Product Description
The Focus Motor for SCT & EdgeHD provides electronic focusing for Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain (SCT) and EdgeHD telescope optical tubes. With the focus motor installed, you can bring celestial objects into sharp, precise focus using your telescope’s hand controller or a computer instead of using the focuser knob. A focus motor is great for visual observers who want to dial in exact focus (especially those with dexterity issues) and a must-have accessory for astroimagers. With a motorized focuser installed, an astroimager no longer needs to be physically near the telescope to focus an image. Combined with computerized control of the mount and camera, the focus motor enables the imager to gather data remotely from a backyard observatory, or even a telescope located hundreds of miles away. As an added bonus, port covers protect the ports while not in use, and the covers cannot be lost due to the tethered design.
Compatible Optical Tubes
The focus motor is compatible with all SCTs from 6” to 14” in aperture that have been produced since the year 2006. It is not compatible with 5” SCTs or older models. It is compatible with all EdgeHD optical tubes, the 8” Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph (RASA), the 36cm RASA, and the 7” Maksutov-Cassegrain. It can also be used with the 11” RASA, but requires the Focuser Retrofit Kit for RASA 11.
Power Options
There are three options for powering your Celestron Focus Motor:
When using a Celestron computerized mount, you can power and control the focus motor through the mount using the supplied AUX cable. This allows control from the mount’s hand controller (NexStar+ or StarSense) or a computer.
If you are not using a Celestron mount, you can power and control the focus motor from a computer USB port. You will need a user supplied USB A-to-B cable.
You may also opt to use an external 12V DC power source which plugs into the motor’s power jack.
Compatible Software
Celestron offers a free Focuser Utility program for computer control. The Celestron PWI software can also control the focus motor. To use third-party focuser control software, an ASCOM driver is needed.
Motor: DC servo motor
Spur gears Brass: 1:1 gear ratio, 38mm diameter, 45 teeth
Focuser shaft coupler: Aluminum clamping sleeve
Microprocessor: NXP Kinetis series, Arm Coretex-M4 core
AUX port power: Powered by Celestron computerized mount AUX port, connecting cable supplied
USB port power: USB3 or USB2 providing at least 900mA
DC jack power: 12V DC, 1A, 5.5mm/2.1mm tip positive plug
Compatibility: All SCTs produced after 2006 except 5" SCT, all Edge HD, RASA 8", RASA 36cm, 7" Mak-Cass
Speed rates: 8°/sec , 32°/sec , 128°/sec
Tech Details
Reviews
Purchased for my C8 on an AVX mount, my first serious astro rig which is only 2 years old.
the physical Install was fairly easy, except when you discover that it doesn't take much to "over tighten" any of the screws to cause binding. I do mean it doesn't take much. I fumbled around with loosening and tightening to get the right combo for a few hours. Back off a screw less than a quarter turn and it all moves freely but the screws are loose and the whole focuser wobbles about. Finger snug the screws and its too tight the focuser would barely move before binding up. One suggestion from Celestron was to use the original focus collar as a spacer on top of the focus motor collar, i have not done this yet so not sure if it works.
The software portion has been just as fun. The only bit of software that seems to reliable work is the supplied focus motor utility app, but only if you connect to it directly through USB i.e. computer - usb - focuser. Outside of that, good luck getting it to work via ASCOM with CPWI or SharpCap, maybe you could but you'd have to follow one of 30 different combinations of "power this on first then that, then plug the USB only to this or that, then..." Its a big mess honestly. Ive update all my Celestron gear to the latest greatest firmware and software packages from Celestron that allegedly support their own focus motor only to find it kinda works sometimes. No matter which way I connect to my mount or focuser it will loose ASCOM connection shortly after. As if all this wasn't enough fun, now my AVX mount does some of the weirdest maneuvers when its slewing that half the time i have to cut power to it before it crashes into itself.
Good Luck
(Posted on 10/14/2019)
Easy to mount on my scope with supplied adapter plate.
But I was very careful not to over tighten then mount plate screws in case there were alignment issues from the plate warping on the mount.
The motor split collar main screw does not provide enough force to firmly squeeze the adapter collar on the focuser shaft , therefore it is critical to tighten the secondary set screw in the motor collar to achieve positive rotation of the focus shaft. BUT, do not apply excessive torque, just enough to make sure you get good rotation without slipping.
The celestron stand alone control program works very well.
They also provide a ASCOM interface for interfacing with many imaging programs.
Overall a very nice product. (Posted on 7/22/2019)