How to use a Synscan Hand Controller

This blog is a thorough exploration of telescope hand controllers, with a particular focus on the Synscan hand controller, although other types and variations of computerised mount hand controllers will work in a relatively similar fashion. We will discuss features, setting up, and tips and tricks that will ensure that you will have an amazing experience while using your equipment.

Part 1: Setup

Features and layout

Hand Controller ports

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Initial setup and configuration

When you plug your controller into the mount and power it on, the controller automatically boots up.

After it initializes, the system prompts you to input:

• Date
  
• Time
  
• Geographical Coordinates (your observing location)
  
• Daylight Savings Time status – (YES/NO)
  

Make sure all values are accurate—this is essential for accurate pointing.

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Important: For Equatorial Mounts (skip for ALT/AZ type mounts)

At this stage If you’re using an equatorial mount, ensure that:

• Your mount is polar aligned. You can adjust the polar scope illumination to easily view your polar scope reticle by going into MENU -> UTILITY -> Polar Scope Illumination.
  
• The telescope is in the home position, meaning:
  
  • The telescope is parallel to the Right Ascension (RA) axis.
    
  • The counterweight shaft is pointing straight down.
• The Synscan hand controller also contains a polar alignment feature, which will be talked about later in the blog, therefore, if you are not doing deep sky astrophotography, I wouldn’t worry too much about getting lazer accurate polar alignement.

Here is a photo of a mount in home position:

📌 If your mount is not in home position, there is a high risk of your equipment potentially crashing into the tripod and causing severe damage.

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Star Alignment

Star alignment allows the mount to understand its orientation in the sky, which is critical for accurate GOTO functionality. Take your time at this stage to get everything right. The more accurate you are, the more accurate your telescope’s pointing accuracy will become, and the more stress free your session will be. 

• Choose between 1-star, 2-star, or 3-star alignment using the scroll arrows, then press ENTER when you have confirmed your choice.
  

📌 3-star alignment is highly recommended and it will provide the best accuracy. On equatorial mounts, this also unlocks the inbuilt polar alignment tool for fine-tuning your polar alignment.

The Synscan hand controller will then ask you to select from a list of optimal alignment stars, this list will be displayed with the brightest star on top and ranging down with decreasing brightness.

For best results:

• Choose alignment stars that are:
  
  • Well spaced out across the sky
    
  • At different altitudes
    
  • Unobstructed and clearly visible

• For equatorial mounts: the telescope will start to slew to the first alignment star automatically after you have selected all your alignment stars.

• For alt-azimuth mounts:  you’ll need to aim the telescope to the first star using the arrow keys on the hand controller or loosening the clutches and manually moving the telescope combined with a visual aid (e.g., red dot finder or finderscope). After the first star has been aligned, the telescope will be able to slew automatically to the remaining alignment stars.

Use the arrow keys to center the star in your field of view, then press ENTER. Repeat this process for the remaining stars.

Once aligned the hand controller knows exactly where the telescope is pointing and you can now move onto pointing the telescope at an object in the night sky knowing that it will be perfectly centered.

Tips and common mistakes

• After this stage, avoid physically moving the mount or releasing the clutches as this will alter the alignment and you’ll need to repeat the full star alignment process (and polar alignment if applicable) to regain the ability to accurately initiate a goto. Even bumping the mount will alter the alignment.

• DO NOT initiate a GOTO command if you have released the clutches and moved the telescope manually after having aligned the scope. Put the telescope back into home position, and restart the mount by turning it off and on to remove all previous alignment data and start alignment from the beginning. There is a HIGH RISK that your telescope and your equipment will crash into your tripod and cause severe damage. 

• If you find that while using the arrow keys the telescope is moving too slowly, press the RATE function on the #2 numpad, and use the numbers on the numpad to choose a speed between 1-9 (1 is the slowest speed and 9 is the fastest speed)

Part 2: Find Objects

Now that you are aligned with the night sky, you can move on to doing the fun stuff, actually looking at objects. Fortunately for you, this hand controller contains an extensive database of solar system and deep sky objects that will keep you busy for a long time. 

Utilising the quick access shortcuts

• The Numpad on the hand controller contains various functions and object types so that you can easily find the specific objects that you want to view.
• There are 10 quick access shortcuts that access different goto object catalogues.

TOUR

located on the #1 key, The synscan hand controller will automatically curate a list of the best deep sky objects visible from your location. It will then go through them one-by-one to give you a tour of the night sky.

RATE

located on the #2 key, this function setting allows you to change the speed that the telescope moves at through the arrow buttons from 1-9.

UTILITY

located on the #3 key, this button lets you access the utility settings which include things like park telescope, solar mode and polar alignment. 

