STAR ALIGNMENT with the Celestron NexStar 8se! How to use SkyAlign!

[@stuartbolden2142]

What I like about your videos is how you present them .. calm and precise . Easy to follow . I had an 8se previously but I am getting one again .

[@jeffadkins3479]

Much needed info. Thanks

[@lesmith939]

Great tutorial.....Thank you. I'm actually downsizing from my Meade 8" to the Celestron 5 se. At my age its a lot easier to lug outside without banging into door jambs, etc. Just needed a quick reminder on aligning..... ps. I also didn't know that you didn't need to identify the 3 alignment stars, but just any 3 bright objects. Good to know.

[@astronomy7563]

Good job on making this video! I never realized you didn't need to know what the 3 stars are...that's great!

[@AstroExplorers]

Glad I could help!

[@robertsharp2194]

These are great videos. I just purchased a Celestron NexStar 8se for my sons. Your videos have really helped us to get started. Thank you!

[@AstroExplorers]

That's awesome, I hope he enjoys it!

[@michaelfrazier9537]

I am generally pretty good at alignment. But, last night I had trouble and never got the telescope aligned. I started questioning Polaris' position, LOL. So, the next time out I am going to try this method. Thank you! I am still new to all this, but I am learning...

[@AstroExplorers]

Let me know how it goes!

[@kaichwo]

Wow I am amazed you still reply to comments of a 10 months old video.

[@michaelfrazier9537]

Update: I used the SkyAlign this past Saturday. It worked perfectly. I used the back button to see the results of my aligment. And it knew each one. Wow! I will use SkyAlign moving forward.@@AstroExplorers

[@davidstaiti]

I have the same scope and for whatever reason, it's just glitchy sometimes. You can do everything correctly when aligning, but it just won't stick sometimes. Hang in there. I've found that the method in this video works BETTER than using a 2 or 3 star alignment with specific objects. I've also found the dongle to connect to the phone works best. You don't have to enter your date/location information for example because it reads it from your phone! The only issue is I run a larger 2" diagonal on the stock mount, and I don't have enough clearance to use the dongle when the scope is pointed up to high.

[@fbctUtube]

Thank you!@@davidstaiti

[@nathanwhouston]

Thanks for taking your time to make these

[@cirobranchizio8812]

great job breaking down the three star (or planet) alignment. can you go a little more into dept with regards to lastly go up and to the right when slewing? how much up and how much to the right? thank you

[@TheHemiphil81]

I really like this alignment. I'm getting the cgx for my 6 inch refractor and I would love this.

[@AstroExplorers]

I've heard the CGX is a great mount. I went with the Eq6 myself when I made the switch.

[@user-bd1rq5zq6c]

Thanks very helpful

[@curronhill2744]

Is it the up and right for the last movement from the hand controller buttons point of view or the actual movement of the scope?

[@markman8813]

I did the 3 star align and put my location time and date but I decide to tell it go to Saturn but it went the opposite way what am I doing wrong?

[@nicholaspiela4864]

Can we use an aftermarket finder scope or does it have to be the one that comes with the scope in the original package?

[@dougsbir]

why do you need to take up any slack in the cables please and thanks great work there

[@zygmuntziokowski7877]

Good video and great tips. I was a dark sky event with the club I am in, so how can I find objects in the sky, like double stars, and etc (M31 and others)?

[@CDNMedic8]

what do you do when you have nothing to first align your finder? Can I use a star?

[@djsundayrides4869]

Can someone help me I brought mine 3 years ago. For me very to use 1. star align never worked right for me always said couldn't be align stars ? 2. Also so it will not keep my location in the system ? 3. when I'm looking at a star the telescope tracks to slow ? I ended up buying a Astromaster 70 AZ

[@zygmuntziokowski7877]

What if, when you center the night sky object (like Mars or the Moon) and it already center in the eyepiece. Do you still have to push the directional button? Because that doesn't make sense and threw off on my time using the 6SE (which is the same setup for a 8SE).

