SynScan EQ5 Woes

[Chris E]

Don't lose heart. Take a look

and all will be revealed!

Also, for those of you who tire of scrabbling around getting damp knees/bad back, This might be the answer for you.

The (moving) picture definitely paints a thousand words!

Thats it, its going in the bin lol, I was sort of understanding it, then he said something about calibrating the rectule or something, then the next thing the Synscan was at 12:00, I'm sure it was at 23.36 on the vid

[carastro]

Yes, I watched the video, he did ramble a bit and I agree about the times - they changed and confused me too.

To be honest Chris, just take it slowly and do a little at a time. Forget about calibrating the polarscope (some call this the polarfinder) for the moment. It does need doing, but get to grips with one thing at a time rather than trying to do it all at once and driving yourself crazy.

Step 1: Make sure you can identify Polaris correctly.

Step 2: Get your mount placed level and pointing north to start with. Position the mount so you can see through the polar scope and see polaris, practice moving the latitude (azimuth) and altitude bolts moving the mount from side to side and up and down to get polaris in the little ring on the big ring to start with.

Step 3: When you're happy with that the next step is to make sure you know where the polaris ring should be around the true pole (the cross in the centre of the recticle). This can be done by several methods depending on your mount and your handset. The method described on the video using Polarfinder will give you the correct position and as explained this depends on the date and time. Moving the position of the Polaris ring is done by rotating the RA axis.

Step 4: Once the polar alignment is done, return your Dec and RA to home position (telescope should be pointing towards the pole star) and then do your 2 star alignment with the handset (or 1 star or 3 star as you prefer).

I would suggest you do these simple steps above initially to get you into Astronomy and then when you are feeling a bit more confident and less stressed you can find out more about aligning the polarscope and finding out other methods of doing the polar alignment and fine tuning it so you can get it more precise.

After polar alignment, don't move the mount, and after 1,2 or 3 star alignment do not move the telescope manually or you will lose the alignment. If you have GOTO (which I think you have), tell the handset where you want to go and let the mount find the object.

Hope this helps.

Carole

[pwalsh61]

I would personally not use the clock time unless it's for visual where you can get away with just roughly pointing north. The issue with the clock time is when it says 6:15 or 7:45 for example - you cannot accurately get this using the clock method.

As long as your RA scale is calibrated and locked the HA time is better to use. The time given is what you rotate your RA axis to.

True, but the RA scale on an EQ5 is next to useless. Whereas the HEQ mounts have the lockscrew go through the scale, on the EQ5 the lockscrew is positioned outside of the scale. The only thing it seems to do is lock the scale at 0 and prevent it from moving.

A quick way of getting the polaris indicator in the right position is to use a piece of software called PolarFinder which is available Here

Simply configure it with the date/time and your location and it will display a graphic showing you what position the indicator should be in at that time

[Digz]

True, but the RA scale on an EQ5 is next to useless. Whereas the HEQ mounts have the lockscrew go through the scale, on the EQ5 the lockscrew is positioned outside of the scale. The only thing it seems to do is lock the scale at 0 and prevent it from moving.

Ah, that's not quite so good then.........

[Chris E]

Ps, How do you post pics on here, there's a set of scales on the front of the mount and I don't know what they are, they are numbered .2 . 1 . 0. 1. 2. then another scale that counts from 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 then counts down 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 its in the front of the mount just below the exit cap you remove to look at Polaris ??

Ps, EQ5 mount , I'd post a pic unless someone know's what the scales are

Chris:(

PPS, I've just seen an allen key head and also a small flat screw head in the Polar finder, Do I need to slacken or tighten these up, or leave alone,

No, it wont let me put pics on, I've done 65 posts lol

[carastro]

Attaching a picture, click on the paperclip among the icons above your message. (some forums require a number of postings before you can add an image, not sure if that applies here, or if it does how many postings it is).

Carole

[Chris E]

Relax and take a deep breath.......

1. Take scope and mount outside;

2. Align tripod North;

3. (optional install OTA and balance);

4. Remove polar scope caps;

5. Rotate Dec through 90deg so you can see through the polar scope;

6. Switch on mount;

7. Enter information;

8. Remember Polaris position (and clock position) as given to you by the handset;

9. Rotate RA so the corresponding time reads off the scale (as a check polaris should appear in the clock position indicated by the handset and the polaris and cassiopeia asterism should line up.)

10. Fine tune lat and az with bolts until polaris is sat within the small dot;

11. (optional if not done at 3. - install OTA and balance);

12. Return scope back to original position (i.e. counterweights down, scope pointing north);

13. Start star alignment (1, 2 or 3 alignment.) Try and pick stars that are quite far apart for most accurate alignment;

14. Pick first start and let the goto slew to it;

15. Once the mount has slewed to the first start, using a wide EP i.e. 24, 32mm etc, center the star (optional - the star can be centered by unlocking the clutches and manually moving the scope);

16. Confirm alignment and move onto next star (optional - repeat step 15) and then use the handset to centre the star;

17. Finish alignment (hopefully message alignment successful appears);

18. Start observing;

19. Park scope at end of session (counterweights down, scope point north) by selecting park;

20. Power down kit;

21. Disassemble and take inside.

Now for the above you work the polar scope needs to be calibrated. To do this rotate the RA axis until polaris is at the bottom. Adjust the RA scale to read 12 o'clock, using the top scale and lock off.

