Can't align

[Mirrorgirl]

Hi there

I can't seem to align my mount i have put day light savings YES date and time correct but still keeps pointing way out and says 45 degrees out check your location on hand set, does anybody have any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?


Thanks

Rhoda

[OzEclipse]

Hi Rhoda,
Has it worked previously and just stopped working now? Or is this the first time you're using it?
Joe

[KathyNS]

Hi, Rhoda. You haven't given us enough details. For most mounts, the sequence is:

1. Set up, roughly polar aligned.
2. Perform an accurate polar alignment, using your preferred technique.
3. Manually set the mount in Home position. The more accurate, the better.
4. Turn power off. Then turn it back on. (This tells the mount that it is in home position.)
5. Check date/time/location parameters:
- a. Date (watch out for possible American format dates)
- b. Time (watch out for am/pm/24-hour formats)
- c. Time zone (UTC / GMT is 0. West of UTC is -. East of UTC is +)
- d. Daylight Saving Time (yes or no)
- e. Latitude (North is +, South is -)
- f. Longitude (West is -, east is +, or use E or W if that's what the mount prefers)
6. Perform goto alignment, 1-star, 2-star or 3-star, depending on the mount and your preference.

Without watching over your shoulder, it is hard to know if you are missing any steps. If you can find an astronomy group near you, the best thing is to have someone experienced watch you set up. They will be able to coach you through any problem steps.

[Richard]

Well you must of done it before as you have posted some great photos so I assume is a current problem , if same mount , then perhaps the firmware got corrupt , if so then download new

[Mirrorgirl]

Hi Rhoda,
Has it worked previously and just stopped working now? Or is this the first time you're using it?
Joe

No its not the first time i have used it it has worked previously but stopped working.


Thanks
Rhoda

[Mirrorgirl]

Well you must of done it before as you have posted some great photos so I assume is a current problem , if same mount , then perhaps the firmware got corrupt , if so then download new

Hi

Its been like this for a while i have just been star hopping

Thanks

Rhoda

[Mirrorgirl]

Hi, Rhoda. You haven't given us enough details. For most mounts, the sequence is:

1. Set up, roughly polar aligned.
2. Perform an accurate polar alignment, using your preferred technique.
3. Manually set the mount in Home position. The more accurate, the better.
4. Turn power off. Then turn it back on. (This tells the mount that it is in home position.)
5. Check date/time/location parameters:
- a. Date (watch out for possible American format dates)
- b. Time (watch out for am/pm/24-hour formats)
- c. Time zone (UTC / GMT is 0. West of UTC is -. East of UTC is +)
- d. Daylight Saving Time (yes or no)
- e. Latitude (North is +, South is -)
- f. Longitude (West is -, east is +, or use E or W if that's what the mount prefers)
6. Perform goto alignment, 1-star, 2-star or 3-star, depending on the mount and your preference.

Without watching over your shoulder, it is hard to know if you are missing any steps. If you can find an astronomy group near you, the best thing is to have someone experienced watch you set up. They will be able to coach you through any problem steps.

Hi Kathy

perfect polar alignment

Date and time in American

Time zone 0

latitude and longitude correct

Daylight saving YES if this is correct

3 star alignment which fails because way off


Hope this helps Kathy


Thanks

Rhoda

[Mirrorgirl]

Well you must of done it before as you have posted some great photos so I assume is a current problem , if same mount , then perhaps the firmware got corrupt , if so then download new

Hi there

The reason i have been doing images is because i have been finding easy targets myself by doing polar alignment putting in date and time etc and then performing a one star alignment which is way of but then it starts to track and then i find the easy targets myself that's the only way i can do it.


