Problem with Carte du Ciel

[steaven1325]

Hi all,

I usually perform a 2-star alignment and polar alignment routine on my NEQ-6 mount using the handset. After I  have aligned the mount I unplug the handset and connect the serial cable through which I connect the mount to the laptop. I open Carte du Ciel, connect the scope and normally Carte du Ciel would know "what the scope is pointing at". So far this procedure has worked smoothly but tonight I realised that after this operation Carte du Ciel "thinks" the scope is somewhere else..not so far from where it should be but enough to make it impossible to use the  go-to functionality and center an object for astrophotography. I've checked that location and time are the same across CDC, Ascom and the Handset and I don't know what else to think? Any idea?

 

Clear skies!

[malc-c]

I would suggest that you use just CDC / EQMOD / GSS to control the scope and handle the alignment.  Start in the default home position, power on the mount, open CdC and connect to the scope via CdC's menu to open EQMOD or GSS.  Unpark the scope, select first target star in CdC, slew, used the NSEW buttons in EQMOD to centre star and then confirm the sync (right click on the star in CdC and select sync).  Repeat for two more stars in different parts of the sky and then anything within that triangle should have perfect goto's.

Mixing two different control system tends to cause issue, especially if the mount used lacks physical encoders.