Great tutorial.....Thank you. You're the fifth of 5 videos on sky align I picked out to watch, and with each I learn a little more. I'll be out tomorrow night, weather permitting and put all this new-found knowledge to use. Cheers!!
Wow! I’ve been using my 6SE for at least four years now and had no idea about the sync option for continuously improving alignment. Great video. Thanks.
mike markowitz The manual states that this will improve the accuracy in that portion of the sky. A different part of the sky might be adversely affected.
I've watched several videos trying to understand my new 6SE align and THIS VIDEO is the BEST! Thank you so much for this information and the clear, quick way you present it!!
Just got my Celestron Nexstar 8 SE today from OPTCORP and can't wait to use it. It is raining tonight, but very windy and I might be able to use it shortly. Thank you for providing this video and your great customer service! I highly recommend purchasing from OPT and I dealt with Zach and Ron. Both great guys and very patient with a wishy washy customer. Very pleased with the video and service. 5 Stars.
I’m a “newbie” lol. Just got my first Celestron SE5 today...yet been anticipating it a week. Bought it off a coworker, brand new in the box, unopened $200👀. I greatly appreciate you’re time and help in getting me started. I look forward to seeing more in the future! Thanks again!!
I just got the NexStar 4SE, and I’m really looking forward to using it; however, I wasn’t looking forward to the alignment process. Your explanation was very clear and very simple. Great video! Thank you!! 🙏🏾
THANK YOU SO MUCH, i have not used my 6se in about 5 years and forgot lot about the scope. one thing i was struggling with it always been a few degrees from the target using the go to. i never new i could go back and sync on aligned objects. if it wasn't 1am already i would go back out and try it again. i cant wait to try it tomorrow night
This is crazy, I just happened to be watching the video at 23:31 pm and at the 2:00 min mark you said it was 23:31 pm! I had to watch it again to be sure I didn’t mistake what you said. I guess this is a sign for me to go align my NexStar 8SE for the first time since I got it as a gift from my wife, lol.
Really enjoy your videos. Recieved a 6se a couple weeks ago and used it for the first time last night. I had previously watched your videos (multiple times) and was able to align my scope on the first try !! I couldn't remember how to add more alignments later to make it even more accurate so I am rewatching your video now....lol. I noticed last night that i never had to adjust my focus whether i was looking at the orion nebula, the moon, etc. My previous scope was the celestron 114. Thanks again.
Absolute""" GOLD """piece of info ... No one talks about the SYNC function and what you use it for , to tweak and tighten up your alignment on the fly . Many many thanks it works a treat brother Kris T from New Zealand Now wheres that bloody Comet Neowise b4 its gone ....
You may run into problem finding the object star in the eyepiece after you find it in the finder and press enter if you don't have a wide view eyepiece. So it is a good idea to first calibrate your scope with the finder during the day. First aim at a distant object and center it in the eyepiece and then center it in your finder. Then you can align your telescope at night.
Thanks for making these videos. I bought the 5SE for my wife for Christmas this year and will definitely be referencing these again when she needs me to set it up.
She should be able to set it up herself. I'm female, 4'11" & 80yo, I set up the scope myself after carrying it inside, alone when the UPS driver just left it there. The box said "heavy" & showed two guys lifting it. You don't need two guys. If she can read, she can set it up.
@@sheilachambers6671 I'm happy you're able to do that. A year ago when I made this comment my wife was recovering from her 2nd back surgery. A disc replacement, revision of the previous disc replacement, and a fusion of the lower two discs. She's good to go now.
I remember looking through my first telescope way back in 1969 and seeing Jupiter and its moons and realising that it was a miniature system. I still use three objects to navigate the skies the Plough (Big Dipper), Cassiopea and Orion but if one is not available or convenient I will use Polaris. My telescope I imported from the States, is an Orion 4.5". I haven't got around to computerised telescopes and at my age probably won't. I have just bought the amazing book by Fraser Cain that is really useful, especially for new users but also for us old timers. Keep looking up and thanks for all your hard work.
I noticed that the scope sometimes thinks it is aligned but in fact is off for objects that are not near the objects that are selected for a alignment. What separation should be used?
This was extremely useful, thank you. We are looking at purchasing a telescope that comes with this feature and I just couldn't picture how it worked. Your video was exactly what I needed.
The best bit about this video was the flash at 8:06. I went back to see what it said, and in turn, slowed the playback speed right down in RU-vid. You sound HILARIOUS at 0.25 playback .. hahahahhaha! I guess anyone would. Give it a try, sounds like you've had a few sherberts :)
Awesome : ) wow I didn't know that you don't even need to know the stars you're aligning to, older alignment systems tell you to align to 'Sirius' or 'Procyon', which require the user to know where they are in the night sky. Not so with Celestron's SkyAlign! Pretty neat
@@PaulHummerman When you hit align and go the next star and hit align, it knows how many degrees left/right and up/down the scope traveled to get from one start to the next. Combined with the location/time and the internal database, it knows the only two stars can be at those relative positions and then knows the entire night sky. It's amazing but pretty straight forward.
