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Skymax 127 on AZ Goto Mount Day 1

Star-Gazer

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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Also - I don't think you are supposed to connect the adapter to the computer or the telescope cable until after you install the driver - that sort of thing is actually important. Please prepare properly.

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keithsizer

keithsizer

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Hi, hope your well. The USB Converter came yesterday, finally got it setup. Tried to get on the sun (just to see where it points), it was nowhere near. Do I need to align first? Or does it need to be pointed in a certain place?

Thanks

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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Yes you have to align the system so that it knows where it is and then it can work computerised. You have to align it so that the computer knows where it is first.

Until it has a reference point or two it cannot work out where it is and therefore where to move to.

I still haven't experienced Goto yet as I have not had enough time to play with the system especially with all the clouds. I know that you should really pick two stars (brightest star alignment) which are far apart as this makes it more accurate apparently. So one east and west may be a good idea rather than two in the same section.

Hope this helps.

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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Got the chance to test the goto and tracking last night and it all works perfectly I am delighted to report.

Had to install all the software onto my bro's laptop as mine isn't for outside use and this was a good way to test my knowledge on this system and so I did it all and it worked first time including the rs232 adapter.

I tested it and it is accurate and the goto is fine. I am going to test and explore the accuracy and tracking in due course.

I have now seen the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn with this scope and mount for the first time and it is such a buzz!!

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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Interestingly last night when I hooked up the computer and mount and sent it off to saturn to test the remote control it went to a dot which I knew was not Saturn.

I was about to abort the testing and go inside to work out what was wrong when I had the instinct to loook in the eyepiece just to see what it had pointed at and to my astonishment I saw what I thought was Saturn and this was confirmed when I focused it properly.

This meant that I had been looking at the wrong Saturn these last few days!!

It also meant that if I hadn't looked in the ep then I may have carried on trying to fix a system which was in fact working perfectly. Assumption of Saturn's position using Stellarium nearly sent me in the wrong direction.

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ItIsOnlyMe

ItIsOnlyMe

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But a few key changes and no re-installs and I now have control of the scope from my lappy!!

What changes did you have to make? I have just bought this mount and was trying to get it running with Stellarium last night, tried both direct connect from laptop to mount with the supplied lead and also connecting to the handset first and from there to the mount, no joy either way :-(

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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Ok you need to do the following :

Install Stellarium (I updated it with all the star packs which is an option in the configuration).

Install Stellariumscope.

Install Ascom 5.1 and then 5.5 update.

Install scope drivers from Ascom site (choose Celestron - the az goto mount is compatible with celstron 5i drivers).

Install rs232 : usb adapter driver (from disk) and THEN attach cable. Check the com port that it installs to (the celestron driver software won't go above port 16 from memory) and the baud rate (may be 9600 change to 115k).

In Stellarium goto plug-ins and choose telescope control and configure it to be active (especially telling the plug-in that the scope is to be controlled by Stellarium).

Goto Stellariumscope and select the mount (which will be Celestron drivers) and then click properties. Program the window that opens with the details of your scope and position, com port etc (the obstruction is 32% for the SM127).

Click update Stellarium (important bit this is and easy to forget).

Click connect to scope in Stellariumscope and then click goto Stellarium.

It should fire up Stellarium and the scope should work (if aligned properly). Click an object and then press CTRL and 1 together and the scope will slew to your object. If you pick another object then remember to press CTRL and 5 to cancel the current slew and any tracking and then CTRL and 1 to goto the next object.

I wrote this quickly from memory and so if anyone sees any errors then let me know. I will check my notes later when I have time.

Hope this helps. I have installed and configured all this software twice now and it works perfectly on both laptops. I have been using it successfully for two nights now.

Please let me know how you get on.

ta

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ItIsOnlyMe

ItIsOnlyMe

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Many thanks Star-Gazer, I am missing a few steps from this. Mainly the install ASCOM parts.

I was getting the scope config screens and able to setup my mount and connect to it so thought all was well.

I managed to find a laptop with an actual serial port(!) so guess I don't need the install usb/serial driver bit.

Will have another go tonight.

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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ASCOM:

get the main ascom system here : (get 5 and then apply 5.5 don't just get latest one) ASCOM - Standards for Astronomy

get the driver here : http://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/ScopeDrivers.htm (pick Celestron unified drivers and the sw az goto synscan uses the Celestron 5i drivers once you download and install the driver package).

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keithsizer

keithsizer

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Had a bit of an issue last night. First time I tried to align scope. When it asked for location, I wasn't sure how to input it. These are my co-ords

Latitude = 52.4646, Longitude = 0.5427

Lat = 52 degrees, 27.9 minutes North

Long = 0 degrees, 32.6 minutes East

How should they be input to the handset?

Sorry to ask such a 'stupid' question :-)

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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Go to Google Earth and use the mouse to point to your house - it will show you your latitude and longitude in the format you need to input it to the scope. Just check whether it is asking for Long or Lat first (it will give you an option to select n or w from memory - n is latitude and w is longitude - I hope!). There are three sets of digits like 51.59.58 and there are two such sets to give your position.

Once you have programmed them into the handset go to "location" on the handset and check what it says and that you have done it the right way around.

Hope this helps.

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Star-Gazer

Star-Gazer

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Today I wanted to test the webcam to see that it works fine on this new laptop (beyond the basic tests I already did).

The results were that the EP and webcam have the same centered place but the NX10 either with or without the EPP tube moves the "center" from the webcam down the image and therefore I would have to hunt for the image I was looking to shoot. It does this because of the weight of the camera, adapter and EPP tube where used for epp.

So now where before I did not know where on earth the webcam focus was (and I thought it could be anywhere!!) now I know it is the same as my eyepiece. This means I can now move onto the settings as I have removed a big possible variable.

Also I had to re-balance my scope and mount to stop the camera weight from tipping the camera which is what ahppened when I used the camera and epp tube. Now it is fine with all the bits I need on the mount.

So tonight if I get the chance I will test the webcam imaging and hopefully be able to report that I am able to image using the webcam which I think is the last thing I need in place to do this month's moonshot. I still need lots of practice and experience with all this kit but I am hoping that I am proficient enough to start taking images and then I can improve my knowledge, skills and equipment.

Until the 15th February this year I had never looked through a telescope and knew nothing about astronomy. I got my Skymax 127 and AZ goto mount a week ago today. So if anyone reading this feels a bit intimidated then don't be. If I can do all this and do it quickly then so can anyone.

Hope this is all useful and please let me know if I am wrong about anything!!

ta.

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