Setting Circles for Dobsonians

[westmarch]

On 01/11/2021 at 14:43, tony4563 said:

Does anyone know any company that makes the self adhesive digital setting circles for a Dobsonian?

Have you made one for yourself? If so, would you be happy to make one for me (would of course pay for materials and time)

Looking for one for my 12" GSO

Cheers

Tony

Hi Tony,

I have just had one printed for my 10” Dob and the company gave me a second one free.  If you pm me, I will arrange to send it to you.

John

[tony4563]

Hi John.

Thank you so much!  😃

I've just sent you a private message

Regards

Tony

[tony4563]

Massive massive thank you to John (westmarch) for messaging me and sending a spare self adhesive setting circle that he had spare. He didn’t want anything in return even though I insisted. Absolute top bloke!

There are some really nice and caring people out there.  He’s a credit to this fine website.

 

[astronymonkey]

HI All,

I've used a digital system made from a wixey angle gauge with remote sensors, along with a similar system for the azimuth using a digital angle gauge that's shows rotation angle.

These work on  the same principle as the setting circles but a few tips though when using are:

- make sure the base is level, I use a bubble level app on my phone and just lie it on the base when setting up.

- Make sure the tube is level when horizontal ... not all bases are 100% square with the tube.

- Use the accurate location on your chosen app, this is important as the object will be at different coordinates In the sky depending on where you are.

- Make sure the app is using the correct time.

- Get moving as soon as you get the coordinates, remember that In  4mins the sky has moved one degree ! So recehck the updated coordinates as you zero in on the target

-Use low power as a finder eyepiece. This gives you the best chance.... just think if you have 1 degree of sky in the eyepiece then any error in location, levelling, or timing will add to the chance of missing the target.

In a bigger scope, with a longer focal length, the magnification and FOV reduce . As a result the points above get even more important than in a smaller scope with lower mag and wider FOV.

In reality I tend to star hop, but I've always done that and it's one of the fun bits in hunting down an object. For some difficult to see objects I have used the setting circles and push too, but I only tend to set it all up if I'm planning a full night or I've got a good reason such as being at a star camp.

Cheers

 

 

[Guest]

I have my setting circle permanently fixed to the groundboard of my dob.  So it is always with the scope.  When I set up I just make sure that the 0 position is pointing north.  It doesn't have to be perfect close counts.  Combined with the wixey angle guage and I am able to find what I am looking for within a minute or so.