Tracking issues with an Synscan GOTO

[RascalUK]

Aloha.

I was playing with my Skywatcher 130 GOTO last night but for a change was up at the top of my house rather than the garden to clear the treeline and get Saturn a bit earlier.

Anyway, because of my restricted view up there I couldn't do the align so I just pointed the scope at Saturn and had some great viewing...

However I couldn't get it to track well at all.

I tried the Autotracking which did seem to move the scope but didn't keep Saturn in view and the other option in the menu is just Tracking and I can choose Sidereal, Lunar or Solar.

Am I right in thinking I should choose Solar?

has anybody had a decent track with this kind of gear and knows what I was doing wrong?

Should point out that when I had the scope aligned the other night and used the GOTO on Saturn it did track it.

Do I need to be properly aligned?

Paul

[Star-Gazer]

I have had similar issues when the scope is not aligned. When aligned it is fine but when not aligned the tracking is not good. I have only had the scope and mount just over a week and I am a newbie to all things astro so there may be a solution and the manual says that you can track without alignment if you enter position and time but I have not got this to work yet.

[Falcon]

The problem is that the scope is not properly aligned.

If you can observe only a small sky area (your view cover a small part of the sky) do the following:

1. Choose two star alignment.

2. For the first star choose one in your area (for example Sirius).

3. The list of offered by scope second stars usually do not include stars in your area, so it doesn't matter which one you will select. Do the second star alignment - the scope will point at star which is behind your neighbours house nothwithstanding you have to agree and press enter so the scope will give you "Alignment succesful".

4. Choose goto to the desired object that you wish to autotrack (for example Saturn) - from objects choose planets, choose Saturn -twice Enter to view the object - the scope will point not sufficient precise but nearby the Saturn.

4. Manualy by hand control move and point the scope exactly to the object (Saturn).

5. While the object is centered press and hold for two seconds "ESC" button - the caption "Saturn"on the hand controller will begin to blinking than you have to press enter, you will be asking "Recenter?" and you press Enter again.

The system will calculate accurate the misalignment and is ready to autotrack very precisely the object.

The same situation is when you have a view only to Orion for example and you wish to autotrack any object in this area. In the list of stars for alignment you will have only one. Leave the scope to align as a second star other which is completely outside of your view and after that choose the goto to show you Betelgeize or Rigel - recenter it and you have very precise autotracking in this area.

This is the way that PAE and Recentering work - It's written in the Scope Manual - take a look at it.

[Star-Gazer]

Hi

Don't think we have the same manual!!

Excellent information and a great work-around solution.

[Falcon]

From Sky-watcher web site:

TELESCOPE SUPPLIERS - SKY-WATCHER TELESCOPE

Click on "AZ GOTO MANUAL VERSION GT020609V3-03.05 (1128KB) [ DOWNLOAD ]" - I have this manual, shipped with the scope

See page 10 about PAE (Pointing Accuracy Enhancement). This is not exactly like the above (about Saturn) but it works, I have used this way many times due to restricted sky area that I have from my terrace.

[RascalUK]

Cheers for that Falcon. I have that manual but I never considered I might be able to virtually disregard the second star and correct it later.

Much help thanks.