Category: Accessories

First use of Hyperstar 6 on Celestron 6” with DS10c

2/17/2024

I recently received my Starizona Hyperstar 6v4 for my Celestron 6. My idea is to use my C6 on an Evolution mount for portable outreach at f/2 using my DS10c. I first had to install the Starizona secondary mirror plate with knob onto my C6 secondary mirror to enable it to be easily removed when using the Hyperstar 6. If your Celestron 6” secondary mirror does not have a plate with a knob, click on the link at the end of this post for further instructions.

To set up the Hyperstar, position your telescope tilted slightly upward. Then carefully unscrew the secondary mirror retaining ring.

Unscrew the can from the end of the Hyperstar and place it nearby. Grasp the knob to pull the secondary out and then place it in the can you removed from the Hyperstar. Then screw the retaining ring onto the can so the secondary mirror can be safely stored while the Hyperstar is in use.

Now carefully insert the Hyperstar where the secondary mirror was removed and screw it in place. Do NOT overtighten - just screw it on until it is slightly snug.

Now screw the camera onto the end of the Hyperstar. Again, screw on until snug, but do not over tighten.

Now attach the USB cable, and if using TEC cooling, attach the power cable.

First Light with Hyperstar C6

I had my initial HyperStar C6 + DS10c viewing session using the Evolution mount on Monday 2/5/2024. It was a clear night in my backyard and about 45 degrees, but with humidity here in the South of 85%.

After setting up the C6 on the Evolution mount and adding the Hyperstar 6v4 and DS10c, I performed a StarSense AutoAlign and then slewed to a bright star. Using a Bahtinov focus mask, I focused as best I could, knowing I would have to collimate the Hyperstar since this was its first time use. Having used a Hyperstar on my C8 I was familiar with the process of using the Hyperstar adjusting screws. After a period of time I had a good enough collimation to begin.

Even though it was clear, I did have to contend with humidity and my Bortle 6 surrounding Skyglow. Due to the conditions, I first checked out star clusters to get a feel of the field of view and exposure time. The DS10c was set at bin 1 for this session. Since this was my first time with this setup, I just have a few examples. With the Hyperstar on the C6, note that star cluster exposure time is under 1 second at bin 1.

Here are my “first light” image captures using the Hyperstar C6 with a DS10c Video Astronomy camera.

m45 Pleiades
Settings: 0.5 second exposure, 160 gain, 50-255 histogram, 15 stacked images

m36 Pinwheel cluster
Settings: 0.75 second exposure, 130 gain, 45-255 histogram, 20 stacked images

m37 Salt-and-pepper cluster
Settings: 0.75 second exposure, 135 gain, 45-255 histogram, 10 stacked images

Second Night

I had my second night with the Hyperstar C6 + DS10c viewing session on Tuesday 2/6/2024. It was also a clear night in my backyard and about 50 degrees, with humidity of 55%. The SkyGlow and humidity gave me some grief again trying to view nebula. So, I decided to give the filter drawer a try and inserted a 2” SkyGlow filter hoping it would help, which it did. The first thing I realized though was the added glass of the filter in the optical train changed my focus. So, I slewed to a bright star, used the Bahtinov focus mask and brought it back into focus. Using a filter also increased the exposure time some, but at f/2 it was still fast and definitely helped with my Bortle 6 skyglow.

I was pleasantly surprised that the exposure time was still within the crowd-pleasing range for outreach. Looking at the list below, you can see that my exposure time was still under 2 seconds even with this filter in place with the DS10c at bin 1. I did begin to notice some vignetting with the Hyperstar on the C6, but to me it was OK for outreach where speed of seeing a nice image is needed. What really made this effective was the use of ROI which produced a significant difference in stacking speed since only the pixels of the region of interest were being transferred from the camera to the computer and stacked. Also the image cropping when using ROI reduced the visible vignetting.

The Andromeda Galaxy image using ROI 2200x1700 enabled MallincamSky to stack 50 1.6-second images in 1.5 minutes. Even though the Crab Nebula was small, you do begin to see some detail in its ROI image. The Orion Nebula was also small in the full field of view image, but note that it was produced by a 0.6 second exposure with no stacking! I included two 1600x1000 ROI images of the Orion Nebula, each stacking 30 1-second images at a lower gain. I used LHDR in the last one to enable the core stars to be visible. Notice that I started it with same the exposure as the other one and then dropped the exposure briefly at the end using LHDR to populate the center core.

The SkyGlow filter was in place for all the following images.

m31 Andromeda Galaxy
Settings: 0.75 sec then 1.2sec LHDR, 160 gain, 95-255 histogram, 20 stacked images

m31 Andromeda Galaxy
Settings: 1.6 sec, 160 gain, 130-255 histogram, 50 stacked images, ROI 2200x1700, total time 1.5 min

m1 Crab Nebula
Settings: 2 sec, 160 gain, 80-255 histogram, 55 stacked images, ROI 1200x800

m42 Orion Nebula
Settings: 0.6 second, 160 gain, 20-255 histogram No stacking

m42 Orion Nebula
Settings: 1 sec, 110 gain, 60-255 histogram, 30 stacked images ROI 1600x1000

m42 Orion Nebula
Settings: 1 sec then briefly 0.2s LHDR, 110 gain, 60-255 histogram, 30 stacked images, ROI 1600x1000

I am pleased how the C6 with Hyperstar and DS10c work well together, and I believe it will be a good portable combination.

Note: If your Celestron 6” secondary mirror does not have a plate with a knob, for further instructions click: installing-secondary-mirror-mounting-plate-wknob-on-celestron-6.html

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Installing Secondary Mirror mounting plate w/knob on Celestron 6”

2/4/2024

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It is stated that all Celestron 6” telescopes are compatible with the Hyperstar 6. However, some C6 (like mine) need a new plate installed on the back of the secondary mirror to make it easy to remove and store it into the supplied Hyperstar container. So, I had Starizona include their secondary mirror mounting plate w/knob and appropriate screws in my order. Once installed, it makes it easy to remove the secondary mirror and insert the Hyperstar in its place.

I learned most 6" Celestron telescopes are factory compatible with the Hyperstar and come with a knob you can grasp to pull the secondary out after you remove the retaining ring. Then it fits nicely into the little can that you remove from the Hyperstar before inserting the Hyperstar in place of the secondary mirror. Then the retaining ring screws onto the can so the secondary mirror can be safely stored while the Hyperstar is in use.

However, I purchased my Celestron 6" separately from other equipment and it had no knob for me to grip to slide out the secondary after removing the retaining ring. If you look closely at the following image, you will see that there is a serial number stuck on my secondary mirror back plate where most C6’s have a knob.

