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Re: GOTO Mounts, Ease of use
MarkDambrosio@...
markdambrosi-@... wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/ap-gto/?start=132 markdambrosi-@... wrote:180EDT. mayIt is just a little longer fl than your APOMAX. controllerwant a longer pier.mounts, wouldnotat first, due to a lack of a laptop) I'm hoping that they aretoo much of a head scratcher!, Also which Semi-pier (In height) standing)aboutyou think to be suitable for the Apomax 5.2" F-12 refractor? (OTAthe 1200 head upon it. Although with the HGM-200 w/60" legs, near60" Long) Thanks, MarkHi Rich, I get the feeling the 54" pier may be too short, even with I'll have to hope that someone will have a 7.1" EDT at Astrofest thisaccessories such as the polar scope, piers, counterweights usually stock items. Saw a polar scope without illuminator on Astromart just yesterday, and it was $275. (Thought new price was $250) This made me think that these may be very hard to aquire. (Such as the Losmandy scope currently) Mark
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Re: GOTO Mounts, Ease of use
MarkDambrosio@...
markdambrosi-@... wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/ap-gto/?start=129 mounts, goti would like to ask how you found their ease of use when you first notthem? (I'll probably be using mine with just the hand controller abouttoo much of a head scratcher!, Also which Semi-pier (In height) would the 1200 head upon it. Although with the HGM-200 w/60" legs, near60" Long) Thanks, MarkHi Rich, I get the feeling the 54" pier may be too short, even with horizon viewing did require a short (24") stepladder, at the zenith, i would be on my knees. Just about right for my tastes. (I like standing) I'll have to hope that someone will have a 7.1" EDT at Astrofest this year, so i can better judge this. I don't believe Tom Back will be bringing his. Mark
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Re: GOTO Mounts, Ease of use
Paul Gustafson <drgus@...>
Hi Folks, Just curious, have those of you who have the AP GOTO mounts,The polar alignment scope gets you nearly dead on, close enough for goto to put the object in the fov, fine for casual/visual use. Better polar alignment with the hand controller requires only minor tweaking, but makes the goto much more accurate. Also which Semi-pier (In height) wouldI use the 54" with a 6" f/7 and I can do 80% of my observing seated with a Starbound chair, and don't have to crawl on the ground to view at the zenith. It does require standing to view near the horizon. Paul Gustafson
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GOTO Mounts, Ease of use
Derek Wong <dawong@...>
Just curious, have those of you who have the AP GOTO mounts,Mark: My mount was pretty easy to use right out of the box. However, the alignment process can be a bit frustrating at first, especially if you don't have an orthogonal setup (if you have a non-AP scope this may be the case). I would strongly recommend getting the polar alignment scope. You can get excellent alignment for visual work, and will only need minor adjustments if you want very high precision pointing. Derek Wong
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Re: GOTO Mounts, Ease of use
Rich N. <rnapo@...>
Hi Mark,
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The 54" pier should be fine for most observing. Most of the time you can be sitting and part of the time you may want to stand or lean on a ladder. At this time I have an older 56" pier and mount I use with my 180EDT. It is just a little longer fl than your APOMAX. If you want to be looking straight overhead most the time then you may want a longer pier. Rich
Hi Folks, Just curious, have those of you who have the AP GOTO mounts,
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GOTO Mounts, Ease of use
MarkDambrosio@...
Hi Folks, Just curious, have those of you who have the AP GOTO mounts,
i would like to ask how you found their ease of use when you first got them? (I'll probably be using mine with just the hand controller at first, due to a lack of a laptop) I'm hoping that they are not too much of a head scratcher!, Also which Semi-pier (In height) would you think to be suitable for the Apomax 5.2" F-12 refractor? (OTA about 60" Long) Thanks, Mark
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Re: 1200 Production Run
Rich N. <rnapo@...>
I understand. The long lead times and the uncertainy of getting
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on a production run are a real problem. Rich
markdambrosi-@... wrote:
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Re: 1200 Production Run
Bobby Middleton <bobm@...>
I've got the 1200 GTO after waiting right at a year.
