Celestron: Automatically Align Your Telescope

ZeRoY

Now that's handy!

The revolutionary technology in the award-winning SkyProdigy telescope is now available for almost every Celestron computerized telescope.

Torrance, CA (January 8, 2013) – Celestron, the world’s #1 telescope maker, is excited to unveil the StarSense Accessory, a revolutionary new telescope accessory that turns your telescope into a fully-automated tour guide of the universe.

Before StarSense, using a computerized telescope required a lengthy alignment process of finding and centering at least two bright stars in the telescope’s eyepiece. But StarSense automatically aligns itself, no user input needed. With StarSense, you become an instant astronomer—even if you’ve never used a telescope before.

StarSense technology debuted in 2011 with Celestron’s SkyProdigy telescope line. SkyProdigy captured multiple awards that year, including Popular Mechanics’ Breakthrough Product Award and the esteemed Innovations Award at the 2011 International CES.

As SkyProdigy amassed accolades, Celestron engineers were already working to bring StarSense technology to other Celestron computerized telescopes. Now, with the StarSense Accessory, that dream is a reality. StarSense is not only compatible with all of Celestron’s current computerized telescope models, but backwards compatible with many older models as well.

The StarSense Accessory includes a small digital camera that attaches to the telescope’s optical tube, along with a specialized hand controller. Just set up the accessory, push the Align button on the hand controller, and StarSense starts capturing and comparing images of the night sky against its internal database of 40,000 celestial objects. In about three minutes, StarSense will gather enough information to triangulate its position and align itself. Then, press the Sky Tour button: StarSense will automatically slew to all the best stars, planets, galaxies, and more based on your exact time and location.

Even the most advanced telescope users will love using the affordable StarSense Accessory. StarSense replaces expensive software used for Advanced Mount Modeling, providing superior pointing accuracy from horizon to horizon. Users can add as many calibration stars as desired to give their telescope mount a new level of accuracy.

StarSense will be on display, along with all of Celestron’s new 2013 lineup, during the 2013 International CES, January 8-11, 2013, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Visit Celestron in Central Hall, booth #14842 for a complete review of StarSense and all of our 2013 new product releases.

Sources

Swampy

Always wanted to get a telescope but was put off due to my lack of knowledge but this sounds amazing.

Nerro

would nice to know the price aswell.it only says afordable...

Chuck Stone

Nerro wrote: »

would nice to know the price aswell.it only says afordable...

Amazon.co.uk search.

ps200306

Pre-order price here:

http://www.astronomics.com/celestron-starsense-telescope-auto-alignment-system_p20044.aspx

Given the usual grotesque markup for Europe and the grotesquer one for Ireland, I'd say change dollars to euro and add a third to half ... so four to five hundred euro! :eek:

Would be nice if it doubled-up in function for something like autoguiding, but I haven't seen any mention of that. That makes it a pretty expensive gimmick for saving a few minutes of setup time! The sky tour feature is already built into (some/all?) Celestron GOTO mounts, so that doesn't add anything.

ZeRoY

ps200306 wrote: »

Would be nice if it doubled-up in function for something like autoguiding

i'd imagine it does but no mention of it and no mention of ST4 port either. Looks to be propriatary to Celestron....

Im actually surprised now that no-one has yet done this via USB eyepiece + Software (for Ascom or ST4) - With stuff like astrometry.net it should be possible, just like when autoguiding the software would identify what it sees in eyepiece and adjust mount accordingly or something?

Nerro

ZeRoY wrote: »

i'd imagine it does but no mention of it and no mention of ST4 port either. Looks to be propriatary to Celestron....

Im actually surprised now that no-one has yet done this via USB eyepiece + Software (for Ascom or ST4) - With stuff like astrometry.net it should be possible, just like when autoguiding the software would identify what it sees in eyepiece and adjust mount accordingly or something?

i really dont think so it will have autoguiding capabilities...onless you will hook it up to your finder???Even if it would one could buy dedicated one cheaper (like skywatcher etc.)
the reason no one bother doing it because i think it will be useless.as far as i understand you still have to do your polar aligement and leveling yourself?when i do it all the guide stars for GOTO alligement are usually in my 40mm EP FOV and it takes less then 3min to finish procedure.So whats the point spending 500e???
If it would do all the alligements like polar etc then it would be deadly...but dont see it hapening anytime soon...

ZeRoY

Q&A on StarSense:

http://www.celestron.com/portal/articles/cat/howto/post/ask-team-celestron-starsense-accessory/

Extract:

Stephan G. asks, “Can the StarSense Accessory help polar alignment in some way?”
-StarSense won’t directly assist in polar alignment. However, because the GoTo alignment is very accurate with StarSense, All Star Polar Alignment becomes more accurate. You’ll be more closely polar aligned after just one iteration of the All Star alignment procedure. (This answer applies EQ mounts and CPC + Wedge mounts only.)

James D. asks, “My question is, can StarSense be used as a guide scope for imaging?”
-Not currently – the main reason is the 20mm f/2 lens used in the camera does not have enough focal length to accurately guide longer focal length telescopes. We acknowledge this feedback!

ps200306

Thanks for that ZeRoY. It does mention a new off-axis autoguider product as well, which might actually be a lot cheaper judging by other Celestron autoguiders.

ZeRoY

ZeRoY wrote: »

Im actually surprised now that no-one has yet done this via USB eyepiece + Software (for Ascom or ST4) - With stuff like astrometry.net it should be possible, just like when autoguiding the software would identify what it sees in eyepiece and adjust mount accordingly or something?

So I stand corrected?

http://sourceforge.net/p/astrotortilla/home/Home/



Note exactly for Auto-guiding but some very interesting feature for Ascom comp. mounts and CCD/DSLR

ps200306

ZeRoY wrote: »

So I stand corrected?

http://sourceforge.net/p/astrotortilla/home/Home/



Note exactly for Auto-guiding but some very interesting feature for Ascom comp. mounts and CCD/DSLR

Good find!

ZeRoY

ps200306 wrote: »

Good find!

Credit to TzeTze

ps200306

ZeRoY wrote: »

Credit to TzeTze

Thank you both. I'm actually more interested in the underlying astrometry.net open source plate solver algorithms. I've been toying with the idea of building an automated supernova search platform ... and it looks like this could manage some of the hardest work. (I'm sure someone has done this already ... I'm just at the investigation phase).

Tzetze

Astrotortilla (AT) is the business alright! But, it's just the wrapper for the awesome astrometry.net plate solving.

Use AT to accurately polar align using 2x 5s exposures from anywhere in the sky.
Without any goto calibration, you can point AT to an image of your intended target and it will get you bang on target within 2 minutes.