Without a knob, the only way to get the secondary out is to use a knife to pry along different parts of the lip of the secondary after you remove the retaining ring. Once you have it out it would be risky handling it and trying to put it in the container. So Starizona provides a replacement mounting plate w/knob that solves this issue.

Now, here is a word of caution. Do NOT try to replace the plate when the secondary mirror is still in place on the C6! You must remove it from the C6 to perform the simple modification procedure.

To begin, keep the telescope tilted slightly up, carefully unscrew and remove the retaining ring. The following picture shows that the lip of my secondary mirror plate sits flush and it would be very hard to remove just using your fingers.

Using a sharp knife, ease the secondary mirror out and place it mirror down on something very soft (e.g. stack a few plain Kleenex on a table - ones without lotion).

Note the location of the side index screw. Then carefully remove the top 3 screws and remove the plate from the mirror. Use the new screws provided to attach the new plate with the knob, with its side index screw in the same orientation as shown below.

This process is pretty easy if you just take your time, and you never have to do it again! You will have to re-collimate the secondary the first time you use the telescope with the secondary mirror back in place.

Starizona also recommended when installing the new plate to adjust the new screws so the plate is approximate parallel to the secondary mirror to make it easier to collimate later. When you first attach it, just lightly screw the new plate in place. Then look at it from the side and adjust the screws until it is approximately parallel (loosen other screws before screwing one in further). Having it about parallel to begin with means it doesn’t take much adjusting once installed on the telescope to collimate it.

In the following picture, the secondary mirror is now back in place and shows it now has the new plate w/knob, just like most standard factory C6 telescopes.

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Step 1 - Install a Pier

5/9/2022

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I have been planning a SkyShed Observatory for my backyard and have completed my first step! On April 29-30 I installed a 14” x 4’ concrete pier footing that is buried 3.5’ into the ground leaving 6” above ground with 4 embedded bolts on top. The following weekend I put my 8 5/8” metal pier (purchased from SkyShed) onto the embedded blots, leveled it and bolted it down. I also bolted my AVX mount on top and added my 8” Celestron with my DS10c and Universe focal reducer and gave it a successful test drive.

I followed SkyShed’s excellent pictorial documents to install the concrete footing and set up the SkyShed Metal pier. Here is how I set up a pier in my backyard in 10 “easy” steps:

1. I bought a 14” diameter Sonotube and cut a 4’ long piece for the concrete pier. I also cut a 6” long piece to place on the ground to simulate and visualize what the above ground portion would look like.

2. I cut a 12”x12”x1” piece of wood to make a template to make it easy to insert the 4 J-bolts onto the top of the concrete pier as described in their instructions. Right after the Sonotube is filled with concrete, this is placed down into and rests on top of the Sonotube and is left undisturbed for 3 days.

3. I started digging the hole for the Sonotube on a Friday afternoon and created one 2’ deep. Saturday morning I was joined by 2 friends with a post hole digger and we dug until the hole was 3.5’ deep. We put the 4’ long Sonotube down in the hole, used a long level across the top of the Sonotube to level it and backfilled around it with some of the available dirt, checking it periodically to make certain the top remained level.

4. Using a wheelbarrow, hoe, shovel, eleven 50 pound bags of Quikrete plus water, the Sonotube was filled with concrete up to 1” from the top of the Sonotube.

5. I then carefully placed the wood template with 4 J-bolts down into the concrete and rested it on the top of the Sonotube. I then put a tarp over it and used bricks to keep it in place in case it rained during the curing time (it did rain). You should wait at least 3 days. I waited until the next weekend.

6. The following Friday I took the top nuts off the bolts and removed the wood template. I also removed the portion of cardboard Sonotube that was above ground.

7. The next morning I took the metal cap off the metal pier to make it easier to handle as recommended by the instructions. One of my friends joined me to help lift the metal pier onto the bolts and rest it on the washers. With a level across the top, I adjusted the lower nuts until the metal pier was level and then put the top nuts on and tightened them down.

8. I had bought two 50 pound bags of play sand from Lowes, which I used to fill the 3 foot long metal pier. (Note: first place a piece of duct tape over the small hole in the bottom to keep sand from leaking out).

9. I then put the cap on and leveled its top as described in the instructions. I had purchased an AVX “doughnut” adapter with my SkyShed metal pier. I bolted this onto the top of the pier cap.

10. I was then able to place my AVX mount onto the adapter and to bolt it into place using a 1.5” bolt up through the center hole of the adapter.

My pier and mount was now in place ready for whenever I want to use it!

I wanted to use it, so my first test was that evening, which actually went well. I attached my telescope, camera, StarSense, cables, etc and used my laptop on a table next to the telescope.

Due to lots of prior planning, I could just see Polaris over the top of my backyard garage in order to perform a rough polar align looking through the AVX polar scope.

This was followed by an Auto Align using the StarSense. I selected Arcturus, it whirred and stopped, and there it was on my laptop screen (out of focus of course). After focusing I just selected the brightest object in the sky that night, a half full Moon, and enjoyed checking it out.

I decided to quit while I was ahead and removed all the equipment, leaving the AVX mount in place. I have a very good telescope cover I can keep over the pier and mount when not in use.

Then I declared victory, finished packing up and went inside.

Now for the rest of the story

I had steps 1 & 2 ready in January, then I waited for a good weekend to dig and pour my concrete pier. And waited. And waited. And waited…until it was warm, no rain, and had some friends that could assist. So, I had a lot of time before hand to spend with my 6” high simulated above ground sonotube and 10’ poles to simulate a 10’x10’ SkyShed in various places and make sure I could see Polaris.

By April I knew exactly where it would be located and marked the spot with a stake. Some landscaping changes will obviously be required. I also used 4 other stakes and string so that literally “X marks the spot”.

This enabled me to temporarily lift one end of each string and set it aside to dig and then put it back in place to check the center as the hole got deeper and bigger. And then I ran into my first snag. I had a sprinkler system installed in our yard when we built our house 30 years ago, and “sorta” remembered where the pipes may run. I dug slowly at first with a shovel to avoid a close encounter of the wrong kind. Of course, Murphey was right there with me when I began, and my “perfect” location was right next to 2 of my sprinkler pipes. Fortunately, I was able to move my “perfect” spot over 9” and slightly adjust my hole center to avoid them.

As previously mentioned, I was joined by others (2.5 friends to be exact - Richard, Daniel and Evan). They brought a much needed post hole digger, and we dug until the hole was 3.5’ deep.

