Grand Tour


By putting the hand paddle in grand tour mode, and loading a data file, the scope can be commanded to move from object to object in the data file, by merely flicking the hand paddle mode switch to the left. This is useful for planned evening observations, and sequences of fields of objects such as galaxy clusters. By flipping the hand paddle mode switch to the right, the scope will return to the previous object.

To create data files for grand touring, you can manually edit your own files, naming them with the *.dat extension. Follow the coordinate layout that you find in bstars.dat and messier.dat.

You can record positions that you visit during an observation run by using the handpad mode 'record equat'. Record a position by flipping the mode switch on the handpad.

You can also record positions if you use certain planetarium programs. Project Pluto's Guide's positions are automatically recorded when running Guide from inside scope.exe. Other programs' output can be run through data converter programs like ngcscope.