|
OK, thanks for all the comments. Just to clarify:
The 8SE has an automatic alignment procedure using position and date (SkyAlign), I haven't used this as I don't have those accurately (see earlier posts), this uses three bright objects. Also when I did try it a couple of times it failed (N hemisphere centric database I suspect being the problem).
It has a semi auto two star align (Auto Two-Star Align), where you pick one star, centre it and then it picks and moves to a second. This isn't always visible (obstructions etc.) and I heard it can fail regularly, so I don't use that either.
It has a solar system align, but there haven't been enough visible objects in the sky to try it.
Finally, it has a manual two-star alignment (Two-Star Alignment), which is analogous to the Argo-Navis system, which is what I have been using. I pick a suitable star and then a second one on the opposite side of the sky and centre these. So when I talk about objects not being in the field of view, I'm talking about after alignment, not the alignment stars themselves.
The Argo Navis uses three stars for alignment and does a much better job, even without accurate positional information. Sadly, that is what I am used to!
The alignment isn't massively off, but it doesn't always put an object into the field of view, which is obviously a problem for less bright objects. I appreciate that backlash etc. can be a problem and I have yet to optimise that, but this is bigger than that I think.
So I'll try better location/time info and using the precise goto function if necessary, which I haven't tried yet either. The latter being a function the AN doesn't have or need....
Then I'll have a play with the anti-backlash and see how I go.
Thanks again for the advice and I'm happy to hear more of it!
|