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Aux connectors

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26 replies to this topic

#1 wilso31

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Posted 24 January 2025 - 06:46 AM

Hi All I need to extend my aux port using a splitter . Is the aux port rj45? And what spitters can I use I’m hoping that I don’t have to purchase a Celestron one as I have seen them cheaper?

#2 DirtyRod

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Posted 24 January 2025 - 07:50 AM

I'm not in front of my mount but you should be able to count the pins. RJ45 has 8 pins/wires. RJ12 has 6, and RJ11 has 4. I thought my old CGEM II was an RJ12 but it should be easy to count. 


Edited by DirtyRod, 24 January 2025 - 07:51 AM.


#3 wrvond

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Posted 24 January 2025 - 10:01 AM

Hi All I need to extend my aux port using a splitter . Is the aux port rj45? And what spitters can I use I’m hoping that I don’t have to purchase a Celestron one as I have seen them cheaper?

What mount do you have? The Celestron ASGT (CG-5) requires a splitter with a resistor in the circuit which makes it cost much more, while others do not. 

 

I can tell you they are not RJ45. They are 6P6C and might be RJ11 or RJ12.


Edited by wrvond, 24 January 2025 - 10:03 AM.


#4 Shoestring Astronomy

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Posted 24 January 2025 - 10:47 AM

http://www.store.sho...y.com/gpspl.htm



#5 wilso31

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Posted 24 January 2025 - 12:02 PM

I am getting the Sky-Watcher eq5

What mount do you have? The Celestron ASGT (CG-5) requires a splitter with a resistor in the circuit which makes it cost much more, while others do not. 

 

I can tell you they are not RJ45. They are 6P6C and might be RJ11 or RJ12.



#6 wrvond

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Posted 24 January 2025 - 02:25 PM

I am getting the Sky-Watcher eq5

I'm confused. Why would you buy a Celestron splitter for a Sky-Watcher mount?

 

I know absolutely nothing about S-W mounts, so am afraid I can be of no help. 



#7 havasman

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Posted 24 January 2025 - 02:35 PM

Nice. But part is listed as discontinued -  http://www.store.sho...products_gp.htm



#8 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 05:40 AM

 

I'm confused. Why would you buy a Celestron splitter for a Sky-Watcher mount?

 

I know absolutely nothing about S-W mounts, so am afraid I can be of no help. 

Because the skywatcher eq5 only has a port for handset . And one other spare  I will be attaching wifi adapter to one of them .My auto focuser and my starsence autoalign .I believe that leaves me one port too short


Edited by wilso31, 25 January 2025 - 05:44 AM.


#9 archer1960

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 12:49 PM

Because the skywatcher eq5 only has a port for handset . And one other spare  I will be attaching wifi adapter to one of them .My auto focuser and my starsence autoalign .I believe that leaves me one port too short

I don't think your starsense autoalign will work with a Skywatcher mount; I thought they were Celestron only?



#10 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 01:23 PM

I don't think your starsense autoalign will work with a Skywatcher mount; I thought they were Celestron only?



What makes you think that? I’m double checking with rother valley options but according to google it does

Edited by wilso31, 25 January 2025 - 01:25 PM.


#11 archer1960

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 02:18 PM

What makes you think that? I’m double checking with rother valley options but according to google it does

Well, it needs its own controller (replaces the Nexstar controller), so I assumed it would only work with Celestron mounts. I certainly could be wrong; I never did any research on that aspect of it. But I would suggest you check carefully before spending money on it.



#12 DirtyRod

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 03:46 PM

What makes you think that? I’m double checking with rother valley options but according to google it does

Celestron (Skywatcher) makes a very specific version of the SSAA for the Skywatcher mounts and it has a kind of a hub. Unfortunately, they don't just sell the hub by itself, which I found out when I swapped over to a Skywatcher mount, and the wiring must be different, so it did not work when I tried it on my SW mount.

I ended up just connecting the focuser via USB and using the Celestron ASCOM Focuser driver when I switched over to Nina and just started platesolving instead of doing the auto-align. The SSAA was cool and I used it for years but it's really suited for the Celestron ecosystem. 



#13 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 04:45 PM

Celestron (Skywatcher) makes a very specific version of the SSAA for the Skywatcher mounts and it has a kind of a hub. Unfortunately, they don't just sell the hub by itself, which I found out when I swapped over to a Skywatcher mount, and the wiring must be different, so it did not work when I tried it on my SW mount.

I ended up just connecting the focuser via USB and using the Celestron ASCOM Focuser driver when I switched over to Nina and just started platesolving instead of doing the auto-align. The SSAA was cool and I used it for years but it's really suited for the Celestron ecosystem.



#14 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 04:58 PM

Well that’s that then good job I haven’t bought the mount. Dont know what to do now cos I’m not having much luck either way. The starsense as it is isn’t working right it plate solves but then I’m no where near the target and takes me ages to locate what I’m looking for. I did manage to locate Jupiter and line it up I ten recalibrated and miles away again.

