SkySafari Gotos do not complete on specific targets (erratic).
Recently I have had a new (though rare) issue. When selecting a target and clicking 'Goto', I see the scope moving towards the target but stopping some distance short. The goto never completes, however long I leave it. The Goto button is displaying 'stop', allowing me to cancel out and try again, but it does the same thing if I repeat.
Another weird thing is that, if I slip the clutches and try to move the scope manually to the target (I have dual encoders engaged), I see the circle in the display (representing my finder) "skip over" the area of sky near my target, and re-appear on the other side. It's as if SkySafari refuses to let me into that region. However, I can just slew with the direction keys.
This has happened two or three times so far and I can't detect anything unusual about the targets - they're not close to the zenith or horizon, for example.
Any ideas?
SkySafari Plus 6.8.6.3 running on Android 11, connecting to Synscan pro 1.19.12 in alt-az.
Date
Votes
10 comments
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Keiron Smith Jamie,
Please include all the following info:
- SS app and version
- Android version
- SS Scope Type setting
- WiFi hardware
- SynScan Pro app and version
- SynScan Pro app settings
- Alignment process
- Etc
Thanks!
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Jamie Andrews Thanks for responding, Keiron.
The answers to 1,2,3,5 are already in my first post.
4: The wifi is built-in, it's a SkyWatcher Star Discovery mount.
6: I'm not sure which Synscan settings you think would be relevant for this issue?
7: I am using a "brightest star" (2 star) alignment in Synscan.
8: Again, if there's anything specific that would assist you, I can provide it. -
Keiron Smith It is better to provide too much info, rather than not enough.
Here, we need community members to assist. I do not have a SkyWatcher mount to test with.
So, please attach screenshots for all your app settings.
And include anything else that might be significant about your setup.
Also, try the standard reboot for all devices. Start from new
Thanks!
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Keiron Smith Also, someone else suggested in a different post that it is better to download the SynScan Pro app direct from the SkyWatcher website, rather than Google Play. Consider that as well.
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Keiron Smith Also, you have said this is a "new (though rare) issue."
Please be specific about how often this occurs. Are all targets are affected, or only specific targets? Whether there is a sequence of actions that trigger the issue? Etc.
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Keiron Smith Would also help if you could make a video (dropbox link to it).
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A S Hello Jamie,
some tipps from me for perfect alignment of a SkyWarcher telescope:
- use SynScan from the Skywatcher website http://www.skywatcher.com/download/software/synscan-app/
- for the 2-star-alignment: Do you use a crosshair eyepiece for exact alignment? Do you use allignment stars 90-130° away from each other and not higher than 60° above the horizont?
- for GoTo: After the telescope stops, use SkySafari to move the telescope until the object is in the middle, then press 'Align' in SkySafari. After that choose an object near by and see what happens.
Regards Achim -
Jamie Andrews Hi Keiron,
answers to your further questions:
"download the SynScan Pro app direct from the SkyWatcher website"
yes, that's where I got my version"try the standard reboot for all devices"
This has happened on three different dates, and the phone is rebooted each day."Please be specific about how often this occurs"
So far, this has occurred four times on three different evenings, these are the dates, the objects and approximate sky positions:
HR 4021 on 20/01/22 approx Az 27° Alt 45°
Uranus on 20/01/22 approx Az 223° Alt 47°
36 Andromedae on 17/01/22 approx Az 254° Alt 43°
M31 on 4/12/21 approx Az 202° Alt 80°
On all three evenings I viewed several other targets without experiencing this goto problem. My sequence of actions in each case is: select object from Skysafari observing list; centre; move the scope to approximate position manually, guided by Telrad and/or Skysafari display; press goto in Skysafari to finish."make a video"
I didn't record the behaviour at the time. When it happens again I will attempt to do this, though as I say, this appears to be random (and so is the weather) so I'm not sure when this will be."please attach screenshots for all your app settings"
I found it easier to export my settings file, reproduced here:SkySafariSettingsVersion=3.0
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Calendar=2
AutoDST=1
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Type=Sxxx
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LocationName=Current Location
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TonightsBestSort=Visual Magnitude
PlanetsSort=Catalog Number
MoonsSort=Catalog Number
AsteroidsSort=Visual Magnitude
CometsSort=Visual Magnitude
SatellitesSort=Visual Magnitude
NamedStarsSort=Proper Name
BrightestStarsSort=Visual Magnitude
NearestStarsSort=Distance
DoubleStarsSort=Altitude
VariableStarsSort=Default Order
DeepSkySort=Visual Magnitude
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CaldwellSort=Catalog Number
ConstellationsSort=Proper Name
AsterismsSort=Proper Name
MeteorShowersSort=Proper Name -
Jamie Andrews Hi Achim,
yes, I'm aware of all those alignment tips, but this problem doesn't seem to be anything to do with alignment.
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Keiron Smith Jamie Andrews, the issue must be reproducible for developers to fix it. So, please keep working on identifying how to reproduce the issue.
A S, thank YOU for assisting with your knowledge and experience!
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