In your setup video you set the latitude on the declination rod. That makes it hard to actually point the scope to see anything overhead, it seems? And how does that work with the alignment process? Also, I assume one has to go through this every single time one takes the telescope out?
Hi, great video looks easy to do and it is BUT what I am doing wrong that I tried many, many times with my 8se and I made sure I had the time time location etc and aftern aligning the last star I would get the message saying it could not align and I tried many times so I ended up doing the 2 star alignment but Im wondering why i couldnt do it with this... do I have to position the scope/mount in certain position? like toward polaris? what am I missing? thanks a lot.
You make it look a lot easier than it is. I found that aligning the finderscope with the telescope at night is almost impossible. I'm going to have to try again during the day, using a nearby mountain to sight on. Also, the set up process forces you to convert long/lat decimals to hr/min/sec format. A minor PITA, but necessary since my city of over 70,000 is not listed in the database.
I dusted mine off , replaced the batteries and it kept failing so I aligned it on the moon, but didn't seem to track at right speed. Just ordered the GPS module so hopefully when that comes in it will be spot on.
Thanks - finally working - it was the rough align/enter/fine align then press align that I was doing wrong - would be interested to see if you have any videos of how to use an slr camera - I have the necessary mount but the camera weight puts the telescope out of alignment.....
Knowing a star can be helpful to confirm the alignment. I got the local time wrong. I asked it to find Acrux and oh oh ... you’re looking the wrong way. 🤣
Very helpful...I did not know about syncing to fine tune. I notice you didn’t mention leveling the scope before starting alignment...is this not needed for good tracking?
What about the built in wedge? It appeared you did not have it set to your latitude when you aligned the scope but instead had it flat. Should the wedge be set before alignment?
The SE can be aligned either in alt-azimuth mode (flat) or polar mode (wedge). Alt-azimuth is fine for visual. Polar is needed if you are taking long exposure photos. Sorry you had to wait three years for an answer!
Brilliant! You lost me in first 5 seconds when you said, considering we have already entered Longitude and latitude!!! That's where i was stuck! It wanted longitude first, then longitude west or east and then Latitude. I can only get first and last from online tools.
The direction you take to center the star at the end matters. You should use up and right at the end, not down and left. It helps to calibrate the slewing and backlash of the motors after aligned.
tony good to see you behind a telescope again something that might help with your alinements is a reticle illuminated 12.5 mm eyepiece it gives you a glowing red crosshairs to center your stars in the eyepiece personally i have ditched the red dot finder and replaced it with a telrad to get me in the area then i use a 9x50 illuminated reticle finder scope by celestron then i hit enter then i use the illuminated eyepiece to get the star perfect in the center of the eyepiece then i hit enter for the second time to set that star repete 2 more times and your done i get up and running with this set up in about 4 min from turning the power on ,on the scope .. there is also a alinement system you can get from celestron that has a camera that will do the whole alinement process for you its called Celestron StarSense AutoAlign it works very good after the initial set up hope this helps you or someone get the most out of their telescope all these accessories can be found at OPT telescopes cheers james D
It's nice to read different ways how aligning your telescope. My telescope is fully automatic when aligning. After set up i use the Celestron StarSense SkyAlign. It automatically aligns the telescope in less than 2 minutes. Great Innovation with pin point accuracy ☺
Great video & thanks for sharing it, I have a question, I tried to follow same method 3 stars alignment but I couldn't see the ( 3 stars alignment in menu)
i ordered an 8se so im going to be looking at this video non stop when i try to set it up.i may have to invest in the wifi thingamabob because well impatient and i dont want to spend a days work in hours trying to set something up. or should i sync it as you said . does it align in totality or just to that item? im curious.
I'm new to the whole telescope thing and I got my Nexstar 4se not long ago. I've been having some problems on the alignment. I've seen instructions that say you have to be so far apart when picking stars for alignment but you're showing that's not the case. I've heard you can use the moon as one of the stars? I've always loved stars and planets since I was little so that's a big reason I bought the scope to do some star and planet observing.
Before you start using the Finder Scope shouldn't you make sure it is aligned with your C5SE ? Surprise you never talked about it when setting up this scope...
Hi Hans, yes you need to level it, but to be honest, I didn't worry about it that much. It seemed ok. I think if it's a little off what will happen is you may get a slight off center image in the eyepiece.
