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  3. Starry Night | Telescopes

What telescopes can I control with Starry Night Pro & Pro Plus?

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    There are different telescope controller plug-ins available for Windows and Macintosh. Please note that the ASCOM plug-in for Windows was not written by Imaginova, and you should contact the maker of the plug-in for more information.If you are interested in writing your own telescope controller plug-in for Starry Night Pro, a new Plug-in SDK for version 6.x will be available soon.

     

    Windows

     

    • ASCOM Platform. On Windows computers, Starry Night Pro controls telescopes with the aid of the ASCOM telescope driver. The Ascom Platform can be downloaded here.  The download is a zipped file that includes a read-me file with complete instructions on installing the ASCOM Platform and using the plug-in. The ASCOM Platform installs the plug-in which allows users to control the following telescopes from within Starry Night:

      1. Orion SkyQuest IntelliScope.
      2. Orion GoTo mounts including Atlas, Sirius, HDX110, StarSeeker, SkyView Pro and others (select Nexstar 5).
      3. Meade LX-200 and Autostar-equipped robotic telescopes (such as the ETX 90/125 and LX200 GPS).
      4. Celestron Ultima 2000, Nexstar 5, Nexstar 8, Nexstar 11 GPS, NexStar CPC and Nexstar 114 GT telescopes (will not work with other Nexstar models).
      5. Generic LX-200 Type Scopes. The Generic LX-200 driver uses the absolute minimum of the LX-200 control protocol, and is thus compatible with a wide variety of amateur type telescopes and mounts that use so-called LX200 emulation. The following telescopes and mounts support the generic LX200 protocol (there may be others): Astro-Physics AP series, Astro-Electronic FS-2, Losmandy Gemini, Mel Bartels Controllers.
      6. ACL Based Telescopes. This includes many types of research-grade telescopes controlled using Astronomy Command Language. Any telecope controlled by either of these packages is accessible via the ACL-based Telescope driver. This includes most Optical Guidance, DFM, Optomechanics Research, SciTech and Merlin research telescopes and mounts.
      7. Vixen SkySensor 2000.
      8. Astro-Physics 1200 GTO.
      9. AstroOptik research telescopes.
      10. Astrometric Instruments SkyGuide TCS.
      11. Telescope Simulator (for testing)
      12. *Digital Setting Circle computers that recognize the Meade LX200 generic protocol - such as the Argo Navis

    • ASCOM Drivers can be downloaded here. 

     Macintosh.

    On the Macintosh, Starry Night VERSION 7 controls telescopes with its own telescope plug-in.Telescopes currently supported:

    Macintosh.

     

    • Meade LX-200 Classic and GPS
    • Meade LX-400 ACF with AutoStar #497 controllers
    • Meade LX-600 / 800 / 80
    • Meade ETX-LS / LT
    • Meade ETX 90-125
    • Meade LXD 55-75 / 650-750
    • Meade LX 90
    • Meade Magellan I
    • Meade Magellan II
    • Celestron NexStar 5i / 8i / GPS / SLT / SE / Advanced GT
    • Celestron AVX / CGE / CGEM / CPC series
    • SkyWatcher SynScan
    • Orion Sirius / Atlas / SkyView Pro / SkyQuest XTg / StarSeeker
    • iOptron SmartStar / MiniTower
    • iOptron iEQ45 with 8406 controller
    • iOptron 8407 / 8408 contollers
    • Astro-Physics GTO
    • Losmandy Gemini
    • Vixen SkySensor 2000
    • Vixen StarBook / Sphinx
    • Sky Commander
    • Losmandy DSC
    • StellarCAT ServoCAT
    • Starmaster Sky Tracker
    • SiTech Controller
    • Takahashi Temma 2
    • Bisque Paramount + TheSkyX
    • Tangent Instruments BBox Encoder System (and compatible)
    • Celestron AstroMaster
    • JMI NGC Max
    • Lumicon Sky Vector
    • Orion Sky Wizard / IntelliScope
    • Takahashi Super Navigator


    On the Macintosh, Starry Night VERSION 6 controls telescopes with its own telescope plug-in.    Telescopes currently supported:

     

    1. Meade LX200
    2. Meade LX200 GPS
    3. LX200 Compatible Scope
    4. Meade ETX Autostar
    5. Autostar V2.2 or later ((ETX)
    6. Celestron NexStar 60, 80, 114 GT
    7. Celestron NexStar 5 or 8
    8. Celestron NexStar 8 GPS
    9. Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
    10. Celestron NexStar CPC
    11. Orion SkyQuest IntelliScope
    12. Orion Atlas and Sirius mounts (select Nexstar 5)
       
       

      Unfortunately Takashi mounts are not supported with Starry Night Mac VERSION 6, only SN Windows.

