STARSENSE question for users ....

[Vortex]

Hello all!

A question for all you Starsense users out there ...

When I do an auto align with Starsense, it duly goes through it's routine of moving the scope to different star targets and resolves each one fine (5 targets I believe).  Then it displays on the handset "StarSense Ready".

At this point the telescope tube is always pointing in some random direction - is this how yours behaves after it finishes alignment ?  Just pointing at the last star it used as a target reference ?

 

At this point I usually set my scope to go to it's "HOME" position, but whenever I "GOTO" a target it is never in the scopes eyepiece and I have to manually hunt around for it.  (Using a wide angled eyepiece).

Should I just "GOTO" a target without going to "HOME" position first, or should it not matter ?

 

NB - All this after precise Polar Alignment using Polemaster.

 

Grateful for your input

 

Many thanks

 

Kind Regards

 

V.

 

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Vortex

[johnoelliott]

Not really clear on your process but it looks like you are doing a polar alignment after your starsense alignment.

After you do the polar alignment, you need to do another starsense alignment and then you should be good.

[Shimrod]

1 hour ago, Vortex said:

When I do an auto align with Starsense, it duly goes through it's routine of moving the scope to different star targets and resolves each one fine (5 targets I believe).  Then it displays on the handset "StarSense Ready".

At this point the telescope tube is always pointing in some random direction - is this how yours behaves after it finishes alignment ?  Just pointing at the last star it used as a target reference ?

 

At this point I usually set my scope to go to it's "HOME" position, but whenever I "GOTO" a target it is never in the scopes eyepiece and I have to manually hunt around for it.  (Using a wide angled eyepiece).

Should I just "GOTO" a target without going to "HOME" position first, or should it not matter ?

 

NB - All this after precise Polar Alignment using Polemaster.

 

I also have Starsense with an AVX mount. I polar align (with iPolar), then calibrate the starsense, then align. The calibrate should really be optional, but I have found I get a greater accuracy if I calibrate at the start of each session, and it only takes a minute or two longer. Once the align process has completed, I then just GOTO the first target of the evening - I don't move it back to the home position first.

I control the mount using my laptop and CPWI/Starry Night, so I don't even have a handset plugged into the mount. It might be worth checking your firmware versions if you are having problems - there is a list of changes here: Celestron Firmware History

[Vortex]

johnoelliott 

Thank you for your reply.  Just for clarification, I use Polemaster 1st before anything else.

Shimrod

Thank you for your reply - my firmware versions are all up to date.  I will maybe look into using CPWI/Starry Night or similar software to control the mount.

 

Kind Regards

 

V  

[johnoelliott]

The only other thing I can think of is calibrating the starsense.

After the starsense alignment completes, press STARS  and use the Menu to select a star and go to it, then using the HC, roughly center the star in the eyepiece and press enter,  then finely center the star in the eyepiece and press enter,then press ALIGN and you should get a message REALIGNMENT REQUIRED and press enter to perform another starsense alignment.

One it completes you should be good to go.

In  theory, if you don't remove the starsense or knock it out of alignment, you won't have to do the calibration again and sometimes even if you remove  it and put it back on you might not have to do a calibration.

But I do it every time I setup anyway, once you get used to it it only takes a few extra minutes and as with just about anything, the more you do something the quicker and easier it gets

[Dr Strange]

As noted above, you need to calibrate the StarSense (SS). You will need to repeat this calibration each time you remove the SS and put it back on the scope. That will get you where you need to be to use it.  

[JoshHopk]

After StarSense is calibrated and has finished its alignment process, you can then GOTO anything you like, the mount will know where it is without you having to move it to its HOME position 

[Vortex]

Thank you Dr.Strange and JoshHopk for your advice.

I have done as everyone here has advised and got it working really well now - thank you all !! 

 

V