I'm a little suprised that this hasn't been IoT'd so that the phone can pair with the scope and make the adjustments automatically. Good to know. As a software developer, this looks like an opportunity.
Their is a new telescope which came out in August 2014 called Celestron Nexstar Evolution. It has amazing innovation. The telescope can be controlled by an Android Phone, Tablet & iPhone devices using the SkyPortal App. Also using the SkyAlign this makes all the correct adjustment and pointing accuracy spot on ☺
Hi Thank you for this It says in the user manual that the sync function is only useful for being accurate in the "region " of the sky where one syncs. For example eastern sky sync won't make western sky view more accurate. What do you think?
Dear Mr. Tony, First of all great video! I was wondering if you could helpme, I'm trying to align, but everytime I try to press the button for the telescope to move, it says press back to continue and it just stays there, I can't make it move, please help me!! Thank you!
Do you have to do the three star alignment every time you take out the telescope if you are in the same location? I use an astro camera, I'm assuming instead of looking in the eyepiece I would center the object on my preview screen instead. Is this correct? Can you do another video for astrophotography?
okay I tried for hours last night as I can get the star and red dot aligned in the finder scope but I can not see it in my scope lens. So frustrating. I have a celestron nexstar evolution 6 inch.
DUMP the red dot pointer, it had NO magnification, it's impossible to use if you have but one functioning eye, even with two, it's hard to get the red dot to align with your target. What you need is a finderscope & base for Celestron SCT. Orion in the states has what you will need.
SkyMap is free, but not updated with comets and such. Stellarium is far better but cost a few bucks. I use Stellarium all the time on my phone. Stellarium is also a free PC application. They have somewhat similar interface so if you get used to the program on PC you will easily be able to use the app on the phone.
stellarium is free for windows pc celestron sky safari is free and if you have a celestron mount you can run the scope with the app from the phone just hold it up to the sky and it shows you the names of all the objects cheers james D
@@jamesdougan8789 that's correct my friend....I use the free SkyPortal App for Android & iPhone devices. Stellarium is PC based only ☺ what telescope do you own! CPC, 8se or Evolution!
@@Nottsboy24 i have a evolution mount with a edgeHD 8" scope looking to buy a CGX mount for a lot longer exposure times and better tracking / guiding accuracy but the dealer in australia is nearly twice the retail price in the usa..... unfortunately
@@Nottsboy24 I used the power tank. It seems to be under powered for the device. The motor moves very slowly. However if I plug the telescope into my car lighter, it cranks!
yes it is but a DSLR or a dedicated astro camera are better for picture quality .. there is a few youtube videos that show you how to modify the web cam so it can be mounted to the telescope cheers james D
Yes you can but it's better if a DSLR or CCD camera is used for greater image and video quality for gathering data. A webcam would need to be modified to fit as an eyepiece ☺
@Notts boy24 , @James Dougan Cheers guys. My thoughts while watching - it would have been nice if Tony could have shown us what he was seeing when aligning the telescope, I was guessing a low-res web-cam would have been sufficient.
@@PaulGrahamHealth hi Paul ☺ yes i guess it would be cool if he did show what he was allining too. When aligning a telescope looking through the eyepiece, it's best to use a 40mm first when centreing the object. Once centred swap the eyepiece to 13mm or 8mm to centre the object even better. Once aligned to 3 stars you can then attach a DSLR, CCD or Webcam. My Celestron Nexstar Evolution 9.25" has great Innovation! i can control my telescope using a Android device, phone or tablet...same for iPhone using the Celestron SkyPortal App along with the Starsense Autoalign. Once aligned i can then align to 10 more calibration stars. The more stars i align to the more accurate the tracking for very long exposures. Longest single exposure time was 2 min 48 sec using my Canon 700D DSLR. A great telescope, it even has a built in lithium ion battery which last 10 hrs ☺
Funny I just bought a used celestron nexstar 4se and this video comes up. Is the 4se similar to the 5se and what separates the 5se from the 4se? Thanks ahead
@@ronald235 hi my friend! there is a difference between both 4se & 5se, the focal length and arc secs on the primary mirror are different....meaning the 5se has a bit more light gathering power ☺
Hey Tony! Thanks for this....question: how do I reset the settings? Say it didn't quite align properly and now it takes me nowhere near where it should. Is there a reset function?
Damn. I have been aligning mine with the street lamp down the road, a random cloud in the distance, and the neighbors cat. I think your method may be more accurate.
My issue is I do the align stuff and it works. Then I will hit a planet and it will move to wherever and I see nothing. Like when I put in the moon id moves but doesn’t center onto the moon.
I'll try to make a quick video on this, but in the meantime, the finder uses a CR2032 battery (one of those flat ones) and the cover is located just under the front part of the finder. I found it much easier to take the finder off, pry off the cover with a small screwdriver and replace the battery, then put it back on.
