Tracking the ISS with an EQ mount

[sheeny (Al)]

We've seen the dob owners have some success at imaging the ISS by hand tracking it through the finderscope with a video camera through the scope.

After thinking about the problem again last night, I realised there's no reason why the ISS couldn't also be hand tracked with a scope on an EQ mount just as easily if you're prepared to move your mount.

The problem with a normally aligned EQ mount is the meridian flip in the middle of the ISS pass.

Well if you are prepared to setup specially for the ISS pass, the meridian flip can be eliminated. The trick is to align the RA axis roughly with the direction of the ISS path. Then the entire pass can be followed with a rotation of the dec axis and minor adjustment of the RA axis - and no meridian flip. I don't think there's any need to adjust the latitude setting from normal.

I haven't done it yet, but I'm going to have to have a go! I think a right angle finder might be a good investment though!

Al.

[Meadehead]

Way to go Al.

[madtuna (Steve)]

"I think a right angle finder might be a good investment though!"

with two hands on the OTA from behind and a nice smooth even sweep would a telrad do or would that not be fine enough?

curious to see how you go..I'd love to image it myself

[iceman (Mike)]

I did think of this method too Al, when I started imaging on the dob mount.

My problem was that I am almost certain I would not get the RA axis facing the right way, and even then it would still need some minor, if not major adjustments to keep it on track.

The other problem, is that up on my EQ mount, my finderscope ends up 2+ metres off the ground so I'd need to be standing on something, which isn't very helpful when it's going to swing all the way across the sky.

The dob mount is convenient for me and usually I hug my arms around the OTA to swing it smoothly, though I could work on the alt/az motion to get it smoother.

What I really want to do (and plan to do) is use a spare 6x30 finder I bought, with my old ToUcam, and have a wider-field view of the ISS so I can track using the computer screen rather than the finderscope. It'll be way more accurate.

[Terry B]

I never did it but the vixen SS2000PC was able to do this after entering the satellite coordinates. It was suggested that you aimed the scope so that a meridian flip isn't needed ie up to 90deg from the SSP, set the mount to non Eq aligned, align as usual on 3 stars and it will track the satellite. I remember someone on the vixen NG stating they had done it successfully.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

This any good or help? Satellite tracking software program.

http://www.heavenscape.com/index.html