HELP with HEQ5 please

[trudie]

HI All,

Received my new gear yesterday, put mount together okay, even though there were no instructions in box, got advise where to download them eventually.

My problem is when I am trying to polar align. I am following the instructions on preparing the mount, when I adjust the date scale I cannot then tighten up the index marker ring and keep the date scale to zero.

1) Am I missing something obvious or is the ring meant to be loose?

2) is there an idiots guide for this anywhere?.

Thanks

Trudie

Ps Is there meant to be an instruction manual for the ED80, or is that missing too? It's not important as its self explanitory, but if this was my 1st scope I'd really be stuffed. As it is I am already tearing my hair out.

[blinky]

I have an EQ5 and I assume the polar alingment is similer. I dont bother with what the instructions say, goto this site http://www.polarfinder.co.uk/ and download the app. When you run it, it will show you where Polaris should be at that time of day. Just adjust the alingment until Polaris is where the applications shows it should be and Bob's your fathers brother

It is a lot easier than setting the date thing and all that rubbish! I assume its not quite as accurate as you are guessing as to the exact position of Polaris but this is the method I use and I have taken a few long(ish) exposures using this.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

http://stargazerslounge.co.uk/index.php?topic=10025.0

An old post that covers most of it.

HTH Trudie

Captain Chaos

[Chris Graham]

The HEQ5 instructions are terrible from the official site, i dont even bother Polar Aligning now, just drift align, much better and acurate.

see here

http://www.petesastrophotography.com/index.html

[proflight2000]

The easiest way to worry about the rings etc was the way phatt told me to do it. Do the rough polar align, basically line the scope up with polaris, then find a star you know, like sirius, find the HA and DEC for sirius then change the rings to match it then lock them. Then find something else around sirius like the M50, get the RA and DEC for that then turn the scope to those co-ordinates, remember that the RA ring needs to be read along the top line for the northern hemisphere. I just followed the above rule for a few days and its given me the opportunity to understand the principles.

[Greg]

Trudie,

If you need some help PM me your number and i'll talk you through the alignment and setting circles..

Greg

PS.. Steve, verify who I am just incase Trudie thinks i'm a weird forum stalker

[FLO]

Steve, verify who I just incase Trudie thinks i'm a weird forum stalker

Greg ..... never heard of him!

Only kidding

That is a generous offer Greg (Greg has a HEQ5 in his lounge so is well placed, and well qualified, to offer advice).

Trudie, yours is one of a handful of scopes/mounts sent out recently that have arrived without instructions :scratch:

As you know, instructions can be downloaded here:

http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/Support.html

I have also printed off a set of instructions and will put them in the post Monday.

I don't know how many are affected so over the next month or two I shall send a printout of the instructions separately for every new Skywatcher scope/mount purchased.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

[John]

I find that the instructions produced by Orion (USA) for their products, many of which are clones of the Skywatcher ones, are often much better than Skywatchers (eg: photos rather than crude line drawings). Their website is www.telescope.com

I think their equivilent of the HEQ5 is called the Sirius EQ-G and here is a link to their instructions (pdf file):

http://tinyurl.com/34phmy

John

[trudie]

Thanks one and all, I'm sure with all this info I'll get the hang of it (eventually).

Just one further question for now,

Do I have to set this every time I use, or once its set is that it?

Trudie

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Depends what it is that you're setting

If you point the mount northish, then rotate the reticle until the constelleations are in the sasme orientation as the real world ones, then pop Polaris in the little circle, you are up and running as far as polar alignment is concerned.

If you can mark the leg positions on a patio or similar, you can save most of the setup time as you should be very close to aligned when you start, or if you can leave it in position it'll be aligned until you trip over it in the dark .

The setting circle thing should be also a 2 minute job so that each time you star hop you centre the starting star, set the circle, move to the new RA and Dec. settings and you should be there.

This bit changes with time so you can correct from when you set the circle using sums, or reset each time you want to go somewhere else (I think).

The polar 'scope alignment needs doing only once.

HTH

Captain Chaos