I potentially fixed my mount.

[Jnicholes]

Hi everyone,

I’m posting today to say that I think I finally fixed the issue with my mount. It was actually very simple, and you guys were right about one of the issues.

The first issue was a problem with the mount. Simply put, one of the gears was turning, but the telescope was not turning. I was able to fix this using a little bit of adhesive. Now the telescope is turning and moving just fine.

The second issue was with alignment. I took everyone’s advice and got a reticle eyepiece as an experiment. I discovered that when I had my phone adapter on the reticle eyepiece, it was more difficult to align. Every time I aligned it, for example, to the sun with a solar filter, I would test the goto function by going to Mercury and Venus, then going back to the sun to see if anything was out of alignment. Sure enough, the sun was not in the same place as when I aligned it. In fact, it was off.

Then, I tried using just my eyes with the reticle eyepiece and the solar filter. I aligned it this way to the sun, and did the same thing, as before. I went to Mercury, then Venus, then back to the sun. This time, the sun was very close to the same spot as when I aligned it. I believe I may have fixed the second issue with the reticle eyepiece. However, I need to do a field test at night to make sure.

To sum up, there was a gear slipping, and I needed to align it properly with a reticle eyepiece.

I want to thank you all for helping me, and being patient with me. This reticle eyepiece is really helping me out so far. I’m going to take it for a field test tonight if the sky is clear. If it works, and I truly did fix the issue, I’m going to try to photograph the new Comet Nishimura sometime this week if it is clear.

Regards,

Jared

[Graeme1858]

Glad you were able to get sorted Jared.

Graeme

[Jnicholes]

I have an update on the scope.

Last night didn’t go so well, the telescope was getting close to its targets, but they were not in the FOV. I looked at the scope again and discovered more issues.

There were actually FOUR issues. First, the alignment without the reticle eyepiece. Second, the gear slipping. Third, the bolt holding the scope to the tripod was too loose. Fourth, the focuser was too loose.

All the loose parts made the telescope more wobbly and less accurate. After tightening everything, it’s working better now.

I took it for a solar field test this morning, which it passed. Tonight if it is clear I will do the second part of the field test.

I will update later.

Jared

[ruthere]

I have an update on the scope.

Last night didn’t go so well, the telescope was getting close to its targets, but they were not in the FOV. I looked at the scope again and discovered more issues.

There were actually FOUR issues. First, the alignment without the reticle eyepiece. Second, the gear slipping. Third, the bolt holding the scope to the tripod was too loose. Fourth, the focuser was too loose.

All the loose parts made the telescope more wobbly and less accurate. After tightening everything, it’s working better now.

I took it for a solar field test this morning, which it passed. Tonight if it is clear I will do the second part of the field test.

I will update later.

hi any update on second part.

[Jnicholes]

I have an update on the scope.

Last night didn’t go so well, the telescope was getting close to its targets, but they were not in the FOV. I looked at the scope again and discovered more issues.

There were actually FOUR issues. First, the alignment without the reticle eyepiece. Second, the gear slipping. Third, the bolt holding the scope to the tripod was too loose. Fourth, the focuser was too loose.

All the loose parts made the telescope more wobbly and less accurate. After tightening everything, it’s working better now.

I took it for a solar field test this morning, which it passed. Tonight if it is clear I will do the second part of the field test.

I will update later.

hi any update on second part.

Actually, yes. So sorry it took so long to get back. Since I last posted, my life has been getting very busy. I actually have not had many chances to get out and do some stargazing.

However, the night that I went out, I discovered that my telescope has become a lot more accurate. I was able to go to several objects. And they did show up. However, they showed up on the edge of the field of view. Not 100% accurate, but better than before.

At least I’m going in the right direction!

[Jnicholes]

I forgot to post my pictures. They are slightly out of focus, but it’s the best I could do that night.

It’s the Swan Nebula and the Wild Duck Cluster. As you can see, they were on the side of the field of view. Other objects were just outside the field of view.

Still, this is a major improvement from before.

[Graeme1858]

Actually, yes. So sorry it took so long to get back. Since I last posted, my life has been getting very busy. I actually have not had many chances to get out and do some stargazing.

