Celestron StarSense AutoAlign for Sky-Watcher - Using it with a Celestron C8

Introduction | StarSense at C8 (August 14, 2021) | Preliminary Conclusions | Links

Archive

On this page, I collect further experiences with and some information about my Celestron StarSense AutoAlign for Sky-Watcher module*, which I will call "StarSense module" for short in the following.

*) Ordered on February 1, from Teleskop-Spezialisten, arrived on February 7, 2018, sold in mid-November 2022.

Here, I present further experiences with my StarSense module, when I used it with my Celestron C8 tube on a Sky-Watcher Star Discovery mount (August 2021).

Note: In mid-November 2022, I sold my Celestron StarSense AutoAlign for Sky-Watcher module. I therefore can no longer report any experiences with the StarSense module here. I also sold my Celestron C8 in the beginning of November 2022.

See also:

 

Introduction

For a long time I had not used my Celestron StarSense module, especially since I had sold my Sky-Watcher Explorer 150PDS, for which I had calibrated the module. Besides the lack of a calibrated tube, many reasons played a role in this, among others the competition from other devices, but also the ultimately low success I had, at least felt, with the StarSense module.

In August 2021, I received an inquiry whether I would like to sell my C8. I was undecided and decided to do some tests and comparisons, especially with the smaller Celestron C5. Of course, the Sky-Watcher GoTo mounts also played a role, the AZ-GTi for the C5 and the Star Discovery for the C8, with the GoTo behavior of which I had not had particularly good experiences in 2021. This gave me the idea to finally try the StarSense module once again and calibrate it for the C8 for this purpose. In the following, I simply describe the experiences that I made and also discuss, which consequences result from this when using astronomy cameras.

 

StarSense at C8 (August 14, 2021)

Equipment

C8 on Star Discovery mount with StarSense module and handbox, 26 mm eyepiece (2"; 78 x; 0.9°) and a few times 16 mm eyepiece (1.25"; 127 x; 0.65°), 2" zenith mirror; SkyWatcher PowerTank. Setup time about half an hour.

         

This was meant as a test to find out whether the C8 can be operated with the StarSense module. For this purpose, a new calibration was necessary, which I did successfully according to my instructions (Arcturus for calibration; from 10 p.m. on; SQM 19.8). Time/location settings: current time, Frankfurt.

Targets

I observed until midnight at maximum SQM 20.1; at the end SQM 20 again...

21 targets approached including Arcturus, of which 3 are repeats (so 18 targets...). At the end, a bit after midnight, SQM 20...

Conclusions

Only a few targets were exactly centered after approaching them via GoTo, but except for Arcturus and nearby M 3, all targets were within the field of view of 0.9°, although a few of them only after issuing a new GoTo command (and two more at Saturn...); possibly due to longer paths to the next target...

Tracking seems to have worked, but I only spent a few minutes on each target.

All in all, if everything works fine, I find using the StarSense module much more pleasant than a "usual" GoTo control!

Question: What Does this "Visual" Result Mean for the Use of Astronomy Cameras Together with the StarSense Module?

The following table shows the fields of view of my telescopes and astronomy cameras, as well as other popular cameras:

 
Field of View
 
Telescope Red. FL Apert. Atik Infinity ASI224 ASI178 ASI533 ASI294* Remarks
 
Pixel Size >
6.45 µm 3.75 µm 2.4 µm 3.76 µm 4.63µm  
 
Pixels >
1392 x 1040 1304 x 976 3096 x 2080 3008 x 3008 4144 x 2822  
PS 72/432 --- 432 72 1.19° x 0.89° 0.65° x 0.48° 0.98° x 0.66° 1.50° x 1.50° 2.54° x 1.73° The largest FOV
C5 --- 1250 127 0.41° x 0.31° 0.22° x 0.17° 0.34° x 0.23° 0.52° x 0.52° 0.88° x 0.60° FOV like C8 with reducer
C5 f/6.3 787.5 127 0.65° x 0.49° 0.36° x 0.27° 0.54° x 0.36° 0.82° x 0.82° 1.40° x 0.95° FOV a little smaller as with TLAPO1027
C8 --- 2032 203 0.25° x 0.19° 0.14° x 0.10° 0.21° x 0.14° 0.32° x 0.32° 0.54° x 0.37° The smallest FOV
C8 f/6.3 1280 203 0.40° x 0.30° 0.22° x 0.16° 0.33° x 0.22° 0.51° x 0.51° 0.86° x 0.58° FOV like C5
TLAPO1027 --- 714 102 0.72° x 0.54° 0.39° x 0.29° 0.60° x 0.40° 0.91° x 0.91° 1.54° x 1.05° FOV a little larger that for C5 with reducer
eVscope --- 450 114 --- 0.61° x 0.46° --- --- --- Same chip as ASI224

*) In my possession (October 2024)

The results presented above are based on an field of view of 0.9° (26 mm eyepiece, 2", 70° field of view); only a few objects were indeed "centered" after the GoTo access, many were located somewhere at the edges of the field of view. This would mean that most of the objects would be out of the field of view with my astronomy cameras - some more, some less. That would mean quite a lot of search, especially with the ASI224 (no longer in my possession) at the C8 without a reducer - and with a reducer, as well...

 

Preliminary Conclusions

It is still too early for any conclusions in this matter... Further observation sessions should confirm now that the StarSense module can be operated hassle-free and "without bellyache" by me at my Celestron C8 on a Sky-Watcher Star Discovery mount. If this works out, I would perhaps think again about a connection to SkySafari - or the use of an astronomy camera (with a sufficient field of view*)...
*) Since April 2022, I own the ZWO ASI294 with a large FOV, which however vignettes at the C8.

 

Links

 

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07.10.2024