Beginner Celestron NexStar Evolution, StarSense, & SkyPortal Guide - Part 2: Alignment & Calibration

[@garyfujino3221]

Fantastic job of explaining how this Celestron model works! I wish i had this video 2-3years ago when I first purchased this model. I've kind of put it in the closet because I couldn't quite get a handle on how to use it. Now I'm gonna try again! Thanks again, Sir!!

[@hassanboussi]

I love that your instructions are always simple to understand.

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks for the feedback, that’s always my goal.

[@jimdouglas617]

Very helpful video. Thank you. As a newbie who just setup a new Edge 8 HD I have been anxious to setup Starsense and get out and try it out. Clear weather this week so I should be good to go. Your video helped me a lot and it seems less intimidating now.

[@johnferguson6866]

This is fantastic, thank you. Completely clear and thorough.

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks, I’m glad you found it helpful!

[@SonnyPruitt-q1s]

Are those images on your iPad coming from the Starsense or from your telescope?

[@thomaskelly5392]

Fantastic job. Very clear and easy to understand. Excellent video presentation

[@genefoster8936]

You mentioned you used a laptop. Why? If so, is there one you recommend? I'm in Seattle so it's usually cold and damp. Great instruction. Thanks.

[@akradr]

Hi Cody, Do you know if the hand controller has to be plugged into the telescope when using the Skyportal app?

[@jackfrost4033]

hello I have the starsense camera on the nexstar 8se with the wifi module I bought a substantial diagonal which will lock on the mount if the alignment procedure takes the telescope to the zenith How high does the starsense camera raise the ota? thank you paul

[@Michael.Chapman]

Excellent video-and the limited edition is so cool, matching diagonal too! Does the special plaque state what number of the 600 produced yours is? 13:52 one of the neatest images of Copernicus I’ve seen :-)

[@sabresfan610567]

I've been waiting for somebody to make an amazing video on how to do this thank you. My question to you is what if I have my next star evolution on a wedge attached to the tripod what would be the settings?

[@garyfujino3221]

I have one other question: is it ok to store this telescope and let the lithium battery go down to zero, or, should I keep it plugged in even if I don't use it for a few months?

[@swelensax6348]

Hi there I have read this many times on different forums that you should not leave the battery discharged for more than 3 months..

[@mediabyjw]

when you have add a star or a planet. do the scope follow it when you watch it?

[@pm1035]

Hi Cody, I just purchased a Evolution 8 that came with a free Starsense AutoAlign. Can I ask you what is your tablet of choice when performing an alignment with the SkyPortal app?. Thanks so much for your great tutorials!

[@harvey8695]

Very helpful instructions. Thank you!!

[@richardpallechio257]

I have a few comments on this. First, I had to send my Evolution mount back to Celestron to fix an issue, it wouldn't plate solve during alignment. When it was fixed and I set it up and started using it my heart sank. I wouldn't plate solve. Then I checked the camera and realized I hadn't taken the dust cover off! Second, I use SkyPortal a lot, but I find it difficult to accurately slew while looking through the eyepiece. So for manual slewing and ONLY for manual slewing, I use the hand control. Otherwise I do everything with the app. Third, using the app on a tablet, rather than a smart phone, makes it easier to find things whether it is looking for the right button to press or getting a large enough piece of sky on the screen. Fourth, if you press the Lock button, the image on the tablet will be synced with whatever the OTA is pointing at. Fifth, I purchased the StarSense Autoguider camera. It plate solves faster than the StarSense Autoalign camera, and after calibrating you don't have to go through the alignment again. It's expensive though. Sixth, and last, some people think you have to start with the OTA level and pointing North. My view to the north is blocked by trees, so I start with the OTA level and pointing East. The point I am making is that the alignment goes faster if you start out with the OTA pointed in a direction that gives you a clear view of the sky. By pointing it East it almost always aligns in three attempts. If I start pointing North it can take 5 or more attempts to align, sometimes failing altogether.

[@jackfrost4033]

Is a new calibration necessary every you use the starsense camera ?

[@AstroBlender]

No, you only need to re-calibrate if you switch the StarSense to a new telescope.

[@MrMartgolf]

Brilliant thank you Cody, very helpful 👍👍👍👍

[@andy9298]

Absolutely brilliant two videos it has helped me so much to buy a Evolution 6” can’t afford anything else once I get all the bits to go with it lol again thank you and cheers.🍻👍🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@davidfischer6483]

Hi cody, many thank for the video, I have a question, is the auto alignement procedure the same when you have added on same set up the celestron equatorial table on the Evolution mont? Thank, david from France

[@scottrk4930]

Hi Cody . Very nice Series , thanks ! Questions...when the StarSense finishes its Calibration it displayed values of " 694 , 375 " . Do you know what those numbers indicate ? I always thought they were Pixel co-ordinates but I really don't know . What are the upper and lower limits we can expect to see with a Calibration ? Should we be striving for a 0 ,0 ? I'm thinking that if the StarSense was really physically miss-aligned to the Scope then a bad Calibration might affect how StarSense accepts or rejects a Plate Solve . Celestron has not been able to help me with this . Cheers .

