Nexstar+ tracking question

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chicagorandy United States of America
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Nexstar+ tracking question

#1

Post by chicagorandy »


After performing the necessary Sky Align procedure, if I manually slew to an object rather than use the Sky Tour function, is there a way to then tell the mount to begin tracking it? Or would I just use the direction buttons to keep the object centered in my EP for viewing?
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#2

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Once you stop pushing the direction key the mount will start tracking again.
Are you finding objects are drifting on you?
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
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#3

Post by chicagorandy »


Having been at the scope since last weekend. My son is going to try to see Jupiter this evening and called me to ask.
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet." Abraham Lincoln
We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.
The older I get, the better I was.

Celestron Nexstar+ 127 SLT, several budget plossl eyepieces, Celestron 8-24mm zoom EP and a 12.5mm illuminated double reticle EP, Svbony SV205 camera w/.5 focal reducer, Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 binos on a 40 yr old QuickSet PanHead tripod, Stellarium, Sharpcap and ManyCam on my laptop, SkyView and Nightshift on my phone and a dandy little $9 red-light flashlight.
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#4

Post by gcisko »


Here is the thing... After a successful alignment it starts tracking. Then after you GOTO or manually move to an object location it will continue to track.

So if the scope is not tracking after a successful alignment, there is a problem. Unless of course I misunderstood your question.
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#5

Post by KathyNS »


It's been a while since I used my Nexstar mount, but I believe it does not start tracking until after you have done a 'goto'. So if you are manually slewing to a target rather than letting the electronics find it, then it might not automatically start tracking.
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#6

Post by smp »


KathyNS wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2019 2:15 pm It's been a while since I used my Nexstar mount, but I believe it does not start tracking until after you have done a 'goto'. So if you are manually slewing to a target rather than letting the electronics find it, then it might not automatically start tracking.
I'm sorry to disagree, Kathy, but my NexStar mounts have always started tracking right after a successful alignment. No further action required to start tracking. I believe that is their design.

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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#7

Post by Tim456 »


I can confirm what smp has said. My NexStar begins tracking immediately after a successful alignment. Most of the time when I observe I start with a successful alignment and then manually slew to my target of choice.
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#8

Post by KathyNS »


smp wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2019 3:39 pm
KathyNS wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2019 2:15 pm It's been a while since I used my Nexstar mount, but I believe it does not start tracking until after you have done a 'goto'. So if you are manually slewing to a target rather than letting the electronics find it, then it might not automatically start tracking.
I'm sorry to disagree, Kathy, but my NexStar mounts have always started tracking right after a successful alignment. No further action required to start tracking. I believe that is their design.

smp
OK, cool. I told you it had been a while! :P
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DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#9

Post by chicagorandy »


Thanks to all for the info and confirmation. Even more reason for me to be glad I upgraded to the Nexstar.
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet." Abraham Lincoln
We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.
The older I get, the better I was.

Celestron Nexstar+ 127 SLT, several budget plossl eyepieces, Celestron 8-24mm zoom EP and a 12.5mm illuminated double reticle EP, Svbony SV205 camera w/.5 focal reducer, Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 binos on a 40 yr old QuickSet PanHead tripod, Stellarium, Sharpcap and ManyCam on my laptop, SkyView and Nightshift on my phone and a dandy little $9 red-light flashlight.
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#10

Post by Lady Fraktor »


I hooked up the SLT to confirm but Tim has already posted.
No tracking during alignment, tracking starts as soon as a successful alignment is done.
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
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#11

Post by Aratus »


I keep my Celestron mount on alignment and hibernate. If I make it come out of 'hiberate' it doesn't track until I put in the date and time. (The GPS has the dreaded 'fault') That is useful to know if I need to fix on a terrestrial object to align a finder or somesuch, before observing.
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#12

Post by chicagorandy »


Mini update - VERY frustrated last night because once again the mount refused to allow a Solar System align. It only showed Mars and Venus as choices, when just the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn were clearly in view. So we had to again constantly manually track with the arrow buttons. What a hassle. What continued familial derision from my son for buying this worthless machine.

Warmth, humidity and mosquitos didn't make troubleshooting the issue any easier.

Resolution..... Latitude input correctly? Yes, triple checked the numbers and they are 100% accurate. Longitude correct? Yes, quadruple checked the numbers and they too are 100% correct. Problem fixed? NO...…. at least NOT until I finally noticed once back inside in the comfort of air conditioning and re-punching in the data...Is MY location East or West longitude? Well the little sticky note I made said East, so that's what I input. Was my little note correct? NO. I should have written WEST!

Once I correctly advised the Nexstar+ which end of the flippin' globe I was actually standing upon? Well durned if it didn't then allow me to choose from the three visible objects in my night sky. DOH! and Double DOH!

Like they say, measure twice, cut once, curse, add shims. lol
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet." Abraham Lincoln
We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.
The older I get, the better I was.

Celestron Nexstar+ 127 SLT, several budget plossl eyepieces, Celestron 8-24mm zoom EP and a 12.5mm illuminated double reticle EP, Svbony SV205 camera w/.5 focal reducer, Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 binos on a 40 yr old QuickSet PanHead tripod, Stellarium, Sharpcap and ManyCam on my laptop, SkyView and Nightshift on my phone and a dandy little $9 red-light flashlight.
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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#13

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Great to hear you figured out the issue :)
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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Re: Nexstar+ tracking question

#14

Post by Ozman »


If all you're worried about is the tracking and not necessarily the accuracy of the goto, you don't have to do a solar system alignment (which isn't that accurate anyway concerning the goto). You can simply let the scope do an automatic 2 star alignment whether you can see the alignment stars or not, just accept where the scope slews to as the correct position for the stars (even though you don't visually confirm it) and the alignment will show as "successful" and the scope will automatically track. You have to manually slew to the target (or even still let the goto get you close and do the rest on your own), but the scope will track fine.
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