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StarSense - MARVELOUS for older viewer.

 

I am 82 and have problems bending and twisting my neck around to even get 3 stars for lining up my Frankenstein NexStar 8 SE Hybrid. Getting 3 stars well separated meant that at least one or two needed Cirque de Soleil type circus moves for me.
Then, I just bought a used StarSense System, with camera, mount and new Handpad. I was able to assemble it and try it out on National Astronomy Day (May 18th). This was less than $300 US.
WOW - What a bonus. After alignment and calibration in my back yard, it works superbly.
No more do I have to struggle to get my preliminary alignment done, and can even dispense with my hard to use red dot finders (I've tried a few - poor!).
This StarSense Alignment system may not be for everyone, but movement restricted viewers will benefit, as will old fogeys, like me.
Ontario Yearly Starfest registration opens today for August 8-12th - I plan to go again.
Mike .....>
 

Mike, glad to hear all is well with your setup ??

Fernando
 

Good day Mike

Yes, I also use a StarSense for initial alignment of my 11" EdgeHD.? It is a joy to use. ?

I have a few obstructions in my backyard, so I had Custom Points defined in CPWI and once I click "Load Custom Points", the Alignment process starts immediately, going to 5 visible spots in the sky.

Have a look on page 12 of the CPWI manual for the details.


Regards
Johan
 

A belated thanks for your post, Mike. I just bought a StarSense after reading what you said. Not used it properly yet (due to weather) but it looks like just what my neck and back need. Have carried out initial calibration successfully however and it looks good. My garden has a fair bit of view restriction (houses, trees) but it seemed happy to Auto-Sense. Does anyone know how I enter my latitude and longitude please? I cannot find it at all in the Settings. I have a choice of cities and have entered London (fifty miles away). All previous Celestron handsets I have had allowed me to enter co-ordinates.
?
The handset does seem pretty cold-sensitive and needs a warmer to function.
?
Dr Nick Hudd. Tenterden, Kent. UK
 

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What model do you have??



Everyday is a winner, enjoy yours!



-------- Original message --------
From: "Nick Hudd via groups.io" <nphudd@...>
Date: 2/2/25 6:31 AM (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [C14EdgeHD] StarSense - MARVELOUS for older viewer.

A belated thanks for your post, Mike. I just bought a StarSense after reading what you said. Not used it properly yet (due to weather) but it looks like just what my neck and back need. Have carried out initial calibration successfully however and it looks good. My garden has a fair bit of view restriction (houses, trees) but it seemed happy to Auto-Sense. Does anyone know how I enter my latitude and longitude please? I cannot find it at all in the Settings. I have a choice of cities and have entered London (fifty miles away). All previous Celestron handsets I have had allowed me to enter co-ordinates.
?
The handset does seem pretty cold-sensitive and needs a warmer to function.
?
Dr Nick Hudd. Tenterden, Kent. UK
 

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I have the same issues and your system sounds great,? but I just I would share mine.

I have tele vue red dot that has a flip mirror.? Much wider FOV. Not perfect but better.

I start? ?CPWI and then use Sharpcap to Polar align. Then CPWI allows a quick align which puts the OTA in true north.

When I GOTO, I then use plate solve for final center, 1st with finder and then main scope.?

I have a 9.25 celestron.

Best,
Don

Don

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Jason Cousins via groups.io <midvill@...>
Sent: Sunday, February 2, 2025 6:02:51 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Cc: Jason Cousins <midvill@...>
Subject: Re: [C14EdgeHD] StarSense - MARVELOUS for older viewer.
?
What model do you have??



Everyday is a winner, enjoy yours!



-------- Original message --------
From: "Nick Hudd via groups.io" <nphudd@...>
Date: 2/2/25 6:31 AM (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [C14EdgeHD] StarSense - MARVELOUS for older viewer.

A belated thanks for your post, Mike. I just bought a StarSense after reading what you said. Not used it properly yet (due to weather) but it looks like just what my neck and back need. Have carried out initial calibration successfully however and it looks good. My garden has a fair bit of view restriction (houses, trees) but it seemed happy to Auto-Sense. Does anyone know how I enter my latitude and longitude please? I cannot find it at all in the Settings. I have a choice of cities and have entered London (fifty miles away). All previous Celestron handsets I have had allowed me to enter co-ordinates.
?
The handset does seem pretty cold-sensitive and needs a warmer to function.
?
Dr Nick Hudd. Tenterden, Kent. UK
 

The scope? An 8SE, Jason
?
Nick Hudd
 

Glad to see activity on this group. For a while I thought it was dead. Hadn't seen any posts lately.?

