Alignment

[imtrappin]

Hi, just got a Skywatcher 250 flex on a Alt-Azimuth goto mount, no matter how many times I check the settings are correct I cant get it to align, when it slews to the 2 brightest stars it always about 90 degrees out and pointing in the wrong direction.

I've checked the Longitude, Latitude, Time and Date numerous times.

Also when I park the scope it go's to a random position even when I choose "Park" in current position it still moves to another,

any help much appreciated

thanks

[happy-kat]

Hi

Things to check which can effect alignment are date format which is mm dd yyyy and whether day light saving is correct.

Hopefully you'll be enjoying your telescope views soon.

Edited July 3, 2022 by happy-kat

[imtrappin]

Thanks for the quick reply, date is correct, think its the US format where the month comes first, as for the time, I'm in the UK have selected +1 hour and set the time as it is by my watch, should I select yes or no when asked for daylight saving?

thanks

[happy-kat]

I think select yes as we are not in GMT currently

The other thing is it might still be your location as it is entered in degrees and minutes and not decimal.

Edited July 3, 2022 by happy-kat

[imtrappin]

Thanks, will try choosing yes, as for location it asks for DMS, not sure what the decimal is

[Cornelius Varley]

37 minutes ago, imtrappin said:

Thanks for the quick reply, date is correct, think its the US format where the month comes first, as for the time, I'm in the UK have selected +1 hour and set the time as it is by my watch, should I select yes or no when asked for daylight saving?

thanks

Time zone is 0.000, not + 1.0 and DST is yes until the end of October.

[Gfamily]

Hi  - two questions if you don't mind... 

Which mount do you have ?

What power source are you using? 

[imtrappin]

4 minutes ago, Cornelius Varley said:

Time zone is 0.000, not + 1.0 and DST is yes until the end of October.

Thanks, will set it to that

[imtrappin]

6 minutes ago, Gfamily said:

Hi  - two questions if you don't mind... 

Which mount do you have ?

What power source are you using? 

Hi, 

its the Dobsonion wooden mount, not sure of it official name and the power source is the Skywatcher 17ah power tank

[Gfamily]

13 minutes ago, imtrappin said:

Hi, 

its the Dobsonion wooden mount, not sure of it official name and the power source is the Skywatcher 17ah power tank

I don't expect there will be much of a problem with the power supply.

As for the mount - it's not one that I have used myself, but if it has a handset like the one below - the Location details should be entered as 

001⁰ 29W     -     52⁰ 55N 

and (as has been said) Time Zone should be 00:00 then

Time 21:43:20     DaylightSaving = YES (for the next few months) 

 What alignment method are you using?

Edited July 3, 2022 by Gfamily

[imtrappin]

1 minute ago, Gfamily said:

I don't expect there will be much of a problem with the power supply.

As for the mount - it's not one that I have used myself, but if it has a handset like the one below - the Location details should be entered as 

001⁰ 29W     -     52⁰ 55N 

and (as has been said) Time Zone should be 00:00 then

Time 21:43:20     DaylightSaving = YES (for the next few months) 

 What alignment method are you using?

Hi, thanks for replying, yes it does have that handset, it seems that my mistakes have been setting the clock at +1 and choosing No for daylight saving, have put the location in as you say, I was tring to use 2 star alignment, will try again tomorrow night

[imtrappin]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies and being so helpful, hopefully I will be all set up and ready to go tomorrow night after following all your advice

[Gfamily]

11 minutes ago, imtrappin said:

Hi, thanks for replying, yes it does have that handset, it seems that my mistakes have been setting the clock at +1 and choosing No for daylight saving, have put the location in as you say, I was tring to use 2 star alignment, will try again tomorrow night

There used to be a really useful android app called SynScanInit that used to give the expected format for entering location and datetime details - for some reason it's no longer available on Google Play, but it is available to download as an apk from the link below; however, I cannot guarantee the security of the link itself so at your own risk... 

https://apkcombo.com/synscaninit-2/com.RapidoDroid.synscaninit2/

Or you can keep a note of the format details for future reference. 

[CraigT82]

With my Alt-Az mount which uses the synscan v4 handset you have to start from a set position: The scope pointing north and the tube horizontal, not sure if that is the same for the GoTo Dobs? 

[Carbon Brush]

Something else to try. No clear dark sky required. No computer to mount connection either.

Call up your favourite sky map software on your computer.
Any programme will do.

Find any object you like that is above the horizon. Note the coordinates.
Tell the goto mount to go to that object.

There are 3 possible outcomes to to this.

1. The computer and mount agree.

2/ The computer and mount disagree by a consistent amount.
This is caused by a time or location setting error. For example 1 hour off = 15deg az error.
Another example is M42 is south and above the horizon on October 3rd. But north and below the horizon on March 10th.
A date format problem.

3/ The computer and mount disagree by seemingly random amounts.
This may be a drive issue, slipping clutch, etc.
Send the mount repeatedly between two locations.
Barring the passage of time, does it always go to/from the same places?
Angle gauge and compass can help.
Every Skywatcher chipboard mount I have encountered has worked much better after a bit of attention.

HTH, David.

 

 

Edited July 4, 2022 by Carbon Brush

[Mognet]

On 03/07/2022 at 22:13, Gfamily said:

There used to be a really useful android app called SynScanInit that used to give the expected format for entering location and datetime details - for some reason it's no longer available on Google Play, but it is available to download as an apk from the link below; however, I cannot guarantee the security of the link itself so at your own risk... 

https://apkcombo.com/synscaninit-2/com.RapidoDroid.synscaninit2/

Or you can keep a note of the format details for future reference. 

Found a different one recently that seems to be as good as SynScanInit2, but doesn't need a download from alternative sites. It's called Polar Clock https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.astrotools.polarclock

[AstroMuni]

On 04/07/2022 at 13:43, Carbon Brush said:

Call up your favourite sky map software on your computer.

I was about to suggest something similar.... @imtrappin Use an app on your phone to check if the scope is pointing in same general direction as what the app says. I like an app called SkEye which has a push-to functionality but you can use any app of your choice.

Edited July 13, 2022 by AstroMuni