Pointing Model?

Being new not only new to Voyager but astrophotography as well, I’m not sure if I’m asking this correctly but, does Voyager have a native or built in pointing model for star alignment? I know that programs like TPoint and or CPWI have pointing models in them, but should I be using one with Voyager? I have a Celestron CGX-L mount that is ok but not great for accuracy of pointing purposes.

I ask this question since I seem to be missing something in my workflow each night to at least get me to be able to point the mount roughly in the correct location that I ask for. The pointing I end up with is not even remotely close. I use SharpCap to do my Polar Alignment, which I can get down to sub arc seconds fairly quickly. My first goto afterward seems to be reasonable but then after a few more goto’s things get so bad the mount doesn’t even know where it is.

Am I way off on my thinking or am I missing a concept here?

My work flow:

  1. manually focus (SharpCap)
  2. blind solve and sync (Voyager)
  3. auto focus (Voyager)
  4. polar align (SharpCap)
  5. ??? (do I need to then use a pointing model here? )

What is a rough version of someone’s workflow?

Thanks.

Premise: if you are using a model, avoid using sync if this leads to damage to the pointing model. In this case it is necessary to point by offset. When you using sync in a model that not support sync you will see pointing go progressively bad with finally complete lost of precision

Not Sync (Pointing Model Running):
https://wiki.starkeeper.it/index.php/Mount_Setup#Management

The model for the mount is only really needed (for Astrophotography) if you are not guiding for long exposures and if you do not see the polar directly and the software of your mount needs to create a model to align with the polar (also simply because it has no polar scope). In this case the software is supplied directly by the manufacturer or there are various alignment / model creation tools. For 10 microns, for example, Voyager collaborated with ModelCreator.

Generally:

  1. with a caliper (or a number reference) move the focuser to an initial focus position (you can measure it one time after a session)
  2. align the mount to the polar with the polar scope or similar tools
  3. if you are using the model and have just done it you have finished here, if you dont have model continue with next point
  4. put the mount in the starting/home position as required by the manual of your mount (for example the skywatchers the home is pointing the polar with azimuth zero and declination your latitude)
  5. move manually, with the pad or with the altazimuth goto (also the one inside voyager in onthefly section) in a position of the sky that is before the meridian and far from the polar (for example towards east at 45 ° height => pointing alt az 45 ° 45 °)
  6. perform a blind solve (use the onthefly section)
  7. synchronize (use the onthefly section)

You will be ready to perform your sequences, after a sync the mount pointing perfectly at first try nearest the synched point. If you change position of so many degree probably a 2/3 retries will be needed to precise pointing target and only the first time. Generally you can also automate this procedure in the dragscript and do absolutely nothing manually (except assembly you setup on the field).

Who have an observatory … just go out of parking and start dragscript/sequence.

Those who need the model will have to follow the instructions given by the manufacturer of the mount.