Polar Alignment Confusion

[Scorptc]

I recently purchased a AZ EQ6 mount and a esprit 120 and I am having a bit of an issue with polar alignment and will attempt to explain what is happening.

If I set my R.A. dial to 0 in conjunction with the polar scope showing like this:

Then I go through the set up of Synscan and it tells me the position of Polaris in hrs and mins like a clock face, a good indication of where to expect the Polaris circle for want of a better word, to be……The next step it tells you the H.A. let’s say 06:29:26 I then move my scope to line up with 06:20 (middle scale) on the R.A. dial and I look thought the polar scope and I find that the scope shows  it on the opposite side? And by that what I mean is the little circle that I am going to get Polaris aligned in is opposite to what I expected and what is shown in polar alignment software( if it were a clock face I am say expecting it to be at 2 o’clock and in fact it is at 10 o’clock)

So If I use the top scale which is supposed to be for southern hemisphere the circle ends up in the correct position what am I doing wrong?

Regards,

Scorptc

[Geordie mc]

I would forget about the setting circles for now. Just look at the time shown for HA on the handset or get the free app from ioptron for tablet/phone which shows where the small circle for Polaris should be. So in your example picture where the hour hand would be at 6:30 and rotate the scope to put the circle there just by eye. Now use the RA and Dec bolts to put Polaris in it. This is good enough for visual use. If you are imaging you'll need to be more accurate. You can drift align (time consuming) or try align master software (about £20) for the latter see Astronomy Shed review on YouTube.

[Spoon]

hi,

because the SW mounts are mass produced, sometimes you get the wrong circle, both my old HEQ5 and current NEQ6 both have the wrong setting circles, i just use the top scale, as long as the scale couns from 0-23 going to the right then youre fine.

Hope that helps mate

Cam

[Tinker1947]

I would use the Handset Option to Polar Align on any star from a list held in the handset, if you have something like a Telrad watch which way the chosen star slews and when asked by the handset wind it back to the centre....a couple of these will give a good alignment........

[spaceman_spiff]

I also use the handset PA routine but it needs several repeats before it is accurate. To start with however, I use Stellarium to find the correct position of polaris on the inner circle. I set Stellarium to eq mode and turn the eq grid on, I then zoom towards the NCP with north facing directly downwards. I then flip the view both vertically and horizontally to get the correct position on Polaris. 

Most of the time, this first alignment procedure is accurate enough for imaging (with a guider making only a few small corrections every minute).

Hope this helps. 

[Tinker1947]

This software works, inverted view if the box is ticked....

http://myastroimages.com/Polar_FinderScope_by_Jason_Dale/

[Scorptc]

Thank you all very much I will try your suggestions

[Scorptc]

hi,

because the SW mounts are mass produced, sometimes you get the wrong circle, both my old HEQ5 and current NEQ6 both have the wrong setting circles, i just use the top scale, as long as the scale couns from 0-23 going to the right then youre fine.

Hope that helps mate

Cam

Yes mine does in with the middle but to get this to work I need to use the one that  goes  0 to 23 towards the left

[Spoon]

Yes mine does in with the middle but to get this to work I need to use the one that  goes  0 to 23 towards the left

how strange, its no upside down is it

cam

[Scorptc]

how strange, its no upside down is it

cam

lol I had thought the same thing, this all kicked off because I watched a video explaining how to setup and polar align with a polar scope (astronomyshed) he explains how to set the RA then use the dial to set the RA to the H.A time and hey presto we move the scope using jack bolt etc and we are polar aligned.

As mentioned I do this and mine is the complete revers of what it should be?? The one thing I have noticed is the indicator to mark the R.A. is different on the EQ6 to the AZ EQ6  one is on the body and one is on the motor side   I wish I had a picture to show it

[ve1drg]

I follow the Astonomy examples and everything works perfectly.

I have the same mount (azeq6).

I take the hour angle that comes up and turn the RA axis around to enter that info.

Bing. Perfect every time..

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

[Scorptc]

I follow the Astonomy examples and everything works perfectly.

I have the same mount (azeq6).

I take the hour angle that comes up and turn the RA axis around to enter that info.

Bing. Perfect every time..

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

So to clarify, how did you set your zero? and then once set, you just take you handset H.A. and turn R.A  to that point and its good? - that point being the middle hr markings  on the R.A. dial (1 to 23 to the right)?

[jambouk]

You need to employ trial and error and work out what works for you. Put the small polaris circle at 6 o'clock, and set the RA dial so it reads zero (image attached). Then turn on the handset for your current time, even if it is day time, and rotate the RA so you can see the small polaris circle in roughly the correct position according to where the handset tells you (say 3:45); do this action by looking through the polar scope and roughly getting the polaris circle somewhere between 3 o'clock and 4 o'clock. Then press enter in the handset and go to the hour angle time and note down the time it says. Then look at the setting circle and see roughly where the arrow is pointing - it should be somewhere near the hour angle on either the top or middle scale. Make a fine adjustment of the RA to get the correct hour angle, then look through the polar scope again and it should look as though the small polaris circle is at the 3:45 (or whatever) position. Then it is just a case of remembering which line you use for hour angle; top or middle. Maybe just write some code on the mount head with a permenant marker, such as "top" or "middle".

Make sure the screws are done up snugly on the setting circle else if it mives you'll have to do it all again.

The bottom row of numbers are degrees; if zero degrees is at tge transit position at 6 o'clock, you have to work anticlockwise, so 3 o'clock is 90 degrees, 12 o'clock 180 degrees, 9 o'clock 270 degrees... If you have a head for maths you could use this scale but need to subtract the time from 6 o'clock and convert it into degrees...

Good luck.j

[ve1drg]

Yes. And no.

I first adjust the RA angle so the line containing the small circle is absolutely straight ( up and diwn).

I than adjust the clock to set the new zero position.

Than I get the HA figure off the handset and set it on the clock.

Bingo. You are now ready put Polaris in that little circle.

Works absolutely perfect.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

[cotterless45]

Easy alignment using Kochab clock, hurrah !

http://www.thestardeckobservatory.com/Polaralign.html

Nick.

[Davey-T]

Not sure but Kochabs clock method may only work if the polar scope rotates when you loosen the RA clutch and rotate the mount, no idea about the HEQ 6 but I have an iEQ45 where the polar scope doesn't rotate when you unlock the RA clutch and rotate the mount, shame the guy who wrote the iEQ45 instruction manual didn't know this 

Dave

[Stub Mandrel]

That had me worried - the small alignment circle being the side away from Cassiopeia! I suppose the scope rotates the offset of polaris but the constellations aren't viewed through the scope so aren't rotated?

[jambouk]

No, you can't see the constellation when looking through the polar scope, they are there as a rough guide, and to be honest if you are just doing a really rough and ready polar alignment for observing then just look at the sky and see where ursa major and cass are and mimic that in the polar scope and then centre polaris in the polaris circle. But if just doing visual, having the mount at the rough altitude and pointing north will do.

[Scorptc]

Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to reply to my question, I truly appreciate the feedback and advice

[jambouk]

Scoorptc, it is nice of you to thank everyone.

James

[Earl]

Use PHD2 drift align routines, the polar scope is not worth the effort. bar getting a roughish pointing in the right place..

[Scorptc]

Scoorptc, it is nice of you to thank everyone.

James

Truly my pleasure, and I carried out a set up last night and it worked as it should