      It should be possible to control your Takashi mount via a virtual Windows machine on your Mac. I recommend looking at either Parallels or VMWare Fusion. Both will have 30-60 day trials available. You should be able to set up the virtual machine and fully test it before making a purchasing decision. Unfortunately, we cannot officially support Starry Night software on virtual machines. Virtual machines have their own programming issues that are beyond our control. Starry Night is designed to run on a local machine running WIndows 7/Vista/XP or Mac OSX. That said, if you need help, please let me know and I will do my best to be of assistance.

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    Comments

    • Avatar
      Steve Berry
      Its a nice change to find astro software i can use on my Mac. Keep up the good work. Steve
    • Avatar
      Malcolm Bannister

      Works great with EQMOD and Skywatcher EQ6 Pro mount.

    • Avatar
      Romain Van Aelst

      > If you are interested in writing your own telescope controller plug-in for Starry Night Pro, a new Plug-in SDK for version 6.x will be available soon.

      Is this list for SN6 only or is this for SN7 too?

    • Avatar
      Steve Cox

      Question, is the list above saying that neither the CG-5 nor AVX are supported even with the ASCOM Celestron Unified Driver?  Or are those scopes listed above supported through built-in drivers to Starry Night?  Am I reading all of this wrong?

    • Avatar
      Keiron Smith

      Hi Steve, 

      Starry Night supports any telescope/mount that is also supported by ASCOM.  So, if the Celestron Unified Driver is written for the CG-5 and AVX then it will work with Starry Night.

    • Avatar
      Steve Cox

      Thanks Keiron.  That's what I suspected since that's how v6 scope support was, just wanted to make sure first.

    • Avatar
      Glenn Rowe

      I was wondering if Starry Night will work with a Celestron CGEM 1100 with the StarSense auto-align accessory. The scope came originally with a NexStar hand control, but when you install StarSense, you need to use the new StarSense hand control. 

    • Avatar
      Lawrence Santana

      I see the Celestron Ultima 2000 is compatible with Starry Night on the Windows list.  Is this in fact a true statement?  What about hardware/cables to make this happen?  I am running Windows 7 on a HP laptop.

      Are you familiar with the folks over at Carbon12 Astro Systems.  They were providing RS-232 cables for interfacing the SkiFi wifi box and Sky Safari.  They were unaware that Sky Safari was no longer compatible with the Celestron Ultima 2000.  Just saying. 

      Thanks

    • Avatar
      Keiron Smith

      Hi Lawrence,

      On Windows, Starry Night 6/7 supports any telescope/mount that is also supported by ASCOM.  I believe your Celestron Ultima 2000 is supported by ASCOM - look for the Celestron unified driver.  But, the driver has changed lately, so I can't guarantee it.  Best for you to post on CloudyNights.com asking other Ultima 2000 users what works for them at this time.

      Correct, SkySafari 4 dropped supported for the Ultima 2000 (and the original Celestron 6/8).  If you have SkySafari 3 it still works (but, we do not sell SkySafari 3 anymore).

    • Avatar
      Thomas Maxhofer

      Hi Keiron,

      I´ve just ordered a new Skywatcher HEQ-5 Pro SynScan GoTo equatorial mount. This will be my first GoTo mount.
      I plan to control this mount with Starry Night Pro on my MacBook.
      Will this work? And is there anything special I need to know?

      Thank you!

      Thomas

    • Avatar
      Thomas Maxhofer

      Hi Keiron,

      one more question (which I forgot in my previous posting):

      Does Starry Night 7 on a Mac also support the control of a Vixen SXD2 mount (equipped with the new Starbook Ten controller)?

      Thank you!

      Clear skies

      Thomas

       

    • Avatar
      Keiron Smith

      Hi Thomas,

      On Mac, the Skywatcher HEQ-5 Pro SynScan GoTo equatorial mount works for sure.

