How accurate should the memory of my HEQ5PRO be?

[Swoop1]

I mounted the HEQ5PRO on my pier recently and spent some time with PA and 3 star alignment but, I'm not sure it is remembering the alignment.

I spent a few hours out on Saturday evening trying for M13 and just couldn't get it in the camera FOV.

I know the camera (ZWO ASI290MC) has a tight FOV but I was slewing around all over the place trying to find M13 wit absolutely no joy.

On Sunday, I set up for solar and had to resort to unlocking the mount and alisgning manually to get the sun into the eyepiece (25mm on C6) and camera FOV.

Have I got a dunce of a mount memory or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,

Matt.

[Neil H]

Mine does the same thing I just clear PAE then after 3 star alignment I do PAE training on 3 stars then I find it hits it's targets mine is on a tripod so I have to polar align every time 

[michael8554]

Permanently mounted on a pier, with good PA, powered up from a Park Position.

All that is needed to get a good GoTo a Target, is to first GoTo a star near your Target, centre with the handset, and SYNCH.

Then a GoTo the target should be spot on.

My similar setup with a LX200GPS, the first GoTo is usually out either in RA or in Dec, but after SYNCHing is fine.

Michael

[cotterless45]

Try a factory reset , you'll have to enter all your details again. Check your power 90% of problems are power related .

Nick.

[Swoop1]

Thanks Nick. I am powered via extension lead from the mains. I will do a reset and start again.

Michael- good info. I shall try one star alignment in the vicinity of intended targets for future attempts.

Neil- PAE training will be one of the tasks for the future along with periodic error training. Both of these probably sound far more intimidating than they actually are.

[malc-c]

Matt, is the mount permanently mounted, or do you set up and have to run through PA and alignment each session ?

My mount is in an observatory and I currently don't image as regularly as I used to, but for me its power up, roll back the roof, and select the first target, which even after being left for months will still be in the FOV of  the DSLR camera I use.  It is never exactly in the same spot ( For example I centre on a bright star, the sync in EQMOD, and the next session the same star could be inside the edge of the FOV, so I recentre and resync )

 

[Swoop1]

15 hours ago, malc-c said:

Matt, is the mount permanently mounted, or do you set up and have to run through PA and alignment each session ?

My mount is in an observatory and I currently don't image as regularly as I used to, but for me its power up, roll back the roof, and select the first target, which even after being left for months will still be in the FOV of  the DSLR camera I use.  It is never exactly in the same spot ( For example I centre on a bright star, the sync in EQMOD, and the next session the same star could be inside the edge of the FOV, so I recentre and resync )

 

Malcolm,

Yes, permanent pier set up in the garden.

[carastro]

Polar alignment should not be necessary to repeat once done on a pier, I don't check mine until I move it to go to Astro camp and back again.

It won't particularly remember an alignment.   I used to have similar problems until I discovered I had cone error, so stopped doing a 3 star align and simply do a one star alignment to an alignment star that is close to my target.  It's normally bang on after that, though if the alignment star from the choice in the handset is a bit of a way from my target, I sometimes GOTO another bright star closer to the target after doing a 1 star align, and sync on that, not had any problems since.

However because I have cone error and not clever enough to do anything about it, and don't want to make things worse by attempting to correct it, I do have to do a fresh alignment if I cross the meridian, but again works well the way I have described.

Carole  

Edited June 4, 2021 by carastro

[Swoop1]

Thanks Carol.

So, one star alignment is the way to go.

[david_taurus83]

If your using it for imaging why dont you just plate solve and you don't need to do any star alignment?

[Swoop1]

Plate solving is something in my future. I have tried it unsucessfuly so need to learn the process a bit better and understand the information I need to have to hand.

[david_taurus83]

17 minutes ago, Swoop1 said:

Plate solving is something in my future. I have tried it unsucessfuly so need to learn the process a bit better and understand the information I need to have to hand.

No worries. If you've got an hour to spare some day and want to give APT a go, have a look here. Once you get it sorted you'll never look back!

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/334568-setting-up-platesolving-in-astrophotography-tool-apt/

[iapa]

On 04/06/2021 at 15:19, carastro said:

However because I have cone error and not clever enough to do anything about it

Carole  

Doubt that’s true.

Was wondering if you have seen Dion’s utoob astroshed series? I figure you probable have, but, just in case.

Number 5 covers cone error.

 

[carastro]

Thanks I have watched that, but it still didn't entice me to do anything.  Also not all my scopes have those adjustment nuts. 

Carole  

[iapa]

In my case, I don’t have a dec circle (Celestron mounts) - although that’s just a convenience, I suppose I could just use a level.

I just don’t have the tools or ability to drill out the dovetails.