OK, I think I'm all setup, thanks Gary. Have uploaded a User Catalog containing 99 Messier objects. I've dropped out 11 that were >+50 deg as "no chance". Added a flag to the name of each for "easy", "moderate", "difficult", as per the literature, so I have an explanation if I am having difficulty seeing the object. Now I just need a clear night at camp and for everything to work!
Logged 91 Messier objects observed - see report elsewhere on forum.
By the way, I'm fairly sure my Argo went off daylight saving last weekend, not that it matters in its operation. Did I spot it correctly? Haven't had time to check since.
By the way, I'm fairly sure my Argo went off daylight saving last weekend, not that it matters in its operation. Did I spot it correctly? Haven't had time to check since.
Hi Eric,
Your Argo Navis would not have changed its timezone off daylight saving
last weekend. That requires intervention on part of the user, specifically
you would need to enter MODE SETUP, SETUP DATE/TIME and change
the TIMEZONE setting.
Internally Argo Navis maintains the date and time in terms of UTC time,
which is similar to GMT. The TIMEZONE setting in SETUP DATE/TIME
is simply a convenience feature that allows you to enter your offset from
UTC and then your own local date and time. Argo Navis will then do
the arithmetic for you and convert that entry to UTC date/time.
The TIMEZONE setting also is used should you want to view the LOCAL
time in MODE TIME.
Since Argo Navis internally uses UTC and since there is no concept of Daylight
Saving for UTC, if your own part of the world observes Daylight Saving and
goes onto it or comes off it, as far as operation of your Argo Navis is
concerned, it matters not. So, for example, if you forget to change the
TIEMZONE for Victoria next weekend from +11:00 back to +10:00, then
internally the Argo Navis UTC time remains exactly the same and calculation
of positions of planets and any time dependent functions remain correct.
At your leisure, you might then go into SETUP DATE/TIME and change the
TIMEZONE and then press EXIT and Argo Navis will then also show the
correct local time in MODE TIME.
So in a nutshell, Argo Navis does not automatically change the time with
Daylight Saving and since it stores internal time in terms of UTC, it has
no need to. Changing the TIMEZONE setting requires user intervention
and is a non-critical operation as far as the computations the unit performs.
Just had a chance to check and yes, as is often the case, I didn't know what I was talking about, sorry. As it turned out, I had never changed the time zone over the summer, so when I flicked briefly to MODE TIME a few weeks ago, I saw UTC+10 hr.
I did find tonight that the time setting was some 10 mins ahead of UTC, so I reset the time to within a second or two in MODE SETUP, SETUP DATE/TIME.
Hi
Off the subject,could someone tell me if purchasing a Argo Navis to go on my EQ6 pro would be any help in locating Stars ,Messiers etc. Im terrible at drift aligning and my polar adjustment is so so. So I need something that will take me exactly to objects I wish to photograph will the Argo Navis do this for me after just a 2 star alignment?
Thanks Kepp
I finally got Argo Navis for my 12" inch Dob and enjoy it immensely. The pointing accuracy is great and the user interface is simple and very efficient. When star-hopping I had no idea that I can see so many galaxies from my light polluted backyard.
Being a beginner with about a year of observing history behind, I find use of Astro-Calendar at http://www.calsky.com quite useful but got quickly tired scrolling to a NGC or Messier catlaogue number so I wrote a utility that converts CalSky output into the Argo Navis User Object file. Then I use Agronaut and delete existing User objects (Detele-Purge User menu) and upload the output file (Transfer-Send User File menu). Then simply scroll through User Catalogue.
Gary advised that ArgoNavis FLASH memory is specified for about 100,000 writes so if you use it every day and erase before writing the FLASH memory should last about 136 years.
You need to register an account on CalSky.com (can be done from within ArgoSky) then enter your CalSky Number at the top and click Go! button. It supports the following CalSky objects:
- Binary Stars
- Galaxies
- Open Star Clusters
- Globular Star Clusters
- Nebulae
Being a beginner with about a year of observing history behind, I find use of Astro-Calendar at http://www.calsky.com quite useful but got quickly tired scrolling to a NGC or Messier catlaogue number so I wrote a utility that converts CalSky output into the Argo Navis User Object file.
Hi Alex,
Thanks for this contribution which I am sure many users will find very useful.
I Love my Argo
I have bought my second Argo Navis. I've installed it on a recently acquired NGT-18
After heaps of discussions with Gary installation was truly plug and play.
"ALIGN" using the sun (well blob in sky) and its off happily tracking in my shed.
Need some stars!
I Love my Argo
I have bought my second Argo Navis. I've installed it on a recently acquired NGT-18
After heaps of discussions with Gary installation was truly plug and play.
"ALIGN" using the sun (well blob in sky) and its off happily tracking in my shed.
Need some stars!
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for the post and it was great to chat with you yesterday.
Thanks for adding an Argo Navis (your second!) to your NGT-18.
Looks fabulous in the shed, so hope some clear skies come your way soon.
