Telescope Reviews: Celestron StarSense

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Hilmi
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/07/10

Loc: Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5660261 - 02/03/13 04:06 PM

You know what would be cool? A similar product but generic to all mounts, one that would for example plate solve on PC (without the purchase of extra software) and do pointing corrections through ASCOM driver of your mount. I'm thinking a sleek simple to use, integrated solution

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TimP
member

Reged: 02/24/09

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5660290 - 02/03/13 04:24 PM

I have one on pre order as well. I believe there is alot of room for advancement with this product. Lets see if Celestron takes advantage of it.

Tim

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palmer570
member

Reged: 09/04/12

Loc: Scranton, Pennsylvania

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: CharlesW]
#5660716 - 02/03/13 08:52 PM

I think others or maybe myself are thinking of this accessory in the wrong way.

I see its usefulness out of the box being:

Level tripod
Attach mount (alt/az for me)
Power on and let starsense do initial star alignment while I continue setting up
Then do a quick calibration between starsense and ota.
Then enjoy

For a Eq you will have to add all star polar alingment after callibrating starsense to ota to get a better polar alingement.

This would, to me, elliminate the need for a finder scope during the alingment process.

Also as mentioned before the starsense makes a map of the stars and the calibration tells the mount where the ota is pointing on that map. So the two don't have to be actually aligned like a finder scope does.

Edited by palmer570 (02/03/13 08:58 PM)

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HowardK
professor emeritus

Reged: 10/20/10

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: palmer570]
#5661188 - 02/04/13 06:46 AM

I am thinking tat the camera to ota calibration should be done before aligning with Starsense.....

Or have i missed something?

Quote:

I think others or maybe myself are thinking of this accessory in the wrong way.

I see its usefulness out of the box being:

Level tripod
Attach mount (alt/az for me)
Power on and let starsense do initial star alignment while I continue setting up
Then do a quick calibration between starsense and ota.
Then enjoy

For a Eq you will have to add all star polar alingment after callibrating starsense to ota to get a better polar alingement.

This would, to me, elliminate the need for a finder scope during the alingment process.

Also as mentioned before the starsense makes a map of the stars and the calibration tells the mount where the ota is pointing on that map. So the two don't have to be actually aligned like a finder scope does.

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TimP
member

Reged: 02/24/09

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: HowardK]
#5661837 - 02/04/13 01:55 PM

Quote:

I am thinking tat the camera to ota calibration should be done before aligning with Starsense.....

Or have i missed something?

Quote:

I think others or maybe myself are thinking of this accessory in the wrong way.

I see its usefulness out of the box being:

Level tripod
Attach mount (alt/az for me)
Power on and let starsense do initial star alignment while I continue setting up
Then do a quick calibration between starsense and ota.
Then enjoy

For a Eq you will have to add all star polar alingment after callibrating starsense to ota to get a better polar alingement.

This would, to me, elliminate the need for a finder scope during the alingment process.

Also as mentioned before the starsense makes a map of the stars and the calibration tells the mount where the ota is pointing on that map. So the two don't have to be actually aligned like a finder scope does.

I'll get back to you on that in a month or two. I have a CPC 1100 and a CGEM DX 11 Edge. I'll be trying it on both.

Tim

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palmer570
member

Reged: 09/04/12

Loc: Scranton, Pennsylvania

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: HowardK]
#5661933 - 02/04/13 02:46 PM

I honestly don't know the order of operations or if it will work the way I described. I was just speculating from what I read about how it works with the sky prodigy. Although that already has the camera mounted in relation to the OTA saddle so maybe you do have to do that first.

I'll be posting about mine also when it arrives, but can only test with my 8SE maybe a club member will have a eq. mount to test it out on.

Edited by palmer570 (02/04/13 02:49 PM)

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HowardK
professor emeritus

Reged: 10/20/10

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: palmer570]
#5662021 - 02/04/13 03:44 PM

I wait for your tet

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cn register 5
sage

Reged: 12/26/12

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: HowardK]
#5662101 - 02/04/13 04:45 PM

My guess is that out of the box SS will align on the centre of it's field of view. There's an option to compensate for this and this is an electronic/computer way of aligning a finder. You do it once and as long as you always replace your finder/SS module the same way you don't need to do it again.

Chris

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TimP
member

Reged: 02/24/09

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: cn register 5]
#5662499 - 02/04/13 09:15 PM

The price is 309.95 at OPT.

http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=18742&tb=8&kw=starsense&st=2

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dr.who
sage

Reged: 01/05/12

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: TimP]
#5662747 - 02/05/13 12:21 AM

There is a Q&A page on Celestron's web site. Link for it below. Here is an excerpt on polar align and use as a guide cam:

Stephan G. asks, “Can the StarSense Accessory help polar alignment in some way?”

