17
Note: If the recalled User Object is currently below the horizon,
the controller will display “Below Horizon!! Try another obj.” and
will automatically return to “Recall Object”.
identifying an unknown object
The GoTo hand controller has the ability to identify celestial
objects that are unknown to you. To identify an object the
telescope is pointing at, simply press the ID button. You can
also scroll to “Identify” in the Main Menu and press ENTER
to identify the object. The hand controller will then show a list
containing the close objects in the M, IC, NGC, and Named
Star catalogs and their angular distance from the location
where the telescope is pointed. Use the scroll buttons to view
this list of objects. Press ESC when finished.
linking with a computer
The GoTo hand controller can be connected to a computer
via the supplied computer interface cable. Many commercially
available planetarium software programs can utilize this func-
tion and be used to control the Sirus EQ-G mount. Look for
software that is compatible with the Celestron NexStar 5i/8i or
NexStar GPS, like Starry Night Pro. The description below will
lead you through the procedure on how to connect and discon-
nect the Sirius EQ-G to a computer.
1. Align the mount as described previously (see “Alignment”).
2. Connect the supplied computer interface cable to the
smaller modular jack (RJ-11) on the hand controller (Figure
10). Connect the other end of the cable to the COM port of
your computer.
3. In the planetarium software of your choice, choose
“Celestron NexStar 5i” or “Celestron 8/9/11 GPS” for the
driver setup and follow the instructions provided by the pro-
gram to connect the mount and computer through the hand
controller. The mount will be under the full control of your
computer once the connection is successfully established.
4. When finished observing, follow the software’s instructions
to close the computer connection to the hand controller.
See Appendix C for more information on computer interfacing.
auto Guiding
For astronomical imaging, the Sirius EQ-G mount has a des-
ignated autoguider jack (Figure 11). The pin-outs on the 6 pin
modular jack are SBIG compatible and can be used with most
autoguiders available. Refer to Figure 15.1 when connecting
the autoguider cable to the mount and calibrating the autogu-
ider. Autoguiding speed can be adjusted using the “Auto Guide
Speed” function in the Setup Menu.
updating the Goto Hand controller’s Firmware
From version 3.0 and up, the GoTo hand controller’s firmware
can be updated over the internet. Users can download firm-
ware updates from Orion’s website www.OrionTelescopes.
com.
System Requirements
- GoTo hand controller version 3.0 or greater
- Windows95 or later
- An available RS-232 COM port on the PC
- Computer interface cable (supplied)
- DC power supply (7.5V to 15V @ 100mA or greater output
with 2.1mm tip positive plug)
Preparing the Computer for the Update
1. Create a folder where you will store the files necessary for
the update.
2. Go to the website www.OrionTelescopes.com, and access
the support page for the Sirius EQ-G mount.
3. Download and save the Firmware Loader program to the
folder you have created on your computer. You will need to
download this program only once; after it is saved on your
computer, only the firmware data file is needed for future
updates.
4. Download and save the firmware update date file to the
folder you created. The file will be named OrionVxxxxEQ.
ssf, where xxxx indicates the version number of the firm-
ware.
Updating the GoTo Hand Controller
1. Plug the modular plug end of the computer interface cable
into the middle jack in the hand controller (Figure 10). Plug
the serial connector end of the cable to the COM port on
your PC.
2. Press and hold down the 0 and 8 numerical buttons simul-
taneously, then plug the power supply into the hand con-
troller’s DC power jack. The hand controller will beep and
display “SynScan Update Ver. x.x” on the LCD screen.
3. Run the Firmware Loader program on your computer.
4. Click on the “Browse” box and select the OrionVxxxx.ssf
file location where it was saved previously on your com-
puter.
5. Click on the “Update” button, and the new firmware will
begin loading into the hand controller. The Firmware Loader
will show the progress of the update on your computer
screen. It will usually take approximately 5 minutes for the
new firmware to load into the hand controller. It may take
significantly longer if a serial-to-USB adapter is em ployed
on your computer.
6. When the download is complete, the Firmware Loader will
display “Update Complete”.
The firmware in the GoTo hand controller has now been updat-
ed. You can click on the “HC. Version” button to confirm the
new version number of the fir mware (and possibly the data-
Figure 15.1. Pin diagram for the Atlas EQ-G autoguider jack.