35 replies to this topic

[angelost]

Jon Isaacs, in another post in which I posted a question about it, gave me the link to this post. My God, this idea is incredible, it's exactly what I needed without having to spend a lot of money. I'm going to try it as soon as the sky in São Paulo improves. And I will definitely make a tutorial for Brazilian astronomers to learn about this wonder.

[BarrySMI]

I finally had the chance to use AstroHopper tonight for a short period of time before clouds rolled in. I'm very impressed! Thank you so much for providing this great app, Artik.

 

I have a few questions.

 

Mechanical:

• Is it best to have the iPhone mounted closest to the altitude or azimuth axis pivot point for maximum accuracy, or is it better near the end of the tube since the amount of swing is greater?

 

Search related:

• I'm very interested in observing color contrasting double stars and carbon stars. The carbon stars generally are dim and AstroHopper would be very useful in finding them. Can I prepare a list of double or carbon stars in a text or CSV file and import them in as "User Objects" so I can call them up easily by an assigned name?
• Is there a way for us to know what stars are currently in the internal database that we can search by name? None of the stars in Delphinus appear to be recognized by name.
• Is there a preferred format for star names? I was looking for Gamma Delphini and Epsilon Lyrae but they didn't turn up in the search. Is it there as Gam Del, Gamma Del, or doesn't it exist with a name associated even though it is plotted on the screen?
• What about Flamsteed numbered stars like 31 Cygni?
• Are there any searchable "names" for the stars plotted on the AstroHopper screen? SAO or HD numbers associated with them?

Thanks for any guidance you can provide. I really appreciate this great app.

[artik]

I finally had the chance to use AstroHopper tonight for a short period of time before clouds rolled in. I'm very impressed! Thank you so much for providing this great app, Artik.

Thanks for kind words

 

Is it best to have the iPhone mounted closest to the altitude or azimuth axis pivot point for maximum accuracy, or is it better near the end of the tube since the amount of swing is greater?

 

I don't really think it matters - try to mount at the most comfortable point: close enough to switch quickly between finder and the app but in location that the screen glow would not interfere

 

I'm very interested in observing color contrasting double stars and carbon stars. The carbon stars generally are dim and AstroHopper would be very useful in finding them. Can I prepare a list of double or carbon stars in a text or CSV file and import them in as "User Objects" so I can call them up easily by an assigned name?

 

Exactly - this is what user objects are made for. Create CSV and copy paste them into the aoo

 

Is there a way for us to know what stars are currently in the internal database that we can search by name? None of the stars in Delphinus appear to be recognized by name.
Is there a preferred format for star names? I was looking for Gamma Delphini and Epsilon Lyrae but they didn't turn up in the search. Is it there as Gam Del, Gamma Del, or doesn't it exist with a name associated even though it is plotted on the screen?
What about Flamsteed numbered stars like 31 Cygni?
Are there any searchable "names" for the stars plotted on the AstroHopper screen? SAO or HD numbers associated with the

 

Ok the star DB is taken from there https://github.com/e..._atlas_of_space and DSO from OpenNGC

 

I limit the DB to 6 magnitude in order to keep it small enough (finally it is an app that should be small and easy to load) and I go with the names that are here.

Common readable names like Polaris, Betelgeuse and others are mentioned, not so the HD numbers.

 

I have also limited magnitude of DSO objects etc.

 

If you can't find it in DB just add it as user objects. Objects names are preferred 1st Messier  ID than NGC and than IC

[Cosmetic]

Even though I haven't tried AstroHopper, I am already very happy and excited that it exists. Thank you so much for all the work you've put into this project!

 

 

I have some questions for those of you who have used AstroHopper:

1. How have you attached your phone to the telescope?
2. For those who have tried the Celestron StarSense Explorer app or the SkyWatcher SynScan app, what do you think of AstroHopper? (pros/cons)

 

The fact that AstroHopper is freeware is very appealing. I believe it's only a matter of time before Celestron StarSense replaces codes with subscription solutions for new telescopes in the future. Therefore, I believe AstroHopper will always be the best choice!

