Scope Control View

The Scope Control view lets you connect to your telescope and control it. Before connecting, select your telescope type and communication options by tapping Menu > Settings in the Toolbar and then selecting Presets under the TELESCOPE section. By default, SkySafari's uses a "Demo" telescope. This is a dummy virtual telescope that lets you to use the controls without having a real scope connected. To connect to a real telescope, choose the telescope type and communication parameters in Presets.

Please note: you can't use SkySafari's telescope controls when you are orbiting another object in the solar system. To use them, first return home to Earth.

Connecting and Disconnecting

After setting up your telescope configuration in the Settings > Presets, tap the Scope button in the Toolbar.

Connect: This button opens a connection to your telescope and brings up the Scope Control view at the bottom of the screen. If you are using an Android device with a paired bluetooth serial adapter, then SkySafari will use bluetooth for telescope communication. Otherwise, SkySafari will use Wi-Fi for wireless telescope communication.

Note: Tap & hold the Connect button to bring up a menu that allows you to quickly select a saved Scope Preset.

Connect and Align: This button only shows when connecting to a Celestron WiFi telescope. Tapping it will connect and then guide you though an alignment process.

Once you've connected, you will see a red disconnect icon on the far left of the Scope Control view. Tapping it will end your telescope control session.

Slewing and Aligning

Once your telescope is connected, arrow buttons appear on the sides of the screen (unless you have selected the "Tilt Device to Slew" option in the Settings under the Telescope section). The arrow buttons let you move the scope directionally. A motion rate control appears, to let you control how fast the directional motion occurs.

GoTo/Stop: This button issues a "GoTo" command to your telescope, which will physically slew it to the coordinates of the currently-selected object in the sky chart. While a GoTo is in progress, this button's title changes to "Stop", and pressing it will issue a command to stop the currently-in-progress GoTo.

Align: This synchronizes the scope to coordinates of the selected object. The bullseye indicator in the sky chart shows where the telescope thinks it is pointing. If that appears incorrect, the scope and the software must be synchronized. To do this:

1. Physically point the scope at a real star in the sky, using SkySafari's arrow buttons or the scope control panel. Center the object in the eyepiece.
2. Select that same object in SkySafari to make it the current target object.
3. Tap the Align button.

Lock/Unlock: Tapping this button keeps the sky chart centered on the telescope's position. Moving the telescope will cause the sky chart to move, following the telescope's motion.

Going to a Specific RA/Dec

Normally GoTo will take you to the coordinates of the selected object. To go to specific coordinates rather than the selected object, tap the More button in the scope control view and select GoTo RA/Dec. A small RA/Dec panel will pop up onscreen. Fill in the RA and Dec you want and tap GoTo in the panel.

Celestron Wi-Fi

When using the Celestron Wi-Fi scope type, it is important that you do not align using the hand controller before you connect. Doing so will cause the hand controller and SkySafari to fight over who's in control and cause incorrect behavior.

Telescopes with StarSense AutoAlign: SkySafari automatically detects a telescope with StarSense AutoAlign. The StarSense camera must be plugged into the telescope's AUX port before powering and connecting to the telescope.

All-Star Polar Alignment: After completion of star aligning an equatorial mount, there will be an ASPA button shown in the final panel. This starts the All-Star™ Polar Alignment procedure which guides you through the process of polar aligning your mount.