90 degree polar scope

[yeti monster]

Having become frustrated with my inverted angle finder (Canon A) for my 1000D, I replaced it with a model B, which has an erect image.

Noticing that the polar scope on my LXD-75 mount has a thread at the bottom, I removed the viewfinder adapter from the model A angle finder and tried it in the polar scope, it proved to be the correct thread, so now I no longer need to grovel about on my knees to polar align.

An added bonus is that the inverted image corrects the already inverted image of the polar scope, thus giving it intuitive movement.

Whether or not this would fit other polar scopes, I could not say, but worth investigating, perhaps?

[Earl]

Nice idea.

[malc-c]

I like that... anything that saves the knees when polar aligning

[MikeP]

I'll be looking at that too - back more than knees for me though.

Mike

[Nillchill]

great Idea, well done mate

[yesyes]

Great idea...

But one question. Does your polar scope have the Cassiopeia and Big Dipper constellation patterns in it? If yes, aren't they now the wrong way round?

[hayju01]

Great idea now on my list as i too am tired of grovelling on my knees :-)

[Gina]

Great idea...

But one question. Does your polar scope have the Cassiopeia and Big Dipper constellation patterns in it? If yes, aren't they now the wrong way round?

I would say both are inverted so they still match. Diagonals will always show the constellations reversed, won't they?

I think this is a great idea Though hopefully I'll only have to do it once with a permanent setup.

[yeti monster]

Great idea...

But one question. Does your polar scope have the Cassiopeia and Big Dipper constellation patterns in it? If yes, aren't they now the wrong way round?

The Meade polar scope has a polaris position and some 'southern' stars. No Cassie and certainly no fairground rides scribed into the reticule....

[yeti monster]

hopefully I'll only have to do it once with a permanent setup.

As I am retaining my tripod for 'field trips', I'll need to be able to polar align at new locations as well as when I return to the OLLR Observatory.

[Gina]

As I am retaining my tripod for 'field trips', I'll need to be able to polar align at new locations as well as when I return to the OLLR Observatory.

I'm keeping my tripod too (just in case) but I cant see myself humping my heavy NEQ6 Pro mount about. I think it would need a nice bag with comfy handles and a small portable crane to raise and lower it from ground to working level (Though if I went to an astro-meet I might be able to get a nice strong young man to hump it up and down for me - he he )

[Wobbly Bob]

Brilliant idea, have never been able to look through my polar scope due to my dodgy knees.

[blueaeshna]

Hi, this looks interesting but neither my LXD-55 nor my LXD-75 mounts appear to have a thread so I can't figure out what you attached the angle finder to??

Mike.

[kljw]

Hi

Has any tried this with a HEQ5?

[stuartjones]

I have just got a meade LXD55 so it will be interesting to see if the same can be done, What a great idea would make life easier.