Polar Allignment Question

[sherr03]

Hi

I finally managed to have a good go at polar aligning my EQ6 synscan at the weekend. I followed the astroshed YouTube video and found it quite easy. I then tried a 2 star align and it kept failing. My question is: After polar aligning do I have to put my mount into the Home Position and then do the star alignment using the handset?

Thanks

[Budgie]

On my EQ5 I set the polar alignment, reset to the Home position (I've put marks on the mount for it) and then switch the Synscan unit on to do the star alignment.

The Synscan handset should ask you if you're starting from the Home position before you start the alignment, I've always answered "Yes" so I've no idea what happens if you say "No".

[sherr03]

ok thanks i will try that later. (if its clear!).

[Cornelius Varley]

You start the alignment with the mount in the "home" position, ie counterweight pointing straight down and the telescope pointing at the NCP. The handset requires this so that it has a known start point to work from. The first alignment star will be a known distance from the home position and the handset slews the telescope to where it thinks this star wil be. You then make corrections either by loosening the clutches and manually moving the telescope to the first star or using the handset and pressing return when the star is aligned.

Peter

[brantuk]

Yup - that's just what I do - tell it to go to an alignment star (usually one I can see naked eye) - wherever it lands I just slacken the clutches and move it physically so the finder points at the star and tighten up again. Then I'm near enough to center in the eyepiece using the arrows (when prompted) and bingo it knows where the second alignment star is. Simples eek!

[Budgie]

I hadn't thought about loosening the clutches to do the alignment. I normally start with a 25mm EP, for the wide FOV, and get it centre-ish in that and then swap it for my 12mm Illuminated Reticule EP to get it centred in that with the handset.

[brantuk]

Yup Martin - you can increase the accuracy by doing the eyepiece centering (with arrow keys) at a higher power

[datman]

Hi

All the jigger pokery about moving the RA and Dec about is to get the Polar alignment scope looking through the mount and the etched guide stars in the correct alignment relative to the Pole star. When you are done the mount is Polar aligned so its axis turns about the celestial pole. The Goto don't have clue where the telescope is pointing. So as mentioned previously, return it to the home position as best you can.

I find a few 1 star alignments on known stars is easiest. I find that with 2 or 3 star alignment quite often the choices for the 2nd or 3rd stars are not visibe to me or I don't know where they are (wife won't let me move the house either). If I want more precision I'll make a note of the RA & Dec of my alignment star and a couple of known visable ones. Goto the aligmnet star, quickly change the dials to match, then goto the other stars (use "fiind known object" or whatever it is called on your hanset) make sure the dials match the RA & Dec and that you can see what you expected. If not quite right adjust and repeat making sure to check/adjust the dials for the alignment star each time.

[Budgie]

If you find an alignment star isn't visible to you, you can use the up/down arrows on the handset to choose a different one.

If the mount has already slewed before you realise then just press "ESC" and it will ask if you want to abandon alignment, press "No" and it will let you choose a different star.

[Jiggy 67]

Yup - that's just what I do - tell it to go to an alignment star (usually one I can see naked eye) - wherever it lands I just slacken the clutches and move it physically so the finder points at the star and tighten up again. Then I'm near enough to center in the eyepiece using the arrows (when prompted) and bingo it knows where the second alignment star is. Simples eek!

Can I ask why you unlock the clutches and physicaly move the mount....why not use the controler? Is there a specific reason for thuis??

[datman]

Hi

If you use the handset to slew it it expects a bit of misalignment and supposedly remembers the adjustment. If the telescope is miles out it can fail alignment. If you slip the clutches and manually align the goto system thinks it got it right first time. It can be quicker to do this too.

[bcfcciderhead]

I always use the handest to centre the alignment star and have no problems doing that, been very happy with my goto and always have my target within the EP.

The only thing that gets me is the list of alignment stars it gives you, never heard of many of them so not a clue where to look, thats the longest part of set up, finding a star you know.

Will try alignment by using the clutches next time see how that goes.

[Klesk14]

When doing an allignment, it asks to center in the finder scope then center in the EP.

Is there any specific reason for this?

Does it make any extra calculations for doing this?

The finder scope and EP should be alligned together so there shouldn't be much change or any at all when it asks to center between the two.

[bcfcciderhead]

I set my finder up in the daytime on a distance object, the top of a pylon in my case.

When the scope has moved to the alignment star i check in the finder and then adjust as needs be, then look in the EP and "fine tune".

But to answer your question i can't see what difference it makes as long as your finder is set up correct (align with EP)

[Klesk14]

Ok I alway put it like that. Before setting my first star I'd fine tune also to make sure they are aligned together.

I just didn't see the reason for the hand control to ask twice for the finder scope and then the EP.