Just A Little Help With Drift Alignment Please

[steve2310]

Hi Stargazers

Well, I have just made the leap from DLSR to CCD imaging and wow, it really feels like I'm starting all over again from the scratch. Little things that I could get away with with a DSLR (in this case slack polar alignment) will just not cut it with a CCD and exposures over 5 minutes.

Having realised this the hard way (dodgy stars in images) I have been learning the noble art of drift alignment. Hopefully, I understand all the processes involved but.......

I have a good view from the back garden for the south sky but when it comes to finding a suitable star in the east/west which is meant to be low to the horizon I'm struggling. About the lowest star that I can see (to the west around 7.30 - 8.00) is Arcturus. Would this star be suitable or is this not low enough? I'm really not sure how low to the horizon this east/west star is meant to be?

Any help or advice would really be appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

[bamus]

too low is not so good as you will get al lot of atmospheric diffraction. Usually I take star which is 20-30 deg above horizon and I have got good drift alignment result

[steve2310]

Thanks Bamus that's really helpful. When you do these things for the first time you spend most of the time wondering if it's been being done correctly (or not.)

Arcturus might be ok then it seems. I have hardly any view of the lower part of the east sky so I'm hoping for a few alternatives to the west.

Thanks again.