We lowered our autonomous, self-powered stomper into the hole and let it operate on its own to pack down the bottom of the hole.

We put the Sonotube in the hole and completed the concrete pier as described. After I placed the template with the bolts into and on top of the sonotube, I used a level to recheck one last time and was pleased to see our periodic checking while backfilling paid off. It was level! (Note: it does not have to be perfect, there are plenty of adjustments with the metal pier to fine tune the leveling process).

I ran into my next snag the following weekend after I removed the top nuts off the bolts. When I tried to lift the wood template off of the bolts, it wouldn’t budge. I think the wood warped a little from the moisture in the concrete. I had to cut V slots around two of the bolts to free up the wood to remove it.

I used a box cutter to cut a slice down through the cardboard sonatube that was above ground. I was then able to peel the portion of the sonotube off that was above ground. I put the nuts and washers back onto the bolts and used a level on top of two washers at a time to adjust the nuts until they were all level.

The next morning, with a little help from friends again (Daniel and Michelle), we successfully lifted the metal pier (without the cap) onto the bolts of the concrete pier.

With a level across the top of the metal pier, I adjusted the lower nuts until the metal pier was level and then put the top nuts on and tightened them down.

There is a hole in the bottom of the metal pier that needs to be taped over so the sand that is poured into it does not leak out. The metal pier is 3’ high & my arm is not that long. How do you do that? See below…

No, that is not a worm hole into another galaxy.

I put black duct tape onto the end of my long level with the ends turned slightly up to stick to the end of the level. I then lowered the level into the metal pier, carefully held it above the hole in the bottom, then lowered it and pressed down. I gently lifted the level upward and the tape stayed in place stuck to the bottom of the metal pier over the hole as seen in the above picture. I repeated with a second piece of tape just to make sure the hole was covered.

I then filled the metal pier with sand and put the metal cap on top of the pier with the AVX “doughnut” adapter bolted on as previously described.

Then came my next hmmmm. The instructions say to remove the North peg from your AVX tripod and screw it into the doughnut adapter, but the hole threads did not match. I went to the hardware store and bought a 1” bolt with the correct thread and a round head to use instead. This turned out to work well, and I placed the North peg back into my AVX tripod for use when I want to take the mount and tripod with me on a trip.

Now I was ready to bolt the mount onto the adapter. When I tried to put the AVX mount onto the adapter I ran into my next uh-oh. When resting the AVX mount onto the doughnut adapter in my garage earlier, I did not have the altitude adjustment knob screwed into the mount. Now I found my long AVX altitude bolt handle hit the metal pier when I tried to bolt it in place. So, I cut half of the plastic handle off and was able to bolt the mount down and still grip the remaining portion of the plastic end of the altitude bolt enough to make adjustments when needed. It just clears the top plate of the metal pier and works fine.

I adjusted the bolts of the cap to provide a 2.5” distance between them as recommended in the instructions. These bolts can also be used to fine tune leveling of the top plate.

I was finally ready to put my equipment in place and wait for the evening for the test drive.

When it was close to dark, I looked through the polar scope of the AVX mount and was pleased to see my friend Polaris clearly in view as I had tested many times earlier in the year! It was enough above the top of the garage to accommodate the circle of possible positions of Polaris. (Note: view is reversed - up is down & left is right). I use an app on my phone to determine the current position of Polaris on the circle around the North Celestial Pole (I don’t use the Polaris and constellation markings of the Polar scope). I used the mount adjustment knobs until Polaris was at the proper position on the circle as indicated by the app.

I will do a more precise polar align later using my StarSense All-Star polar align (or other techniques). I should not have to look at Polaris again through the Polar scope until I remove the mount for use on a trip or change mounts.

My location planning paid off and I even avoided a pesky tree limb as well (I may have to cut if off some day).

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65’ USB3 Active Extension Cable for RVA

5/15/2020

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A couple of years ago when I got my first USB3 video astronomy camera, the longest USB3 Active Extension Cable that worked well for me for video astronomy was 32’ long. Active extension cables require their own 5v power source usually at the far end of the cable in order to properly power the video camera and maintain a good signal back to your comptuer. This was long enough to use for Remote Video Astronomy at my home from my backyard to my laptop in our sunroom.

However, 32’ was not long enough to reach to our family room where I sometimes show live deep sky objects from my telescope outside on our large TV screen. When I needed more length, I put two 32’ cables together, but the second cable also required power. So a second power source mid-way was needed. I hoped there would be longer active USB3 cables available over time.

Recently I purchased a MutecPower 65 Foot Active USB Extension Cable 3.0 from Amazon for $70 which included an AC Power Supply.

The 5v power attaches at the end of the cable. The cable has 3 Extension chipsets for signal boosters (one at the end and two equally spaced along the cable).

In the past, I have sometimes used a portable battery containing usb power ports to provide 5v to power my active USB cables. I found I could use it with this 65’ cable as well if no AC power was available at the telescope. Each of the signal boosters have a blue led that turns on when power is applied.

So far I have been pleased with the quality of this 65 foot cable which provides plenty of power for my MallinCam DS10c video astronomy camera. The 3 signal boosters maintain the USB3 signal well back to my computer.

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DIY - Use a 3D Printer!

6/12/2019

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When working with telescopes, mounts, cameras, laptops and supporting equipment for Video Astronomy, you may find you get into a "Do It Yourself" mode when configuring and optimizing your setups. We now have a new technology available to assist us with our DIY projects – 3D printing! A friend of mine got into 3D printing a couple of years ago and has often encouraged me to consider it for astronomy use. At first I was not sure how I could use it, but as prices continued to drop and the technology easier to work with, I decided to get a Monoprice 133012 Select Mini Pro 3D printer with Auto Leveling Heated bed from Amazon for $199.99 and a 1kg Spool of 1.75mm Hatchbox Black PLA 3D Printer Filament for $22.99. That was all I needed to get started.

It was easy to set up and print the sample “Cat” 3D object that came on the supplied SD card without even connecting it to a computer

The SD card also had tools for converting 3D objects to a 3D gcode print file through a method that “slices” the 3D object into thin data layers that can be ‘Printed” from the base up to produce your 3D object. I then found out that there is an even easier tool available in Windows 10 called 3D Builder you can use to build 3D objects and print them without worrying about gcode files, etc. You attach your 3D printer to your computer by a USB cable and it is just configured as another printer on your Windows system. There is a vast library of objects you can download from a site called Thingiverse.com and modify them as needed. If you download an object and open it with 3D Builder, you can simply select 3D Print, select the type of filament you have (e.g. PLA), make sure your 3D printer is selected and click on print. After a “period of time” you have your 3D object sitting on your print bed. The period of time is based on the size and complexity of the 3D object, and since it prints by building up a layer at time, your 3D object can take a couple of hours or so to print. The cat took about 3 hours to print.