Thanks

Rhoda

[Mirrorgirl]

Hi, Rhoda. You haven't given us enough details. For most mounts, the sequence is:

1. Set up, roughly polar aligned.
2. Perform an accurate polar alignment, using your preferred technique.
3. Manually set the mount in Home position. The more accurate, the better.
4. Turn power off. Then turn it back on. (This tells the mount that it is in home position.)
5. Check date/time/location parameters:
- a. Date (watch out for possible American format dates)
- b. Time (watch out for am/pm/24-hour formats)
- c. Time zone (UTC / GMT is 0. West of UTC is -. East of UTC is +)
- d. Daylight Saving Time (yes or no)
- e. Latitude (North is +, South is -)
- f. Longitude (West is -, east is +, or use E or W if that's what the mount prefers)
6. Perform goto alignment, 1-star, 2-star or 3-star, depending on the mount and your preference.

Without watching over your shoulder, it is hard to know if you are missing any steps. If you can find an astronomy group near you, the best thing is to have someone experienced watch you set up. They will be able to coach you through any problem steps.

Here the images of what I put in

Thanks

Kathy

[KathyNS]

That looks good so far. But you haven't mentioned step 3: Home position. That is the most common reason for alignment failure. ANy errors in the home position will show up in the goto alignment.

[Mirrorgirl]

That looks good so far. But you haven't mentioned step 3: Home position. That is the most common reason for alignment failure. ANy errors in the home position will show up in the goto alignment.

Do you mean i have to turn the mount on and off when put in home position, i don't do that do you think that's why I'm failing

[KathyNS]

That looks good so far. But you haven't mentioned step 3: Home position. That is the most common reason for alignment failure. ANy errors in the home position will show up in the goto alignment.

Do you mean i have to turn the mount on and off when put in home position, i don't do that do you think that's why I'm failing

I would guess that's it. Unless the mount has absolute encoders, which I don't think yours does, it has no knowledge of the position of the axes. It assumes that, when you turn it on, it is in the home position. It can tell how far it has moved, but unless it knows where it started, it cannot figure out where it is now.

If it wasn't in the home position at power-up, or if you have loosened the clutches since turning it on, then it still thinks it is in the home position even though it isn't. You could easily have a large error when slewing to your first alignment star. The error will get smaller as you align, but could still be significant.

[OzEclipse]

Rhoda

Lot's of good procedural advice provided already below while I was sleeping. Can't add anything there.

The other thing to check is if one pin on any of the multipin connectors is bent or damaged or if a track is stripped. If that damaged pin is coming from one of the encoders that could be causing the problem.

Joe

[JayTee]

Just to add, even with Skywatcher mounts, make sure your final alignment motion to the alignment star is UP and RIGHT.

[Mirrorgirl]

Just to add, even with Skywatcher mounts, make sure your final alignment motion to the alignment star is UP and RIGHT.

i have sorted it now my handset just needed resetting something as simple as that lol.

[Mirrorgirl]

That looks good so far. But you haven't mentioned step 3: Home position. That is the most common reason for alignment failure. ANy errors in the home position will show up in the goto alignment.

Do you mean i have to turn the mount on and off when put in home position, i don't do that do you think that's why I'm failing

I would guess that's it. Unless the mount has absolute encoders, which I don't think yours does, it has no knowledge of the position of the axes. It assumes that, when you turn it on, it is in the home position. It can tell how far it has moved, but unless it knows where it started, it cannot figure out where it is now.

If it wasn't in the home position at power-up, or if you have loosened the clutches since turning it on, then it still thinks it is in the home position even though it isn't. You could easily have a large error when slewing to your first alignment star. The error will get smaller as you align, but could still be significant.

I have fixed it now Kathy i just needed to reset the handset

[Mirrorgirl]

Well you must of done it before as you have posted some great photos so I assume is a current problem , if same mount , then perhaps the firmware got corrupt , if so then download new

Hi there.

Just thought i would let you know i did a reset on my handset and that fixed the problem, and guess what i went out and brought a new one just before the reset it cost me 139 pounds I'll just keep it as a spare lol

[Richard]

Glad you came wright , when these things go wrong it also drives me mad

[Mirrorgirl]

Glad you came wright , when these things go wrong it also drives me mad

LOL YEAH ME TOO