Using Planetarium Software to Control your Losmandy Mount - SkyFi and SkySafari

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In this video we show how easy it is to connect SkySafari planetarium software to your Losmandy Gemini mount using the SkyFi 3 wifi dongle.
If you have tips on using SkySafari please post in comments below!
0:00 Intro
0:50 Benefits of using planetarium software
1:33 SkyFi 3 - the best way to connect SkySafari
1:49 SkyFi 3 details
5:00 Connecting SkyFi to your Losmandy Gemini
6:24 Configuring SkySafari
7:57 Connect and Telescope Control
9:26 Using your Hand Controller with SkySafari
9:56 Using SkySafari telescope move buttons and speeds
11:36 Wrap-up

[@jamieamendolagine205]

This looks great for a no fuss solution to hook up skysafari. You can also use a raspberry pi running kstars/ekos/indi to achieve this as well, and then you have more features available through the PI and the software stack.

[@LOSMANDY]

Thanks Jamie - yes there are a LOT of great options for Gemini 2 connectivity such as raspberry Pi with kstars planetarium. We mention SkyFi 3 here because it's the simplest! thanks for the additional info

[@princequinton6770]

I guess I'm quite off topic but do anybody know a good place to watch new movies online ?

[@BrianHill]

I had a couple of spare Apple Airport Express's sitting around and have used one of them much the same way. Where you have your hand-paddle Velcro'd, I have an Airport Express with 3M mounting tape. The Airport Express connects to the Gemini 2 with an Ethernet cable. The iPad running SkySafari connects wirelessly to the Airport Express. The main difference I am seeing is that I have to know the IP address that the Airport Express assigns the mount. It assigns the IP addresses sequentially, so if I power the devices up in the same order, it is always the same address. What I'm doing is not quite as convenient, because you have to correctly enter an IP address into SkySafari's settings, but it does allow me to use a fairly generic wifi basestation. Hope that is of use to somebody. Thanks for the video!

[@BrianHill]

PS: watch out for scary slews! SkySafari does (by default) not know anything about the actual equipment geometry. I have watched (ready to hit stop *and* pull the power plug) as an eyepiece swung distressingly near a tripod leg.

[@LOSMANDY]

Thanks for the tip Brian - a great time to mention how important it is to set proper Limits in the Losmandy Gemini so you can avoid a pier crash

[@Jimbo462]

Any chance that a Gemini 3 with built-in wireless capabilities might be on the horizon? This solution just seems like too many, er, "things" trying to talk to each other and "yet another bunch of wires and power sources (really, one cable to COM and another to power?) to babysit" while operating the mount. This user is hoping for a more seamless solution where an iPad (and similar) would simply connect to the mount on powerup. Also, adding a non-built-in GPS module to the mix and, oofah, "spaghetti city" to troubleshoot. Simplicity, pretty please. :)

[@paulrapp613]

Will SkyFi work for those of us who have Gemini I mounts?

[@LOSMANDY]

Hi Paul - It's possible, you may need a splitter cable if there's no serial port. You might try our Gemini 1 user group and ask how Gemini owners there have done it groups.io/g/Gemini_users/

[@deew12]

What is the wifi signal range on the SkyFi 3?

[@LOSMANDY]

Hi Dee - that's a great question, according to Simulation Cirriculum, SkyFi max range is about 100 m.

[@jimpollard5920]

You should make sure to say Gemini 2.
No USB on Gemini 1.

[@gerrysmith5462]

For Gemini 1 get a serial (Db-9) to RS-232 (RJ) cable.