HEQ5 Pro doing weird thing

[azkaz]

Hi all, my mount has done a weird thing twice now. I was looking at the Pleiades and thought I would slew to the Andromeda galaxy. Instead of just heading from a NE to North bearing, it basically did a 360 turn to get to Andromeda. From NE to E, to S to W and then to Andromeda. It found it no worries but is it normal for it go the long way around, I had to watch the leads etc. I'm controlling by the handset at the moment.

Thanks.:thumbsup:

[brisen]

Hi Aaron

The Pleides is on the eastern side of the meridian at the moment in the earlier part of the night and Andromeda is low on the western side of the meridian. As the mount can only track so far past the meridian, initiating a goto from Pleides to Andromeda sees the mount recognise that it needs to do a meridian flip and as such will do what you have described.

Brian

[azkaz]

I see. I do remember reading about a meridian flip somewhere. Just researched it now. Thanks very much!:)

[AstroBogan]

Yep, sounds like the mount did a meridian flip :P