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Great mount!!! I haven't had a pic with trailed images since I received it! I have now put my name on the list for 155 EDF with the 4" focuser/field flattener. Anybody have *any* idea about how long my wait will be? Bobby Middleton http://www.koyote.com/users/bobm/astro1.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: MarkDambrosio@... <MarkDambrosio@...> To: ap-gto@... <ap-gto@...> Date: Thursday, August 26, 1999 8:06 PM Subject: [ap-gto] Re: 1200 Production Run markdambrosi-@... wrote:
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Re: 1200 Production Run
MarkDambrosio@...
markdambrosi-@... wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/ap-gto/?start=124 Hi Rich, Yes i have talked with Christine numerous times, (And even Roland just recently), and it is very hard to get this type of info from them. Not to be rude about AP, as i do understand such matters. Because there are only so many 1200's made in a production run, i could be contacted in a few months, or it could be another 12. It is a nail biting situation. Mark Mark I think your best bet is to call or emailthe if1200 mount? Mark bethere is going to be another price increase for the next production able to afford more than the $6650.00 already asked for this mount.
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Re: 1200 Production Run
Rich N. <rnapo@...>
Mark I think your best bet is to call or email
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Christine at Astro-Physics. Rich
Hi, Does anyone have a vague idea when production will start on thethere is going to be another price increase for the next production
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Re: 1200 Production Run
MarkDambrosio@...
markdambrosi-@... wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/ap-gto/?start=121 Hi, Does anyone have a vague idea when production will start on thethere is going to be another price increase for the next production run? After waiting 8-1/2 months on a waiting list, and selling a $5,000 Losmandy HGM-200 mount in the meantime, a price increase will possibly be the straw that broke the camel's back. Don't think i'll be able to afford more than the $6650.00 already asked for this mount. Mark
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DigitalSky Voice Live in REAL-VIDEO
Charles Sinsofsky <strfire@...>
DigitalSky Voice to be SEEN LIVE in REAL-VIDEO on www.spacewatch.com
Author of DigitalSky Voice Charles Sinsofsky, will be
interviewed LIVE from New York City on the Deep Sky channel at
www.spacewatch.com Thursday August 26th, 1999, at 8:00pm EDT See my web site for full details at www.digitalskyvoice.com or at spacewatch.com : www.spacewatch.com See you all there - Charles Sinsofsky author: DigitalSky Voice
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1200 Production Run
MarkDambrosio@...
Hi, Does anyone have a vague idea when production will start on the
1200 mount? Mark
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Re: polar alignement,help
visonneau-vincent <visonneau-vin@...>
Hello again
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It is just that the horizontally of tripods (or else) isn't important when we use AP Polar Axis Finder Scope??? Bye Vincent
----- Message d'origine -----
De : Charles Sinsofsky <strfire@...> : <ap-gto@...> Envoy : mardi 24 aot 1999 03:54 Objet : [ap-gto] Re: polar alignement,help When you are at Deneb for the second time, are you waiting till thescope reaches deneb, you then use the N,S,W,E buttons, to move the starinto the center of the eyepiece, and then press MENU not GOTO, press the MENUbutton to auto-slew back to polaris. I will check the code if you can pressgoto and see what happens, but press MENU this will re-calibrate theposition of deneb and then auto slew back to polaris where you will use alt/azto set the position of polaris, and then either 'next' to exit or goto tore-select another star or the same star. I use this method all the time for mymounts and it works fine.the Goto mount. www.digitalskyvoice.comif i why.Iwant to use the polar scope.I have some problem with it. scope toused the next method : thisdeneb. then once on deneb i use the telescope hand controller to then itime i use the alt/az only to center polaris as well as you can autoask for re-calibrate and i choose deneb again the scope will now 'handslew to deneb by itself, when you reach deneb, then i use the andcontroller then Ithen throughchoose thenthat haveI go ----the system astrophysics made for the celestron 8))-------------------------------------------------------------------- ----
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Re: polar alignement,help
visonneau-vincent <visonneau-vin@...>
When you are at Deneb for the second time, are you waiting till thescope reaches deneb, you then use the N,S,W,E buttons, to move the starinto the center of the eyepiece, and then press MENU not GOTO, press the MENUbutton to auto-slew back to polaris. I will check the code if you can pressgoto and see what happens, but press MENU this will re-calibrate theposition of I press menu,i make a mistake in my last mail Sorry Vincent
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Tracking!