[@AstroBlender]

I believe it indicates where your telescope is offset compared to the StarSense camera. When you slew to an object, the StarSense will be offset, and the object will be centered in the telescope as intended. A 0,0 I think would be impossible because it would indicate your StarSense and telescope are pointed at the exact same point, which isn’t really possible since StarSense cannot be adjusted like a finderscope can. The numbers aren’t indicating precision, they’re just telling how far the telescope center is from the StarSense center.

[@DanoG_74]

What eyepiece are you using in this video?

[@AstroBlender]

The eyepiece was a Celestron 23mm Luminos.

[@DanoG_74]

@@AstroBlender thank you!

[@BobGeogeo]

Roughly 87x and .94 of a degree field.

[@JonathonRamirez-d6h]

How is your evolutions OTA black when all the ones I've seen are grey. I like that color so much more!

[@AstroBlender]

It was a special edition 60th anniversary carbon fiber tube. www.celestron.com/products/limited-edition-nexstar-evolution-8-hd-telescope-with-starsense-60th-anniversary-edition

[@davidletz9123]

thanks for this video! Hopefully you will produce a video showing in detail about how you image with this scope/mount.

[@AstroBlender]

I’ll try, I’ve got about 10 videos on my list to film, but I’ll try and squeeze that in somewhere.

[@KaHaDa_life]

Last time I tried this on my laptop or phone all of the plate-solving went out the window when the screen lock came on the phone or laptop, didn't know it was happening and had the camera attached, chose an object to lock onto but the mount went crazy and nearly damaged the dslr on the end of the scope because it started pointing way too high and in the wrong direction. Nexstar Evolution 9.25"

[@davidpatrickmagic]

Hi Cody, I noticed you’re using the Evolution mount; would you recommend the Celestron Evo 8” telescope & mount package for a beginner looking to get into deep visuals of the moon, planets, DSOs and beginner/basic photography if they could afford it??

[@AstroBlender]

Yes, absolutely! The Evolution is Celestron’s premium single fork-arm mount, and easily handles an 8”. The 8” is my favorite size of SCT. Perfect for DSO, lunar, planets, etc. The 8” will always give you something to look at.

[@richardpallechio257]

That is pretty much what I did. There is a learning curve. My first attempts at alignment were utter failures, so I downloaded the Celestron manuals onto my iPad and followed the instructions step by step and it worked. Once you learn the process it is like riding a bike. Oh! Download this video and follow along as you do your alignment!

[@danpf]

For information I measured the motor noise level of the C8 Evolution HD with alt-az mount: about 50dB at 10 m, which for me is too high for respecting the sleep of neighbours.

[@AstroBlender]

The Evolution is definitely my loudest Celestron mount. It helps if you drop the motor speed down a few levels.

[@AlejandroMartinez21]

I was waiting for this video

[@CampMacduff]

Thank you for sharing!

[@AstroBlender]

You bet..

[@MrBenchfitter]

Great video,Cody

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks!

[@wesleydonnelly2141]

Tell you THGE BIGGEST selling point for this rig for me personally...no cables!! Oh the joy of not having to deal with those damn messy annoying cables!! Some nights I'm lost trying to untangle all my cables, plug them all in, then worrying about snagging etc etc etc!! 😩😂

[@AstroBlender]

Yeah, it’s super nice to not have any cables whatsoever attached to the ground.

[@williamwulffleff6829]

how much is this beginner scope $200-$2k?

[@AstroBlender]

An 8” EdgeHD with StarSense and Evolution mount is usually about $2,750 as of now.

[@markgman4157]

I have the Evolution with focuser and StarSense and had it out last Saturday night. I did a StarSense Manual Align using CWPI and SharpCap on a laptop. The manual mode just requires you to manually point the telescope so it can take its pictures and solve. It was spot on, and you can use CWPI to investigate the model of your alignment including the overall error and the individual errors compared to the model for each target star. Everything was spot on, but I am sure you can delete any outliers. This would be great if you observe from the same spot repeatedly. Star Sense is an amazing tool. I like the HC to move the scope because it is tactile if you're going back and forth between controls and viewing. With my iphone I have to keep looking down at the screen to move & focus. However, I do use the laptop screen too. A pad would be easier than the phone. The sun was up and it was hot in Texas when I set up. The mount and StarSense could not communicate with camera which worked perfectly when I was home. The HC would only say "waiting for camera" and CPWI would not load load StarSense, only the mount and focuser. I tried everything with no success. After dark, when the temperature cooled the HC and CPWI found the camera. It seemed like the camera may have a thermal cutoff to protect the electronics. Anyway, when it counted it was amazing.

[@KaHaDa_life]

Don't forget to enable location on your phone or tablet as well, otherwise there is a whole new set of issues arises.

[@EugeneRu777]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Interesting.