Computer guiding of a Meade LX-90

[StuartT]

I have a Meade LX-90 and I want to be able to control it remotely and take photos with my LPI-G camera.

Can anyone provide me with some pointers as to what software I need? I have a USB to telephone plug (which will fit in the Autostar handbox)

Thanks

[Stuart1971]

Hello,

I used to do this a few years ago, the software I used was APT, Astrophotography Tool, and it worked well.

First of all you need to connect your scope to your PC with the correct cable that goes from the second port on the bottom of the handset to your PC, the. You need to make sure you have the latest Ascom software and the Correct mead Ascom driver, this will be needed in APT to control the mount...also you need the Ascom driver for your camera too....

With all this set up you should be able to do what you need..HTH 👍🏼

[Stuart1971]

Ascom download here

https://ascom-standards.org

and the correct driver is the 17th one down on this list

https://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/ScopeDrivers.htm

there is a newer driver for the meade scope, just a couple above in the list, but it’s new and I have never tried that one, but I had success with the one I mention 17th on the list....but you could give it a try, and make sure you install Ascom first...

 

 

[StuartT]

1 hour ago, Stuart1971 said:

Ascom download here

https://ascom-standards.org

and the correct driver is the 17th one down on this list

https://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/ScopeDrivers.htm

there is a newer driver for the meade scope, just a couple above in the list, but it’s new and I have never tried that one, but I had success with the one I mention 17th on the list....but you could give it a try, and make sure you install Ascom first...

 

 

ok, I've installed both of those. But I'm not sure what program to run now. There's something called ASCOM diagnostics, something called telescope simulator, ASCOM device hub...

The LPI-G camera came with software called SkyCapture, but I don't know if that will steer the scope (I don't think so). So do I need different software for steering?

Err... 😕

Edited March 15, 2021 by StuartT

[Stuart1971]

2 hours ago, StuartT said:

ok, I've installed both of those. But I'm not sure what program to run now. There's something called ASCOM diagnostics, something called telescope simulator, ASCOM device hub...

The LPI-G camera came with software called SkyCapture, but I don't know if that will steer the scope (I don't think so). So do I need different software for steering?

Err... 😕

Yes you need a full capture program, I used to use APT..

https://www.astrophotography.app

this will do everything, once open you pick your camera and scope and it will load the drivers for them and you can use that, but you need to read up on using the software....

[michael8554]

Once you've installed the ASCOM Platform and the ASCOM drivers, that's it, nothing more to Run.

Then use the Meade Skycapture software that came with the camera to image the moon and planets.

(It's not suitable for Deep Sky Objects according to the spec.)

To steer the mount to where you want to image, you need Planetarium software.

Connect the PC to the Autostar handbox with a Meade #505 cable via a USB to Serial Converter.

Select the ASCOM Mount Driver in that software and enter the COM port created in the PC by the USB to Serial Converter.

Michael

[StuartT]

Sorry, you guys seem to be saying different things (or I've misunderstood)

On 15/03/2021 at 22:07, Stuart1971 said:

Yes you need a full capture program, I used to use APT..

https://www.astrophotography.app

this will do everything, once open you pick your camera and scope and it will load the drivers for them and you can use that, but you need to read up on using the software....

So APT will do everything (imaging and guiding)?

On 17/03/2021 at 11:02, michael8554 said:

Then use the Meade Skycapture software that came with the camera to image the moon and planets.

(It's not suitable for Deep Sky Objects according to the spec.)

To steer the mount to where you want to image, you need Planetarium software.

But Skycapture will only do imaging and I need a separate piece of software called "Planetarium" for the guiding?

[Stuart1971]

24 minutes ago, StuartT said:

Sorry, you guys seem to be saying different things (or I've misunderstood)

So APT will do everything (imaging and guiding)?

But Skycapture will only do imaging and I need a separate piece of software called "Planetarium" for the guiding?

APT will do everything except guiding, you would need PHD 2 for that but APT will li k up with PHD so that makes it easier, no need to make it more complicated....👍🏼

I suggest getting to grips with one thing at a time, don’t try and run before you walk, get the scope talking with APT and then with the camera before you even think about guiding....that should come later

Edited March 18, 2021 by Stuart1971

[StuartT]

2 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

APT will do everything, no need to make it more complicated....👍🏼

Awesome! thanks

[Stuart1971]

Just now, StuartT said:

Awesome! thanks

Sorry I had to edit, read last post again....👍🏼

[StuartT]

2 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

Sorry I had to edit, read last post again....👍🏼

Thanks

Edited March 18, 2021 by StuartT

[StuartT]

sorry, do I actually mean guiding? I think I just mean moving the scope around to different bits of the sky. What's that called?

[Stuart1971]

3 minutes ago, StuartT said:

sorry, do I actually mean guiding? I think I just mean moving the scope around to different bits of the sky. What's that called?

