Connecting SW130PM to laptop for Stellarium

[Guest metroman]

Hi,

I also have the explorer 130P. Getting used to it now, after problems with the star alighnment. How exactly would I connect the scope to my laptop using stellarium? Thanks

Martin

[FLO]

Worth noting that the Explorer 130pm was discontinued about a month ago, the longer focal length Explorer 130em is still available.

HTH

[ashenlight]

hello metroman I am going to move your post into a new thread on the beginner's board called 'Connecting SW 130PM to laptop for Stellarium', so more people will see it. Sometimes, when old threads are used for new problems, they don't get the attention they deserve. I hope this is OK with you

[ashenlight]

Worth noting that the Explorer 130pm was discontinued about a month ago, the longer focal length Explorer 130em is still available.

HTH

far sexier than the 130pm. Mine looks short and fat now, lol

[Guest metroman]

Yes, Thats ok with me. I have downloaded all the software to my laptop, all I need now is some clear skies.

Martin

[ashenlight]

hope it works out for you, do let us know if you have any problems, I'm sure there'll be someone to help. I don't use Stellarium connected to a scope myself so couldn't offer any advice sure someone would be able to though.

[Mikea]

Hi Martin, which bit about connection are you asking about? If you have loaded the Ascom drivers and Stellariumscope, you are good to go. All you need then is a serial port or a USB to serial converter. You can try it indoors for a first go - easier to sort any snags out - not that there will be any!

[Guest metroman]

Yes,I have loaded the Ascom drivers and Stellariumscope, and I have the usb to serial converter. If I try this indoors, what would I need to do? Thanks

Martin

[Mikea]

I think all I did was to run the POTH tool from the ASCOM platform to ensure that the scope could be moved from the laptop. Once I was satisfied that all this was working, it went outside. Once outside, you need to align the scope before connecting the laptop.

[jgs001]

Has the 130pm mount and drives got the facility to hook up to a PC for goto ?

[Mikea]

Not sure about the 130PM, but Martin has the 130P which has the GOTO handset. I suspect that you would need to add the GOTO handset to a 130PM so that the scope's position data would be available for interpretation by Stellarium.

[JimBobs63]

far sexier than the 130pm. Mine looks short and fat now, lol

Yeah. Just a shame it doesn't have the parabolic primary mirror of the 130PM...!

[Breakintheclouds]

Not sure about the 130PM, but Martin has the 130P which has the GOTO handset. I suspect that you would need to add the GOTO handset to a 130PM so that the scope's position data would be available for interpretation by Stellarium.

Just yesterday I got my Skywatcher 130P SynScan goto working with Stellarium using a Linux computer. The Goto handset is a must, as it is this that connects to the computer.

[Guest metroman]

I am going to try this indoors now,supposed to be clear skies here tonight!

Martin

[Guest metroman]

Hooked everything up, but when I click to move the scope left, it moves right!! Up and down movement is okay. How do you actually control the scope using Stelliarium?

Martin

[Breakintheclouds]

Normally you click on an object or part of the sky, to select it, then press CTRL-1 to send the scope there.

[Guest metroman]

I think that I have it working now. The only thing is that when I click on an object in Stellarium, it only slews to that object when I close Stellarium.

Martin

[Guest metroman]

I am finding that this works better using Cartes du Ceil software and not Stellarium.

Martin

[Guest metroman]

I have been outside tonight(clear skies for once). I have got the computer control working okay, but only using Cartes du Ceil software. For some strange reason, I cannot control it using Stellarium, but I think that it could be an ascom driver problem. I will keep working on it.

Martin

[Mikea]

Are you firing up Stellariumscope first? It will automatically launch Stellarium.

[red dwalf]

try this, it may help

http://stargazerslounge.com/primers-tutorials/84630-stellarium-operated-goto-mounts.html

to slew to an object press ctrl 1

[Guest metroman]

Thanks, I will try it again, and post the results.

Martin

[Guest metroman]

I was starting up Stellariumscope first.

Martin

[Guest metroman]

Been trying to control the scope with Stellarium again, still no luck,I used the above link to the thread and followed the instructions, but still no good. I will just use it with cartes du ceil for now. Great clear skies last night, hope tonight is the same.

Martin