self aligning EQ mount?

[spikkyboy]

Hi, does anybody know of or at least think that its high time that we were blessed with a self aligning EQ mount?

I have a HEQ5PRO mount and really struggle with alignment. The slightest amount out of level before you start and the object you goto is 2 inches higher than the field of view. Not even getting started on being down on my knees looking for Polaris. I bought the Polestar alignment camera and this does help but HEY if there are any mount designers or perhaps a rep from Sky Watcher reading this come on its 2022.

Thoughts please ........GO!

[Cosmic Geoff]

I'm sure it is technically possible, but whether the astro equipment manufacturers have the funds to develop one and the astronomy community have the cash to buy it in significant numbers is another matter.  An alt-azimuth mount with a Starsense-like plate-solving self align, coupled with a field rotator, ought to do the job.  The mass-produced Chinese mounts have never been re-designed from scratch - for instance why does a USB port (if provided) need a serial driver? There are some nice mounts from specialist companies, some of which may actually do what you ask, but at prices that make one exclaim 'HOW MUCH?!'

[Whirlwind]

2 hours ago, spikkyboy said:

Hi, does anybody know of or at least think that its high time that we were blessed with a self aligning EQ mount?

I have a HEQ5PRO mount and really struggle with alignment. The slightest amount out of level before you start and the object you goto is 2 inches higher than the field of view. Not even getting started on being down on my knees looking for Polaris. I bought the Polestar alignment camera and this does help but HEY if there are any mount designers or perhaps a rep from Sky Watcher reading this come on its 2022.

Thoughts please ........GO!

Avalon Instruments do provide this with some of their setups but there is a cost to it.

M-zero obs | Equatorial GoTo mount (avalon-instruments.com)

[johninderby]

The Celestron  Statsense for SW mounts works with the HEQ5 bit aailailty is a problem at the momet. BTW not to be confused  with the smartphone Starsense.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/celestron-mounts/celestron-starsense-accessory-for-sky-watcher-mounts.html

Edited May 2, 2022 by johninderby

[DougM43]

Mine never hit the first alignment star perfectly regardless of how well I initially levelled the mount, but once centred it always got the second one bang on and any subsequent targets thereafter throughout the night. 
I think considering the cost and what it’s capable of the HEQ5 pro is a real value for money bit of kit, 

it would be nice to have a mount that you just plonked out on the grass and then  did everything automatically but I suspect it would cost a small fortune.

 

 

[Cosmic Geoff]

 

2 hours ago, spikkyboy said:

I have a HEQ5PRO mount and really struggle with alignment.

My experience of alignment with the similar EQ-5 Synscan is that it can perform well if you do a two-star align with two stars both on the same side of the meridian (e.g. East), and then GoTo objects in the East.  Go anywhere else (e.g West) and the GoTo is so inaccurate as to be useless.

I have a Starsense and find it convenient but not particularly accurate.  The alt-azimuth Nexstar GoTo however performs well with a two-star align anywhere in the sky.

[Elp]

It would have to have an integrated camera and computer or combined with the goto system which would add to the cost, ioptrons ipolar already helps with PA as does the qhy polemaster. It'll certainly make it easier for people and should have a system whereby you can align without being able to see Polaris or the Crux. Stellina and Evscope type systems already do what you're looking for though they are altaz and enclosed systems. As for now, adding an Asiair with cameras does make polar alignment so much easier and quicker and with plate solving targets are perfectly centred. I supposed one could be added to a visual system if one is so inclined but with this there is also the associated cost.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Elp

[newbie alert]

First of all there's 2 different alignments, polar and star alignment.. Heq5 you will have to polar align because it's a equatorial and with polar alignment it doesn't need to be level.. you point it at the ncp and then if done accurately the other stars motion rotates around it at the same rate as the earth's rotation ( sidereal rate)

Star alignment is for your pointing accuracy.. it relies on the info you program in, ie the time,date and location and how accurately you star align.. a cross haired illuminated eyepiece will make this far more accurate, but if you're already using a laptop for the polemaster then a platesolving software ( APT, Nina, SGP, voyager, Ekos)can platesolve your image and move your mount within pixels.. some cost money but some are free or very cheap.. depends on what you're doing and how you're setup... But star aligning isn't too hard, pointing at 3 stars and it's done, you can hibernate some mounts saving all your star alignment and just needs a sync every now and then, or you can run eqmod and build a sky model... Various methods to use

[ONIKKINEN]

For imaging purposes most mounts are almost self aligning, with only polar alignment requiring manual work (apart from the Avalon).

Polar alignment takes 2 minutes to get within an arcminute and the star alignment thing later on is not necessary at all. Both require there to be some kind of plate solver in play but for imaging purposes i think most people do have that capability and this way its mostly on autopilot.

[spikkyboy]

I do Polar align and use pole master. I got a perfect circle around the star. I did a simple 2 start alignment. Then when I select Jupiter I was perfectly aligned but 2 inches too low. I recentered on the planet and my next target was off as well. Frustrating at best.

I have a star sense and that doesn't work either. As soon as I set it running it charges off for a look at the trees in my garden. Every time.

 

[StevieDvd]

On 02/05/2022 at 09:39, Cosmic Geoff said:

... The mass-produced Chinese mounts have never been re-designed from scratch - for instance why does a USB port (if provided) need a serial driver?

The underlying commands are a standard based on com ports (serial ports). It makes sense to keep what works.  USB makes sense as now new computers don't tend to have com ports.