Which Goto?

[weixing]

Hi,

hmm.. maybe it is just me who think like that.

If you know how the two round gears on GEM work, why use GEM if you dont want to do polar align/drift align? Bottom line is no pain no gain for GEM user.

It'll be good that a GEM GOTO mount can do GOTO and tracking without polar alignment especially if you (1) forget to bring the compass ... but at least I can do visual observing with tracking , (2) for visual use only, so lazy to do polar alignment and (3) for planetary imaging which only require very short exposure .

To do that, the motors on this mount will not run smoothly, just like how alt-azi mount motor works.

The SkySensor 2000 use DC motors, unlike most GOTO which use stepper motor, so I think it can move more smoothly than most stepper motor GOTO and can have very fine moment control.

Have a nice day.

[VinSnr]

Hi,

But does it track accurately and does the DEC motor actually activated during tracking mode?

Those LXD75 or Celestron ASGT can do GOTO and find objects even if polar alignment is out, but the tracking will slowly go out since only the RA is moving. The DEC motor is only activated during GOTO

I think it should, because I remember I put Jupiter in my FoV at 200x and a few minutes later, the Jupiter is still at the same position in my 12.5mm ortho FoV.

Anyway, will confirm again and check the accuracy tonight if I'm free and sky is clear. This time I will use a reticle.

Have a nice day.

Thanks Bro....help me to check it out. If SS2K can GOTO and track accurately with polar alignment out, or without the need to polar align at all...I will rush out and buy one

[weixing]

Hi,
Didn't manage to do a complete and proper testing tonight... The sky was quite ok initially, but when I went to the car park, it start to rain for a while with clear sky overhead... strange??

After the rain stop, I quickly setup the scope and mount, so that the polar axis point west and select Vega for first star alignment. After the first star alignment, clouds start moving in and cover the whole sky and it seem that it may rain again. I packed up everything fast and went home. After I reach home and unpack everything, the sky as per normal become clear... sian...

If SS2K can GOTO and track accurately with polar alignment out, or without the need to polar align at all...I will rush out and buy one

From what I observed after the first star alignment tonight, I think you can start looking and prepare your $$ ... hee hee

Anyway, just hope that tomorrow weather will be good and I'm free to do a proper GOTO and tracking accuracy test on the SkySensor 2000.

Have a nice day.

[VinSnr]

Hi,
Didn't manage to do a complete and proper testing tonight... The sky was quite ok initially, but when I went to the car park, it start to rain for a while with clear sky overhead... strange??

After the rain stop, I quickly setup the scope and mount, so that the polar axis point west and select Vega for first star alignment. After the first star alignment, clouds start moving in and cover the whole sky and it seem that it may rain again. I packed up everything fast and went home. After I reach home and unpack everything, the sky as per normal become clear... sian...

If SS2K can GOTO and track accurately with polar alignment out, or without the need to polar align at all...I will rush out and buy one

From what I observed after the first star alignment tonight, I think you can start looking and prepare your $$ ... hee hee

Anyway, just hope that tomorrow weather will be good and I'm free to do a proper GOTO and tracking accuracy test on the SkySensor 2000.

Have a nice day.

Thanks....keep me updated.

Dun say so early yet hor....GOTO is one thing....whether the DEC will track or not is another. If the star can stay centred on the high power reticle for 5-10 minutes with polar alignment totally out, then quickly rush me the good news.. hehe

[weixing]

Hi,

Dun say so early yet hor....GOTO is one thing....whether the DEC will track or not is another. If the star can stay centred on the high power reticle for 5-10 minutes with polar alignment totally out, then quickly rush me the good news.. hehe

Give you a hint what I observe today after the 1st star alignment... when I select Vega and press GOTO, the move and stop after a while point at other side of the sky. I move the scope to point at Vega and looking through the GA-4, I was trying to keep Vega on the crosshair (I discover later, actually there is an easy way)... Vega keep moving away from the crosshair, but after I press ALIGN, Vega suddenly stopped and only drift at a very slow speed. I listen and basically only hear the sound of the DEC motor... remember that my polar axis was pointing at west... hee hee

Anyway, will only confirm after I do a proper full test on it.

Have a nice day.

[anat]

Dun say so early yet hor....GOTO is one thing....whether the DEC will track or not is another. If the star can stay centred on the high power reticle for 5-10 minutes with polar alignment totally out, then quickly rush me the good news.. hehe

SS2K is well-known for the ability to goto and track without polar alignment. Its tracking and functionality is just second to Temma and AP. Vincent, you will have to prepare money for it FYI, I have a friend wanting to sell his GPD and SS2K at a good price.

Anat

[VinSnr]

Dun say so early yet hor....GOTO is one thing....whether the DEC will track or not is another. If the star can stay centred on the high power reticle for 5-10 minutes with polar alignment totally out, then quickly rush me the good news.. hehe

SS2K is well-known for the ability to goto and track without polar alignment. Its tracking and functionality is just second to Temma and AP. Vincent, you will have to prepare money for it FYI, I have a friend wanting to sell his GPD and SS2K at a good price.

Anat

Really? then i must be missing something here....

It must be good news if the SS2K can really do that. But without prior polar alignment, I would expect a bit of field rotation but if it is kept within 5-10 minutes, I think it should be ok provided the tracking is good.

The LXD75 and Celestron ASGT can't track in DEC. So while it can do a good GOTO job, the object will slowly drift out of the eyepiece if the polar alignment is bad because the DEC motor doesn't track.

I have money prepared already. If it works, do let your friend know that I am interested. I hate to waste time doing polar alignment and drift when comes to EQ mount and if this SS2K works to an acceptable level without polar alignment, saving me time, I would be happy to consider it.

[wucheeyiun]

I used the vixen sphinx exactly like what weixing did, and i did not position scope dead polaris, with 3 stars alignment, i get jupiter all the time for 1/2 an hour...i think all vixen goto mount track both ra and dec...

[David Lian]

With all these discussion,I,m tempting to consider SS2K to get my GPDX into GOTO.(Sori getting lazy to search) :oops:
But new one is very EX. :oops:
Any 2nd hand around?????
DL

[ariefm71]

Abang, try the Yahoo Japan Auction. The catch is, used SS2Ks usually comes with 2.05 or earlier software version with MT2 motors, pretty hard to find the 2.10 version with MT4 motors.

Arief

PS: Bookmark this URL: http://list3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/20 ... locale=0jp