Solar tracking and a synscan goto

Shark · #1 07-05-2012, 06:23 PM

Having a proper filter for solar observation, how can i set the synscan goto to track the Sun -it is not one of its known objects?
Its on a eq5 pro mount.
Thanks

Shark Bait (Stu) · #2 07-05-2012, 06:32 PM

Set the scope up and level the OTA
Point the OTA at True North
Turn the handset on
Find the setting that allows you to use 'Solar Tracking'
Double check all solar filters for safety
Point the Scope at the Sun using the scopes shadow as the guide
When the Sun is in the FOV find 'User Objects' and make the Sun your current user object.
The scope will now track the Sun as it moves across the sky.

Liz · #3 07-05-2012, 06:40 PM

Shark bait to the Shark .... lol

Have never got my little Mak to Solar Track, despite trying MANY things, so will follow your directions Stu. I follow most of what you have said, except that last one re User Objects.

Shark · #4 07-05-2012, 06:41 PM

Bait - I'm too stupid too find the solar tracking setting.
can find everything but solar

Liz where did u get Hbeta filter from?
under menu ,user obj, u can select current object , u can even safe it for future use as an user defined object

Liz · #5 07-05-2012, 06:49 PM

Have you got your manual for the Synscan ?

Synscan handset - Utility Function has date/time/observing site/daylighjt saving etc .......then after backlash is tracking - sidereal, lunar and solar.

Is yours like this?

Ps ... re Hbeta - had it for ages now, havent updated my data. Cant remember off hand but was from the US. Will have a look.

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #6 07-05-2012, 06:55 PM

Hi,

Dead right Liz...

Once having got the recalcitrant Synscan aligned and pointed at the sun, there is in its Menu... Setup - Set Tracking - Solar Tracking, which will do this for you.

The Minister for WorkCover, Sports and Recreation requires me to say - take care when observing the Sun. Use proper precautions and NEVER look at the Sun directly through a lens without a purpose designed solar filter fitted on the OBJECTIVE (front) lens.

It's actually far safer if you look the other way and just rely on exclamations and descriptions from your colleagues at the time

.

Cheers

Shark Bait (Stu) · #7 07-05-2012, 07:02 PM

Sorry, I did not read your original post properly. I have a goto dob, so yours might be different. See if the settings are the same as this menu path:

Setup Mode
Tracking
Solar Rate (press enter to select this 'rate')

Object Catalog
User Objects
Edit Object

Hope this helps.

As far as setting up an EQ mount

Hey Liz. My nick name is the result of growing in an area where every second kid went fishing and my last name being the same as what is fed to the sharks.

Shark · #8 07-05-2012, 07:18 PM

DOOh!
none as blind as he who cannot see- there it is under tracking doooh

Bait setting up is easy i think, as after i got the package- weather turned foul -haven't seen the sun or stars for 5 days-except brief 3 min look at moon thru finder scope sattie- and boy was it bright and close
so i had a lot of time to play with setting up mount, comparing it to positions where stars should be -on iphone skywatcher app- seems to be ok and slews to about where it should be
so i m still in the i think i know how to set it up false sense of security

Geoof , u know about the competition who stare in the sun the longest-3rd price a white cane , 2nd a starchart in braille , 1st a guide dog

NeilW · #9 08-06-2012, 03:11 PM

I followed Shark Bait's instructions exactly, but the HEQ5 seemed to want to track in the opposite direction to the sun. I spent the whole transit manually adjusting the scope position. Any suggestions? The only thing that wasn't quite clear was the step

Quote:

When the Sun is in the FOV find 'User Objects' and make the Sun your current user object.

At this step it presented me with an RA position, which I assumed was the current object I was poining at (Sun). I just hit "Enter" at that point.

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #10 08-06-2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilW

I followed Shark Bait's instructions exactly, but the HEQ5 seemed to want to track in the opposite direction to the sun. I spent the whole transit manually adjusting the scope position. Any suggestions? The only thing that wasn't quite clear was the step

At this step it presented me with an RA position, which I assumed was the current object I was poining at (Sun). I just hit "Enter" at that point.

Hi,

For the Venus transit, I did a South Polar Alignment with just a good compass for pointing (the mount was already set to Sydney's latitude), then did a one-star alignment on Aldebaran, which was quite nearby the Sun at the time. When I saw it slew to pretty near the Sun as desired, I pressed the Enter key and of course it said "successful". Then a little manual slewing to the Sun, and setting of Setup - Tracking - Solar Tracking, and it required little intervention after that.

All an experiment, but it was alright on the day

Cheers

Steffen · #11 08-06-2012, 04:22 PM

By the time I had everything set up Aldebaran wasn't visible anymore, so I had to forgo alignment. It turned out that using a bubble level and compass was sufficient. I did set the tracking rate to solar, but instead of tracking the Sun I told the mount to track Venus which happened to be in the vicinity that day

Cheers
Steffen.

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #12 08-06-2012, 08:02 PM

Usually what I do is ask the mount to Goto mercury, which is never far from the sun

Then you can manually find the sun quite easily...but having invested the grand sumof 14 dollars in a Heliopod very recently, including shipping, may I suggest it's the best time saver ever

http://www.dynapod.com/dyna-hp1.html