You learn to start it printing, and then check back on it every once is awhile to make sure it is still printing OK. I also realized that this filament spool will last me awhile, which is good, because your printing will sometimes fail. Maybe your object doesn’t stick to the bed well enough because the plate temp is not high enough (or is too high) and your object moves part way through the print (turning on Raft Supports helps with this). Or maybe your nozzle temp is too low and the filament jams. Check the doc that comes with the filament you buy and make sure your nozzle (Extrusion temperature) and plate (Build Platform temperature) settings are in the recommended range (check Advanced/Temperature settings when getting ready to print). There are a lot of YouTube videos for hints on getting started with 3D printing.

So, I got a 3D printer, printed the Cat, found Thingiverse.com and searched on Astronomy. There are lots of mounting brackets available, which gave me an idea for something that would be very useful to me immediately. I did a search on Celestron and found a NexStar Hand Control Holder. Next week we leave for the GCSP where I will have my laptop and monitor on a table near my telescope. My “Remote Video Astronomy” location is only a few feet from the telescope, but the regular Hand Control Holder clips onto a leg of the telescope. It would be a lot more convenient if the hand control was right next to me for easy slewing to targets and making adjustments. I could use SkyFi with SkySafari on my phone to control the mount, but small adjustments are just easier to make with the hand controller. I have a coiled extension cable I can use with my hand controller. What if I could have a Holder for it that clipped onto something right next to me? Maybe onto my small 2 Step Ladder? Its legs are slanted like the tripod so the viewing angle would be perfect, but its legs are only 1” in diameter instead of the bigger size of the bulky tripod legs.

So I downloaded the NexStar Hand Control Holder from Thingiverse.com and clicked on it and it appeared in Windows 3D Builder.

Then I split the clip from the holder portion of the 3D object.

I reduced the size of the clip until its inside diameter was 1mm less than 1” so it would be a snug fit when clipped onto the step stool leg, and I stretched it upward to make it taller to hold well when clipped on.

I then “stuck” it back onto the holder part by moving it back to the holder and merging the two objects

This was fun! I felt like I was using virtual Play-Doh. I turned on my 3D printer, attached its USB cable to the computer and clicked on 3D Print. What was virtual now becomes real!

Four hours later I had my customized Hand Control Holder ready to clip onto my small 2 Step Ladder.

That night I tried it out, and it worked great having my Hand Control “at hand” when needed. I could select and slew to objects without even removing it from the holder, yet still easily remove it to push buttons for minor adjustments while watching the monitor.

Here is a short video clip of a portion of the 3D printing process in action.

Click Here to view video.

Note: It does not actually print this fast – this is a time lapse video which is more entertaining to watch. 😊

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Reducing Glare from Viewing Monitor

5/28/2019

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I am preparing for the 2019 Grand Canyon Star Party (GCSP) in June where there will be both Video Astronomy and Visual Astronomy setups in different areas, but still near each other. When you just have Video Astronomy setups together, stray light is not an irritation. We all are looking at our monitors. When there are others in the area relying on their night vision to visually look through eyepieces, then nearby light from monitors can be an issue. The main glare is not really from the image from the camera. The problem comes more from the brighter control areas and tabs around the image area of the screen.

Two years ago, when I first attended the GCSP, I realized this is an issue that needs to be addressed when using Video Astronomy near Visual Astronomy setups. It was even suggested that we tape something over the bright control parts of the screen to reduce the amount of light given off. I immediately thought that I am not going to put tape on my monitor screen! We managed to make some adjustments and did OK, but I felt I needed to find a good solution for next time.

So here it is two years later, and even though as before we have our own Video Astronomy area, there are Visual Astronomy areas somewhat nearby. We need to try to keep the light from our monitors at a minimum to not affect other’s night vision. I can shield the light coming from my laptop video screen that I work from by putting it inside a cloth (or plastic) enclosure. I like to use a LapDome I purchased from Amazon that helps contain the light from the laptop and keeps dew off my laptop. The dome is also very compact when folded up and easy to carry.

I can set up a second monitor for others to also view the image from the video astronomy camera, but the white control areas on the screen around the actual camera image are quite bright when it is really dark outside. The software I’m using does not have a way to just display the camera image on a second screen without losing access to some of the controls for the DS10c USB3 camera. Putting the second monitor inside a plastic bin helps cut down on its stray light some, but the display is still too bright.

Then I reconsidered the simple suggestion from two years ago to cover up the control areas on the second monitor. Velcro has come to the rescue! I put Velcro all around the 4 edges of my monitor screen.

Then I cut out four black “bars” of specific shapes from a black fiber board and put short Velcro strips on the back of them at key places.

Now I can “stick” these black fiber board bars onto the Velcro around the screen to mask everything except the camera image. It makes for an interesting looking monitor, but it works!

And this is adjustable. If I modify the control layout during setup, I can easily relocate these black masks as needed. The black masks are large enough to extend beyond the LCD screen so they can be moved in/out and up/down as needed. If you don’t want the “adjustable” feature, just cut out the masks close to the specific sizes needed. Small scroll bars will appear on the left and bottom of the image when you zoom in, and I make sure I have the black masks covering those portions of the screen so a bright line is not seen when I zoom in. Even though this 21.5” monitor is effectively “reduced” to a 16” viewing area, the image is still a nice size and is bigger than my 14” laptop.

The second monitor duplicates exactly what I have on my laptop, including control areas and the camera image area. But with the black fiber board overlay covering up portions of the LCD screen of the second viewing monitor, just the camera image area is visible. That way I have access to everything on the laptop but only the camera image is visible on the second monitor.

The above image was taken with a flash. When it is dark, all you see of the viewing monitor is a nice Video Astronomy Camera image.

It turns out this was actually a fairly easy, low cost, and very simple solution.

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2019 Super Blood Wolf Moon Total Lunar Eclipse

1/23/2019

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Yep. You read the title right. Between the evening of Sunday, January 20th, and the early morning hours of Monday, January 21, a total lunar eclipse was observed in the Americas. The Moon was almost at its perigee (the closest that the Moon comes to the earth in its elliptic orbit), which is sometimes called a “supermoon” because the moon has a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size. It was also a “wolf” moon – the first full moon in a calendar year. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon takes on a reddish blood-like color. Thus the name “super blood wolf moon” for this particular total lunar eclipse. The next total lunar eclipse will not occur until May 2021.

