I use the Android version of SkySafari 5 Pro on my phone to control my goto dob scope. The motor control is done by OnStep which needs the NCP as its Park location. Thus I would like to be able to goto the NCP. I can find Polaris in the database but not the NCP. Is it there? I have tried the abbreviation and the full spelling.
If the NCP is in the database, how may I find it? If it is not there, could it please be included in an update?
Thanks.
Hey Pete--
You might try going into settings > grid and reference and turning on show celestial poles. You then can go to settings > display and add a field of view circle with crosshairs to get absolutely centered on the NCP then use that location to go to. Hope this helps!
Chris
Chris,
Yes, that worked, sorta. Thanks. The FOV trick allows me to goto the NCP. It is a good work around for sure. I'd still like a database update that would allow the NCP to be treated like an object, I know it's not but, it would help those like me who use the NCP as a park position when starting and ending an observing session.
Thanks again.
Can you then save the location as a personal object? Call it NCP if you wish then load the object or observing list and GoTo NCP. Just a thought.
John
I'm not familiar with how to save a location as a personal object. I know that you can save physical locations for observation entries but they don't appear to be searchable in the object database. Cool idea either way.
Chris
Thanks for all the help guys. I have got he FOV on screen and I can position it anywhere I wish including the NCP. It won't stay put though. If I move the starfield then the FOV stays still. Also I cannot fathom how to save a custom FOV. Sorry, I am fairly new at this.
Right now I am setting my scope home position with a magnetic compass that is offset to point to true north for azimuth alignment and a digital inclinometer to give me altitude. Obviously I level the scope first and then I use SkySafari to give me an Alt Az position of Polaris and I just move the scope to those settings and call it home. This works but knowing the exact Alt Az of NCP would be more useful to me.
This topic really has not been answered. What I really would like is for the two Celestial Poles to be searchable and thus GoTo entities. I know they are not truly objects but many astronomers do a celestial alignment at the start of their observing session. Being able to have the scope align to NCP or SCP from within SkySafari Android would be a huge help, I think.
So, can you guys do this please? Is it possible. Do other people want it? I know I do.
Thanks guys. Great product.
We have not had any other requests to have the NCP be an "Object" that you can go to. I really don't think we will be adding it to the database as an object, at least not any time soon.
However, there is an easy work around. You can do a GoTo to an arbitrary RA/Dec. Then NCP is easy because it is RA = 0; Dec = 90. When connected, tap and hold the GOTO button in the Scope Control panel. After a couple of second the GoTo RA/Dec panel will appear. Just enter 0 & 90 in the appropriate fields and tap GoTo. The scope will move to those coordinates.
He's not alone, Bill. Having the NCP as a GoTo object within Sky Safari would be excellent. Even if it's not for Go-to via telescope control, it would really help to be used for Polar alignment by showing the position of Polaris relative to the North Celestial Pole. Thanks.
@Bill, Thanks for your reply. That is a good work around. It works well. I still think that NCP/SCP as searchable and GoTo "objects" would be a good idea. Obviously it's your product and you deploy your resources where you will but this seems such a trivial modification to add one line item to the object database as to be trivial.
Thanks again.
Pete,
Unfortunately it is not at all trivial to add this. This is not a normal object. What do we show if someone selects it and brings up the Info? How do we draw it on screen if they center but they have Celestial Poles turned off (which it is by default).
All objects in the database have their own category. There is no category for a random point in the sky (although maybe there should be). We would have to add code for this new category. My guess is this is 3-4 days of work excluding testing.
Bill,
Ouch. I get the point (pun in all three senses, quite intended...). Sorry - no I'm not.