2 ms·

I will definitely check this out! For anyone that could offer thoughts: I have a ~1985 celestron c8 with the skysensor computer. The skysensor uses and 1950

I will definitely check this out! For anyone that could offer thoughts: I have a ~1985 celestron c8 with the skysensor computer. The skysensor uses and 1950 epoch and is definitely not y2k compliant :D What is the best way to find a 19xx year that closely matches 202x so i can use the GOTO mode? I have been adjusting bright stars by some crude guesstimates by looking at average change in times between 1950 and 1990 and then again between 1990 and 2023 and working out the RA and Dec which can get me close. But it would be nice to figure out if there is a year that would match real close. Maybe i can use this library to do a brute force search.

teamonkey 3y ago
One possibility is to replace your SkySensor computer with OnStep. This is an Arduino-based system for GOTO scope control. It has ASCOM (Windows) and Indi (Linux) drivers so can control it from a PC or - if you add wifi - a phone app. It also has autoguiding support. It can run on most common microcontrollers and even cheap 3D printer control boards. IIRC the C8 was often sold with a Super Polaris mount, or something similar. There are many builds for this mount.[1] If you're not in to DIYing a solution there are companies that sell pre-built conversion kits. [1] https://onstep.groups.io/g/main/wiki/4414 https://onstep.groups.io/g/main/wiki/4414
- leetrout 3y ago
  Thank you! I have only done cursory searches around a conversion. I LOVE the retro feel of chonky skysensor so I would love to figure out how to keep the original motors and 5 pin plug. I have the original manuals and since the circuits are chonky too I suspect it would not be hard to make something compatible even without a bench scope. This is a great link, I will dig through and see if someone has done what I want already.
  - teamonkey 3y ago
    It's quite possible that it has a ST-4 style guide port, which simply has 4 pins for slewing in each of the 4 directions + 1 common pin. https://astrophotosite.com/tiki-index.php?page=ST-4 https://astrophotosite.com/tiki-index.php?page=ST-4
    - leetrout 3y ago
      It has two 5 pin DIN ports, one to each motor and an RS232C for connecting to a PC so I dont think that is compatible. I appreciate the link since that gives me more to research. I am going to have to tear down the mount and see if the motors are marked with their ratios and such based on what I am reading this morning.

teamonkey 3y ago

One possibility is to replace your SkySensor computer with OnStep. This is an Arduino-based system for GOTO scope control. It has ASCOM (Windows) and Indi (Linux) drivers so can control it from a PC or - if you add wifi - a phone app. It also has autoguiding support. It can run on most common microcontrollers and even cheap 3D printer control boards. IIRC the C8 was often sold with a Super Polaris mount, or something similar. There are many builds for this mount.[1] If you're not in to DIYing a solution there are companies that sell pre-built conversion kits. [1] https://onstep.groups.io/g/main/wiki/4414 https://onstep.groups.io/g/main/wiki/4414

leetrout 3y ago
Thank you! I have only done cursory searches around a conversion. I LOVE the retro feel of chonky skysensor so I would love to figure out how to keep the original motors and 5 pin plug. I have the original manuals and since the circuits are chonky too I suspect it would not be hard to make something compatible even without a bench scope. This is a great link, I will dig through and see if someone has done what I want already.
- teamonkey 3y ago
  It's quite possible that it has a ST-4 style guide port, which simply has 4 pins for slewing in each of the 4 directions + 1 common pin. https://astrophotosite.com/tiki-index.php?page=ST-4 https://astrophotosite.com/tiki-index.php?page=ST-4
  - leetrout 3y ago
    It has two 5 pin DIN ports, one to each motor and an RS232C for connecting to a PC so I dont think that is compatible. I appreciate the link since that gives me more to research. I am going to have to tear down the mount and see if the motors are marked with their ratios and such based on what I am reading this morning.