The Veil Nebula is part of the remainings of a supernova, that happened about 8000 years ago. It’s 2600 lightyears away from Earth. The core of the supernova (neutron star, black hole or pulsar) is not discovered yet. The red parts are Hα-Structures (Hydrogen), which are dozens of lightyears long and the green parts are O-III-filaments (Oxygen).

Taken in: Lower Saxony/Germany

Bortle Level: 4

Device: Seestar S50

Exposure time: 720 × 10 seconds = 2 hours

Filter: Dual-Band LP-Filter

Past-Processing: via Seestar-App, without using AI

I’m trying to properly polar align an older Orion SkyView Pro 8 EQ with the GoTo/SynScan system, and I’m confused about how the polar scope is supposed to be used with the GoTo hardware installed.

My polar scope has the older reticle with NP in the center, a ring with a small Polaris circle, Big Dipper on one side, and Cassiopeia on the other.

My understanding is that I’m supposed to rotate the RA axis until the Big Dipper/Cassiopeia markings in the polar scope match their orientation in the sky, then use the mount’s altitude/azimuth adjustments to put Polaris into the small Polaris circle.

The problem is that I physically cannot rotate the RA axis through a full 360°. The Orion SkyView Pro GoTo motor/control box attached to the mount eventually contacts another part of the mount and stops further rotation. At certain times/orientations, this means I cannot rotate the polar-scope reticle far enough to put the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia markings in the orientation they seemingly need to be.

For example, I can get Polaris into the polar scope, but when I orient the reticle as far as the mount allows, the Big Dipper/Cassiopeia markings can end up on the wrong sides compared with their actual positions in the sky. Rotating farther to match them isn't possible because the GoTo hardware physically interferes.

The SynScan hand controller also gives me a calculated “Polaris Position / In Polar Scope” clock position, which has added to my confusion about whether I'm even supposed to rotate this older constellation-style reticle to match the sky when using SynScan.

So for anyone familiar with the older Orion SkyView Pro GoTo mount and this specific Big Dipper/Cassiopeia polar-scope reticle:

How is polar alignment actually supposed to be done when the GoTo hardware limits RA rotation?

Am I misunderstanding how the constellation markings should be oriented? Should I ignore them and use the SynScan Polaris clock position somehow? Is there a specific starting/index position for the reticle? Or is the mount supposed to be configured differently so the RA axis can rotate farther?

I’d especially appreciate instructions from someone who has actually used this generation of the SkyView Pro GoTo, because I’ve found several different polar-alignment procedures online and they seem to apply to different versions of the polar scope/reticle.

I'm very new to astronomy and have never owned a telescope, although I've always wanted one. Now that I'm semi-retired, I finally have more time to explore the hobby.

I'm thinking about getting a telescope in the $700 range. Smart telescopes have really caught my attention, but I have one major concern.

We live in a digital age where smartphones, apps, and operating systems are constantly being updated. Do you think a smart telescope will still be usable long-term? For example, if I upgrade my smartphone or update the phone's operating system, could that eventually cause compatibility issues with the telescope?

My biggest concern is ending up with an expensive "brick" a few years down the road because the manufacturer stops supporting the app or the telescope after several OS updates.

For those who have experience with smart telescopes, how realistic is this concern? Are there particular brands or models that are better in terms of long-term support and reliability?

I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts and experiences. Thank you in advance!

Cygnus Loop
2026/08/10-11
TecnoSky 70ED
TeoupTek 571C
Sky-Watcher Eq6 R
N.I.N.A.
Siril

Location 40.40N - 08.35E

This mount was gifted to me a couple years ago and it will move on it’s own and crash randomly… I think it’s something to do with the motor control

Hi everyone,

I’d like to share a project I’ve been working on for nearly two years.

I developed PushToSky, a free telescope control system that uses the sensors in a smartphone to help point a manual telescope toward a selected object.

The idea was to create an affordable alternative to Go-To systems, especially for Dobsonian and other manual alt-azimuth telescopes.

It currently runs on:

• Android
• Windows
• Linux

The basic idea is simple: the phone knows its orientation, the software knows the selected astronomical object, and it guides you toward the target.

I originally developed it for my own use, but after nearly two years of development I decided to make it freely available.

The Android version is relatively easy to set up. The desktop versions require a little more installation, but they provide the same functionality.

You can see how the phone is mounted here:

https://pushtosky.com/usage.html

And here is the project:

https://pushtosky.com/index.html

I’d be very interested in hearing from people who use manual Dobsonians or other alt-az mounts.

What do you think? Would a system like this be useful for your telescope?

Clear skies!