All Forums  /  Equipment Discussions  /  Ghost in the dome

Ghost in the dome

Started by moonbeam on 3/22/2026 7:53:39 AM CST

moonbeam

Joined 6/24/2024
Loc: Mo, USA
Posted 3/22/2026 7:53:39 AM CST

I’m not entirely sure how to explain this, but I’m starting to suspect my observatory is haunted.

After months of troubleshooting SM dome syncing, I’ve reached a very scientific conclusion: everything works perfectly… until I go to bed. Then it completely loses its mind.

For sanity check, the gear is: AM7 mount, Takahashi Epsilon 160ED, ATIK 1600 with Chroma filters, 50mm guide scope with a ZWO 290, running SM 2.8.20 Bundle v15.

Case in point - last night. I spent over three hours running a test with the dome and Tak setup:
GOTO? Perfect.
Guiding? Perfect.
Image acquisition? Perfect.
Dome syncing and slewing for three straight hours? Also perfect.

So naturally, feeling confident, I slewed over to M81 to finish out the night. First five frames looked great. I called it a win and went to bed around 11PM.

I woke up to 4.5 hours of beautiful… star trails....again

And this isn’t a one-off, it’s been the pattern for months. The moment I fall asleep, something - guiding, tracking, something - just quietly gives up on life.

At this point, I hate to say it, but I’m pretty sure there’s a ghost in the machine. And it only comes out after bedtime.

Can anyone offer an Oda Mae Brown advice here?


Explorer of the cosmos, one photon at a time. I capture the universe with a collection of about 12 telescopes, including the SCA310, Astro-Physics 155 EDF Starfire, TEC 180FL, and Takahashi Epsilon 160ED, and my beloved FSQ-106EDX4. Paired with advanced imaging systems - including the medium-format ZWO ASI461MM and ASI6200MM Pro with Chroma filters - these precision instruments help me reveal the faint structures, rich colors, and extraordinary detail hidden in the night sky.



   Please log in to reply →
Need an account?


Recent Topics


UPDATED The Heart and Soul Nebulae Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4 with 461MM camera
Started By moonbeam on 9/17/2026 1:36:46 PM
UPDATED Vaonis Atlas Rumors
Started By moonbeam on 9/17/2026 8:45:41 AM
Astro-Physics 155mm f7 StarFire EDF astro-barn find new owner
Started By moonbeam on 9/13/2026 10:27:49 AM
Cloudy Nights - lighten up!
Started By moonbeam on 9/10/2026 9:45:03 PM
Seestar S50 Pro Captures the Cocoon Nebula After 5 Hours | IC 5146
Started By moonbeam on 9/3/2026 9:44:40 AM
Heart Nebula taken with the Seestar S50 Pro
Started By moonbeam on 9/1/2026 8:45:37 AM
Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (IC 1396A) with the Seestar S50 Pro | 300 × 60-Second Exposures
Started By moonbeam on 8/30/2026 8:16:17 AM
New Issues?
Started By astrochriss on 8/29/2026 7:55:04 PM
The surprising Seestar S50 Pro compare to Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4
Started By moonbeam on 8/29/2026 9:23:18 AM
The S50 Pro keeps surprising me
Started By moonbeam on 8/29/2026 7:34:58 AM

Featured Stories










Stay Updated

Sign up for our newsletter for the headlines delivered to you

SuccessFull SignUp

ScopeTrader September-2026 for astronomers and astrophotographers


Get More Astronomy News →