Gary,
Just wondering why the Argo doesn't have a 'Park' function so that scopes that don't
move don't have to be realigned every time the Argo is turned off and on. Surely it
can keep time well enough, and once a scope is parked and friction locks in place,
a 'Park' function could be invoked before turning the unit off. Then when turning
back on, an 'Unpark' could be performed before undoing the friction locks.
Thoughts?
Cheers,
Jason.
Who loves his AN, but would like to be able to park it!
Gary,
Just wondering why the Argo doesn't have a 'Park' function so that scopes that don't
move don't have to be realigned every time the Argo is turned off and on. Surely it
can keep time well enough, and once a scope is parked and friction locks in place,
a 'Park' function could be invoked before turning the unit off. Then when turning
back on, an 'Unpark' could be performed before undoing the friction locks.
Thoughts?
Cheers,
Jason.
Who loves his AN, but would like to be able to park it!
Hi Jason,
Thanks for the post which is appreciated.
We have had some requests for a park mode from some other users with
equatorial mounts in domes and so it is definitely already on the list of possible
future enhancements.
Just wanted to add my thoughts on the AN.
After being a bit worried about my handyman skills I found that the installation was a piece of cake and was done in no time at all.
Unfortunately, due to work and weather I've only had a couple of chances to actually use the AN, but when I did I found it very user friendly, I created a short list of objects to search for to use as a test run on my first night and had them all ticked off real quick, so for a relative novice like me, it's all very helpful (though I still took some time just looking for and identifying constellations with my own eyes, as that is a new found skill I really don't want to lose)
I also have to comment on the fantastic after sales service from Gary. On installation of my AN I had a small problem, I emailed Gary at about 9.30pm on (I think) a Thursday night. I received a reply from him within minutes(I already knew that he was away from this office at this time so I was not expecting a reply for a few days) My problem was quickly resolved and I was up and running quickly due to Gary's help.
A great product and just as important IMO, great customer service
Today is the 2 Year Anniversary of me buying my Argo Navis.
I was out last with the telescope night again last night and was just amazed again how well it pointed all night. I always do at least a small TPAS run of 6 to 8 stars and I am just extremely happy with the whole Argo Navis experience.
With a family and an ongoing struggle with health, the Argo Navis just allows me to see more in a shorter amount of time, which just suits me great.
Probably about time to change the small backup battery to a new one.
Thanks Gary and Argo Navis for what it arguably the best accessory you could ever buy for a telescope.
Today is the 2 Year Anniversary of me buying my Argo Navis.
I was out last with the telescope night again last night and was just amazed again how well it pointed all night. I always do at least a small TPAS run of 6 to 8 stars and I am just extremely happy with the whole Argo Navis experience.
With a family and an ongoing struggle with health, the Argo Navis just allows me to see more in a shorter amount of time, which just suits me great.
Probably about time to change the small backup battery to a new one.
Thanks Gary and Argo Navis for what it arguably the best accessory you could ever buy for a telescope.
Hi Paul,
Happy Anniversary!
Thanks for the post and firstly sorry to hear that your health continues to
be an ongoing issue. We wish you well.
However, great to hear that Argo Navis helps makes your precious observing time
all the more productive.
The job of the internal lithium coin is is to maintain the time of day clock in
the absence of any other power source. Setup parameters are held in non-volatile
RAM that does not use the lithium coin cell and can maintain its contents in the
absence of power for a century or more.
When the unit powers on, it checks whether the time of day clock has reset
which indicates a power failure, possibly due to the lithium coin cell becoming
depleted. It will then indicate this on the display for a couple of seconds.
Normally the coin cell is good for seven years or more, so no need to replace
it for some time yet!
Thanks again for the nice post which is really appreciated and we wish you and your
family all the best.
Last night's earthquake across the Tasman was a reminder that even the world
beneath our feet is shifting over time. The virtual world of the Internet seems
to be little different, with entire web sites shifting like the motion of tectonic plates.
Thanks for the heads-up which is really appreciated and we will bring out a
edition of the Manual with revised links in the coming weeks.
I bought my AN about 3 years ago and put it on my 12"LB. Being an old fuddy duddy (even older than Baby Boomers) and brought up as a child when even a slide rule was high tech, I have an innate "fear" of all things electronic - I cant even change channels on the tele
Anyway, the AN hasn't had much use.... until last Saturday, I decided this is ridiculous.... READ THE INSTRUCTIONS JIMMY. So I did, and there it all was - absolutely magic. The AN even pointed me to a blue planetry nebula, which I had never seen.
What I like best, is when after 30 mins, I have to go in and make the supper, and then emerge an hour later, all I have to do is turn the scope the number of clicks that AN says, and there sure enough is the last thing I was looking at - AN has remembered that the sky turns.
Great stuff, Gary. Hey, I am going to learn how to turn on the tele now!!
Congratulations on using your Argo Navis on a Messier Marathon
Argo Navis and Daylight Saving
