Autostar "Easy Alignment"...

RoBart · Guest

I took my scope out for the first time a couple of nights ago and I can't wait to get out and try again, but I quickly ditched using the autostar feature and just pointed the scope at random objects in the sky. I couldn't get autostar to work the way I wanted. I think it had to do with the alignment phase. Any thoughts on what I may be doing wrong and how to fix it?

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5018

Hi

That's not really enough to diagnose the problem, but if you did your intial alignment (entering zip code, time, etc) and used three bright stars to fine tune (use stars widely separated and, preferrably, not directly overhead), then you should be readu to go. If you have doubts, recheck your manual.
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RoBart · Guest

Well...it tells me that it is going to go to a specific star, but I wouldn't know that particular star from any other. Not to mention, that I thought I was supposed to start out with the least amount of magnification possible, so...there is more than one star in my field of view.

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5018

Hi

Yes, you should use the lowest power eyepiece. The star you will want for alignment will normally be the brightest star in the field of view or close-by if the scope is off just a bit.
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RoBart · Guest

All I know is that I got a computerized scope in hopes that it would make things easier and now all I am is frustrated. Maybe I just don't fully understand the directions or something.

I start out by placing my compass in the spot where my eyepieces go and point the scope north and make sure that it is balanced out. Next I place the lowest magnification eyepiece I own in its place and start the alignment process. The computer will say its finding a certain star and go to where it thinks the star should be. I look through the eyepiece and see 30 stars...two or three of which seem bigger/brighter than the others. How do I know which one to focus in on? I am supposed to move the scope manually and get the star centered? After this...the computer sends the scope to the next star...I center whichever one I feel is the brightest in my field of view and press enter. The computer tells me the scope is aligned.

From there...I'm not sure exactly what happens. I select "mars" from a menu and the scope goes to where mars is supposed to be in the sky...and I see what looks like pixie dust through my eyepiece. So I focus in on the brightest of the objects and center it. I then try flipping my barlow and attempt to refocus...to no avail. All I see is blackness. So...I flip the barlow back to the original position and focus back to seeing the tiny little flakes of stars. So, to get closer...I switch to my higher powered eyepiece along with my Meade 3x barlow (just to try out). I get what I think is mars in focus, but I still can't see any detail. It just more or less looks like all the other "stars" I see...except it might be slightly larger/brighter.

This is all very frustrating to me. I've described my efforts to the best of my ability and hopefully you can find the err in my ways and explain what I need to do differently. Maybe my expectations were too high?

RoBart · Guest

Just a note...both my built in barlow and my add-on Meade barlow turn completely black when I flip their knobs.

Any and all advice would be terrific...thanks in advance.

Jne_K · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Posts: 5018

Hi

I understand your frustration. Here's what I would recommend.

Learn a handful of the brightest stars in the sky for each season. This is not hard and, in fact, is quite fun and, indeed, every astronomer should know at least this much. Then you will know when your scope has identified a star correctly. Failing that, visit a local astronomy club, telescope in hand if possible. I have belonged to many astronomy clubs over the years and have yet to find one that is not willing and eager to help a beginner. Belonging to a club is the quickest way to get over the intial learning curve and start having fun. There is only so much a computer can do.

Forget using a barlow until you have more experience. As magnification goes up in a telescope, the harder it becomes to use. You either have failed to center an object in the eyepiece before using the barlow (field of view decreases as magnification increases) or you have used too much magnification to see the object (image brightness also decreases as magnification increases).
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