Celestron AVX mount and finding aligment stars

[RosalinaandLuma]

So, just got a celestron AVX mount, and using it with my 8inch Meade LX10. Where I am the weather has been kinda crappy of late and its summer. But last night, it was kinda clear. I went out to try an alignment, but kinda embarrassed to admit that finding any alignment star from the list was a huge issue. I could see Altair, nope that was not on the list for the first star, similar again and again. Vega worked, but an awful angle. Is there any easy to see stars that people recommend, kinda overwhelmed when I scroll in the list.

[mistuk]

Hi there, 

Have you tried using a phone app to help locate the suggested stars? Also I find a Telrad easier than a finderscope - it's too easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of stars in a finderscope.

[RosalinaandLuma]

19 minutes ago, mistuk said:

Hi there, 

Have you tried using a phone app to help locate the suggested stars? Also I find a Telrad easier than a finderscope - it's too easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of stars in a finderscope.

Yup, basically would have been lost without the AR phone app, never used a Telrad. My usual method is glasses on, both eyes open one in the finder one looking at the sky and line them and hope

[newbie alert]

Use the stars that you know and scroll though until you find the ones you do ..on a 3 star plus calibration stars alignment it will start in the west and end up in the east, so pick the big bright ones like arcturus, vega, Altair deneb etc the fov in the Meade will be narrow so align in the finder first and then in the ep, or camera whatever you're using .. before you start make sure that the finder and scope are looking at the same target accurately.. 

Make sure that your time date, location, daylight saving are all correct the date is in the American format.

Also if you park and hibernate at the end of the session then all your star alignment is saved ready for the next time, just need to "wake up" and make sure the time is right

Don't know if you plan to image but platesolving cuts this star alignment out.. and far more precise 

Edited August 27, 2022 by newbie alert
Spelling

[RosalinaandLuma]

14 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

Use the stars that you know and scroll though until you find the ones you do ..on a 3 star plus calibration stars alignment it will start in the west and end up in the east, so pick the big bright ones like arcturus, vega, Altair deneb etc the fov in the Meade will be narrow so align in the finder first and then in the ep, or camera whatever you're using .. before you start make sure that the finder and scope are looking at the same target accurately.. 

Make sure that your time date, location, daylight saving are all correct the date is in the American format.

Also if you park and hibernate at the end of the session then all your star alignment is saved ready for the next time, just need to "wake up" and make sure the time is right

Don't know if you plan to image but platesolving cuts this star alignment out.. and far more precise 

Thanks, so for me Arcturus was behind a tree, Deneb was not on the list as the first star (was there are star two). I was stuck using Vega, the downside being me on my knees squinting to get the finder and eyepeice (bad preparation i know). The finder scope is becoming an issue for me in that, I align it once and the next night its off again. Fiddling those screws drives me nuts. Sorry rant over Will have to google plate solving.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

1 hour ago, mistuk said:

Hi there, 

Have you tried using a phone app to help locate the suggested stars? Also I find a Telrad easier than a finderscope - it's too easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of stars in a finderscope.

 

1 hour ago, RosalinaandLuma said:

Yup, basically would have been lost without the AR phone app, never used a Telrad. My usual method is glasses on, both eyes open one in the finder one looking at the sky and line them and hope

As said elsewhere, learn the names of half a dozen or so brighter stars then use Sky Safari or Stellarium to pick another. A two star alignment should be enough for visual. You will get better with practice.

 

[Cosmic Geoff]

1 hour ago, RosalinaandLuma said:

but kinda embarrassed to admit that finding any alignment star from the list was a huge issue. I could see Altair, nope that was not on the list for the first star,

The trick is to learn a small number of alignment stars that work for you, for that season.  You just need two on any given night.  The Celestron Nexstar system is actually easier to use than the  rival Synscan system, which has a habit of ignoring stars you can see in the sky and offering others one has never heard of...  

Select "2 star auto align".  Scroll through the list till you find your first star, picking one you a) know and b) is in a suitable position.  It is immaterial where it is in the list (they are probably in alphabetical order.)  Aim the telescope at the first star and do the stuff (see handbook). 

Select the second star, picking one that is some distance from the other, that a) you know what it is, and b) you can see it is in a suitable position.  Its position on the list is immaterial. Press Enter and the scope will slew to the vicinity of the second star. Do the stuff (see handbook). Job done.

Don't concern yourself with plate-solving unless your scope is already set up for imaging.  For imagers, it is a handy method of fine-tuning aim at a desired object.