[@athopi]

Thankfully sky portal, sky sync and star sense auto align are all superfluous now thanks to ASI Air or NINA and the like...

[@Derkonig1]

Does the base scope come with StarSense AutoAlign?

[@Cartirider2900]

It keeps saying allign failed for me could u help?

[@debbielegros9828]

Do you have to do this every time you use your scope?

[@AstroExplorers]

Yes, if you love your telescope at all, you'd need to realign it.

[@debbielegros9828]

@@AstroExplorers thanks.

[@benburden9323]

Is that a 8 inch telescope

[@AstroExplorers]

Yes, it's the Celestron 8se.

[@leonardFabricatore]

Se

[@strangerous1313]

You should show ACTUALLY finding the bright object. At least one.

[@dblake3806]

Noticed in the directions sent with my WiFi dongle, that you seemed to miss. I understand that, myself also a manly guy, don’t like to read instructions! Here are those steps: 1. Connect phone to Celestron WiFi network. Check! 2. Open Celestron app. Check! 3a. Tap Telescope icon. Check! 3b. Tap Connect! Oops, you choose Connect and Align. 4. Tap Settings (gear icon) Nope you didn’t son! 5. Select Communication. Oh no!! 6. Select Configure Access Point. No you didn’t! 7. Enter SSID and Password. Crash and burn! Ok this had me for a minute because I wasn’t sure what SSID & PW to use. You make up your own. It is used by the Celestron dongle. And is what your phone actually uses. 8. Tap Send Configuration. This step sends the data you created in the previous step. 9. Select Back, to the previous menu and tap Use Access Point. Bingo! It worked!

[@Pyrolonn]

Keep in mind that the 3 star alignment is only for complete newbies that can't recognize anything. The telescope only needs the 3rd object so that it can place your objects on its internal celestial map. The telescope will then discard the 3rd object for its calculations. The telescope slewing all over the place is very time consuming so don't bother with it. I usually pick a planet or the moon with one object solar system align, then go to another and add that as my second object. If you're out on a night with only the moon or one planet and don't know a second object? You know Polaris or Arcturus. One object isn't very good, but will track OK (like if you pick the sun to track a solar eclipse), so get a second object. 3 star alignment is just a time waster.

[@AstroExplorers]

I actually found 3 star alignment to be more accurate when compared to the 2 star alignment that I did in the previous video. It does take slightly longer, but I'm willing to spend the extra couple minutes to do it. I'd suggest people do it both ways, and see which they prefer and then work with that. And remember, the NexStar 8se is for beginners, I didn't know anything about the night sky when i got it for a gift, and have since learned a lot in the last 2 and half years after getting it :)

[@Pyrolonn]

@@AstroExplorers There could be alternative reasons for getting a better alignment from your 3 star that have nothing to do with the extra star. If you span more of the sky in both directions, it should get a better result. In addition it matters how nicely centered you are in the eyepiece. One thing I'm interested in looking into is setting up my scope with polar alignment. Since it just rotates opposite the spin of the earth it should at least track better. Usually, I find set up and tear down arduous enough that I just want to get the set up down as quickly as possible.

[@sergioramos734]

@@Pyrolonn i have a question.... does require star align every single time te telescope is turned off? it looks lie ke that in mine.....

[@Pyrolonn]

@@sergioramos734 Yes, if the telescope is turned off, loses power, you need to redo alignment 😞. You can hibernate your scope and power it down, though I rarely do this. (It must retain its position)

[@renato892-j4i]

Hi @Pyrolonn , could you please explain us how to add a second object in solar system align? I always use this type of align, but I didn't know that I can add a second object.

[@jimsamolczyk3774]

Show us your star dome. I have been trying to find on for my place

[@AstroExplorers]

You mean my observatory? 🙂

[@jimsamolczyk3774]

Yes