Forum Replies Created
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Posted by Paul A Brierley at 18:14 on 2010 Apr 20
That would explain it Roger. The guiding setting is I think 0.5x sidereal on your SS2K, so any movement will be very slow when the buttons are de-pressed.
Posted by Duncan Bryson at 16:48 on 2010 Apr 20
HiI Personally Don’t Know Anything About The Telescope But What I Think Is To Ring The Manufacturer And Ask About This.Sometimes I Think Connecting It To A Computer Can Override The Handheld Controller.Duncan
Posted by Roger Dymock at 15:23 on 2010 Apr 20
Thanks for the post. I think and hope I have fixed the problem. When I checked through the Megastar settings I found that, in the LX200 dialogue box, Guide was selected. I changed this to Slew and all seems well. Previously I had thought that the telescope might be moving when I used the 4 Skysensor button but, if it was, then only very slowly. Don’t know how that happened though as everything worked OK until recently.Regards
Posted by Roger Dymock at 15:14 on 2010 Apr 20
Thanks, SS2K group looks useful. I had searched on Yahoo under Skysensor but it didn’t come up with that one.Regards
Posted by Roger Dymock at 15:13 on 2010 Apr 20
Thanks, SS2K group looks useful. I had searched on Yahoo under Skysensor but it didn’t come up with that one.Regards
Posted by Jeremy at 22:32 on 2010 Apr 18
Roger,as mentioned, the very helpful yahoo user group for the Skysensor SS2K is here:http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ss2k/Go well!Jeremy
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 18:37 on 2010 Apr 18
Hi Roger,I hope I can help you here.I have never heard or had this problem with my SS2K. So this is speculative.Have you tried SS2K with any other software than Meagastar? If you can , try using Sky Map lite or pro if you have it. Then, if everything is OK. You’ll know that it’s Megastar causing this fault.Another option to try; upgrade your Ascom driver to the latest one. Or try connecting SS2K before powering up your computer!Then let the computer find the device.The only other cause is a faulty cable. And if it is. Speak to Astronomiser.HTH
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 17:41 on 2010 Apr 16
Thank you Callum,Your advice is very much appreciated.work out or preferably measure your field of views for your wide field eyepieces – then construct rings or make acetates for your Sky Atlas 2000. These can help when you narrow down to the vicinity of the object your looking for. You can do the same for your own printed maps, but try to print these out at the same scale.I have one of these already, so all I have to do now is work out the fov of my 24mm Panoptic and 10" f4.8
Posted by Callum Potter at 09:34 on 2010 Apr 16
Hi Paul,a couple of other suggestions.1. work out or preferably measure your field of views for your wide field eyepieces – then construct rings or make acetates for your Sky Atlas 2000. These can help when you narrow down to the vicinity of the object your looking for. You can do the same for your own printed maps, but try to print these out at the same scale.2. when out in the field with your atlas, orientate the atlas to the sky and try to ignore the ra and dec grid.3. make star-hopping notes, and take special notice of particularly coloured stars, or minor asterisms.4. i’d recommend Robert Garfinkles Star Hopping book. sorry that’s more than a couple :-)Successful hopping !Callum
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 20:49 on 2010 Apr 15
Thank you both for taking you time to send me a reply.I agree with everything that has been said. And I will arm myself with a copy of Turn Left at Orion. Thanks for that David. I do have a very old copy of The Universe from your backyard, which I bought, when I bought my very first proper telescope; which, during that period was a 150mm (6") from Orion in 1991. I think that this book is also very good for visual star hopping. But I will look out, possibly for a second hand copy of TLAO.I think that I might have misled Gary, on the size of the finder. I think that it is in fact a 10×50 finder and not a 9×50. I will use printed charts from SMP10 and do as Gary has suggested, use these instead of the laptop. I think that for the first outing with the OD250S, I’ll practice star hopping, to the brighter messier objects visible during late Spring and early Summer. These are ones that I know, and know how to find. This way I’m sure, I’ll be able to learn my way around the sky, and begin finding the more fainter, and more challenging objects later.I like you Gary and you David, will still use my GOTO, with my SPX 200-800 f4. But I might do as Dale does.I have an Atik 16IC, and I’m thinking that it will be less stressful and perhaps more fun. If I take 60 second looped subs, and draw what I’m looking at. Instead of trying to image. Knowing full well how hard and difficult, that side of our hobby is!This is the beginning. If I am successful with star hopping, and I enjoy it. I have every intention of upgrading in four years time. To a bigger, Orion dobson. I’d like the OD350S De Lux; so whilst I’m outside using the OD250S. I can start saving for it. And If I’m lucky I hope that I’ll have this one when I am 50!!!