I captured images once a minute before, during and after the total eclipse with a MallinCam DS10c camera inserted into my MCR-80ED refractor telescope on my SkyProdigy mount. I was inside where it was warm using Remote Video Astronomy to control the mount & camera and view the image live on my monitor.

I did periodically go outside and to look up and see how it looked to the eye. I also looked at it through my Canon Image Stabilizer 12x36 IS III Binoculars. Within a few moments of pressing down on the button on the top of these binoculars, the jittery handheld view transforms in to a nice stable floating image of the moon. (Its also great for viewing the stars and other bright objects without them jumping all over your field of view).

Speaking of moving around in the field of view, due to the long duration of this event and the tracking limits of my SkyProdigy Alt-Az mount, my image captures of the moon shifted some within the field of view during the eclipse. So I had to slightly adjust the telescope position every once in a while to move the moon’s image back toward the center of the image. You can see the shifting position of the moon in all of the images below. The following two images are of the full moon before the eclipse began and after it began to darken.

As it began to darken more, I began to wonder when I would see the “red blood” effect. I then realized I would only see black for the dark portion if I didn’t adjust my exposure. After lengthening the exposure slightly, the white portion became over exposed, but I then could see the red effect increase as the moon neared totality.

After awhile the moon began to brighten…

… ultimately requiring me to shorten my exposure to once again be able to see the details in the brightly illuminated portion of the moon. And when the eclipse was over, it returned to a normal full moon – but still a super one! 😊

If you compare the first image of the moon before the eclipse began and look through the images to the last one after it was over, the image of the moon appears rotated later in the evening. This is not due to the moon’s spin (once/month), but is due to the “field rotation” effect when using an Alt-Az mount.

I had thought about using an equatorial mount for viewing and recording the lunar eclipse to avoid any field rotation. The good news is the orientation of the moon would have remained the same in the captured image throughout the evening. But as the moon changes from being viewed to the east to being viewed to the west, a “meridian flip” occurs. The bad news is that to keep tracking the object past the meridian position with an equatorial mount, at some point you must stop tracking the object, flip your telescope from pointing east to point toward the west, and then resume tracking.

With an Alt-Az mount the telescope just keeps tracking the moon as it moves from east to west with no meridian flip to deal with. However, its view of the sky will rotate within the field of view. In fact, an Alt-Az mount “sees” the sky just like you do when you look up. If you had looked at the moon toward the east before the eclipse began and noted where a particular bright crater was located (like Tycho), and then looked again where the bright crater was located after the eclipse was over, you would realize the image of the moon that you now see has rotated somewhat. So an Alt-Az mount actually reproduces your point of view of the skies as you would see it looking up.

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HyperStar Setup Guidelines

1/12/2019

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Earlier this year I bought a Starizona HyperStar for my Celestron 8” Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. The HyperStar focal reducer converts my f/10 telescope to f/2.1 with a wider field of view. To accomplish this feat, the HyperStar replaces the secondary mirror at the upper end of the telescope. The camera is installed onto the HyperStar at the upper end rather than at the lower end of the telescope. A supplied counterweight can be inserted into the lower end where you normally insert an eyepiece in order to counterbalance the HyperStar and camera installed at the other end.

Tell Starizona what camera you plan to use so they can include the proper camera adapter for the HyperStar. The HyperStar comes with good instructions and they have a nice video available showing the setup process. I have included a link to the video at the end of this post.

Once you have gone through the setup and removal process a couple of times, it becomes fairly straightforward to work with. You do always need to pay attention during the process since you are dealing with items that don’t like to be bumped (secondary mirror, correction plate, lens, etc.).

Even though my description and pictures are for an 8” Celestron, the concepts apply to other similar telescopes. I show using it on an Alt-Az mount, which requires using the supplied counterweight. The counterweight is not required if you have a German equatorial mount.

You should read and follow the supplied setup instructions. As I have found in the past though, there are always some areas of instructions that need a little more light for clarity and to avoid that “I’m not sure about this” feeling.

Setup

1. Position the Telescope and attach the Counterweight.

Always have your telescope aimed partly upward during setup and removal to prevent the secondary mirror or HyperStar lens from accidently falling out during the process. They recommend using about a 45-degree angle.
If you have an Alt-Az mount, first slide the included counterweight part way into the visual back of the telescope (where you normally would insert a diagonal, eyepiece or camera) and secure it in place.

Later when you have positioned the counterweight to properly counter balance your installed HyperStar and Camera, you can mark a ring on the threads of the counterweight with a magic marker to know about how far to insert it in the future during setup.

2. Remove the Secondary Mirror

The bottom cap for the HyperStar lens is used to store the secondary mirror once you have removed it from the telescope glass corrector plate. Unthread the bottom cap from the HyperStar lens and have it easily within reach so you can put the secondary mirror into it. So what do you do with the HyperStar lens at this point since there is no cap on the bottom? I always make sure I have a clean level place nearby that I can stand it on (where it won’t be easily bumped over) until I am ready to install it.

If you have never removed your secondary mirror before, take a close look at the ring that is screwed onto the top of it. You are going to carefully turn this ring counterclockwise to unscrew just the ring from the secondary mirror holder.

If you see the Secondary Mirror logo began to rotate with the ring instead of the ring unscrewing, then Stop immediately! (If this happens, see “The Secondary Mirror Assembly is turning” section). Once properly removed, set the ring down within easy reach.
Now carefully grasp the knob on the top center of the secondary mirror and pull the secondary mirror straight out of the telescope, making sure you do not touch the secondary mirror or the telescope glass corrector plate. (If you do, see “I touched the Secondary Mirror or glass Corrector Plate” section).

Place the secondary mirror assembly straight down into the HyperStar bottom cap you previously set aside which now serves as a storage holder for the secondary mirror.

Be sure to align the little notch on the storage holder with the small rounded screw on the side of the secondary mirror as you slide it into the holder.
Pick up the retaining ring you removed and screw it over the secondary mirror to lock it into the storage holder and then set it aside.

3. Installing the HyperStar lens and your camera

My HyperStar came with the camera adapter I ordered already attached. If yours came separately, remove the plastic cap from the top narrow end of the HyperStar lens and attach your camera adapter. I store my HyperStar with the camera adapter attached.
The included instructions describe attaching your camera to the HyperStar before installing the HyperStar onto the telescope. You may have to remove a 1.25” or 2” nosepiece from your camera to thread it into the HyperStar/adapter threads.
They then note to carefully thread the entire HyperStar and camera assembly into the front of the telescope where the secondary mirror was removed. Do not worry about the camera orientation at this point.
I prefer reversing the two steps above. I first install the HyperStar with the camera adapter onto the front of the telescope where the secondary mirror was removed. Then I screw my camera onto the HyperStar/adapter.

