solar tracking

[chemtom24]

sorry folks its probably been asked a thousand times but the search never works for me (or maybe there actualy isnt any threads on solar tracking?)

anyway, just trying to get some dslr shots through the telescope but the sun moves too fast and mi not too good at handset cos it doesnt seem to move the gears fast enough!

so can the sun be tracked with some very rough (north) polar alignment, the same way the stars can?

go easy, im simples sometimes

[obscura]

Polar align not really critical - just close enough.

Find sun and track solar - should be ok with odd tweaks on arrow keys - did for me anyway.

[ronin]

The sun is another star, just he one we orbit. It appears to circle us once a day as do the rest.

If you align the scope, centre the sun it should track the same as any other.

[obscura]

It will, although the sun doesn't quite move sidearally from earth. Sidereal rate is 23h56m aprox wrt to the stars and solar rate is 24 hrs wrt sun as earth has to rotate through 361 degrees from noon to noon. But the difference is not likely to impact for imaging.

[chemtom24]

managed to get an image first go at solar stuff, not made easy by me not having slow mo hand controls for the mount - only the handset which doesnt move very fast.

anyway, im pleased with the result

edit* 1/800, iso800, canon 400d, 200p newt

[keithatrochdale]

Have you set the tracking to solar rate?