Posted by Gary Poyner at 20:17 on 2010 Apr 15
Hi Paul,I’ve used Dobsonians for many years, and although I’ve been using a Meade 14 GPS for the past seven years, I’ll soon be returning to the joys of star hopping with a new 20 inch. I have been keeping my hand in with a 22cm dobbie as well though during this time.I observe variable stars – faint ones (CV’s to mag 16’ish) – from Birmingham. The best advice I can give is two-fold. Use the largest finder scope you can, and prepare your nights viewing with charts printed from one of the various planetarium software available. I use GUIDE 8, and would recommend this to anyone. It’s excellent for the faint fuzzies too. I would not recommend using a laptop – even in night mode – as this will affect your limiting magnitude. Just make sure you print the finder chart with the correct field orientation (Newtonian North to bottom, West to left), and remember that the stars drift towards the West. The finder is most important. 9×50 is OK, but a 10 or 12×60 is better. If you can get to mag 9 with your finder, you won’t have any trouble locating any object in the sky within a few minutes. Practice makes perfect of course, and after a short while you will be able to drop your scope on most fields without even looking. Good luck, and keep us posted as to how you get on.Gary
Posted by David Mottershead at 19:56 on 2010 Apr 15
Hello PaulI too use ‘GOTO’ scopes now, primarily because from the heavily light polluted site in Manchester that I observe from I really can’t see enough stars to star hop to all that I would want to see.However, when I first started out in astronomy I used undriven Alt Az and equatorial mounted scopes, and learnt how to navigate around the night sky and to star hop. Although having a laptop even back then, and having Skymap 2 (yes, it’s that long ago!!) on it, my prefered ‘weapons’ of choice were a northern hemisphere planishere and a copy of ‘Turn Left At Orion’. Armed with these I was able to succesfully navigate around the night sky and locate DSOs, doubles etc. As with anything, it really is a case of practise makes perfect, learning (or more likely in this case, relearning), the constellations and stars that make them up, and where, in relation to certain constellations/stars a given object is. I think I generally used to start with one or other of the main circumpolar constellations (as they are always visible to us here in the northern hemishpere), and then star hop across via other constellations to my target. The decsriptions and route paths provided in ‘Turn Left At orion’ were invaluable as well. So my advice, for what its worth, is refamiliarise yourself with the constellations and stars that make them up, draw up an evenings targets prior to your session, use a plainshere (doesn’t run out of batteries and let you down at a critical moment) and get a copy of ‘Turn Of Left At Orion’ as that, in conjunction with your planisphere and knowledge of the constellations, will provide a descriptive route to many worthwhile targets.Hope this is of some use.
Posted by Denis Buczynski at 21:15 on 2010 Apr 12
Hi Sheridan,I have a copy of the forst 50 years memoir. I can let you for scanning but it will take a while to send it to you, it is in Scotland with the rest of my library. I will let you know when I am going up next and see if you still need it.Best wishesDenis
Posted by Jeremy at 23:10 on 2010 Apr 11
That’s a good suggestion Dale – thanks. And a great idea Sheriden – would be wonderful if we could find one.Go well!Jeremy
Posted by Sheridan Williams at 22:38 on 2010 Apr 10
If anyone is willing to let me have a copy of the First 50 years, I will scan and OCR it and make it available to all members.Sheridan WilliamsDirector of the BAA Computing Section
Posted by Andrea Tasselli at 12:55 on 2010 Apr 09
Hi Paul,Yes, there is coma but not so bad. A lot depends on what EPs your’e going to use as some of them make things worse and some better. If you’re really really picky you can get yourself a TV Paracorr and be done with it. Obviously for high magnification stuff coma is not an issue (at f/4.8 anyway).BestAndrea T.
Posted by Dale Holt at 12:42 on 2010 Apr 09
Hi Jeremy, Andy Stephens might just have a spare copy he might part with. His email address is always in the classified ads in the BAA journal. Good luck, Dale
Posted by Duncan Bryson at 12:11 on 2010 Apr 09
HiThanks For Your FeedbackI Thought There Was A Slight Difference Between Asteroids And Minor Planets & The Fact That Uranus & Neptune Are Under The Saturn CategoryThanksDuncan
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 18:49 on 2010 Apr 08
Thanks Andrea.I have to admit that I was worried that the F6.3 OD250L was going to be a monster! And that it could be difficult using it on Solar system bodies, especially when we consider the height of the eyepiece and focuser, with subjects like the Moon during winter.I think that I will probably ask John at OO for the OD250S. I can then use this telescope for deep sky observing from home, and also the peak district as well as Lunar and Planetary observing. Do you know if the F4.8 suffers badly with coma?