RCK <rkuberek@...>
The news is good. I was able to train the PEC on my AP600 using the
autoguider on the ST7. The results are appended. The first column is DEC and the second is RA. The scale is 1.7 arcsec. per pixel and the total period covered is approx. 12 minutes. The object was NGC 6946. For the training session I used a tracking image exposure of 2 sec. and calibration times of 7 sec. and 7 sec. These results for unguided tracking are far better than I have gotten without the PEC (see my earlier posts). Bob Kuberek ST-7 Track List Version = 1 Snapshots = 16 Snapshot_time = 30.00 Temperature = -5.23 Height = 508 Width = 761 Offset = 0 0, 0 0, 1 1, 1 1, 0 1, 0 1, -1 2, -1 2, 0 2, 0 2, 0 2, 0 3, 0 3, 0 3, 1 3, 0 4, 0 End
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Re: polar alignement,help
Charles Sinsofsky <strfire@...>
When you are at Deneb for the second time, are you waiting till the scope
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reaches deneb, you then use the N,S,W,E buttons, to move the star into the center of the eyepiece, and then press MENU not GOTO, press the MENU button to auto-slew back to polaris. I will check the code if you can press goto and see what happens, but press MENU this will re-calibrate the position of deneb and then auto slew back to polaris where you will use alt/az to set the position of polaris, and then either 'next' to exit or goto to re-select another star or the same star. I use this method all the time for my mounts and it works fine. - charles sinsofsky author: Astro-Physics DigitalSky Voice and the Hand-controller for the Goto mount. www.digitalskyvoice.com aka: strfire@...
----- Original Message -----
From: visonneau-vincent <visonneau-vin@...> To: <ap-gto@...> Sent: Monday, August 23, 1999 9:21 PM Subject: [ap-gto] polar alignement,help Hello (excuse me formy english)
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polar alignement,help
visonneau-vincent <visonneau-vin@...>
Hello (excuse me formy english)
I want to know if it is important to make the tripod horizontally if i want to use the polar scope.I have some problem with it. The precision of my ap 900 gto isn't very good and i dont know why.I used the next method : "i choose a star (for exemple deneb) and then manual move the scope to deneb. then once on deneb i use the telescope hand controller to select the star deneb in polar alignment mode and then auto slew it ot polaris after i select the star deneb. the scope will slew to polaris, at this time i use the alt/az only to center polaris as well as you can then i ask for re-calibrate and i choose deneb again the scope will now auto slew to deneb by itself, when you reach deneb, then i use the 'hand controller key n,e,w,s buttons center deneb in a medium power eyepiece, then press goto, the telescope will auto calibrate the new position of deneb and then autoslew back to polaris, I repeat the same star 4 or 5 times, then I choose another star a great deal of distance away from deneb and go through that one 5 times and then I choose another star and do it 5 times and then I go back deneb and the precision ISN'T VERY GOOD and i dont understand why? What is the problem (celestron 8",horizontally,orthogonality(i have the system astrophysics made for the celestron 8)) . If someone could help me. Bye Vincent FRANCE
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Re: polar alignement,help (long response)
GrayFox65@...
