First night using new setup

[Clive]

25 minutes ago, Paul Tomo said:

1, Best website for longitude and latitude coordinations?

2, If I’m indoors can I still use begin alignment?

3, When I try again outdoors and I’ve finished polar alignment my elevation is about 63 degrees do I then reset back to 52 degrees matching the degrees set in coordinations?

1. Do you have a mobile phone with GPS, if so many apps will give you your lat and long (try https://www.where-am-i.net)

2. Yes, but make sure that there is room for your mount to go to any position (probably best if the scope is not attached when playing indoors!)

3. I don't understand why your mount elevation would be 63 degrees after polar alignment (I assume you live in the UK) unless you are setting up your mount on a severe slope and not approximately leveled the mount using the tripod legs.

[+Bino-viewer]

Once your latitude is set 52º (in Derby / Notts its closer to 53º) you should see Polaris through the Polar scope.

When you're polar aligned the latitude longitude adjustments stay put.

 

You then move on to your 2 or 3 star alignment on the handset.

[+RonC]

Polar alignment and star alignment are two different things.. Once the mount is Polar aligned and set to the home position that's it.

Switch on the handset, press to say Yes from the Home position then follow it's path through date, time etc. (Don't forget it's US so Month/day/year)

Set to 2 or 3 star align and press enter. You can change the slew speed by pressing '2' and the arrows at the bottom. Centre the star in the finder scope first then a 30 or 40 mm EP through the scope.

Press enter then move onto the second and third star. Leave the computer alone till you get used to using the handset, it's a very good, accurate system..

 

Ron

 

[Paul Tomo]

I set the mount up In doors yesterday while it was raining and re checked to polar alignment and after a few adjustments the polar alignment is now spot on. I’ve set the elevation to 53 degrees for now and I will set again when I align the Polaris through the pole scope, hopefully tonight if the sky’s are clear.

 

Then I set up the handset then the power and then switched the mount on And then went through the settings. When I got to the arrow adjustment for the star alignment none of the arrows when pressed wouldn’t move the mount, I then pressed 9 and then pressed one of the arrows and to my amazement the mount started to move. So up to now everything seems ok and working like it should, I then switched of the mount and had a cup of tea and went through the process in my head.

 

If tonight’s sky is clear I will set the scope and then wait until It’s dark and Polaris is clearly visible in the night sky before alignment of the Polaris and the 3 star alignment. Hopefully tonight’s sky’s are clear and everything works has it should, so until tonight’s Session thanks for the 100% feedback. I will give an update on how things went on.

 

Thanks 

Paul Tomo

 

 

[+Ibbo]

Your polar alignment will not be spot on.

 

You need to enter your time and location.

You need to be pointed at the north celestial pole , which for visual means the pole star polaris is near enough.

 

Once you have done that outside pointing at polaris through the pole scope you then need to do a star alignment (which is the calibration of the pointing)

pick 2 star to start with pick a bright star slew to it -you can then undo the clutches and centre that star in the telescope and sync, then pick the 2 nd star and slew to that using the goto then using the handset -DO NOT UNDo THE CLUTCHS centre the 2nd star then sync that should give a message like you have successfully aligned.

 

You can then use the goto to find objects -typically they will be in the field of view in a low power eyepiece or maybe just out.

 

 

Once you have done this a few times it becomes easier.

 

If you move your mount and tripod you will need to redo the above.

[Paul Tomo]

2 hours ago, Ibbo said:

Your polar alignment will not be spot on.

 

You need to enter your time and location.

You need to be pointed at the north celestial pole , which for visual means the pole star polaris is near enough.

 

Once you have done that outside pointing at polaris through the pole scope you then need to do a star alignment (which is the calibration of the pointing)

pick 2 star to start with pick a bright star slew to it -you can then undo the clutches and centre that star in the telescope and sync, then pick the 2 nd star and slew to that using the goto then using the handset -DO NOT UNDo THE CLUTCHS centre the 2nd star then sync that should give a message like you have successfully aligned.

 

You can then use the goto to find objects -typically they will be in the field of view in a low power eyepiece or maybe just out.

 

 

Once you have done this a few times it becomes easier.

