Celestron StarSense AutoAlign for SkyWatcher Telescopes

[Maverick_S31]

Hi,

By chance is anyone familiar with the Celestron StarSense AutoAlign for SkyWatcher Telescopes? Does it meet expectations?

Also,

Would it work with the following set up?...
- Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro Go-to Equatorial Mount, and
- GSO RC-8 8" Ritchey-chretien Steel Tube OTA

Finally,
Would this work with the SkyPortal App from Celestron?

[Hemi]

Hi Maverick,

I have it and use it with a SW AZEQ6. It works well. It is meant to work with the HEQ5.

Its OTA agnostic, and comes with a couple of bracket options to mount to your OTA. It’s a bit like a finder, in that you need to calibrate the SS to align with your eyepiece.

Not sure I understand the question about sky portal. The app is designed to be used over WiFi. Either with a celestron mount with integrated WiFi or with the celestron WiFi adapter.

The Celestron WiFi adapter won’t work with the SS SW adapter box.

The HEQ5 will work with sky safari over WiFi with the SW WiFi adapter, but then SS will be out.

There are some work arounds, but would need a mount side PC. I can run through it, if that’s a possibility.

Hemi

[Maverick_S31]

Thank you Hemi for the information.

I would be interested in using sky safari in addition to starsense and I do have a laptop. Could you let me know about the required workaround?

Thanks in advance.

[casstony]

Hi Scott, I use Starsense with the AZ-EQ6 and AZ-EQ5 as I don't have a computer at the mount. I like how the Starsense works but if you're using a computer anyway there are probably cheaper and better ways to go.

I recall people talking about simple programs to polar align the mount (sharpcap?) and then you have your planetarium program - probably don't need Starsnese.

[Maverick_S31]

Thanks Tony for the advice. I will look into sharpcap.

[johnanderson008]

Just wondering if you can buy the Celestron starsense interface box separately? I have bought a starsense with out it as I had a nexstar mount and have now upgraded to a skywatcher which it now requires the interface box to work. Celestron do not sell the box separately so I am looking for one to buy second hand or a return.

[garymck]

Be aware that The Starsense for Skywatcher does not allow for Ascom Pulse Guiding. I had one and returned it for a refund. Queries to Celestron, Team Celestron and elsewhere were unable to resolve the problem. It seems that the hardware interface box is unable to respond/convert the pulses correctly. I found that it could not respond to 800ms pulses, but could sometimes respond to 100 and 200ms pulses, but would never calibrate correctly.

I als hae a standard Starsense on my CPC925, works very well with Celestron mounts.

FWIW
Gary