[guide-user] satellite tracking

Mel Bartels Jan 25, 2000

Hi Greg

Thanks for your kind email.

My computerized telescope control program, scope.exe, can handle
satellites now. A scroll file is built with pre-computed positions, the
scope lined up, and when the satellite is centered, the scroll file is
launched.

But this is not how I would like to see satellite tracking handled in
the future.

Most flexible and easiest to use would be extensions to the LX200
protocol to enable track at rates in each axis.

For instance, if we specify the rate in degrees per minute, then the
commands could take the form of:

#:Tr +DD*MM# means track in right ascension at the rate of DD degrees +
MM minutes, per minute of time

and
#:Td +DD*MM# means the same but track in declination

This should give us the resolution we need, unless someone needs
arcsecond positioning per each minute? One minute updates should be
sufficient to follow even fast moving objects and their arc across the
sky.

Whatdoyouthink, Bill???

Mel Bartels