[artik]

Even though I haven't tried AstroHopper, I am already very happy and excited that it exists. Thank you so much for all the work you've put into this project!

 

 

I have some questions for those of you who have used AstroHopper:

1. How have you attached your phone to the telescope?
2. For those who have tried the Celestron StarSense Explorer app or the SkyWatcher SynScan app, what do you think of AstroHopper? (pros/cons)

 

The fact that AstroHopper is freeware is very appealing. I believe it's only a matter of time before Celestron StarSense replaces codes with subscription solutions for new telescopes in the future. Therefore, I believe AstroHopper will always be the best choice!

Honestly this question is better to address to general forums as guys rarely jump into vendors forum unless specifically tracking some discussion and I can't comment my opinion regarding alternatives .

SyncScan isn't closely related to AstroHopper since SyncScan is for goto mount controls - it is very different beast 

 

Regarding attachment ohhh there are so many ways, I personally use velcro :-)

Edited by artik, 04 August 2024 - 07:29 AM.

[dexx]

1. How have you attached your phone to the telescope?

I was using velcro, which worked fine. I recently bought this phone mount - intended for a bicycle:

https://www.aliexpre...4858407500.html

The part that mounts to handle bars easily unscrews. I then just screwed it onto my OTA.

[Ice Cube]

 

I have some questions for those of you who have used AstroHopper:

1. How have you attached your phone to the telescope?
2. For those who have tried the Celestron StarSense Explorer app or the SkyWatcher SynScan app, what do you think of AstroHopper? (pros/cons)

i'm using a 3d printed mount available from printables.com for my analog sky MAGIC astrobinoculars.

works great in this application

 

astrohopper wasn't quite as successful for my longer focal length astrobinoculars due to some magnets used in the binoculars interfering w/ the digital compass on my particular iPhone.

 

ended up going with the PiFinder plate solver for that application.

 

fwiw, the PiFinder seems to have better performance than SSE when bright objects like the moon are in the sky

Edited by Ice Cube, 04 August 2024 - 11:58 AM.

[Doug Culbertson]

Even though I haven't tried AstroHopper, I am already very happy and excited that it exists. Thank you so much for all the work you've put into this project!

 

 

I have some questions for those of you who have used AstroHopper:

1. How have you attached your phone to the telescope?
2. For those who have tried the Celestron StarSense Explorer app or the SkyWatcher SynScan app, what do you think of AstroHopper? (pros/cons)

 

The fact that AstroHopper is freeware is very appealing. I believe it's only a matter of time before Celestron StarSense replaces codes with subscription solutions for new telescopes in the future. Therefore, I believe AstroHopper will always be the best choice!

 

I used this one from AliExpress https://www.aliexpre...ayAdapt=glo2usa

 

The phone holder can be removed and installed to lay flat. 

 

I also ended up buying a PiFinder, which I currently have for sale in the classifieds, but Astrohopper does a fine job, and it's free. 

[galaxyman]

Okay, so a couple weeks ago I tried the app on just my 4" achro on an alt-az mount. I would say it was accurate about 70% of the time. I did realign with stars fairly close to the object, like Albireo and then go to M-27. The miss 30% the object was close, but not in a low power widefield eyepiece.
 

So, 2 nights ago using my 12" f/4 dob at a dark site I gave it a more thorough test. I've been thinking about setting up the Nexus for this scope (have it on the 20" f 3.3). So could AstroHopper save me some $$$ and figuring out how to set up the Nexus encoders for the OO 12" f/4?

First test was M-13 and I just used Zeta Herculis to align, and then type search for M-13. I moved the scope and there was M-13 center of the FOV. Next, I hit M-92, and this great glob was just off center of the FOV. Not bad. Search for M-57 and nope here, as M-57 was not close in the FOV. I realigned using Vega, and here again the Ring was not in the FOV…strange. So, I moved on to use Altair, and went for M-11, and here it was on the edge of the FOV.  M-27 was next, but here it was just outside the FOV. Using Albireo I tried again for the Dumbbell, and here it was near the center of the field.
 

