Connecting CGX Mount to Stellarium Instructions

[dylan_odonnell]

Just leaving this here so something shows up the next time someone googles this.

Note : You can use the PC Cable connection on the mount to drive the CGX with the Planewave PWI Software, but it's pretty lightweight software so you might prefer other software, like Stellarium.

1. Use the micro-USB connector on the Hand Controller to connect the HC to a USB port on your PC.
2. Install the CGX Driver from their support page if you like but pretty sure it doesn't use this.. good to have anyway though.
http://www.celestron.com/media/1904396/Setup_PWI_100.exe ...
3. Install ASCOM if not installed already http://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/Index.htm
4. Install the Celestron general ASCOM Drivers : http://download.ascom-standards.org/drivers/Celestron(6.0.5978)Setup.exe
5. Install this other driver for the "virtual" Com port .. http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41
6. In stellarium configure a new telescope using the COM port that shows up in device manager (it was COM4 for me).

When using ...

1. Power on and align your CGX first with the Hand Controller, no cable connected to PC/HC.
2. Once aligned, connect cable then open stellarium and "connect" the scope if it's not set to connect automatically
3. Slew away! Sure beats pecking at the hand controller in the dark.

Dylan.

[glend]

I think it is still early days for the PWI software, and promised additional functionality. Most of the CGX owners have worked out their approach and tool choice, but it is good to know Stellarium can work too. For simplicity it is hard to go past Sky Safari 5 which has Celestron wifi in the configuration choices, and does alignment within Sky Safari, no need for any handset use to align.
Unfortunately, for pier mounted CGXs, only the hand controller ( or maybe Nextremote), gives you the ability to just use the last alignment (at this time). If you are on a pier with very good PA, you really only need to align once, then pick 'last alignment' next time and the next. As long as your time and date is correct and location has not changed, you will be right on target. This has saved me a lot of time. I can just goto my target and start imaging.

[dylan_odonnell]

Yeh I've been using "last align" for probably longer than I should have. But gotos still spot on and I'm very lazy. That's quality imaging time! Might realign tonight for good measure. I'll check out sky safari, that sounds good. Anything but the hand controller.

[dylan_odonnell]

Hah this post is now #1 in Google when searching for "celestron cgx stellarium" .. thanks Google!

Hope this helps someone else.

d

[toc]

I have been able to get Stellarium to work with the CGX once only, but now it refuses to work. I can use starrynight just fine. I tried adding a new scope, but it refuses to connect. Any ideas?

[dylan_odonnell]

Make sure you star/align+polar/align your CGX first, then plug in the cable, then open stellarium and "connect" .. I'll update my instructions to make that clearer actually.

Also check in device manager to make sure it's showing there ok with the driver loaded and the right com port.

[toc]

I am doing this exactly - it just stays as 'Stopped'. The port is the same as used by ASCOM, and using the same setup in PHD and starrynight works fine.