However, the night that I went out, I discovered that my telescope has become a lot more accurate. I was able to go to several objects. And they did show up. However, they showed up on the edge of the field of view. Not 100% accurate, but better than before.

At least I’m going in the right direction!

Glad to hear your adjustments have made a difference Jared!

I'm not familiar with the Celestron Nexstar, is there a means of tightening the axis of movement that you can loosen to move the telescope manually and tighten when in use? My CGX has a clutch on the Dec axis and one on the RA axis that I can loosen to move the thing about and tighten when in use. If either one of them were not quite tight enough, I would get the symptoms you describe.

Regards

Graeme

[Graeme1858]

hi any update on second part.

Hello Ruthere.

Welcome to the forum.

Regards

Graeme

[Jnicholes]

I have another update. I apologize for not posting in a while.

The telescope was still very shaky. In fact, I owe an explanation as to why this is.

When I first got the mount, it would not mount on my telescope tripod. It was too big. So, I ordered a smaller mount that would fit on my tripod. It was an older model that could not be updated, but it had the part I needed, so I got it. Because of the way I rigged the telescope, it was naturally very shaky. If I tried to tighten it, the telescope would not move.

This was back in 2017.

Now the present day. I put both telescope mounts back together with their original parts. I was trying to figure out how to fix the wobbliness issue as well as the tracking issue. Then, it finally hit me.

Take all the computer parts out of the big mount and replace all the computer parts in the small mount with the parts from the big mount.

It was a very crazy idea, I know. However, I was out of ideas and I felt like I could try anything at this point.

After working on it for about an hour replacing all the parts, I did multiple tests on the telescope, and to my shocking surprise, the wobbliness issue is gone. The tracking issue is perfect.

I am 90% positive that I have fully fixed the telescope. To be certain, I’m going to take it for a field test tonight.

I will update later.

Jared

[Graeme1858]

I am 90% positive that I have fully fixed the telescope. To be certain, I’m going to take it for a field test tonight.

Good luck Jared

Graeme

[Jnicholes]

OK, this is the last update for this thread.

Last night, something happened that I did not expect. When I attempted to fix it, I realized that I had accidentally damaged the entire mount permanently.

I’ve done everything I can, and there is no way to fix it.

I’m going to bite the bullet and get a new computer telescope. I need an upgrade anyway.

Well, that’s the way it goes sometimes. This was an old mount, and it was on its way out anyway. At least I learned about electronics and about the different parts of a computer telescope.

This unfortunately means that I am going to miss the partial solar eclipse on October 14, as well as comet Nishimura.

Until I get a new telescope, I have to put astronomy on hold.

I will post again as soon as I get a new telescope.

[Lady Fraktor]

Sorry to hear this, hopefully you will find something right away.

[JayTee]

It is possible that this is a deal you can cash in on. Do your due diligence on this before you decide to buy. I'm posting this for the GT mount and not necessarily the scope.

Hope this helps,

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285227911934?h ... ition=3000

And here is another GT goto mount.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155598700804?h ... ition=3000

[Jnicholes]

Hi everyone,

I have not posted on this thread in a while. I have an update for you all.

My brother recently purchased a 3d printer. We’ve been printing a lot of stuff with it. The thought occurred to me yesterday to 3d print the part of the telescope that broke.

I decided to give it a try, so I measured everything and I designed the part.

After putting the part on (it’s the grey colored part,) I realized that it solved one of the two problems.

The telescope is not wobbly anymore and the damage that I thought was permanent is fixed. This part I 3d printed solves the first issue.

I will know if the telescopes goto function actually works tonight.

I will update later.

Jared

[Juno16]

Best of success Jared!

[Jnicholes]

I DID IT! I FIXED THE MOUNT!!!!

I am so happy!

Here’s what happened. The first night I went out, I failed to level the telescope. I need to do this because my tripod is really delicate, almost broken to be exact.

Last night, I went out and I leveled the telescope as best as I could with a construction level. Then, I auto two star aligned to the stars Vega and Kochab.

To my surprise, I went directly to the ring nebula and pretty close to the great Hercules globular cluster M13.

It looks like I fixed the mount! Now I need to fix the tripod and make it less flimsy so I can level it easier.

Jared

[Graeme1858]

Impressive Jared!

Graeme