I’ve tried a 3 star manual alignment and trying to use a finderscope not good either.

Losing my tether I seem to be throwing more money at this for little bennefit 😒

#15 DirtyRod

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 05:50 PM

Well that’s that then good job I haven’t bought the mount. Dont know what to do now cos I’m not having much luck either way. The starsense as it is isn’t working right it plate solves but then I’m no where near the target and takes me ages to locate what I’m looking for. I did manage to locate Jupiter and line it up I ten recalibrated and miles away again.

I’ve tried a 3 star manual alignment and trying to use a finderscope not good either.

Losing my tether I seem to be throwing more money at this for little bennefit

I get it. I used A SSAA for 3 years with CPWI and it worked really well, was very accurate doing GoTos and polar Alignment was a breeze. Moving away from a Celestron mount meant I had to figure out how to do everything without the SSAA. 
 

Since most modern systems have gotten away from doing an alignment and rely on platesolving, I moved to processes that work on any brand of mount. Nina handles polar alignment and has a catalog of DSO objects and I interfaced Stellarium for Planetary. Now I can swap scopes between three different mounts and use the same processes for all of them.

 

It takes a bit of learning but, unless you want to stick with Celestron mounts you will eventually need to figure out different methods.


Edited by DirtyRod, 25 January 2025 - 06:26 PM.


#16 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 05:54 PM

I get it. I used A SSAA for 3 years with CPWI and it worked really well, was very accurate doing GoTos and polar Alignment was a breeze. Moving away from a Celestron mount meant I had to figure out how to do everything without the SSAA.

Since most modern systems have gotten away from doing an alignment and rely on platesolving, I moved to processes that work on any brand of mount. Nina handles polar alignment and has a catalog of DSO objects and I interfaced Stellarium for Planetary. Now I can swap scopes between three different mounts and use the same processes for all of them.

It takes a bit of learning but, unless you want to stick with Celestron mounts you will eventually need to figure out different methods.



#17 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 05:56 PM

I’m not sure what you mean? Would I need a computer for this method you are talking about? Will it cost me more.
Any beginner level help would be appreciated I am looking at this now

Celestron Advanced VX Mount

#18 archer1960

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 06:33 PM

I believe the SSAA will work with the Advanced VX Mount. Compatible mounts are listed here: https://www.celestro...FFXQ#technology

 

The SSAA works well; I used it with my CGX-L for a few years before I upgraded to a PW mount.



#19 DirtyRod

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 06:34 PM

I’m not sure what you mean? Would I need a computer for this method you are talking about? Will it cost me more.
Any beginner level help would be appreciated I am looking at this now

Celestron Advanced VX Mount

My bad. I thought you were running from a PC so the alternative to SSAA is to run the 1-3 star alignment and polar alignment procedure in the hand controller. Almost every mount comes with a procedure in the hand controller.

 

Regarding the issues you are currently having with you SSAA, I assume you calibrated the SSAA and recalibrate every time you move, remove, or adjust the SS camera. For the finder, I assume you centered a planet in the eyepiece FOV and then adjusted the finder to match. Some planets are so small though that you may have to use a low power eyepiece to initially find it and then to a higher power or camera. Even with SSAA working well, getting Neptune or Uranus was always a challenge to get it into the FOV.



#20 archer1960

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 06:37 PM

One thing to remember when calibrating the SSAA is to NOT us a planet; use a star.



#21 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 07:14 PM

I believe the SSAA will work with the Advanced VX Mount. Compatible mounts are listed here: https://www.celestro...FFXQ#technology

The SSAA works well; I used it with my CGX-L for a few years before I upgraded to a PW mount.



#22 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 07:17 PM

I just want to star gaze and maybe a bit of astrophotographer but at a basic level nothing brilliant is the advanced vex easy to use I want things simplified. Including polar alignment.

I want a bit of fun with Astronomy something I’m not getting at the minute.

#23 DirtyRod

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 07:57 PM

I just want to star gaze and maybe a bit of astrophotographer but at a basic level nothing brilliant is the advanced vex easy to use I want things simplified. Including polar alignment.

I want a bit of fun with Astronomy something I’m not getting at the minute.

The AVX is no easier or harder to use than any other German Equatorial Mount. It's not the most accurate mount for Astrophotography but its not hard to use and is plenty good for visual. 


Edited by DirtyRod, 25 January 2025 - 07:59 PM.


#24 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 08:01 PM

The AVX is no easier or harder to use than any other German Equatorial Mount. It's not the most accurate mount for Astrophotography but its not hard to use and is plenty good for visual.



#25 wilso31

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Posted 25 January 2025 - 08:02 PM

Thank you . I could if wanted to take some pics though yeah I’m not looking at professional pics


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