The wonderful all star polar align feature for Celestron scopes

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #1 23-06-2009, 10:14 PM

it was finally clear tonight-though far too dewy to do any imaging at all so

I used the opportunity to test the new v 4.16 upgrade for the Celestron GEM hand controller

( I had previously downloaded v 4.15 but that had a bug for the southern hemisphere)

Its brilliant!

the main reason for getting this upgrade was the all star polar alignment routine, and I can now confirm it works as advertised.

Rough polar align-then do your usual star align -a couple of alignment stars and maybe a couple of calibration stars-could get really anal and do 6 or more calibration stars if you like.I used only one calibration star tonight

anyway then slew to any bright star-Acrux-say and select the polar alignment routine and -the scope slews to where Acrux should be if the mount were perfectly polar aligned-and then the hand controller guides you through what you need to do, which is basically make adjustments in alt-az to centre the star manually in your eyepiece

the best thing in my opinion is you dont need to redo the star align after polar aligning

In the past this feature was only available on sigma octans, and you needed to redo your star alignment after polar aligning. Now you can pick any named star and you dont need to redo your alignment

It is quite simply the fastest I have ever polar aligned!

Anyway if you have a Celestron GEM-a CG5 for instance, do consider downloading v 4.16 HC firmware if you have not so far . Its free anyway!

Narayan

sheeny (Al) · #2 23-06-2009, 10:23 PM

Thanks Narayan.

My hand controller is too old to upgrade apparently. I'll have to invest in a newer handpiece to upgrade. If I didn;t have my scope permanently set up in the obs, I think I'd upgrade after reading your appraisal!

Al.

gbeal · #3 24-06-2009, 05:41 AM

Narayan,
Does it work with the likes of my CGE hand controller? I find the Octans thing too difficult. The two star/four star routine, while laborious really produces spot on gotos though.
Gary

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #4 24-06-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbeal

Narayan,
Does it work with the likes of my CGE hand controller? I find the Octans thing too difficult. The two star/four star routine, while laborious really produces spot on gotos though.
Gary

oh the Octans thing is impossible!

That's why I am so impressed with this new software

I am fairly sure that as long as you have a flash upgradable hand controller, the new software incorporating any star polar alignment will work

The new software now comes standard with the CGEM (and probably with the CGE as well but I don't know that for sure)

Narayan

browndog (Ian) · #5 24-06-2009, 07:00 PM

Hi Narayan
How did you upgrade?
I have a new-ish CG-5 GoTo but had no idea that upgrades were even possible.
Do you have any instructions or a "how-to"?

The polar align feature sound like a great idea.

Ian

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #6 24-06-2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browndog

Hi Narayan
How did you upgrade?
I have a new-ish CG-5 GoTo but had no idea that upgrades were even possible.
Do you have any instructions or a "how-to"?

The polar align feature sound like a great idea.

Ian

Ian

before you upgrade, you should check to make sure what version you have-if its a new scope you may already have v 4.15 or 4.16 (4.15 has bugs for the southern hemisphere)

if you have an older version-but a flash upgradable hand controller- you can download the latest version of the hand controller and motor controller firmware from Celestron

http://www.celestron.com/c3/downloads.php?Products[]=57&Submit=Search

you are after the handcontrol firmware update

once you have downloaded the update, you have to connect to the mount using the serial cable , and then the software guides you through how to install an update. Its fairly straightforward-you hold down two buttons-cant remember which two, but the software will tell you-and cycle power and that puts the HC in the mode to receive data

you can while you are at it update your Motor Control firmware as well-I am not sure what benefit it provides but I did it anyway

You can download and check out the software without being connected to the mount just to see how it all works

Manuals (pdf) are also available at this location

Here are the release notes from the Celestron site which explain it all

Quote

Hand control firmware updates can be downloaded and installed using our new HCupdate application.

For assistance with performing a firmware update, simply download and install HCupdate and click on the Help button. Individual firmware versions and change history are available through HCupdate by clicking on the Download via the Web button.

VERSION: 1.1.12

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

Microsoft Windows® 98SE and newer.
Hand Controls running version 4.00 firmware or later are user upgradable. (This does not include GT series Hand Controls with version 100.0 or later.) The firmware version can be determined by entering the Utilities menu and selecting Version: the top line of the display shows the current hand control firmware version.

Upgradable hand control firmware is available for the following mount types:

NexStar GPS
CPC Series
Special Edition Series
Advanced-GT
CGE Series
GT Series
SLT Series
Hand Control updates require a PC based computer with either a DB9 serial port or a USB port with a USB to DB9 serial adapter running Microsoft Windows 98SE or newer.
An RS-232 Cable (part #93920) must be made or purchased to connect between the mount and computer.