Vincent,
Hello from Virginia. Trying to align the AP GTO mounts can be an intensely frustrating experience until you get the hang of it. In answer to your first question, no the mount does not have to be horizontal to successfully align the mount. I made that mistake when I first got started, but "it just ain't so!" I'm not sure why you aren't aligning successfully, I'll give some thought to the steps you describe to see if I see anything wrong with them. Meanwhile, I'm sure others in the group will do so as well. One thought to keep in mind. Stars located on or very near the meridian (due South) are very valuable for polar alignment. The reason is that when the mount is pointed to the meridian, turning the mount's altitude (latitude) adjuster translates into a purely vertical alignment star motion in the eyepiece. As the mount is moved to the east or west, a horizontal component is introduced into the movement of the alignment star when the altitude adjuster is turned. By the time the mount is laid all the way over to the east or west, turning the mount's altitude adjuster results in a nearly horizontal movement of the alignment star in the eyepiece field. Since the mount's azimuth adjuster always produces a horizontal movement no matter where the mount is pointed, this can lead to confusion and a seeming inability to bring the mount to proper alignment. You may also be experiencing a problem with orthogonality due to the fact that you are using an SCT on your mount. Others have suggested that it is more difficult to maintain orthogonality with SCTs than with refractors. If you use a star diagonal, lack of orthogonality there can be a contributor to poor performance as well. The AP Maxbrite diagonal is machined to be very close to true orthogonality. Having said that, let me offer an alternate alignment method suggested by Roland Christen, one that works superbly for me. Not only does it separate altitude alignment and azimuth alignment into separate steps so you can more easily see what is going on, but it also reveals any orthogonality errors quite clearly. Furthermore, it doesn't require visibility of Polaris to work, useful if your view to the North is blocked. I use this method all the time now, and I can align my AP 155EDF and 600E GTO so well that objects fall near the center of the field of view of a 3mm Radian, 10 arc minutes diameter at 365X. Under those conditions, the GTO mount is truly a delight to use. Here is Roland Christen's method. My amplifying comments are in [brackets]. Note that Roland says he can perform this method in 5 minutes. It take me considerably longer, but the results are worth it. GTO Mount Scope Alignment by Roland Christen I use another method to achieve accurate results, a modification of method 3 in the manual. [First, use either method 1 or method 2 to get close, within one or two degrees.] I choose a star that is close to the meridian overhead, and center the crosshairs on it. [Center the overhead star with the N-S-E-W buttons and perform a Recal operation.] Then I change the clock time by 1 hour and enter the same star on the hand control. The telescope now slews to the other side of the mounting, and the star will be offset in declination by some amount (the star can also be off the crosshair in R.A. but this is not due to polar alignment, rather it is due to non-orthogonality of the telescope vs. the mounting). To polar align, the star is moved half way to the center of the crosshair by turning only the altitude adjuster. The star is now brought the rest of the way with the buttons, and a recal is done by pushing button #9. That in effect sets the altitude of the mounting. If done properly, you don't need to do it any more times, but you could do it again by resetting the clock time to the original hour and slewing to the same star again on the other side of the mounting. A final fine adjustment can be done the second time. [Ignore any small displacement in R.A.] You can also adjust the orthogonality of your mounting by shimming up one of the mounting rings until the star comes in in R.A also. The azimuth setting on the mount is done by picking a star in the north, and then slewing to a star in the south at similar right ascensions. Bring the star half way to the crosshair with the azimuth adjuster, and the rest of the way with the buttons. [Ignore any small displacement in DEC] Then hit #9 button to recal the position. This way, the two adjustment axes are done totally independently. It is highly accurate and very fast. I can do it in less than 5 minutes and be dead on all night long. Sincerely Roland Christen
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Re: Win CE?
Charles Sinsofsky <strfire@...>
No, I have though not tried it, the Windows CE platform can not support the
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use of the voice system. Though on the other hand, a version of DSV with out voice might be able to be adapted to the Windosws CE platform. Perhaps I will look into this after DSV 3.00 is released. - Charles Sinsofsky author: DigitalSky Voice aka: strfire@...
----- Original Message -----
From: John Mensick <steadyeye@...> To: <ap-gto@...> Sent: Monday, August 16, 1999 9:52 PM Subject: [ap-gto] Win CE? Does anyone know if the AP Go-To software will run under the WinCE
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