Whichever process you use, do not overtighten the HyperStar onto the telescope, so that it can be easily removed later.

4. Balancing the Telescope

For an Alt-Az mount you will now need to adjust the position of the counterweight until the telescope is balanced (For a German equatorial mount you can usually just move the telescope position on the mount to balance it). Hold the telescope with one hand and loosen the declination clutch (if available). If the front of the telescope moves down, move the counterweight further out. If the front rises, push the counterweight further in. Once the telescope is balanced and stationary without your hand on it, tighten the clutch.

5. Collimating the HyperStar Lens

The next step in their instructions discusses the method for collimating the HyperStar lens if there is any noticeable coma effect in your image (flaring of the star images to one side) on one edge or corner of the field while the rest of the stars appear sharp. However, at this point you do not have your camera connected and aimed at a bright star and focused. So I recommend you skip this step for now and if you see any noticeable coma later, come back to this step and follow their directions to adjust the push/pull screws as needed. Note the tip to only adjust the screws about ¼ turn at a time, and their warning to not loosen the pull screws too much since they hold the lens in place on the telescope.

6. Adjusting the Camera Position

You will now want to rotate your camera so it is in the proper orientation. There are three screws with white nylon bushings that can be slightly loosened to allow the camera and lens to be rotated. Once the camera and lens are rotated to the desired orientation, tighten down these 3 screws.

7. Using Filters

This is something you may want to do before step 3 if you know you plan to use a filter for your viewing session since you need to unthread the top half of the filter adapter from the HyperStar lens in order to thread the filter inside as described. If you want to add or change the filter during a viewing session, you will probably need to unscrew the camera from the adapter and then unthread the top half of the filter adapter to install/change the filter. If you use filters often, you can purchase from Starizona a filter adapter that allows you to easily remove and slide in new filters (it is shown in the installation video).

With the HyperStar and your camera in place, you are ready to connect the cable to your camera and computer. I install my dew shield before connecting the cable to the camera. Attach your cabling to your camera and route it back along the side of your telescope and properly secure it in place as noted in a warning on the first page of their instructions. Attention is needed when working around the HyperStar and Camera area since there is a potential for damaging the corrector plate if you are not careful. You definitely want to secure the camera cable well so if anything accidently tugs on the cable, it does not pull on the camera. Here is how I run my cable and secure it to the telescope with a tie.

Now you are ready to power on your mount, perform an alignment and focus on a star.

I usually place a Bahtinov focus mask on the end of my dew shield while focusing (like the one shown on the left below). The mask can be used even with the cable in place.

If you do not use a dew shield, you can use a special Bahtinov focus mask that has a round opening in the middle (like the one on the right) so it can go down over the HyperStar or Secondary Mirror. Depending on the size of your camera, it may also fit over your camera attached to the HyperStar (it does fit OK over the DS10c). If the mask does not fit over your camera, just use a dew shield and the other mask on the end of the dew shield.

Another reason to use a dew shield and the mask on the left is the cable is not an issue. To use the one on the right you would have to unplug the cable from your camera, slide the mask over the camera and HyperStar and plug the cable back into your camera. After you finish focusing, you will need to unplug the cable from your camera, slide the mask back off over the HyperStar and camera, then plug the cable back into your camera. Or you could cut out a slot in the outer ring and the inner ring of the mask so the cable could be slid into the center opening before putting the mask on and slid out before removing the mask. Or you could do as I do and just use a dew shield and the mask on the left.

After focusing, check your image for any coma effects and if needed, adjust the collimation as described in the instructions.

Packing up

The pack up process is basically a reverse of the setup process. As before, use care when handling the HyperStar, camera and secondary mirror.
1. Begin by disconnecting the cable from your camera and remove the dew shield if used.
2. Position your telescope at about a 45 degree angle.
3. You can unscrew the Camera and HyperStar assembly and remove it from your telescope, and then unscrew the camera from the HyperStar. When you unscrew the HyperStar from the corrector plate, watch closely to make sure it is in fact unscrewing and not rotating the holder it is screwed into.
4. Instead of the sequence in step 3, I prefer to unscrew the Camera from the HyperStar while it is on the telescope and put the Camera away. Then I unscrew the HyperStar from the telescope and set it bottom down on a clean spot and place a cap on the top. Remember to make sure the HyperStar is unscrewing and not rotating the holder it is screwed into.
5. Unscrew the retaining ring from the storage holder containing the secondary mirror and set it nearby.

6. Grasp the knob on the top of the secondary mirror, pull it straight out of the storage holder and set the storage holder down for later use as the bottom cap to go onto the HyperStar. Carefully align the rounded screw on the side of the secondary mirror with the notch of the holder on the corrector plate and slide it straight into the telescope.

7. Pick up the retaining ring and gently screw it into place. Do not overtighten it.

8. Get the HyperStar and the bottom cap that was used as the secondary mirror storage holder and screw it onto the bottom end of the HyperStar. Place the HyperStar into your storage case.
9. Remove the counterweight (if used) from the lower end of your telescope and also place it into your HyperStar storage case.

The Secondary Mirror Assembly is turning

I had my Celestron 8” telescope for three years before I got my HyperStar. I don’t know if it was due to time, temperature changes or if it was just on very tight, but when trying to remove the secondary mirror from the telescope, I could not unscrew the retaining ring from the Secondary Mirror assembly without the Mirror Assembly trying to turn with it. I noticed the logo on the back of the Secondary Mirror was turning as I tried to unscrew the retaining ring. If you see this happening Stop immediately! If the Mirror Assembly continues to turn, you could be unscrewing the Secondary Mirror Assembly holder from the telescope’s glass corrector plate rather than just unscrewing the retaining ring from the mirror assembly. This is not a good thing to do. It could result in the inside portion of the secondary mirror holder falling down onto your primary mirror.

If you see the Secondary Mirror assembly start to rotate, try grasping the knob on the top center of the Secondary Mirror with one hand to keep it from rotating while unscrewing the retaining ring with the other hand.

In my case, the ring was on too tight to do this by hand. I had to use pliers to hold the knob to keep the Secondary Mirror from rotating while unscrewing the retaining ring. You must be very careful to not let your tool slip and touch your glass corrector plate, so I only provide this picture to try it as a last resort! After did this once, I have not had to use a tool again.