Fernando
 

Good day Nick

You bought this, right?



If so, the manual describes the process of changing your location on page 24.




Once I have everything connected and switched on, I would use the hand controller and select Menu | Time and Location to set the correct time and my coordinates.

The section "StarSense User Auto Align" on page 13 describes the steps to let you choose where the telescope must point automatically to do the alignment if you have many obstructions.

"StarSense User Auto Align allows you to customize where StarSense points the telescope during alignment . This is useful if there are large portions of the sky that are obstructed or inaccessible."





On Sun, Feb 2, 2025 at 1:31?PM Nick Hudd via <nphudd=[email protected]> wrote:
A belated thanks for your post, Mike. I just bought a StarSense after reading what you said. Not used it properly yet (due to weather) but it looks like just what my neck and back need. Have carried out initial calibration successfully however and it looks good. My garden has a fair bit of view restriction (houses, trees) but it seemed happy to Auto-Sense. Does anyone know how I enter my latitude and longitude please? I cannot find it at all in the Settings. I have a choice of cities and have entered London (fifty miles away). All previous Celestron handsets I have had allowed me to enter co-ordinates.
?
The handset does seem pretty cold-sensitive and needs a warmer to function.
?
Dr Nick Hudd. Tenterden, Kent. UK
 

Thanks for your reply, Johan
?
I have now managed to input latitude and longitude. Not yet fully set up as weather has been adverse, plus other factors. Each time I try to get going properly I learn more.
?
The biggest logistic problem is that the new handset is very sluggish - I think it does not like Kentish Winters. With the 8SE on batteries, there is no display. With a lithium 12v input, the display appears after several minutes. Presumably the 12v warms things up. I do have a warmer (dew controller) but there are enough leads trailing about already as the front element of the OTA needs a bit of warmth. Also the position of the camera is not ideal, as the OTA alone is easiest carried opposite to the fitting arm. I am nearly 80 but fit. I bought an 8SE after checking that I could handle it. The camera position is? vulnerable with me carrying.?
?
Anyhow, tonight was forecast clear skies. They weren't. Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Venus all variably visible but only occasional glimpses of Capella and Rigel. Castor and Pollux winked at me. Experience has taught me that a camera sees objects that I cannot but the StarSense could not see enough stars to function. It was clearly seeing some. I learnt a lot more tonight however so will ask the weather forecasters for something better.
?
Many thanks for your input
?
Nick Hudd
 

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I try to keep the hand controller inside as much as possible and when being used I take two hand warmer packs and attach to the back of the hand controller.? Works great.



On Behalf of Jay Cousins
Sent from my Verizon Note Ultra 20

516-329-3438



-------- Original message --------
From: "Nick Hudd via groups.io" <nphudd@...>
Date: 2/5/25 3:27 PM (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [C14EdgeHD] StarSense - MARVELOUS for older viewer.

Thanks for your reply, Johan
?
I have now managed to input latitude and longitude. Not yet fully set up as weather has been adverse, plus other factors. Each time I try to get going properly I learn more.
?
The biggest logistic problem is that the new handset is very sluggish - I think it does not like Kentish Winters. With the 8SE on batteries, there is no display. With a lithium 12v input, the display appears after several minutes. Presumably the 12v warms things up. I do have a warmer (dew controller) but there are enough leads trailing about already as the front element of the OTA needs a bit of warmth. Also the position of the camera is not ideal, as the OTA alone is easiest carried opposite to the fitting arm. I am nearly 80 but fit. I bought an 8SE after checking that I could handle it. The camera position is? vulnerable with me carrying.?
?
Anyhow, tonight was forecast clear skies. They weren't. Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Venus all variably visible but only occasional glimpses of Capella and Rigel. Castor and Pollux winked at me. Experience has taught me that a camera sees objects that I cannot but the StarSense could not see enough stars to function. It was clearly seeing some. I learnt a lot more tonight however so will ask the weather forecasters for something better.
?
Many thanks for your input
?
Nick Hudd
 

That is what I would do Jason but the layout of the 8SE does not easily allow it. Removing and re-attaching the handset is not easy on this scope, and can take a while. And storing tripod, base and OTA separately causes other issues.
?
Nick

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