Giving up....

[Peter_D]

My Goto experience is with a SE mount. I'm sure someone will confirm for the HEQ5 but one initial part of the SE setup that helps achieve success is to make sure the mount is perfectly level - use a small triangular spirit level. Another tip is to input the exact time (to the second). Finally, by all means use a lower power ep but use progressively higher power eps to really get the allignment stars in the dead centre.

HTH

Edited July 11, 2020 by Peter_D

[wookie1965]

It's frustrating when things don't go right and I know from experience.

You need to go through the same steps every time.

Level the tripod.

Add the mount.

Polar align 

Add weights and Scope

Check polar alignment.

Choose either 2 or 3 star alignment after putting in your co ordinate's and time and date.

Go to your first star it won't be in fov use your finderscope, telrad or red dot finder to centre it now check your eyepiece centre it in that pressing right and up last.

Go to second star this should be in fov or very near do same as before.

Now either go to a object or to 3rd star, if you go to a object and it is slightly off press ESC once the press again but hold it in the object you have gone to will now be displayed and it will say centre object do the same as the alignment stars and finish with right and up keys.

Goto your next object this should now be in the centre of the fov.

Keep calm and once you have done these steps a few times it will become second nature and you can enjoy your sessions.

I had exactly same problem as you I can now do a session just on double stars and hit every one.

Good luck.

[bruno]

As already said start with the basics, watch the you tube video on how to set your mount to the home position then learn how to balance the scope on the mount (complete with DSLR, finder scope and anything you want attached)  Make sure the time and date is correct do a polar align when you are sure that polar alignment is  right just do a single star alignment with vega centre the star ok it send the mount back to home postion then send it to vega again and see if it aligns.

if you are using a phone / tablet to  run your mount make sure the times are the same as this will throw your mount out.

Now grit your teeth, take a deep breath & get out there.

[FMA]

Hi guys!
yesterday I had bit of success!

the advice that worked were:

 

- use gmt +0

- daylight YES

- new eyepiece 32 mm to see more sky

 

i saw Andromeda! I even took a shitty photo!

Thanks everybody!

[carastro]

Glad you are making some progress.  I have had many whole nights wasted where my mount would not GOTO the right place, and could not find the target over the years, and it is frustrating and on another night it just works!!! 

Accurate Polar Alignment inputting the right info (use American date format) and starting accurately in the home position is key plus you need to be level  I have found over the years that a one star alignment using a bright star close to my target often works the best. 

I also agree with the keep it simple advice above, less to cope with and less to go wrong.  Once you become more experienced and understand how it all works, you can add the bells and whistles later. 

Carole  

 

Edited July 28, 2020 by carastro

[Stu1smartcookie]

On 11/07/2020 at 09:22, Tenor Viol said:

Telescope won't sort out where to point itself until you've done preferably a three star alignment after you've done polar alignment. PA is just the first step. That ensure you are at least set so that the polar axis is parallel to the Earth's axis - it doesn't do anything else. 

You need to do the next step of using ideally 3 stars so that the controlling system 'knows' where it is. These need to be widely spaced. When you 'goto' the first one, it won't be accurate. You then use the hand controls to get it centred. Head for the second star. That should be a bit of a nearer hit as the system now has some idea of where it is pointing and the 'error' in the system. When you then align to the third star, that should be better again. Once you've adjusted that, the system now has a set of data that it can use to calibrate how your mount is working. 

I would be very tempted to simplify. I am a computer systems designer... and it is much easier to build up in steps. Trying to bite it all in one go is going to be very challenging and almost certainly frustrating.

I would step back to using the mount on its own with no additional computers etc. Get it set-up and aligned with just the hand controller. So: polar align, put scope to 'home' position, then go through 3 star alignment - do NOT use Polaris as one of the 3 alignment stars use things like Deneb, Vega, Arcturus etc.

If you've got an astronomical society nearby - I'd get in touch and find out if there are people there who you can talk to etc. It's a lot to do from scratch and having experienced pair of hands can help a lot. 

My frustration is I have had a week of solid cloud including last night - no comet for me...

Keep going and there's plenty of help here.

PS You do need to input your latitude, longitude and time accurately to the controller.  

Also your elevation 

[LukeSkywatcher]

On 11/07/2020 at 08:55, FMA said:

I’m writing this half angry, half sad. Bought the eqh5 and a 130 pds to have fun with the son and since then it’s been all problems.

Goto never goes to the star I want. In put Polaris in the middle of a 24 mm zoom and tell to align to Vega. It goes more or less the direction, but never in the eyepiece. Never. If don’t go to Vega, how's  gonna find any other thing!!
 

so I saw the Stellarmate in internet to help to align. Bought raspberry, paid for the stellarmate and a 120 zwo. Since then, I’m a programmer not an astronomer. It’s an unfinished world full of problems. Full. Since you get the raspberry it’s one problem after other. Always in forums, asking to solve problems. If you have one hour of clear skies, you lose it rebooting the bloody machine. WiFi problems, drivers.....still hasn’t plate solved anything.....and I’m talking using the iPad.Kstars and Ekos in Mac....ja! I gave up long time ago. Just impossible to make it work without being Bill Gates.

im sad. I’ve spent 1500 pound in the system and I’ve only seen the sun and the moon. Not sure  if is this system or it’s me. 
due job/kids I can’t go to any meeting to see if any advanced mate would help me.

im angry this morning. I don’t know what to do. It’s not just one problem, there are so many.....

this is not astronomy, this is engineering....

any support like “come on mate, you’ll do it” much appreciated 

Pd: turned on mount now, and synscan only turning on when plugged to stellarmate....oh, come on, another problem more?

 

 

 

 

You're on the right forum for advice. Absolutely DO NOT GIVE UP. Astronomy can be, and is very frustrating at times. The current situation we are all living in, doesnt help (stress, depression, financial worries, kids at home).

I dont know your gear, so cant advise. All i can say is that many of us here have thought about giving up at some stage. Ive been into astronomy for the last 40 yrs, and im still here. Its not a hobby to me, it a huge part of who i am.

DONT GIVE UP.

It will all fall into place. 

 

Edited July 30, 2020 by LukeSkywatcher

[PEMS]

UK or England is not +1, it nis GMT or in the setting of the mount UTC 0.

You set it to 0 and then tell the mount the time on your watch, and then tell it that DST is in use. Then the mount will take the time you gave it and take 1 hour off for the DST. Do not try to make the compensations yourself, that leads to a form of maddness. And most often a 15 degree error in movements.

You may start off with the scope and mount aimed at Polaris, actually you aim the polar scope at polaris not the big main scope. The main observing scope is independant of the polar scope and so the goto aspect. These things have a polar alignment and a goto alignment. Seems the 2 get mixed up at times. They actually are separate.

You need to set the mount and tripod up level, or as best as you can. It just simplifies things. Put Polaris in the centre of the polar scope for now. Aim the main scope at Polaris, again it is just a start point. Then pick your alignment star from the offered list and start the goto alignment.

With a wide field eyepiece in the mount should go to the star but do not expect it to be in view. The movement to the first star is entirely dependant on the initial setup. The worse that was the further out it will be. Centre it in the finder then centre it in the main scope. Then select the second star and let it goto to that. This should be a better goto. As the miunt will have determined some errors to compensate for from the first star.

Polaris in the centre is easy but not the best accuracy. Hopefully the mount will determine the compensation required. Later when you have mastered this you can delve into the real Polar Alignment process and steps, for greater accuracy.

Will suggest a location for yourself, there are likely people and clubs near you that will help out.

Edited July 30, 2020 by PEMS