StellariumScope questions

[SkyHiker]

I am having some trouble with StellariumScope and can't find the answer in the manual. Here are my questions:

1) When I start StellariumScope, the initial position of the scope is somewhere far West instead of the home position (NCP) where I expected it to be. Can the initial position be configured somehow? I noticed the simulator indeed starts at the NCP but when I select HEQ5/EQ6 it does not.

2) Is it possible to click on a star and tell Stellarium that that's the star it is pointing at, so it syncs and moves the telescope indicator to that star?

Thanks in advance!

[Star Dad]

Mmmm, I am trying to recall how I set it up. So this is kind of foggy memory - but here goes. StellariumScope (SS) needs ASCOM - or at least in my case that is what I use. So ASCOM starts in the home position. I moved the RA/DEC axis with the mount off to as close to the NCP as possible. I believe that SS reads what ASCOM is telling it... I do not believe that SS actually reads the encoders on the mount.

The reason I say this is that when I use my PolarScope (camera + software) to align the mount, if the telescope (ie RA or DEC) are not perfectly aligned as well, AstroTorilla (AT)(plate solver) has to slew the scope to get my first object centered. Thereafter AT does not usually have to move the scope, as it is spot on. So I suspect the error is on ASCOM, if you are using it. If not, I haven't a clue. I hope this helps you.

I do not believe you can tell SS what star you are pointing at-it is basically an interface... I can find nowhere to set positioning information in SS.

[yobbo89]

do you have use jnow enabled ?

[SkyHiker]

Mmmm, I am trying to recall how I set it up. So this is kind of foggy memory - but here goes. StellariumScope (SS) needs ASCOM - or at least in my case that is what I use. So ASCOM starts in the home position. I moved the RA/DEC axis with the mount off to as close to the NCP as possible. I believe that SS reads what ASCOM is telling it... I do not believe that SS actually reads the encoders on the mount.

Thanks that clarifies some things.

The reason I say this is that when I use my PolarScope (camera + software) to align the mount, if the telescope (ie RA or DEC) are not perfectly aligned as well, AstroTorilla (AT)(plate solver) has to slew the scope to get my first object centered. Thereafter AT does not usually have to move the scope, as it is spot on. So I suspect the error is on ASCOM, if you are using it. If not, I haven't a clue. I hope this helps you.

I polar align first too. I haven't tried AT yet but after PA and a one star alignment things worked OK last time.

I do not believe you can tell SS what star you are pointing at-it is basically an interface... I can find nowhere to set positioning information in SS.

I think you are right, the manual looks like it is just an interface.

[SkyHiker]

do you have use jnow enabled ?

I haven't checked, just use the default options. What could that have to do with it?

[yobbo89]

henk, what mount are you exacctly running ? if you have dual encoders, this isn't officaly supported, and can produce errors as such.

[yobbo89]

do you have use jnow enabled ?

I haven't checked, just use the default options. What could that have to do with it?

i'm not too up to date with the terminology of j2000, jnow, i assume it's some language/cordinates that the mount is talking with, i read that stellerium works best with jnow , but i guess it depends on your mount.

[SkyHiker]

do you have use jnow enabled ?

I haven't checked, just use the default options. What could that have to do with it?

i'm not too up to date with the terminology of j2000, jnow, i assume it's some language/cordinates that the mount is talking with, i read that stellerium works best with jnow , but i guess it depends on your mount.

Ah of course the J from Julian. I thought it was some Java thing (JSON) but 3 cups of coffee later I get it. The differences between J2000 and Jnow fall easily within my FOV I think.

[JayTee]

Hi Henk,

I hope you don't mind, but I have a rather tangential question for you.

Is there a reason why you're not using either Cartes du Ciel or SkyTech X (both are free) to control the mount. Both of those titles will see the ASCOM drivers and allow you to slew and sync the mount quite easily. Although the user interface is different with these programs, SkyTech X will allow you to use the HIPS background so it looks even better than stellarium.

Cheers,
JT

[SkyHiker]

I hope you don't mind, but I have a rather tangential question for you.

Of course not! Fire away, please.

Is there a reason why you're not using either Cartes du Ciel or SkyTech X (both are free) to control the mount. Both of those titles will see the ASCOM drivers and allow you to slew and sync the mount quite easily. Although the user interface is different with these programs, SkyTech X will allow you to use the HIPS background so it looks even better than stellarium.

There's no reason why I don't use them, it's just that I am familiar with Stellarium. I think I now understand how to sync. If I roughly point my scope to the initial position of SS then goto Polaris and sync, then sync again on Vega, I should be good. So I think it will work out.

Of course, CDC and SkyTech X will have to interface with EQMOD, I suppose since they are ASCOM based it should be OK.

[JayTee]

Of course, ASCOM drivers">CDC and SkyTech X will have to interface with EQMOD, I suppose since they are ASCOM based it should be OK.

It'll work well.

[SkyHiker]

To close the subject, I got used to EQMOD's idiosyncrasies and can work around them. Star Dad is probably right that the initial position is determined by an ASCOM object somewhere.

What I ended up doing is to first let Stellarium go-to the star that I want to sync on, then connect the motors, aim the scope at it with the Telrad, center the star in the eyepiece then sync it in Stellarium. After that it works fine.

I have a feeling that ASCOM queries the EQStar unit about what it's doing because I see a different behavior when I have it turned on vs. not, for instance if you disconnect to try to abort a goto that was started. It may resume it or not, depending.