I touched the Secondary Mirror or glass Corrector Plate

I recommend getting a lens pin to have available when needed. If you accidently touch the Secondary Mirror or glass Corrector Plate, you can remove the cap of the pen and lightly use the soft round end to remove smudges.

Links

I admit I was a little apprehensive about getting and using a HyperStar because of the setup process. In spite of the various warnings and cautions, once I used it, I wish I had gotten one sooner! If you take your time learning the setup process, then it becomes easy. Operating at f/2.1 greatly reduces your exposure time, and I love the larger field of view it provides. You can click the following link to see the wide field of view of images with very short exposure times produced using my DS10c with the HyperStar on my Celestron 8”:

remotevideoastronomy.com/blog/ds10c-on-c8-with-hyperstar

Click the link below to see the Starizona HyperStar Installation video:

youtu.be/O9RYy27Ppb0

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Hyperstar Focal Reduction

10/18/2018

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When we were recently at Crossing Creeks RV Park in Georgia, I had a chance to capture images that I could use to compute the actual amount of reduction with the Hyperstar lens on my Celestron 8” telescope.

The first night I used my DS10c on the C8 telescope without the Hyperstar installed to get a base line image using the camera with just the f/10 telescope. Here is a picture of the setup and a captured image of the Lagoon Nebula with the DS10c on the 8” telescope.

I submitted the above image to nova.astronomy.net to have it compute the actual width of the field of view. The red circled information below is the only information I need from this analysis. When this image was processed at nova.astronomy.net, it calculated the horizontal field of view size as 30.4 arcmin.

The remaining nights at Crossing Creeks I used the Hyperstar lens on the 8” telescope. The Hyperstar + Camera replaces the secondary mirror of the telescope so the camera is at the top of the telescope rather than at the typical bottom location. Here is a picture of the telescope with the Hyperstar lens and DS10c camera in place, and a captured image that contains the Lagoon Nebula in the bottom and the Trifid Nebula in the upper right.

When this image was processed at nova.astronomy.net, it calculated the horizontal field of view size as 2.51 deg (To convert to arcmin: 2.51 x 60 = 150.6 arcmin).

The effective f value with the Hyperstar lens in place can be found by dividing the two field of views and multiplying by the original f value as follows:

30.4 / 150.6 = 0.202 focal reduction
0.202 x f/10 = f/2.02 (assuming the first image is exactly at f/10)

or simply f/2

So with the Hyperstar lens installed on the Celestron 8” telescope, it changes the setup from f/10 to f/2.

For other examples of computing the focal reduction based on actual use, click here to see my 11/28/2017 post “Measuring Focal Reduction”.

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Celestron Evolution for RVA

4/3/2018

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A few years back I began my re-entry into Astronomy by purchasing a Celestron 8se telescope and mount. That same year I discovered Video Astronomy and was hooked! Although the 8” telescope worked well for Video Astronomy, the 8se mount tracking limited it’s use for Remote Video Astronomy (RVA). I then upgraded to a Celestron CG-5 German Equatorial Mount and continued to use the 8” telescope, which was a great combination for Video Astronomy. Later I wanted a more portable mount, so I purchased a Celestron SkyProdigy 130 with built in auto align capability. Both the CG-5 and the SkyProdigy mounts have served me well over time for Remote Video Astronomy.

I love the quick setup (and pack up) of the SkyProdigy Alt-Az mount, and have successfully used a MCR-80 ED, a Coronado PST (solar) and a Celestron 5” telescope on it, but it would not handle my 8” telescope. I decided to get a Celestron Evolution to be able to use my 8” telescope on a sturdy, portable Alt-Az mount. It also has a built in Lithium battery and Wi-Fi mount control, both of which are great for RVA. The Evolution is available with either a 6”, 8” or 9.25” telescope. I already had an 8” telescope and decided to get the Evolution 6 since I could also use its 6” telescope on the SkyProdigy mount.

As I unpacked my Evolution 6, I was reminded of my experience of learning to use my original Celestron 8se that led to the writing of my first book (amazon.com/author/jimmeadows). Several of the things I described in that book are also applicable to the Celestron Evolution (e.g., What do I need to keep in mind when I use SkyAlign).

Below are some guidelines when beginning to use the Evolution mount, some of which are applicable when first using any new mount and telescope. Take time to learn each of the features one at a time until you are familiar with its function. Trying to do too much all at once can lead to frustration. Here is a suggested learning order:

Part 1 – Setup and Operation

Unpack and Set up

Set aside some time to initially unpack and set up your equipment for the first time inside as described in the instruction manual.

Getting the mount centered on the tripod can be a little tricky. After you do it once, carefully loosen the quick release knob, remove the telescope, and then repeat removing and reinstalling the mount (without the telescope) onto the tripod a few times using the mounting bolts to get the hang of attaching the mount to the tripod.

Use of clutches

The clutch knobs on the Evolution are great! You can easily engage/disengage the altitude and azimuth clutches separately using the easily gripped large orange round clutch knobs.

I really like that you can freely rotate the mount by hand when the azimuth clutch is disengaged. Don’t forget to tighten the azimuth clutch in the center of the mount after rotating the mount by hand. Also once you perform an alignment, don’t disengage either of the clutches or else you will lose your alignment.

Moving telescope with hand controller

There should be a good charge on its internal battery right out of the box so you can turn it on and practice moving the telescope in all directions using the hand controller. While you are inside it is a good time to get familiar with the hand controller screens. If you have used a Celestron hand controller before, most of it will be familiar. Unfortunately the manual has “Getting Started – Using Your Smart Device” before “Getting Started – Using the NexStar+ Control”. Its fine to load the Celestron SkyPortal on your smart device (phone, tablet, etc.) and try out the Wi-Fi while you are inside (use Connect only). However, I highly recommend using the hand controller for your first viewing at night so you focus on getting used to your new mount and telescope.

Adjusting the Finderscope

The manual says that adjusting the finderscope is best done at night because the LED dot will be difficult to see during the day. I recommend doing this late in the day before it gets dark. It is a lot easier to get the findersope lined up where the telescope is pointing at something in the distance while there is still daylight. Turn the LED brightness up to full and you should be able to see it OK, and you can see and use the adjustment knobs easier. By the way, I prefer using a Telrad Finder Sight rather than the smaller LED dot finders that typically come with telescopes.

Hand control SkyAlign

I recommend you perform your first SkyAlign using the hand controller. It is easier to use its buttons to move the mount than using the virtual buttons of SkyPortal. The hand controller buttons respond immediately when pressed or released. Sometimes there are delays with the SkyPortal virtual buttons. The SkyPortal buttons are OK once you get used to using them and you are familiar with how the mount operates.