-StarSense won’t directly assist in polar alignment. However, because the GoTo alignment is very accurate with StarSense, All Star Polar Alignment becomes more accurate. You’ll be more closely polar aligned after just one iteration of the All Star alignment procedure. (This answer applies EQ mounts and CPC + Wedge mounts only.)

James D. asks, “My question is, can StarSense be used as a guide scope for imaging?”

-Not currently – the main reason is the 20mm f/2 lens used in the camera does not have enough focal length to accurately guide longer focal length telescopes. We acknowledge this feedback!

William W. asks, “Will the new StarSense Accessory guide me through a polar align on my CGEM DX? Does it replace my hand control?”

-StarSense replaces the existing NexStar hand controller. It does not assist polar alignment. It automatically aligns the GoTo.

Here is the link to the full (short Q&A):
http://www.celestron.com/portal/articles/cat/howto/post/ask-team-celestron-st...

This is of some interest to me because per Celestron they are able to align it decently in their Gardena industrial park with all the associated sky glow, LP, and direct light interference and since many of the outreach events I go to tend to be in bright places like outdoor mall's and "old town" city streets so this would be a great step up from the bump and shuffle I do now manually tracking things. It would really nark off the dobbies if I roll up with an auto track SCT!

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Starhawk
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/16/08

Loc: Tucson, Arizona

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: Hilmi]
#5663179 - 02/05/13 09:45 AM

Hilmi,

I've been thinking exactly the same thing. And if it did auto guiding as well, that would be the cat's pajamas. However, given the state of mobile processors, it would seem this should be able to go wheels-up and communicate via Bluetooth to a tablet or iPod sized device.

-Rich

Quote:

You know what would be cool? A similar product but generic to all mounts, one that would for example plate solve on PC (without the purchase of extra software) and do pointing corrections through ASCOM driver of your mount. I'm thinking a sleek simple to use, integrated solution

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morecoffee
member

Reged: 02/06/13

Loc: USA

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: Starhawk]
#5665327 - 02/06/13 01:57 PM

For users of the Celestron SkySync GPS, Does the new StarSense make the GPS module not needed(obsolete) now?

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Pak
member

Reged: 09/15/12

Loc: The Great Arc

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: morecoffee]
#5665775 - 02/06/13 06:12 PM

Well lets be clear. The GPS module was never "needed". All you have to do is peek at your smart phone, grab the coordinates and enter them manually. Takes what? 30 seconds? Not only that but I believe major cities are all there in the memory. All you'd have to do is pick the closest one and that should be good enough for Starsense to accurately pick the correct stars to navigate by.

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HowardK
professor emeritus

Reged: 10/20/10

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: Pak]
#5665800 - 02/06/13 06:25 PM

I believe that StarSense has its own GPS

SkySync GPS not needed

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oo_void
sage

Reged: 11/13/09

Loc: San Francisco, CA

Re: Celestron StarSense new

new

[Re: HowardK]
#5666834 - 02/07/13 10:52 AM

I agree with Pak ... A GPS may have been helpful 10 to 15 years ago. But with today's modern smart phones, it seems like serious overkill.

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dr.who
sage

Reged: 01/05/12

Re: Celestron StarSense [Re: Hilmi]
#5675143 - 02/12/13 01:30 AM

Quote:

You know what would be cool? A similar product but generic to all mounts, one that would for example plate solve on PC (without the purchase of extra software) and do pointing corrections through ASCOM driver of your mount. I'm thinking a sleek simple to use, integrated solution

There already is. It's called Astrotortilla and its shareware. All you need is a camera.

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SeptemberEquinox
sage

Reged: 01/29/12

Re: Celestron StarSense [Re: dr.who]
#5694389 - 02/22/13 10:26 AM

Any reviews for this product?

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DaveJ
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/07/05

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Celestron StarSense [Re: SeptemberEquinox]
#5694604 - 02/22/13 12:26 PM

Quote:

Any reviews for this product?

Taken right from Celestron's StarSense page: "Preorder - shipping June, 2013" So, no reviews yet.

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Whichwayisnorth
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/04/11

Loc: Southern California

Re: Celestron StarSense [Re: DaveJ]
#5694753 - 02/22/13 01:35 PM

June?! Bummer.

I thought March at the latest.

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morecoffee
member

Reged: 02/06/13

Loc: USA

Re: Celestron StarSense [Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5695013 - 02/22/13 03:42 PM

If it's the same gadget as on the SkyProdigy Series you can read the reviews on those maybe to see if it works how you want.

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