SkyWire - Telescope control made easy
It is only a meter long and rather inconspicuous, and yet creates a connection between the latest and longstanding technology. The SkyWire cable connects your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to your astronomical telescope.
The technology is getting smaller and more practical. SkyWire turns your iPhone, iPad, iPod into a digital astronomer. Once you have downloaded the SkySafari app from the App Store you can start immediately.
A planetarium in your pocket
Sky Safari is a powerful planetarium program with 300,000 stars and 30,000 deep sky objects. Explore the entire sky and find out what stars are visible now or at any other time. Hold your iPad or iPhone up to the sky and it will show you what you are currently seeing in that part of the sky. But the most important thing for amateur astronomers is that SkySafari will point your GoTo-capable telescope at your target. This software is a prerequisite for SkyWire.
Plug and play - it has never been easier
Start up the SkySafari software and simply plug the 30-pin plug into the Apple connector. You can then select your model of telescope under 'Telescope Configuration'. Once you have pressed the 'Connect' button, you can select the object you want via the touchscreen. Now just press 'GoTo' and your telescope will slew to the object.
SkyWire is a cable with which you can simply control your telescope using your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Simply plug the cable in and off you go. You do not need to install anything beforehand and do not need to worry about unreliable drivers. SkyWire is a well thought-out modern product - an optimal requirement for hours of enjoyment under the stars.
Sky Wire is suitable for the following telescopes
Meade LX-200 Classic and GPS
Meade LX-90, ETX, LXD, LX-400 ACF with AutoStar
Meade Magellan I and II
Celestron Ultima 2000
Celestron NexStar 5/8, 5i/8i, GPS, SLT, SE
Celestron CG5, CGE, CGEM, CPC
Orion Sirius, Atlas, SkyView Pro, SkyQuest XTg
SkyWatcher mounts with SynScan hand control
Takahashi Temma 2
ServoCAT Argo Navis, Sky Commander, Losmandy DSC
Astro-Physics GTO, Losmandy Gemini, Vixen SkySensor 2000
Note: Most telescopes need a serial cable (from the telescope manufacturer) for connecting SkyWire. Not suitable for the new Apple models iPhone 5, iPad 4 and iPad Air.
The advantages in a nutshell:
- simple control of GoTo telescopes using iPad, iPhone, or iPad Touch (from software version iOS4)
- immediately ready to use via Plug-and-Play
- cable is about one meter long
- adapter from iPhone plug to serial interface
- saves additional equipment: you do not need a PC, an iPhone in your pocket is entirely sufficient
- trouble free: there is no need to install a driver
