) Assuming I've setup my scope outside and polar aligned it. The sync command should move the telescope to the object (Polaris). So you use Ctrl + 1 to slew to an object - this works fine I can also cancel Ctrl + 5. But I can't sync Ctrl + 3.  Sync is supposed to move the Telescpe object to the desired point in my case polaris.

 

I tried doing the same in CDC and can slew to an object (scope moves accordingly) and can cancel slew, but can't sync to an object. 

 

It's can't be a Stellarium\CDC issue as commands work so must be ASCOM\EQMod but just don't know what!!

 

 

 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Which version of Ascom do you have installed ?? As I see Alpaca, which as far as I'm aware requires a Ascom 6.5 which is NOT released for full usage, only for test, and does have issues.... you need to be running 6.4 SP1  

[DonLumioni74]

Yeah I'm running 6.4 SP1. Just downloaded it again and reinstalled and also reinstalled EQASCOM v2.00q again and getting same errors.

[DonLumioni74]

So just installed 6.4 SP1 and EQAscom on another latpop and getting the exact same issue!

 

 

[DonLumioni74]

Think I've figured it out. It's something to do with Alignment points in EQMod app. Mine is blank 

 

Julian what's your list like??

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Yes, but deliberately so, as they would interfere with alignment\plate solving...  and why are you running StellariumScope ??, there is no need for it as both Stellarium & CDC can drive the mount directly...

[DonLumioni74]

Just setup both directly and still got same problem. 

Telescope slews ok to all objects but my scope sight even though polar aligned isn't pointing to Polaris is CDC or Stellarium!

[Dr_Ju_ju]

So, the mount slews to target, but isn't 'spot-on' ??  if so, that is what I'd expect, and why "Imagers" use Plate Solving and PHD2 to ensure scope is pointed at target & stays there.... 

when you say your 'scope sight', is this an external object mounted on the outside of the main OTA ?  if so have you aligned it with the OTA ??

[DonLumioni74]

Ah ok so not always spot on. I'd assumed that it should be exact......

Maybe if I listed my process it might shed some light on my issue!

 

Setup scope outside, roughly pointing to Polaris

Use Polemaster to get pretty good Polar alignment.

Open Stellarium and notice my scope sight is pointing roughly at polaris but not exact (as in the image).

Slew to object say M81 but can't see it as stellarium and scope aren't aligned between themselves.

 

 

So my question probably should be..... Is it possible to get that scope sight when I open Stellarium sitting on spot on Polaris? Or do I use another progam to align what my scope is pointing to, to what I want to look at??

Edited March 30, 2020 by DonLumioni74

[david_taurus83]

When you start up the scope will never point at Polaris as its offset from the celestial pole. Are you clicking on Polaris and then trying to sync? If so, that's why it's not working. Try slewing to a bright star, Mizar, for example as it's a double and easily identifiable. It will not likely be centred at all in the FOV. Find it and centre it either in an eyepiece or live view on the camera. THEN, click on it in CdC and hit Sync. The EQMod coords should now match the star coords.

[Atreta]

Well this is just a guess,.

t's been a long time i don't try to sync within stellarium. But if it behaves the same way when issuing a sync command from aot, then it will not sync if you don't press the tracking button in eqmod(apt also has a button for that). And by looking at your screenshots tracking is disabled, so you could try that and see if it works. 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Atreta

[Merlin66]

Don,

Just noticed in EQMOD your ASCOM selector/ driver selection shows "EQMOD.telescope" whereas mine shows "EQmod Ascom HEQ5/ 6"

In the top right hand box of EQMod you show "skywatcher telescope" mine shows "EQmod ASCOM"

Could be you're not set-up correctly??

 

 

[DonLumioni74]

Thanks all for your replies. 

 

As you can guess bit of a newbie still but enjoying the learning process. Will feedback a bit later once I've had a play.

 

Cheers

Neil