Viewing objects using hand control

Once aligned, you are ready to begin your viewing session. Although I use Video Cameras often, I like to start a new setup with an eyepiece until I get the feel of the mount and its operation. Refer to the manual for the various ways you can select and automatically slew to a target. I often use the Solar System to select the Moon, the Stars button to select from the Named Stars catalog, and the Deep Sky button to select from the Messier catalog.

Using the hand controller for your first visual viewing also gives you a feel for any minor drift that may occur after slewing to an object due to play between the gears (backlash). This is particularly important when you later start using a camera.

Part 2 – Advanced Operation

Connecting to mount Wi-Fi

Something I observed about my mount that differed from my instruction manual is my mount Wi-Fi name was Celestron-## rather than SkyQLink-##.

I do agree with the instructions that you should familiarize yourself with connecting to the Wi-Fi and application during the day before using it at night. Be sure to use just the Connect option while trying it out during the day (not the Connect and Align).

Moving telescope with SkyPortal Wi-Fi

As I previously noted, there is a learning curve when beginning to use the virtual arrow buttons of the SkyPortal app to point your telescope. You also need to make use of the slider to adjust the speed to high when moving to different sky positions, and much lower when attempting to center a star or target. I also found when holding the virtual left arrow button down near the edge of an iPhone you can accidentally switch to a different application and lose your connection to the mount’s Wi-Fi (just restart the app and select Connect). Note: This was less likely to happen if I pressed the left arrow using my right hand. For fine adjustments I tend to tap the virtual buttons rather than holding the button down (i.e. tap it a few times rather than press and hold).

SkyPortal SkyAlign

There are two ways to connect to the mount using SkyPortal. “Connect And Align” initiates an alignment procedure, while “Connect” just establishes a connection to the mount without affecting the alignment.

Connect is useful if you lose your Wi-Fi connection due to walking away from the mount and you need to reconnect when you get back. When you select Connect And Align you use the arrows on the screen to manually slew to a bright star to begin your alignment. If you overshoot when manually slewing toward a star, move the Rate slider to the left to reduce the speed to then make it easier to center the star. You will also learn when using the high rate to stop pressing the arrow button as you get near the target object to reduce overshooting. One advantage to using the SkyPortal SkyAlign is you do not have to set the time and location since that is supplied by your device. NOTE: Connect And Align will erase any prior alignment, so don’t use this if you have already aligned the mount.

Observing objects using SkyPortal

SkyPortal has several ways to select objects as described in the manual. It is a very nice way to visually see, select and slew to a target. NOTE: If you have used the SkyPortral SkyAlign process, do not use the hand controller to select and slew to an object since it does not have access to the alignment performed by using SkyPortal. Likewise do not perform an alignment using the hand controller, then select Connect in SkyPortal and try to slew to an object since SkyPortal does not have access to the alignment in the hand controller. It is OK to use the arrow buttons on the hand controller to fine tune your position even if you have performed a SkyPortal SkyAlign, just don’t use the GoTo function of the hand controller.

Checking Battery Status

When you are connecting by Wi-Fi to the mount, tap the settings gear icon to the left of the Rate slider. The current Battery Status level will be displayed at the top right under Scope Setup. This is useful if your mount seems to be slowing down and you suspect the battery is getting low. If it is low, you can plug the charger into the mount to maintain alignment and complete your viewing session.

In general, if I am going to be next to my mount I prefer to use the Hand Controller to align my mount and slew to objects rather than using SkyPortal. I can still use the SkyPortal Connect function though just to check the battery level.

Adjusting Settings

There are several settings you can adjust using either the hand controller or SkyPortal. The ones I find particularly useful are Tracking Rate, Altitude Slew Limits, Lighting and sometimes Anti-Backlash.

Adding a Camera & Cable

Once you have had some successful visual viewing sessions and are comfortable with your new mount and telescope, it is time to add a good Video Astronomy camera to see much more in near real time than you can see with your eye. When adding a camera I like to try it out during the daytime to adjust the telescope balance as needed with the camera and cable(s) installed. It also gives me time to find the best way to secure the cables to avoid affecting the alignment while the mount is slewing. With the Evolution, I usually use a MallinCam Video Astronomy camera that has a single USB cable such as the DS2.3+ or DS10c. If I go inside, I connect the camera's USB cable to an active USB extension cable to control the camera and view the image remotely.

Reducing Backlash

I have noticed a little drift immediately after slewing to an object, which is more noticeable when using a camera. I found this can be reduced by balancing the telescope with the camera in place before you begin. Loosen the quick release knob slightly so you can slide the telescope forward or back as needed and retighten. If I still see some slight drift after slewing to an object, rather than waiting for the gears to take up the slack I simply use the arrow controls to move the mount slightly in the direction opposite to the observed drift and the image will quickly stabilize. You could also try adjusting the hand controller backlash values, but I prefer to manually take up the slack as needed. Once the tracking is fully engaged, the Evolution works well for the short exposure times used for Video Astronomy with an 8” telescope and camera.

Adding StarSense AutoAlign

If you can afford to add Celestron’s StarSense AutoAlign it will simplify your life! After adding a quality Video Astronomy camera, I can highly recommend getting the StarSense AutoAlign. It eliminates trying to peer upward though a finder at awkward angles to get a good centering of a star. This is especially beneficial when using a camera. I also get a more accurate alignment when I use the StarSense AutoAlign. Even though you can use StarSense with SkyPortal, I prefer using the StarSense Hand Control to perform the auto align process (just plug in the StarSense Hand Control in place of the Evolution Hand Control). You can have your camera in place at the beginning of a session, turn on the mount, initiate an auto align and be ready to start viewing in about 4 minutes.

Adding SkyFi

Yes, I know the Evolution has built in Wi-Fi. So why would I use an external Wi-Fi device like SkyFi? I like using a Hand Controller and StarSense AutoAlign to begin when next to the telescope. Then I turn on SkyFi and can use SkySafari on my phone or tablet to select and slew to objects, but can also still use the StarSense Hand Control to select and slew to objects. (I should also note that the Evolution Hand Control has a different connector at the bottom which would require a different cable to connect to SkyFi than what I normally use). SkyFi seems to have a stronger Wi-Fi signal than the mount, and I can go inside and control my mount using SkySafari using my Remote Video Astronomy setup. It is nice how the Hand Controller and SkyFi can both fit on the top of the mount base and rotate with it without any cord wrap issues.

My Evolution 8” Setup

Here is my complete setup using my 8” telescope on the Evolution mount for Remote Video Astronomy.

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