M (messier)

located on the #4 key, use this shortcut to find messier catalogued deep sky objects. E.g. The Orion Nebula is designated M42. Press this key followed by the number attached with your desired messier object and press ENTER and the telescope will initiate a GOTO command to centre your target.

NGC

Located on the #5 key and short for New General Catalogue, use this shortcut to find objects with an NGC designation. E.g. The Andromeda galaxy has the designation NGC 224. Press this key followed by the number attached with your desired NGC designated object and press ENTER and the telescope will initiate a GOTO command to centre your target.

IC

located on the #6 key and short for Index Catalogue, use this shortcut to find objects with an IC designation. E.g. The Running Chicken Nebula is designated as IC 2944. Press this key followed by the number attached with your desired IC designated object and press ENTER. The telescope will then initiate a GOTO command to slewto and centre your target.

planet

located on the #7 key use this shortcut to find planets, the Moon and the Sun (pretty much everything inside our Solar system). 

• Press this key and select your desired solar system objects through the scroll buttons. Press ENTER to initiate a GOTO command that will centre your desired target. 

• Since planets are constantly moving throughout the year which means that GOTO towards planets usually does not centre them exactly within your field of view. 
• You may have to use the hand controller buttons to refine your centering.  

object

Located on the #8 key, use this shortcut to access the synscan hand controller’s full list of inbuilt catalogues and object types such as:

• Variable stars
• Double stars
• SAO catalogue
• Caldwell
• Messier
• IC
• NGC
• Solar System

user

Located on the #9 keys, this shortcut is used to save custom object location into the hand controller. Maybe you have found a target that you like but it’s not accessible through the hand controller’s quick functions. Or you might want to create your own deep sky tour. This shortcut can be especially used to save specific target framing for astrophotography purposes.

Part 3: Essential settings

The Synscan hand controller’s settings hold various features that aid in having a quick setup and seamless experience. 

Polar Alignment for EQ mounts

This function requires a general understanding of the polar alignment process. Navigate to the Utility setting to access this function 

• The polar alignment assistant will only become visible after you complete a 3 star alignment. Before using this utility function, please make sure you are more or less roughly polar aligned already.
• The polar alignment function is very similar to the star alignments. The mount will curate a list of bright and visible stars, pick a star that is close to the celestial equator for best results.
• Now, the mount will slew to where it thinks the chosen star is and will ask you to centre using the directional buttons on the hand controller, similar to the star alignments.
• After centring, the mount will move the star slightly off centre. Use only the altitude knobs (up down knobs) on your mount to centre the star again. Press enter after realigning the star.
• The mount will now move the star slightly off centre again. Now use only the two azimuth adjustment knobs on the base of your mount to position the star in the centre again. Press enter after centring the star. 
• You have now polar aligned your EQ mount. You can repeat this process multiple times to increase your polar alignment accuracy.

In my experience, Synscan’s inbuilt polar alignment assistant is rarely accurate enough to do deepspace astroimaging, although I find it sufficient for planetary astrophotography and visual use. If you require a polar alignment assistant tool for astrophotography, I recommend checking out the ZWO ASI air plus and its precision accurate 3 point polar alignment feature.

if you are interested, Here is a previous blog that goes further undepth into the synscan polar alignment feature.

Rate Adjustment

• Rate adjustment tracking modes are used to track objects moving across the sky. Use the scroll keys to view the 4 options/speeds:

• Sidereal: this is the standard rate at which the stars appear to move throughout the night. Press ENTER on this option to begin tracking at the sidereal rate.
• Lunar: this is the rate at which the Moon appears to move throughout the night. This rate is slightly different to the Sidereal rate due to the Moon’s orbit around Earth. Therefore everything except the Moon will eventually drift out of the field of view. Press ENTER on this option to begin tracking at the speed of the Moon
• Solar: this is the rate at which the Sun appears to move across the sky. This rate is slightly different to the Sidereal tracking rate and the lunar tracking rate due to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Therefore, pointing at everything except the Sun will result in that object eventually drifting outside the field of view. Press ENTER on this option to begin tracking at the angular speed of the Sun. Make sure to use proper solar protection like a properly fitting white light solar filter while observing the Sun.
• Stop tracking: Pressing ENTER on this option will stop your mount from tracking objects as they move across the sky.

Solar track mode

• Enabling this mode allows your mount to follow the sun’s movement across the sky by tracking at the same angular speed as the sun.
• This mode is essentially the same as the solar mode in the UTILITY rate adjustment

By understanding the basics of your Synscan hand controller, you’ll get the most out of your GOTO computerised telescope. A well-aligned mount ensures you spend more time observing and less time troubleshooting—making your stargazing sessions memorable and enjoyable. Furthermore, using shortcuts and quick settings shortens your setup and pointing time drastically while also providing features and utilities that ultimately create a more memorable experience. Click