Celestron StarSense AutoAlign Accessory

Product Code: 94005-CGL

£359.00 (Inc. VAT)

Special Order - Delivery approx 3-5 days

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The Celestron StarSense enables you to automatically align your Celestron computerised telescope. In about three minutes, the StarSense has gathered enough information to triangulate its position and align itself. Then, press the Sky Tour button and StarSense will automatically slew to all the best stars, planets, galaxies, and more currently visible in the night sky. Comes complete with StarSense camera (with large camera bracket and large bracket base pre installed), StarSense hand control, small camera bracket, 4mm allen wrench, camera to auxillary port cable and 2 thumbscrews for the large camera bracket.

Become an instant astronomer, even if you?ve never used a telescope before, with the one-of-a-kind StarSense AutoAlign. Just set up the accessory, push the Align button on the hand control, and StarSense begins capturing and comparing images of the night sky against its internal database. In about three minutes, it's gathered enough information to triangulate its position and align itself. Then, press the Sky Tour button: StarSense will automatically slew to all the best stars, planets, galaxies, and more currently visible in the night sky.

How it Works

The self-alignment technology behind our award-winning SkyProdigy series is now available for all of Celestron's current computerized telescopes and backwards compatible with many older models as well. (See compatibility list below.) A small digital camera takes the place of your finderscope and attaches using one of two provided mounting brackets. The included StarSense hand control, with a database of over 40,000 celestial objects, takes the place of your NexStar hand control. The camera automatically captures a series of images of the sky. StarSense identifies the stars in the images, matching them to its database. Once a positive match is confirmed, StarSense calculates the coordinates of the center of the captured image, thereby determining exactly where the telescope is pointed. Before StarSense, using a computerized telescope required a lengthy alignment process of finding and centering at least two bright stars in the telescope?s eyepiece. But StarSense automatically aligns itself with minimal user input. Just enter your time, date, and location and let StarSense do the rest!

Advanced Mount Modelling

Even the most advanced telescope users will love using StarSense AutoAlign. This affordable accessory replaces the expensive software usually used for advanced mount modeling. With built-in mount modeling, you'll get superior pointing accuracy from horizon to horizon. When your alignment needs to be perfect, add up to 10 additional calibration stars to achieve a new level of accuracy, great for locating objects in the camera?s field of view for astroimaging.

StarSense Accessory General Features

  • Enables automatic alignment of your Celestron computerized telescope.
  • No need to identify or locate any star in the sky ? StarSense will automatically align your telescope, so you can begin observing in minutes.
  • Only accessory available that will enable automatic GoTo alignment.
  • Aligns in 3 minutes or less.
  • Provides advanced mount modeling ? the ability to align on numerous stars throughout the sky for extremely precise goto pointing accuracy.
  • StarSense hand controller included.

Specifications:

 

  • Weight (oz): Camera body only: 17 oz (0 g)
  • Communication Ports: RS-232 communication port on hand control, Aux interface and USB on camera
  • Computer Hand Control: Four line, 16 character backlit Liquid Crystal Display with 19 fiber optic backlit LED buttons
  • Database: 40,000+ objects

Compatible

 

  • NexStar SE Series
  • CPC, CPC DX
  • NexStar GPS Series (V4 handset only)
  • CGE Pro
  • Advanced VX
  • Advanced GT
  • CGEM, CGEM DX
  • CGE
  • NexStar SLT (with Aux. splitter)
  • LCM (with Aux. splitter)
  • NexStar GT (with Aux. splitter)

Not Compatible

  • NexStar i Series
  • Ultima 2000

  • HiCan this product work alongside the SkyQ Link WiFi adapter to enable the user to use a iPhone/iPad to work around the sky? Additionally, would the calibration process need to be done every time the telescope mount looses power (either internal batteries or power pack)? Many thanks, Rob

    Hi, I have just heard back from Celestron UK, this is their response;

    While it (SkyQ 2 and StarSense) is something that product development is working on, at this point it is not compatible. You would need to do two separate alignments. There is not a way for the two devices to communicate with each other. Once you move the mount with either device the other would not know, thus throwing off any alignment. When using StarSense with Evolution at the moment it only works with the hand controller. As with SkyQ 2 there are current plans to have this work with the app. The same for skyQ link (as opposed to skyQ 2 ). Also regarding powering down, the unit will need to take the 3 images everytime it powers up yes, but once the location is entered, StarSense will check your telescope for information it may already have, such as GPS or site information saved from a Real Time Clock (RTC). If none of this information is available, StarSense will prompt you for time and date. You only need to enter this information once for a given observing location (session).

  • Dear Sir, Can you take photos with StarSense on a Celestron 5 se and download them to a computer for future reference.?

    Hi, although the Starsense Autoalign does use a camera to enable its automatic alignment to work, there is no way of downloading images from it, and it is not designed as an imaging device unfortunately. If you want to take photos and download them onto a computer then you would have to look at something like these:

    - https://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-bresser-mikrokular-full-hd-eyepiece-camera.htm

    - https://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-bresser-smartphone-wi-fi-camera-1-25-inch-for-astro-telescopes.htm

    - https://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-celestron-neximage-5-solar-system-imager.htm

    - https://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-celestron-neximage-10-solar-system-colour-imager.htm

  • Hi, at present I do the normal three star alignment with my Celestron 8 SE, I then use a laptop and Stellarium to pick my viewing target. Would I still be able to use the laptop and Stellarium to select a target if the initial set up was done with Starsense? Many thanks, Steve

    Hi Steve, when you plug a laptop into the scope using the port on the bottom of the hand control, it puts the hand control in a bootloader mode. Even though the controller is still plugged in, it is no longer communicating with the mount – slew buttons and menu buttons are disabled. Any alignment you do before making the connection to the PC will be ignored. In order to use the laptop to control the telescope the alignment must be done through the laptop. Stellarium does not support StarSense Alignment. There is a work around which is to use the Celestron own CPWI software (link below) to align the telescope with StarSense. Once completed, run Stellarium and connect it to CPWI using the CPWI ASCOM driver (included with the latest ASCOM version). You can use Stellarium as you normally would, but it is communicating with the scope through CPWI rather than directly.

    - https://www.celestron.com/pages/celestron-pwi-telescope-control-software

  • Can you send parcels to me outside of the UK?

    Unfortunately, we do not send goods outside of the UK.

  • How much does delivery of the Celestron StarSense AutoAlign Accessory cost?

    This depends on the total value of your order and the shipping destination. For more information on delivery costs click here.

  • Is the Celestron StarSense AutoAlign Accessory in stock?

    This is a special order product so not normally kept in stock at the shop so would have to be ordered in from the supplier once we receive your order. You will be notified of the expected ETA once we order the item from the supplier.

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