No, that is not guiding, just scope control, in which case APT is deffo all you need....👍🏼
Guiding is when you use a second scope and camera piggybacked on your main one, to follow a single star, if the star drifts then a signal s sent to the mount to move it back, it’s for long exposure astrophotography, and something you don’t need to worry about yet...👍🏼

Edited March 18, 2021 by Stuart1971

[StuartT]

1 minute ago, Stuart1971 said:

No, that is not guiding, just scope control, in which case APT is deffo all you need....👍🏼
Guiding is when you use a second scope and camera piggybacked on your main one, to follow a single star, if the star drifts then a signal s sent to the mount to move it back, it’s for long exposure astrophotography, and something you don’t need to worry about yet...👍🏼

thanks. It's the solar system I am mostly interested in, so I don't think I need guiding.

(I've installed APT and it looks intimidating...😬)

[Stuart1971]

6 minutes ago, StuartT said:

thanks. It's the solar system I am mostly interested in, so I don't think I need guiding.

(I've installed APT and it looks intimidating...😬)

No it’s not, just Persevere, all the controls are under menus on the right side..

But to be honest if you are only doing planetary then you only need sharpcap and you don’t need telescope control either, maybe you should have led with that, or did you and I missed it....🤔🤔

[michael8554]

In it's simplest form, to Planetary Image, you only need software to expose and download the camera images (SkyCapture in your case ?).

You move the mount with the handbox to the planet, most of them are easy to locate visually.

But to control this remotely, load software that displays the night sky like a map on your computer, and connects to your mount via the ASCOM Mount Driver.

You click on the image of the object and select GoTo, and the mount moves to that object.

Generically called a Planetarium, versions include the free Cartes du Ciel and Stellarium, or fully-loaded software such as APT.

Michael

[StuartT]

On 18/03/2021 at 18:31, Stuart1971 said:

No it’s not, just Persevere, all the controls are under menus on the right side..

But to be honest if you are only doing planetary then you only need sharpcap and you don’t need telescope control either, maybe you should have led with that, or did you and I missed it....🤔🤔

sorry.. I didn't lead with that. But then again I didn't know you didn't need remote control for planets (I still have a LOT to learn!) What is sharpcap? Another piece of software I am guessing

10 hours ago, michael8554 said:

In it's simplest form, to Planetary Image, you only need software to expose and download the camera images (SkyCapture in your case ?).

You move the mount with the handbox to the planet, most of them are easy to locate visually.

But to control this remotely, load software that displays the night sky like a map on your computer, and connects to your mount via the ASCOM Mount Driver.

You click on the image of the object and select GoTo, and the mount moves to that object.

Generically called a Planetarium, versions include the free Cartes du Ciel and Stellarium, or fully-loaded software such as APT.

Michael

ah. apologies, I didn't realise 'Planetarium' was a general class of software. I was thinking it was a specific one.

I did try loading up SkyCapture (which came with the LPI imager), but it seems to not produce a live image. It is extremely jerky (and I am talking about like an image a second) which makes focusing virtually impossible! (I'm sure I must be doing something wrong)

[Stuart1971]

Sharpcap...

https://www.sharpcap.co.uk

[michael8554]

12 hours ago, StuartT said:

It is extremely jerky (and I am talking about like an image a second)

For Planetary Imaging you use the camera in Video mode, producing a continuous video stream like a TV camera.

Then focusing should be relatively easy.

For DSO Imaging of faint DSOs you use Long Exposure Mode, and 1 second sounds like you're in that mode by mistake.

SharpCap is good for Planetary Imaging, if your camera works with it.

Michael

[StuartT]

Ok, so I installed ASCOM platform 6.5 SP1 and the Meade Autostar driver (#494, #495, #497) and have set up my scope in Stellarium using the correct COM port for my USB.

Stellarium is telling me the scope is connected (see screenshots), but it won't slew anywhere. Any suggestions?

 

 

[skyhog]

Not used Stellarium but I assume the scope has ran through its initialising and pointing at a particular object or star? When you connect, stellarium will show that on the graphic. I'm going on lx200 operation here but imagine it's pretty similar for the lx90. If the scope isnt aligned correctly then stellarium will assume that position. With a bit more info we can help you out. 

[skyhog]

And one more thing. I couldn't get the meade ascom driver to work under win10 with my lx200gps. In the end I downloaded a generic driver after getting a tip from this forum... It's the meade generic driver written by Colin Dawson. It worked a treat. Might be worth trying that. 

[StuartT]

38 minutes ago, skyhog said:

And one more thing. I couldn't get the meade ascom driver to work under win10 with my lx200gps. In the end I downloaded a generic driver after getting a tip from this forum... It's the meade generic driver written by Colin Dawson. It worked a treat. Might be worth trying that. 

YES!! That was it! I installed the Dawson driver and it now works 😃

Thank you!

[skyhog]

Great, glad you got it sorted... 👍