 

If you move your mount and tripod you will need to redo the above.

Thanks Steve,

 

I will be having another go tonight so I will take on board what you say and run through the process and see what happens. Will I be right in thinking that the only things that need to be connected to the mount are the Handset and the power supply??  do I don't need wifi connection??

[+Ibbo]

You are correct.

 

make sure you input the date and lat & long in the correct boxes and format.

I tried to input the date as 20-08-2020 this afternoon instead of the rqd 08-20-2020.

[Clive]

The mount, the PSU and the handset (oh, and a scope if you want to see anything!) is all you need to get going.

[Paul Tomo]

On my last sky at night session which was a few nights ago all was going well with the practicing of setting up the mount and using the handset.  I tried to align the first of three star alignment, the first star that the mount slewed to was to low and not visable due to the garden shed being in the way, i then slew to a star that was visable from my garden location which was a star called Caster whcih is just left from the Plough. A notification saying something about value came up on the screen, i didn't understand what this meant so i tried another first star alignment and the same thing happened.

 

I have made a list of the Stars that i can visually see so the next time i set the mount up and i go through the three star alignment i should be ok on setting the handset and getting up and running. One thing that i did struggle with was trying to align the star through the finder scope and matching this with the scope. I have ordered a 6x30 right angled finder scope which will make the viewing and finding the star easier and i should have this new scope on Monday.

 

If the sky's are clear over the weekend i will have another sky at night session and i'm sure it wont belong now before i have the setting up under my belt. Ive also ordered a new Baarer Hyperian 17mm eye piece as well.

Edited August 22, 2020 by Paul Tomo

[Bottletopburly]

 

 

baadeer Hyperion not the best for the 200p  imo I had the 13mm , You get the black dot in the middle and find yourself trying to get the best view from eyepiece I would ask others on here or SGL for a better  match for a fast Newtonian there may be better out there more suited . 

Edited August 22, 2020 by Bottletopburly

[Paul Tomo]

5 hours ago, Bottletopburly said:

 

 

baadeer Hyperion not the best for the 200p  imo I had the 13mm , You get the black dot in the middle and find yourself trying to get the best view from eyepiece I would ask others on here or SGL for a better  match for a fast Newtonian there may be better out there more suited . 

It’s too late now it should be here on Monday, what’s the Black dot and SGL?

[Bottletopburly]

4 minutes ago, Paul Tomo said:

It’s too late now it should be here on Monday, what’s the Black dot and SGL?

I believe the black dot is coma , sgl is stargazerslounge  , apparently bst starguiders work quiet well with F5 Newtonians , retail around £50 mark .

[+RonC]

Paul, there is a 15mm BST StarGuider eyepiece for £38 on SGL that would suit your scope! (if you're interested?)

 

Ron

[Paul Tomo]

2 hours ago, RonC said:

Paul, there is a 15mm BST StarGuider eyepiece for £38 on SGL that would suit your scope! (if you're interested?)

 

Ron

Thanks Ron, 

 

I will take a look when I get back from RAF Conningsby. I’ve not had chance yet to use my new Hyperion 17mm eyepiece yet and that’s due to bad weather we’ve got at the moment. Thanks for letting me know.

 

Paul Tomo

[+RonC]

What you doing at Coningsby, just watching or working??

[Paul Tomo]

Just watching the Typhoons taking off and landing, I’ve brought the grandkids down to see the jets. We’ve been down at the caravan for a few days hoping for some stargazing and using my new telescope and mount but the weather’s put a stop to that. 
 

If you are ever down this way it’s worth stopping off for an hour and watching them. 
 

 

[+RonC]

Spent many an hour there when I lived at Cranwell (also RAF) great views which ever end you view from!

[Paul Tomo]

7 hours ago, RonC said:

Spent many an hour there when I lived at Cranwell (also RAF) great views which ever end you view from!

We’ve had a Spitfire fly over this afternoon, brilliant to see, looks like it’s heading towards RAF Conningsby.

[+RonC]

BBMF flight I expect..

[Paul Tomo]

I might pop over too RAF Conningsby tomorrow and see the Typhoons doing their bit.