You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar

Telescope Specific Forums >> Celestron NexStar Previous   Index   Next   Threaded

Pages: 1 Arthur Dent Galactic Hitch-Hiker Reged: 10/23/08 Loc: South Yorkshire, UK AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT       #4017492 - 08/31/10 11:58 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Guys, This seems to be cropping up time and again amongst newer members so I thought that I'd make this easier to find. Here's how to do Auto Two-Star Alignment. When going through the setup procedure on initial setup of an observing session, you have to "undo" the time and date info, otherwise the scope will retain the previous setting in the hand controller. When setting uo your scope, the procedure for Auto Two-Star Alignment is: *1 Press "Enter" to begin *2 Select alignment method using the "up" and "down" arrows (numeric keypad 6 & 9 buttons) (eg Auto Two-Star Alignment) Displays "Local Time = 22:00:00" (or similar) *3 PRESS UNDO * * * This is the important step * * * *4 Press "Enter" if Longitude is OK (ie your location hasn't changed) then "Enter" again *5 Press "Enter" if Latitude is OK (again if your location hasn't changed) then "Enter" again *6 Now enter the CORRECT TIME (and DST/BST if necessary) then "Enter" if Time Zone is OK (it should be if your location hasn't changed) *7 Now enter the CORRECT DATE (format is US: MM-DD-YY) *8 Now select first alignment star from the list ... and off you go. If using Sky Align, select Sky Align at step 2 and follow steps 3 - 7 as above. Scope will now ask you to manually slew to the first bright alignment star ... ... and off you go. Just make sure that your alignment stars aren't i) too close to the horizon ii) in a straight line across the sky Ideally, you want three bright stars that make a huge triangle on the celestial dome. For your location info (Lat & Long) use Google Earth. Zoom in to your neighbourhood, place the cursor directly over your house/observing site and read off the Lat & Long co-ords from the bottom left-hand side. Hope this helps Art Post Extras:       BillStar Pooh-Bah Reged: 07/29/10 Loc: Connecticut & North Carolina Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: Arthur Dent]       #4017768 - 08/31/10 02:11 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Art, Awesome, thanks! And good points and reminders too. I'm 67 and dislexic. I couldn't set up using date/time/loc functions, so I got the CN-16 GPS. I know it was overpriced, but I'm soooo glad I got it! It eliminates all the date/time/location steps, and makes alignment less dependant on my memory or notes (I sometimes observe from different locations). It hasn't failed yet, (knock on wood) and initialization takes 4 to 8 seconds. Without the GPS I'd have "brain-lock" and the alignment procedure would take forever. More importantly, with the GPS plugged in, the alignment steps become almost intuitive on the hand control. I guess now that I'm old I can brag about being lazy. Regards, Post Extras:       TonyDralle Pooh-Bah Reged: 08/17/06 Loc: Bethel Park, PA Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: BillStar]       #4018629 - 08/31/10 08:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: I guess now that I'm old I can brag about being lazy. Hi, Bill, I'm 68 and have gradually been developing many things to brag about! - Tony Post Extras:       BillStar Pooh-Bah Reged: 07/29/10 Loc: Connecticut & North Carolina Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: TonyDralle]       #4018870 - 08/31/10 11:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Tony: LOL , bud! Bill Post Extras:       Peter9 Post Laureate Reged: 10/30/08 Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: BillStar]       #4019242 - 09/01/10 07:01 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Tony and Bill. You sound like candidates for the "Old Farts" club. Welcome on board. Regards. Peter. Edited by Peter9 (09/01/10 12:24 PM) Post Extras:       ftrobbie Pooh-Bah Reged: 06/12/10 Loc: Nottingham, UK Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: Peter9]       #4019704 - 09/01/10 12:18 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Hi Tony and Bill. You sound like condidates for the "Old Farts" club. Welcome on board. Regards. Peter. Condidates is that like salt and pepper? Post Extras:       Peter9 Post Laureate Reged: 10/30/08 Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: ftrobbie]       #4019716 - 09/01/10 12:24 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Quote: Hi Tony and Bill. You sound like condidates for the "Old Farts" club. Welcome on board. Regards. Peter. Condidates is that like salt and pepper? I can't even claim the "O" is near to the "A". Must be an age thing. I'll edit before anyone notices. Regards. Peter. Post Extras:       Skip Starlifter Driver Reged: 01/23/08 Loc: Fort Worth, Texas, USA Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: Peter9]       #4019893 - 09/01/10 01:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Just wondering, at 70 yrs, 8 mon, am I the oldest of the OF club that regularly frequents this forum? Post Extras:       burb scope sage Reged: 04/18/08 Loc: Canton, MI Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: Peter9]       #4019900 - 09/01/10 01:47 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Arthur - I have tucked this tip away for when I (hopefully) purchase a Nexstar 6 by the end of the year. Post Extras:       Arthur Dent Galactic Hitch-Hiker Reged: 10/23/08 Loc: South Yorkshire, UK Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: burb scope]       #4019970 - 09/01/10 02:19 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   You're welcome Ben. There were lots of queries a while back, so I wrote the Alignment guide. recently, the queries have surfaced again, so I searched for my post, editied it slightly (it was buried inside another thread) and gave it a title so that it would be easy to locate. Art Post Extras:       BillStar Pooh-Bah Reged: 07/29/10 Loc: Connecticut & North Carolina Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: Arthur Dent]       #4020289 - 09/01/10 04:36 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Art, U da man! Bill Post Extras:       7of 9 super member Reged: 07/20/08 Loc: Valley Forge, PA USA Re: AUTO TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT [Re: BillStar]       #4033100 - 09/08/10 01:45 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have various dark sites, to gain the long lat I use: http://www.lat-long.com/ Hope this helps as well. Rachel Post Extras:       Pages: 1

Previous   Index   Next   Threaded

Extra information 5 registered and 16 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  KWB, WaterMaster  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 3658 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info

CN Forums Home