I am using a NexStar Celestron telescope mount with Hamlib and gpredict to make a satellite tracking system. I’m using gpredict to track the coordinates, and then hamlib is sending the coordinates to the telescope mount. However, when my celestron telescope mount receives the
Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
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Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
I am using a NexStar Celestron telescope mount with Hamlib and gpredict to make a satellite tracking system. I’m using gpredict to track the coordinates, and then hamlib is sending the coordinates to the telescope mount. However, when my celestron telescope mount receives the
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Re: Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
Cheers,
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
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Re: Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
What did you do to get around your celestron hand controller interpreting az/alt asJayTee wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 11:49 pm I used to track satellites with a program called Satellite Tracker using my Celestron CPC Alt-Az mount. I am not familiar with the titles you are speaking of. I haven't seen anyone else on these forums implement that kind of conversion for the Celestron Alt-Az mount. I think you may be a trailblazer here.
Cheers,
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Re: Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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Re: Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
Thanks man! Yah it’s a little frustrating, I feel like I’m missing something. But my celestron mount hand controller refuses to just listen to ax/alt coordinates. It thinks what I’m sending it is
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Re: Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
First off, I have to point out that my CPC plugs into my laptop so I can control all operations of the mount from the laptop. So in that regard, I didn't have to do any interpreting. The Satellite Tracker software did all that work.mattthestrat02 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 5:31 am
What did you do to get around your Celestron hand controller interpreting az/alt as ra/dec coordinates?
Depending on your hand controller (
Satellite Tracker has a database of the current visible satellites. This database was updatable (or used to be). You'd input your location and it would tell you what satellites were above the horizon and then allowed you to select whichever one you wanted to view/image and then it would slew your mount and then track that satellite. It was very cool but actually got a bit boring after the novelty wore off.
You can still find this software on the net. Good luck.
Cheers,
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
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Re: Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
I’m doing exactly what you just described. My issue is once I send the az-alt coordinates to the mount, the hand controller tries to interpret them asJayTee wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:33 pmFirst off, I have to point out that my CPC plugs into my laptop so I can control all operations of the mount from the laptop. So in that regard, I didn't have to do any interpreting. The Satellite Tracker software did all that work.mattthestrat02 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 5:31 am
What did you do to get around your Celestron hand controller interpreting az/alt as ra/dec coordinates?
Depending on your hand controller (HC ) model, most have a port/socket at the base of theHC to accept a small (phone-type) plug which then goes to a converter that allows you to have a USB plug that will then give you computer access to your mount.
Satellite Tracker has a database of the current visible satellites. This database was updatable (or used to be). You'd input your location and it would tell you what satellites were above the horizon and then allowed you to select whichever one you wanted to view/image and then it would slew your mount and then track that satellite. It was very cool but actually got a bit boring after the novelty wore off.
You can still find this software on the net. Good luck.
Cheers,
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Re: Alt-Az mode without converting to RA-DEC with NexStar?
Have you contacted Celestron support to see if they have any ideas, or maybe point you to a third-party company that may have a software title that does the job?mattthestrat02 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:46 pm I’m doing exactly what you just described. My issue is once I send the az-alt coordinates to the mount, the hand controller tries to interpret them as RA-DEC coordinates, which I don’t want it to do. I just don’t know how to tell it to stop doing that. So the only workaround I can think of is to make a program that converts the coordinates in RA-DEC before it is sent to the mount.
Cheers,
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
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