Nexstar 8SE - link to computer?

[npc100]

Hi All,

hoping that someone will be able to clarify something for me...

My uncle is about to order the Nexstar 8SE as he is convinced that the 'computer link' will allow him to see what the telescope see's on his computer screen. He suffers from arthritis and bending over to look in the eyepiece of a telescope is painful for him, and he thinks that this is the answer.

I've Googled the telescope and it's software, but it looked to me as though you could use a PC to control the telescope in the same way as with the handheld control, but that it won't show the view that you'd get from looking in the eyepiece.

Am I correct in this? If so, are there any telescopes that you would recommend that would allow him to do what he wants to do?

many thanks in advance

Neil

[Earl]

You are correct, the Computer link that the scope offers is for telescope control, not viewing.

You need extra equipment to view the telescope on your PC.

[ollypenrice]

The scope is not a camera so, no, it won't relay a live image to the computer screen. There are some cameras designed to fit in telescopes that can do this for the brighter objects but that is another matter. I think the confusion may arise from the fact that plenty of computer-telescope hookups show a map of the sky where the scope is pointing, that's all. They don't relay an image.

Olly

PS Apologies to Earl-UK. We crossed in the post, so to speak.

[Helen]

As has been said you'll need a camera too. Something like a Mintron or Watec camera would work well though Astro video cameras - Watec 120n - Mintron @ Modern Astronomy . I've used a Watec with the same scope, also on an alt-az mount, and enjoyed it. The camera is small enough not to tax the SE8 mount too. He'd need to be at the scope to focus (unless he also went for electronic focus control), but once that's done it would be possible to go indoors if the computer cables were long enough.

HTH

Helen

PS with such a camera he'll see much more than with the naked eye, so he gets in effect a larger aperture telescope

[npc100]

Thanks very much for all your replies - much appreciated.

Neil