Why can't my Synscan GOTO find the Sun???

[dunc66]

When my Synscan controlled scope is parked and pointing to the SCP I can navigate the night sky OK. However when inputting the coordinates of the Sun (obtained from two ipone apps using my current location) during the day, the scope is pointing to the opposite side of the sky, perhaps 90 deg out.

The coordinate systems drive me nuts so if anyone can explain or help out I'd be grateful. When I manually point the scope at the Sun it tracks well for imaging but I feel there is something lacking in my understanding or setup of the GOTO and I am well frustrated. Coordinates are coordinates -right!!!
To start with, could someone confirm what the controller should report for the position of the SCP, ie when parked?
Thanks
Duncan
Australia

[Larryp (Laurie)]

I think, for safety reasons, they are programmed not to point at the sun

[Astro_Bot]

There is a solar tracking rate, but as far as pointing goes, you will have to drive it there manually using the hand controller.

[dunc66]

Thanks for the replies but as far as the controller is concerned I am just inputting navigation coordinates for a point in the sky. All it has to do is move from the park position to the coordinates I enter.

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Maybe the software is capable of working out that the scope would be pointing at the sun, and will not comply.
As Astro-Bot says, just manually drive it.

[mikerr (Michael)]

Laurie, to find out if it really does have an aversion to pointing directly at the Sun, can you send it to a position a few degrees away from the Sun?

Michael.

[Larryp (Laurie)]

I've never tried Michael, but I imagine the software knows exactly where the sun is, and is programmed never to point at it.
Imagine the lawsuit if someone did use Synscan co-ordinates to point at the sun and suffered retinal damage.
I am sure you would be able to use co-ordinates NEAR the sun, and then drive it the rest of the way with your hand controller.

[dunc66]

Thanks everyone.

I did in fact locate the Sun manually using the scope shadow and took some pictures with my DSLR and ED 80. The 20 or so images processed through Registax were no better than a single image so am looking to do better perhaps with a DMK21 next time.

The hand controller knows my location in the southern hemisphere but does it assume I am pointing it south when it is parked?

Trying a GOTO manoever with coordinates a little away for the Sun will be something I try next weekend. I need to study the coordinates systems first.

[Astro_Bot]

Originally Posted by dunc66

TThe hand controller knows my location in the southern hemisphere but does it assume I am pointing it south when it is parked?

If you start from the "home" position, it assumes it is pointing at the SCP, i.e. due south elevated to the angle of latitude. Frankly, I've never started it from any other position.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

The SynScan manual says it includes 8 planets but not the Sun. The nanny state strikes again.

Both my mounts make going to the Sun a multistep process so you don't do it accidentally.