Unquote

hope this helps

Narayan

White Rabbit · #7 25-06-2009, 07:58 AM

Now thats what I'm talkin about.... I need that. drift aligning is the biggest pain in the @##$. I hate it. You spend most of your night nudging the scope this way then that way. It takes me more than a hour to get it good.

We need something like this for eqmod.

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #8 25-06-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White Rabbit

It takes me more than a hour to get it good.

.

I would have been happy on most nights to get it right in an hour..and will no doubt still struggle to do so with my EQ6.

But with the CG5..this software promises to give back precious observing/imaging time

.

gbeal · #9 26-06-2009, 09:06 AM

Narayan,
have tried, and tried, to no avail. The Version I have within the HC at present is V4:12. When I kick the HCUpdateinstaller into gear it opens everything up, and I select the Com Port that TheSky usually works with (Com5) but I cannot select an update file (I am not connected to the web either though as the PC is a fair distance from the internet connection I have.
Any ideas?
Gary

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #10 26-06-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbeal

Narayan,
have tried, and tried, to no avail. The Version I have within the HC at present is V4:12. When I kick the HCUpdateinstaller into gear it opens everything up, and I select the Com Port that TheSky usually works with (Com5) but I cannot select an update file (I am not connected to the web either though as the PC is a fair distance from the internet connection I have.
Any ideas?
Gary

no idea why you are having trouble, it worked smoothly the two times I have done the upgrade

did you download V 4.16 before you connected to the mount?

I know you are supposed to be able to do it on the fly so to speak but I downloaded then went offline and did the upgrade

Narayna

gbeal · #11 26-06-2009, 06:40 PM

Narayan,
finally made it all happen.
Most of the problem is that I use Macs, and the only PC I have is a desktop that is used solely for imaging, with no internet access.
I had to download the HCInstaller onto a USB stick,(from Safari on the Mac) and transfer it to the PC, this gave me the HC Update routine, but no update as such.
I then used another mac which had Windoze installed and downloaded V4.16, and transfered this with the USB stick. When I clicked on Update though it still didn't show. In the end I transfered all the 4.16 files to the Program files directory where the Updater files were. Seemed to work, although time will tell, as it is wet here. If it is as simple as you suggest I will be a very happy camper.
Gary

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #12 27-06-2009, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbeal

Narayan,
finally made it all happen.
Most of the problem is that I use Macs, .....Seemed to work, although time will tell, as it is wet here. If it is as simple as you suggest I will be a very happy camper.
Gary

If the verification worked -automatic process-when you did the upgrade there should be no problem and you should be good to go

see if you like the feature as much as I -and a lot of others -do

Narayan

gbeal · #13 27-06-2009, 09:56 AM

Narayan,
mount seems to work, albeit in daylight, inside, LOL.
One thing though, there is no "Polar Align" now in the "Utilities" menu??
Any ideas?
Gary

***Update***
Sorry, found it within the "Align" setting, using the Align button, doh.
Now to try it in anger, when the weather clears.
Gary

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #14 27-06-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbeal

Narayan,
mount seems to work, albeit in daylight, inside, LOL.
One thing though, there is no "Polar Align" now in the "Utilities" menu??
Any ideas?
Gary

***Update***
Sorry, found it within the "Align" setting, using the Align button, doh.
Now to try it in anger, when the weather clears.
Gary

Yes that threw me too till,just as you have, I discovered it under "align"-should have mentioned it before

Narayan

mithrandir (Andrew) · #15 09-08-2009, 11:31 PM

Has anyone noticed that the 4.16 firmware seems to run much slower than 4.13? My guestimate would be it takes twice as long to do searches through the database.

The polar align is very helpful, but not perfect. Does it work better on targets near the celestial equator than near the pole?

Starting from a two star align plus two calibration stars, I polar aligned on Acrux. An hour or so later a goto on Mimosa came up a couple of degrees out.

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #16 10-08-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mithrandir

Has anyone noticed that the 4.16 firmware seems to run much slower than 4.13? My guestimate would be it takes twice as long to do searches through the database.

The polar align is very helpful, but not perfect. Does it work better on targets near the celestial equator than near the pole?

Starting from a two star align plus two calibration stars, I polar aligned on Acrux. An hour or so later a goto on Mimosa came up a couple of degrees out.

never noticed a problem with go to accuracy myself..at least so far