Now when you get the information from the handset i.e transit time, you can rotate your RA to the right time and polaris should appear in the polar scope at the corresponding clock time. For example (and these figures are plucked out of think air) the transit time might be 16:00 and clock time 9:00. Therefore when you rotate the RA axis so 16:00 is lined up with the marker polaris should appear at a 9:00 position through the polar scope.

I hope thats clear and if you follow it step by step things should fall into place.

, So Number 9, if its says 22:00 Hrs on the handset on the Synscan, rotate the RA to 22:00 and lock the RA ?? So I turn the RA and not the dial ??

This is very NEARLY sinking in finally.!!!!!!

PS, How many posts do you have to do before it will let you put pics on here ??????

PPS, is it MM/DD/YY not DD/MM/YY when I set up the Synscan

Chris..

[bamus]

, So Number 9, if its says 22:00 Hrs on the handset on the Synscan, rotate the RA to 22:00 and lock the RA ?? So I turn the RA and not the dial ??

This is very NEARLY sinking in finally.!!!!!!

PS, How many posts do you have to do before it will let you put pics on here ??????

PPS, is it MM/DD/YY not DD/MM/YY when I set up the Synscan

Chris..

Never understood why people make their life complicated. Forget about what handset is telling you and what RA hours should it be aligned to.

Use Polar finder: http://myastroimages.com/Polar_FinderScope_by_Jason_Dale/ and just look through polar scope and make sure little circle is in the position showed in Polar Finder. Then using ALT/AZM bolts adjust mount position.

[Rob Severn]

Chiris, calm down man, there are far too many exclamation marks in your posts. Don't stress you'll get it sorted, probably

[Digz]

Chris, you are correct. You rotate the RA axis and lock, not the scale as you should have already calibrated it.

Bamus, this method is not complicated why do you think it is? All were doing is using the information from the handset to polar align. No faffing about with the polar scope scales and setting the date and time etc. Using something which generates a diagram of polaris' position is ok but it not going to be highly accurate. As I said above it might be fine for observing purposes.

Chris, just saw your pps, it's the American format you use, IIRC. I think the handset tells you what format before you enter the digits.

[paraman]

Thats it, its going in the bin lol, I was sort of understanding it, then he said something about calibrating the rectule or something, then the next thing the Synscan was at 12:00, I'm sure it was at 23.36 on the vid

He cant stop time, the video was paused to move on to the next step, the controller continues to keep time.

The reticle is the bit inside the polarscope with the star outline etched on it, its not unusual for this to not be dead center, if you align with it skewed then the alignment will be out.

[malc-c]

Chris,

Best bit of advice I can give... pay the retailer a visit (or call in on your nearest telescope retailer) and get them to demonstrate it to you.

I can understand your frustration, but equally others are getting frustrated in trying to explain things, which obviously you are having problems grasping. This could possibly be due to terminology used or the fact that everyone has their own slight variation of polar alignment and this has confused you.

If you are not able to call in to the retailer then hopefully someone near to you could pop round for a cuppa and take you through the process. Often being shown how to do something is better

[Chris E]

Fair enough, I'll not post anymore and if the mods could remove this thread

[Digz]

Oh come on Chris, dont be like that.

Malc certainly didnt mean for you to stop posting, he is merely pointing out that to have a demonstration would be far better that us confusing you further. As they say, a picture tells a thousand words, well a demonstration will also do the same.

[malc-c]

Fair enough, I'll not post anymore and if the mods could remove this thread

Oh come on...! Pick up your teddy and sit back in the pram!

My comments were intended to be constructive.. In a medium such as a forum it's can be difficult to get instruction across as it's predominately text or pictures. Often it's simpler to be shown how to do something, hence my comments.......

Sometimes I wonder why we go to the trouble of offering advice - when my kids do the same I simply let them get on with it... Chris mate, as far as I'm concerned you can do the same.

[brantuk]

Please folks - cool down and start being nice or you'll have all the mods and admins to deal with. And we all know who'll win that one!

A little saying may help here: "If you've nothing nice to say then say nothing"

[Tim]

PS, How many posts do you have to do before it will let you put pics on here ??????

PPS, is it MM/DD/YY not DD/MM/YY when I set up the Synscan

Chris..

You can post pics, use the paperclip icon.

Yep, month first in the date, been caught out by that one a few times

[bierbelly]

I have been searching (well, asking for) a list of alignment stars by ancient name and location on a star map for quite a while.  Imagine Google sending me here!  Found it on page 1...why did I wait so long?  I was hoping to find an app for that, but printouts are fine...I have to use reading glasses for both nowadays.  Yea SGL!