20
1. Access the menu “Setup\Alignment\Cone Error” to display
and modify the cone error (CE).
• The cone error compensation will be applied to 1-Star,
2-Star, and Brightest-Star alignments.
• In a 3-Star alignment, the SynScan hand controller
measures the current cone error and overwrites the
old cone error value.
• Cone error is quite common in telescope systems,
but an alt-az mount is less sensitive to cone error.
Generally, you can set cone error to 0 on an alt-az
mount.
2. Access the menu “Setup\Alignment\NP Error” to display
and modify non-perpendicular error (NPE).
• Generally, NPE is very small and can be ignored,
i.e., set to 0, in most cases unless superior pointing
accuracy is required.
Note:
If the value of CE or NPE entered in the hand controller is
not 0, it will display a reminder message “CAUTION: Prev. NPE,
CE applied” at the end of the alignment routine. You should make
sure that the stored CE and NPE parameters are correct for the
current system setup; otherwise, these values should be set to 0.
6.10 Astronomical Time-Lapse Photography
The SynScan hand controller can command an Orion GoTo tele-
scope mount (equatorial or alt-az mount) and a DSLR camera
to take series of long exposure photographs of the night sky.
This series of photos can then be used to make a time-lapse
video. The SynScan accomplishes this task through the follow-
ing sequence.
1. At an initial position, turn on sidereal tracking of the mount
and release the shutter of the camera at the same time.
2. Keep mount tracking on and the camera shutter open until
the preset exposure time is reached.
3. Then close the camera shutter and return the mount to the
initial position.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 until the preset number of photos is
taken.
Operation Details:
1. Connect the camera’s shutter control port to the mount (or
SynScan hand controller) with proper cables.
2. Point the camera to the desired orientation.
3. Access the menu “UTILITY\Astro Time-Lapse\
Configuration\Exposure Time” to set the exposure time of
the camera.
4. Access the menu “UTILITY\Astro Time-Lapse\
Configuration\Repeat Times” to set the number of photos
to be taken.
5. Access the menu “UTILITY\Astro Time-Lapse\
Configuration\Shoot” to commence taking photos.
6. The LCD will display remaining photos and remaining
time of the ongoing exposure.
7. Press the ESC key to pause or cancel the sequence.
Figure 4.
Application window for SynScan firmware loader.
6.11 Solar Tracking Mode
The Solar Tracking Mode allows you to track the Sun as it moves
across the sky, without the need to do an alignment or start the
mount from a specific home position.
1. Before turning on this mode, make sure that
•
The alt-azimuth mount’s base is leveled, or the
equatorial mount is polar-aligned.
•
The correct date, time, daylight saving setting,
longitude, and latitude have been entered into the
SynScan hand controller.
2. Access the “UTILITY” menu, find and select “Solar
Tracking Mode”, then press ENTER.
3. Before proceeding further, make sure your telescope
and finder scope both have a proper solar filter covering
the front aperture, to prevent possible eye damage from
looking at the Sun!
4. Point the telescope at the Sun and use the arrow buttons
to center the Sun in the field of view of the telescope.
The mount always starts tracking the Sun after all arrow
buttons are released.
7. Connecting SynScan to a
Computer
7.1 Working with Astronomical Software
Programs
The SynScan V5 hand controller can communicate with a
computer via the RS-232 port or the USB port at the bottom of the
controller (Figure 1b). In this way you can use many commercially
available planetarium software programs to control your GoTo
telescope or mount, essentially bypassing the hand control-
ler’s interface. If you choose to use the serial port, the computer
must also have an RS-232C serial port (which most don’t have
these days); otherwise, an optional USB-to-Serial adapter is
required. Connect the SynScan hand controller to the computer
using either
