I have recently upgraded my set up, to have two OTAs on a single Paramount ME II Mount. In TheSkyX, there are a number of geometry parameters to be entered to ensure that the OTA is pointing at the opening in the dome. In general, these parameters are mirrored in the Observatory Settings dialogue box in SGP. However, one that is not is the offset between the axis of one or other of the OTAs and the Declination axis.
Is there a facility in SGP, when connected to the observatory, to account for this variable in order to ensure the selected OTA is pointing at the sky?
Hi Chris, yes I can do that. i.e. have two profiles where the dome geometry parameters are different. The problem is that I don’t have anywhere to enter a parameter that takes into account, the fact that the two OTAs are offset from the Dec axis. On TheSkyX, when I have the Yo parameter set at +230, the C11 points correctly, but the C14 does not. However, when I set Yo to -212 for the C14, it points more centrally at the opening.
I don’t know how complicated the mathematics are to incorporate this parameter, but it would be very useful, since I am not the only one with side by side mounted OTAs. As a last resort I will define a virtual OTA, which has a diameter to include both OTAs. However that virtual OTA will have a diameter of 2 x 382 = 764mm and the opening is only 1000mm wide, so it is tight.
Any other ideas?
Cheers, Niall
The maths for figuring this out is tricky in that you are having to visualise in three dimensions and do some vector calculations, but adding a lateral offset such as you require does not make the calculations any more complicated that they already are. It is already (sort of) done in the observatory calculations which allow a N/S and an E/W offset on the pier. I guess it just isn’t a high enough priority as it is still relatively uncommon and there is the “virtual scope” method around it. The only issue with your numbers will be ensuring the correct alignment between the slit and the scope because that now becomes more critical.
Thanks Terry, I have done some trials with the virtual scope and they work. It helps that the C11 is smaller within the virtual scope. I may have occasion to image through both and that is when it will be the most critical.
I created the virtual scope along the lines I described. Unfortunately, I’ve just discovered that there are positions where the C11 is being partially occluded by the dome.
Is there a way of having SGPro connect to the dome through TheSkyX rather than directly to MaxDome II.