Off topic, but maybe you can answer this, I'm confused - do quatum fluctuations violate the second law of thermodynamics? And will there still be such fluctuations if/when heat death occurs? Thanks.
Are you studying Quantum physics at University? I would not say Quantum Fluctuations violates the law of Thermodynamics as Quantum Fluctuations is controlled by Planck Constants. Planck Constants = 6.62607004 x 10 ^-34 m2 kg /s there are more formulas but the txt page don't allow me to type in the equations on RU-vid :)
@@Nottsboy24 Apologies for not replying sooner - I've recently had an illness and have not been well enough to visit RU-vid. While II'm not studying Quantum Physics, at University, I do have a keen intrest in this fascinating and important subject and firmly believe it's at the heart of all the important questions that matter to us as human beings. You did answer my question very well, and I'll be sure to explore the subject further. Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Because if you have it level and give it the correct lat & long it knows exactly where it is on the planet. It also from that knows that from that point the angle and bearing of all the stars in its data base. So for example just assume that you align it up with a bright light in the sky and it is at x degrees with an angle of y degrees. Press align and whatever star or planet is at that position in its database is it. Edward
@@edwardwalker3229 - still not comoletely clear. Yes it knows where it is - but how does it know which direction it's pointing at? Do you have to precisely orient the tripod in a particular direction?
@@PaulHummerman No you don't have to align the tripod just get it level that's the important bit. I assume that any compass needs are dealt with by the software. I reckon once you have given it three points of light it looks in its database and the only three that fit those positions are xy & z. So from that it must be able to work out it is now actually for example on a compass bearing of 120°. Not sure if that is right but it makes sense to my little brain.
@@edwardwalker3229 -thanks! Yes maybe the telescope has an internal magnetometer, like a drone? - but if that were the case I would expect the set-up instructions would include a warning to avoid locations with large iron objects. I get my 6 inch SE in 2 days - excited! Can you improve the accuracy of the alignment by entering the actual star names?
@@PaulHummerman Not sure about that as such but alignment is quite simple as it is. first thing to do when you get the scope is to in the daylight line it up with something a long way away. As far away as possible. Then carefully align the little red dot in the star pointer on the top on the same object that the scope is looking at. When you have done that the little adjusting knobs cannot be locked in place so it is easy if you are careless to move them when carrying the scope about etc. You will know how well you have done that when you go out in the dark and aim it at the bright object. If the bright object is in the center of the scope then you were bang on. I find trying to line up on dim objects quite hard/frustrating as the red dot just overpowers it. You need a good bright object and pick three in different compass headings I find that gets alignment ok each time. I also when I line up and have the object in the scope fine adjust to get it as smack in the middle of the scope as I can before imputing it and moving on to the next one. It doesn't take long really especially when you are used to it. Basics every time level that tripod first a minute or two there saves grief. The handset is quite good as it will after you are set up properly and say you pick the planets option only show you a list of them that are actually visible at that moment so you won't waste time trying to find say venus if it is below the horizon. A few weeks ago I had a good view of Saturn and it's rings etc. A small image of course but quite visible so do enjoy it when you get going. Hope you have some clear nights where you are as well.
For some reason when I do the three star align and hit enter after i scope it, the x axis goes to 1 speed but the Y axis stays on 9... its grueling to focus the object but not impossible. After I align all 3 it tells me the alignment didnt work. It's been doing this since day 1 and it's heart breaking because it's keeping me from moving forward with my astrophotography dreams.
It’s been some time since I,ve used my 130SLT, instructions are the same as your till we get to the latitude/longitude. Mine has Time 1, time 2 and so on. I live in the northeast U.S.A. Any idea what time zone is this?
Don't know what is wrong with mine and attempting to rectify with Celestron help line. Despite numerous attempts by either using city, or lat/longitude the sky align although signifying a match still does not find any object, being wildly off target.
@@robj144 Yes it was and as it turned out the software in the handheld needed to be upgraded but that proved an impossibility and the telescope has been returned. Thanks for your response though.
Not really, I just used the hour and min and didn't bother with the seconds on the time, with the location, I used what was on google maps to one decimal place. Remember that when you use google maps, you're given decimal coordinates, but if you click on them, the Degrees Minutes Seconds is displayed. That's what you enter into the keypad.
The red dot pointer is worthless, get a decent finderscope & base. Orion is a good vendor for telescopes & accessories. If you have but one eye, you cannot use a red dot finder & there is NO magnification of the image, that makes finding stars harder in light polluted skies, a finderscope will magnify the image & make it brighter. I don't have or want a "smart phone" so I will use Google earth to find my location & lat long + elevation. The AA batteries in the scope have a very short life, get the AC adapter or the adapter to use your cars battery.
