Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

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ruzicka
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Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#1

Post by ruzicka »


This is probably going to sound like a VERY stupid question/problem, but I have having problems aligning/calibrating my Nexstar 6SE.

I have had it now for months, but the night skies in Colorado have been awful here due to all the forest fires out west. So when I did think about trying to get the setup done, the stars were just too dim.

Along with my 6SE, I also have StarSense AutoAlign and the SkyPortal WiFi Module.

I completed the alignment process using the SkyPortal app on my phone. The app said that the alignment was successful. However, when I proceeded to do the calibration phase, telling the telescope to go to a specific bright star, it went WAY off course.

What stupid newbie thing am I missing here? (and yes, I remembered to remove the lens caps, etc first!)
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#2

Post by JayTee »


First off, welcome to TSS. Glad you joined us.

Probably the first thing to do is to learn how to do a "goto" alignment WITHOUT all gizmos attached. Do it by using the hand controller (HC). Make doubly sure all your local info (time, date, location, DST, etc.) are correct. Then attempt an auto two-star align. If that doesn't work, come right back here and tell us what happened.

Cheers
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#3

Post by Ylem »


Welcome to TSS :)

I second JT's suggestion, try to see if you can get it to work first with the hand control, this will eliminate some variables.
Make sure you recheck the time and date, and DST if needed.

The 2 star alignment should be close enough but your object might not be dead center.

Of course make sure your finder scope/or pointer is aligned, sometimes it helps to do that before dark.

Let us know the results, hopefully we haven't summoned the clouds at this point.
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


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ruzicka
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#4

Post by ruzicka »


The only hand controller that I have now is the updated one that came with the StarSense. I tried doing an align with that as well, but had pretty much the same outcome as using the phone app. I did first make sure I had the correct time, date and DST set (originally I forgot that, but corrected my mistake).
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#5

Post by JayTee »


Please go into some detail on the steps you're doing during the alignment: for example how do you center the alignment star (do you just guess that it's in the center, are you using a reticle eyepiece, have you ever heard of the defocused star method) and which alignment stars are you choosing? Also make doubly sure the location is accurately reflected in the setup for the mount.
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#6

Post by ruzicka »


I follow the instructions for aligning using the automated StarSense. It searches the sky for known star configurations and aligns based on 3 stars. After that is completed successfully, I am then supposed to tell it to go to a specific star and fine tune it to calibrate it. However, when I do this, it is way WAY off from the chosen star. We're not talking a few degrees here. More like somewhere between 90 to 180 deg. Both azimuth and elevation are off.
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#7

Post by JayTee »


That typically sounds like there is a "minus" sign that should be a "plus" sign (or vice versa) or some other "small" setup error that causes a HUGE problem. Double-check everything is all I can really advise at this point.
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#8

Post by Bigzmey »


This could be StarSense issue. Have you tried to do manual two-star alignment?
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#9

Post by Greenman »


Just noticing you have not mentioned your longitude and latitude settings it is possible to reverse these [as I know from my early days with a stock SE6]. I assume you still need to set these with the Star sense?
Cheers,

Tony.

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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#10

Post by ruzicka »


Greenman wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:11 pm Just noticing you have not mentioned your longitude and latitude settings it is possible to reverse these [as I know from my early days with a stock SE6]. I assume you still need to set these with the Star sense?
I guess that's possible! But I do not know how to check that specific thing! My understanding of StarSense is that it automatically inputs the correct date/time/location?
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#11

Post by Bigzmey »


ruzicka wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:51 pm
Greenman wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:11 pm Just noticing you have not mentioned your longitude and latitude settings it is possible to reverse these [as I know from my early days with a stock SE6]. I assume you still need to set these with the Star sense?
I guess that's possible! But I do not know how to check that specific thing! My understanding of StarSense is that it automatically inputs the correct date/time/location?
It maybe, but since there is something wrong with alignment procedure you should check all settings date/time/location/altitude
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#12

Post by John Baars »


ruzicka wrote: Fri Oct 22, 2021 10:21 pm I follow the instructions for aligning using the automated StarSense. (...) However, when I do this, it is way WAY off from the chosen star. We're not talking a few degrees here. More like somewhere between 90 to 180 deg. Both azimuth and elevation are off.
I used to have a similar problem with a Nexstar mount. My fault was: I had the tube wrong side up in the mount. Murphy helped me.
Do you use batteries or a 12DC power supply? A power supply is way more stable.
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#13

Post by ruzicka »


[/quote]

I used to have a similar problem with a Nexstar mount. My fault was: I had the tube wrong side up in the mount. Murphy helped me.
Do you use batteries or a 12DC power supply? A power supply is way more stable.
[/quote]

Tube is indeed installed right side up. Currently I am using batteries, but I ordered a power pack.
Last edited by ruzicka on Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#14

Post by ruzicka »


Bigzmey wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 4:23 pm
ruzicka wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:51 pm
Greenman wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 3:11 pm Just noticing you have not mentioned your longitude and latitude settings it is possible to reverse these [as I know from my early days with a stock SE6]. I assume you still need to set these with the Star sense?
I guess that's possible! But I do not know how to check that specific thing! My understanding of StarSense is that it automatically inputs the correct date/time/location?
It maybe, but since there is something wrong with alignment procedure you should check all settings date/time/location/altitude
So how do you propose I check the date/time/location/altitude settings? Is there a settings menu somewhere that I am not aware of?
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Re: Problem aligning/calibrating Nexstar 6SE

#15

Post by JayTee »


Here is the StarSense HC menu tree. It is in your user's manual.
See attached
StarSense_AutoAlign_Menu_Tree.pdf
(109.3 KiB) Downloaded 106 times
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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