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Following my success with Cartes du Ciel [Star Maps] yesterday I really wanted to try Stellarium.
I had uninstalled both Stellarium and StellariumScope yesterday. So needed fresh downloads.
Source Forge must have been very busy because it took ages to download Stellarium. I'm more used to "instant download gratification" with a 57/57Mbps, fiber optics, Internet connection. Not a ten minute crawl. [But let's not complain.😇]
Meanwhile, I used the download time to set up the AWR drive components. I must be an optimist. Because, in anticipation of success, I set up the motors and IH2 Handset for recording video. Just as I did yesterday for C-du-C. Well it wouldn't dare not work now, would it?
Meanwhile, I used the download time to set up the AWR drive components. I must be an optimist. Because, in anticipation of success, I set up the motors and IH2 Handset for recording video. Just as I did yesterday for C-du-C. Well it wouldn't dare not work now, would it?
StellariumScope took much less time to download and I was soon rewarded with my first Goto. Way-hay! [Or words to that effect.]
Just as C-du-C had done, there was a beep when the drive motors finally stopped turning. The problem was that I had no C-du-C centered button to click on. Just to confirm that the telescope was safely centered on the object! Worse, I had the camera recording video and not a clue what to do when the motors suddenly stopped. The telescope reticule was in "the middle of nowhere" on the exquisite Stellarium sky. Apologies to any alien species which do not consider themselves as living in empty space just there.
Just as C-du-C had done, there was a beep when the drive motors finally stopped turning. The problem was that I had no C-du-C centered button to click on. Just to confirm that the telescope was safely centered on the object! Worse, I had the camera recording video and not a clue what to do when the motors suddenly stopped. The telescope reticule was in "the middle of nowhere" on the exquisite Stellarium sky. Apologies to any alien species which do not consider themselves as living in empty space just there.
I stopped the camera and decided to use the IH2 handset to Center the object. Then a click on Sync to tell the system it could start tracking on that object. The next Goto went flawlessly and stopped dead on the chosen object: 'Mars'. By sheer coincidence the ISS passed straight through the field of view and [belatedly] I hoped the system would track it. The chase was going well until the ASCOM-AWR system decided it had reached the last point where I had clicked on the ISS' route. Grr?
I practiced recording a few more Gotos before I had rid the videos of major screen reflections and other irritations. Except myself, playing an enormous god in the middle of the screen. The result of several motor runs is shown in the YT video below. Try full screen in HD with the sound on. If only to hear the sound of the motors buzzing together. Enjoy? 😎
The overlaid grid is equatorial. Note how the Goto apprentice tried to send the telescope to Procyon and Betelgeuse. [Several times!] I was so busy staring at Stellarium that I forgot to check the IH2 screen. BELOW HORIZON. It's lucky the AWR system knows what it is doing!
I have brought the metalwork for the intended worm support indoors to play with. It is miserable in the workshop when it is below freezing. Particularly when there is no sunshine to brighten the interior. Don't waste your money on cheap, florescent strip lights like I did. I shall have to get some LEDs out there.
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