Question about altitude limits in the mount

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chris_g United States of America
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Question about altitude limits in the mount

#1

Post by chris_g »


I was out imaging tonight on one of the few clear skies in the last couple of months when I ran into an issue. My meridian flip failed for no apparent reason that APT was telling me, just an exception error. I tried slewing to different locations, some worked while others didn't. I eventually figured out it was an altitude limit in the mount that was set to 70 degrees. Why would I want to limit my altitude like that? I can see a lower limit like 30 degrees or something along those lines depending on the skyline. Is there any reason I would not want to slew to an altitude of 90 degrees?

Now that also brings up another question, why would Stellarium report a different altitude that what Syn Scan is showing? For example, IC 444 currently shows an altitude of 64 degrees while the Syn Scan Pro App shows 73. I've confirmed location data in both Stellarium and Syn Scan Pro. I learned my lesson about location the hard way more than once, and as my father-in-law liked to say, location, location, location.

Any insight would be appreciated. :)
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
Processing: PixInsight, DSS 4.2.6, Adobe PS CC, Astronomy Tools Action Set, Star Spikes Pro
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Lady Fraktor Slovakia
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Re: Question about altitude limits in the mount

#2

Post by Lady Fraktor »


If you live in a hilly/ mountainous area you can limit the movement so you do not end up pointing at a mountain.
You can also set a upper limit so the mount will not slew the telescope into a tripod leg.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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chris_g United States of America
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Re: Question about altitude limits in the mount

#3

Post by chris_g »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 6:49 am If you live in a hilly/ mountainous area you can limit the movement so you do not end up pointing at a mountain.
You can also set a upper limit so the mount will not slew the telescope into a tripod leg.
I see the possibility of hitting a tripod leg now, depending on where I'm pointed at. What's the upper limit, do you think 70 degrees is too restrictive? And now I also see the use of a pier extension. Thank you.
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
Processing: PixInsight, DSS 4.2.6, Adobe PS CC, Astronomy Tools Action Set, Star Spikes Pro
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Lady Fraktor Slovakia
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Re: Question about altitude limits in the mount

#4

Post by Lady Fraktor »


I would say the upper limit would be target and location dependent and more necessary if you are just letting the telescope/ mount run.
If you are there you will see if you are getting close.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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JayTee United States of America
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Re: Question about altitude limits in the mount

#5

Post by JayTee »


Chris, you appear to be running the same question in two different forums. This forum and the Software forum.

Choose one or the other please and we'll merge the other one into your chosen location!

JT
∞ 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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chris_g United States of America
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Re: Question about altitude limits in the mount

#6

Post by chris_g »


JayTee wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:21 am Chris, you appear to be running the same question in two different forums. This forum and the Software forum.

Choose one or the other please and we'll merge the other one into your chosen location!

JT
I figured it was two questions and @Lady Fraktor answered the mount altitude question so I started the other one for Stellarium in the software forum since it's a software issue, I consider this one resolved, thanks @JayTee
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
Processing: PixInsight, DSS 4.2.6, Adobe PS CC, Astronomy Tools Action Set, Star Spikes Pro
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