Now it was galaxy time, and NGC 7013 in Cygnus, with Albireo still as the alignment star. Nope, not in the FOV. New alignment with Deneb, and the galaxy was just of the edge of the FOV. Same with NGC 6826 (Blinking nebula). Next was a favorite NGC 7331 and using Eta Pegasi. Here the galaxy (and 3 of the background galaxies) were close to center…very cool. Did NGC 7217 and NGC 7457 and both were in the FOV respectively. I went for NGC 404 (Mirach’s Ghost), and this time not close. Realigned with Alpha Andromedae, and here it was not in the FOV, but just outside.
 

I wanted to head back to Cygnus for a barred galaxy NGC 6764 and use Deneb as the alignment star. Type in NGC 6764, and nothing. Same for the galaxy NGC 6921. So, it seems not all the NGC objects are in the AstroHopper catalogue. Oh well.
 

Overall, it’s not bad, particularly for being free.  
 

Some other thoughts:
1. I believe a good more updated phone will be required for accuracy
2. Realigning on a star closer to the object is a MUST
3. Low power widefield eyepieces is also a must for finding most objects
4. Still a time saver over using charts, and finders.

Karl

E.O.H.

Chesmont Astronomical Society - https://www.chesmontastro.com
Galaxy Log - www.youtube.com/user/GalaxyLog4565
The Astro Observers -https://www.youtube....K_PScnqVdnrcQHw
Galaxy Log Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/galaxylog
Waite Renegade 20” f/3.3
Orion UK 12" f/4 Dob
Bresser 8.2" f/3.9 Dob
High Point GSO 6" f/5 newt.
Astro-Tech 4” f/7 ED refractor
E.S. FirstLight 102mm f/6.47 refractor.
Celestron 10x60mm Binos

[Gmb1830]

Nice report. I had my first experience with Astro hopper last night. Put my d130f650 on an CG-3 mount in alt-az mode to see if it would work. The phone was mounted on a $5 cell holder attached to a 1”x2” furring strip bolted to the rings with some spare hex bolts. Site is a Bortle 7+ front yard a few miles off I-95 in MD. Seeing 3rd mad stars visually requires a good night.

Took a few times to get a hang of the alignment procedure. Started with M13 using Vega as the alignment star with a 26 mm Plossl. Too far a hop, but if I re-aligned to a brighter star in Her, I could get there. And was able to go straight to M92. Swapped to an Orion Expanse 15mm (68 deg AFOV) because I was gaining confidence and it’s a much better eyepiece than that plossl. Was able to jump from Vega to the Ring. Altair to M71 required realignment in Sagitta.

M71 has always been tough from this site. I know where it is from the three stars in a row near it. However I had some issue with starhopper getting me to that point. I’d get close and it say “Up 0.2/Left 0.0”. Slow motion over. Now it’s “Up 0.0/Left 0.2”. Ok, turn the other knob. Now “Down 0.2/Left 0.0”. And round and round. Maybe this is a function of using an EQ mount, but I backed off, realigned, and was able to get there. Now sure if I saw M71, but I was in the right place. I might still want a tablet or paper charts that go deeper to help with that last half degree.

The last adventure was to go from Deneb to M29 and M39. While at M39 I noted a number of NGC OCs nearby. Was able to hop between several (though most seemed like a half-dozen stars in a clump), realigning to whatever I could along the way. Visually, Lacerta is just blank, so it’d be real tough to slog through there.

So thank you! I’m not sure if I’ll use it for double stars (would it be able to point to “STF nnnn” or “SAO nnnnnn” if the brighter star if 8th or 9th mag?), but the goto mount of my long refractor is still hanging on. However, if/when I upgrade to a big(ger) Dob, I’ve got confidence I’ll be able to find stuff quickly in these skies.

[artik]

Ok... At least with my experience with quite a cheap phone - as long as you have around 1degree of FOV you'll get the object in FOV most of the time. And yes - it is better to do with wide FOV eyepiece.

With FOV 0.5 I found that most of the time it isn't sufficient.

 

It also strongly depends on the quality of the sensors. Some phones have better sensors and some (that are usually either old or very cheap) just don't work.

 

I use it with Celestron C8 with 2" eyepiece with ease (I removed motors from NexStar SE that was failing)