|
Rod,
You are exactly right.
The relevant part of config.dat should look like this (it is for my position in Melbourne):
[*** astronomical times section ***]
LatitudeDeg -37.853050
CMOS_RTC_Access 0
LongitudeDeg 214.931450
Height 0.000000
Tz -10.000000
DST 0
Of course, system time must also be correct.
And do not forget to initialise the scope properly..
I am using very simple method, but it is very accurate (for me):
First I make sure the whole thing is in level (by means of bubble level).
Then, I point the scope to CSP (celestial south pole, near sigma Octans) which is my home position.
[*** mount section ***]
GEMFlipPossible 0
AutoGEMFlip 0
AutoGEMFlipOnFuzzDeg 0.000000
AutoGEMFlipOffFuzzDeg 0.000000
Siderostat 0
HomeAltDeg 37.853050
HomeAzDeg 180.000000
MsArcsecSec 50
[*** coordinate conversion section ***]
Current.Alt 37.853050
Current.Az 180.000000
Then, I start the scope program. When it is up and running, I can move it freely wherever I want/need, since I have encoders.
I very rarely use Goto (except for difficult things I do not know exactly where they are), most of the time I just use tracking.
If you do not have encoders. I suggest you move the scope to a nearby star, reset coordinates to it (from existing data base, or, I usually prepare the file with objects I want to observe the day before) and then GoTo from there. It will be quicker (because the scope will have to do shorter slew) and more accurate.
I hope this will help :-)
Last edited by bojan; 01-08-2008 at 08:24 PM.
|