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How To Connect Celestron Evolution + Wedge + StarSense + Skysafari Pro? (Answer: Read On!)

Hello,

 

I have tried several nights with the wedge and star sense on Celestron Evo 6. I tried to auto align the telescope with the Skysafari Pro on an iPad. It ends up with an error message: not enough stars, but in fact there are many stars in the sky. 

 

Here is my step (that does not work):

 

Step 1. connect to Evolution's Wi-Fi (Celestron Wi-Fi )
Step 2. select Equatorial GoTo (Fork)
Step 3. select Align Using StarSense Auto
Step 4. enable StarSense Wedge Align (I also enable wedge on the hand controller)
Step 5. check the two marks and the optical tube points to S
Step 6. Connect and Align on Skysafari Pro

Please let me know where I have messed up.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

ps. StarSense works fine without the wedge. I have updated the latest firmware.

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    Keiron Smith
    1. Can you use StarSense to successfully complete an alignment with the wedge without using SkySafari to initiate the alignment process?  SkySafari need not be used.  So, please remove SkySafari from the setup and see if the issue persists.
    2. Are you sure that you should be using "Equatorial GoTo (Fork)" option because you now include the wedge?  Maybe the option should still be "Alt/Az Go To"?  Sorry, I can not say for sure.
    3. I found this at CloudyNights.com perhaps it will help.

    “Alt-Azimuth, wedge, and Starsense”
    Below is the entire process broken down into three parts. Please follow them in order.
    Part one, setting up the wedge and mount. Part two is the calibration, which is broken into three parts. Part three is the polar alignment.

     

    ************* Part One *********************
    Setting up the wedge for a rough polar alignment:
    Set up the wedge so that the angled base (where you attached your mount to the wedge) is facing north. When this is done correctly, you will notice that your fork mount will point towards the north. Then I would like for you to set up the optical tube to its correct index marks. When this is done correctly, you will notice that the optical tube is parallel to the wedge's base that you pointed north. The optical tube opening, where light comes in, should be pointing towards south (the southern meridian). This method will give you a rough polar alignment.
    Using Starsense with the wedge:
    Now it's time to use the star sense accessory. First, you need set up the Starsense so that the unit knows your using a wedge. Please follow these instructions, go to menu > telescope> set up > wedge, than select wedge ‘ON’. Once the wedge is on you can begin the auto alignment procedure with your scope.
    Check your information:
    Make sure that your time, date, location, and time zone is all correct. Any error inputting the information can result in a poor alignment. (Menu, time and location, view mod time/location).Once this information is double checked you are ready to begin your alignment procedure.

     

    ********** Part Two *************
    Calibrating the Starsense Camera:
    - This is broken down into three steps.
    Step One: Do an Auto alignment or manual alignment procedure and get a successful alignment. Once you have your successful alignment I would like you to select a bright star in your area and use the Starsense goto function and slew to that object (make sure it is a star and not a planet). When the scope slews to that object, it may not be in the field of view or maybe even near it. This is okay. Once the mount has stopped slewing, please do not move or slew the mount, just leave it as it is. The reason why the object is not in the field of view is because we have not done our calibration yet. Once you have done a successful alignment you can Go to step 2.
    Step two: Select Menu >Starsense > calibration.
    Now it's time to perform the calibration. At this point your hand controller will basically choose the last star you slewed to (which is the one we slewed to in step one). It will tell you to press enter and the mount will slew to where it thinks the star is or it might have you slew to the star. At this point, you will follow the prompt on the hand controller. It will state for you to center the star and select align when done. When you are centering the star make sure to use a high power eyepiece. Maybe start with a low power eyepiece (40 mm) and moving down to a higher power eyepiece (10 mm) Once centered, press align.
    Step three: You will perform step one all over again.
    -This will complete your calibration. Keep in mind you only have to do the calibration once, unless you take the camera off. If the camera is taken off then you will have to perform another calibration (or mount knocked etc)

     

    **************** Part Three ******************
    Polar alignment with the wedge and Starsense:
    Once you have completed an alignment successfully and have calibrated your Starsense camera you can perform a Starsense polar align, which will get your wedge more aligned with Polaris to have better accuracy when tracking objects.
    After you get an alignment successfully, you will press ‘Align’ and scroll to ‘Polar Align’ (using buttons 6 and 9). This will then move the telescope to a star. It will then say something like ‘if the mount is polar aligned the star should be centered in the field of view’. If the object is not central in the field of view, you should manually move the wedge. Do not use your hand controller. You will use the latitude adjustment knob and azimuth knobs to center the star in the eyepiece. Once you are done centering the star, you can turn the mount off and then back on.
    Then perform your Auto alignment procedure once more and you are good to go. To getter accuracy, you can perform this polar alignment 2 to 3 times.

    https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/556847-starsense-on-a-wedge/

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