      On Mac, we haven’t tested the Vixen SXD2 mount (equipped with the new Starbook Ten controller) ourselves, but we believe it should work.  No one has said that it doesn't.

      Give it a go, and if it does not work we'll see what we have to do.

      Congratulations on your first go to telescope!  Exciting times, indeed!

    • Avatar
      Rimbaud

      Hi Keiron,

      I see above SNP7 can control an iOptron 8407 controller from OS X on a Mac.  If I've understood correctly, as the CEM60 uses that controller that means I could control the CEM60 directly from SNP7 on OS X (as opposed to ASCOM)?  Thinking of getting the mount and compatibility with SNP7 is a factor!

      Many thanks,

      stan in Brooklyn

    • Avatar
      Anthony J Randall

      I have a very basic question. I am using a converter cable from the RS232 output of my NGC-MAX computer to a usb. I therefore need a programme which will 'read' this usb port and produce positioning RA and Dec the PC. The NGC-MAX output merely gives the RA and Dec info, but no positioning. Is there a programme to do this please?

    • Avatar
      Christopher Rose
      Is there any plans to allow SNP7 to work with INDI compatible devices?
    • Avatar
      Keiron Smith

      Please submit tickets regarding support for Starry Night and your specific scopes.

      https://simcur.zendesk.com/anonymous_requests/new

      Thanks! 

    • Avatar
      Carl Henderson

      Keiron

      I have the Orion Star Seeker 4, Stary Night and Ascon software on my Windows 66Mhz machine. I have worked for 6-months to get it working and it just won't. Orion is not help other then just saying, "use Centron" which hasn't helped. Is there any way i COULD CALL YOU DIRECTLY ON THIS (THESE) ISSUES? sorry about the caps. Believe it or not, I'm a Mechanical Engineer and this thing is kicking my butt.

      *email removed*

      Carl

    • Avatar
      Juliangeorgeshaw
      I'm confused Keiron. You repeat that Starry Night 6/7 supports ANY mount that is also supported by ASCOM. But then there is a list of mounts which are supported which doesn't inlude every ASCOM supported mount. Also I saw a screenshot of the dropdown list of supported mounts. This screenshot shows a list of some specific mounts but does not seem to have a generic ASCOM option. So does Starry Night support any ASCOM mount and if so, how does one connect an ASCOM mount which is not on your list?
    • Avatar
      Keiron Smith

      Carl, 

      I'm going to open a ticket for you.  We will discuss.

       

      Julian,

      Probably the information needs to be updated.  Where is the screenshot you saw?  I think you can use this Ascom page as a starting point.

      http://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/ScopeDrivers.htm

      If the Ascom driver is available on that page then that scope will work with Starry Night.  Note, there are a few Ascom drivers that are found in other different places on the internet.

      I think you should just be specific about what you're trying to do.  Please open a support ticket.  We'll discuss your scope setup possibilities.

      https://support.simulationcurriculum.com/anonymous_requests/new

    • Avatar
      Kenneth Hickey

      It says above that Starry Night Pro is compatible with:

      Celestron Ultima 2000, Nexstar 5, Nexstar 8, Nexstar 11 GPS, NexStar CPC and Nexstar 114 GT telescopes (will not work with other Nexstar models).

      Does that mean Starry Night Pro will work with a Celestron NexStar 8i telescope? I want to install it on my Win 10 laptop and connect to the telescope thru the RS232 cable and an async to USB adapter.

      I wasn't able to post this question to https://simcur.zendesk.com/anonymous_requests/new because I don't have a registration number (I don't want to buy it if it won't be compatible)

    • Avatar
      Keiron Smith

      Hi Kenneth,

      On Windows 10, Starry Night Pro 8 will work with a Celestron NexStar 8i telescope, no problem.

      Make sure you get the correct intelliscope serial cable.

      Thx.

    • Avatar
      dudleydogg

      I have a mac and Iphone I get constant disconnections when I try to move MeadeLx200acf. on my laptop everything seems golden then "No Communication" I am 3 feet from the skyfi unit wifi is all good it just stops responding. I can do a goto with iPhone but still get often diisconnects.

    • Avatar
      Markjohn

      Hi Keiron,
      It's amazing thanks for sharing I am looking for it.