Polar Alignment

[Sierra Golf Mike]

Up until the other night, I have enjoyed my viewing without have my scope Polar Aligned. I recently purchased motors and a polar scope and thought I'd try and polar align my mount to help in my quest fot better imaging. In daylight I adjusted the polar scope for centre alignment, spent ages at it and got it as best I could. Next was the Polar alignment, the polar scope has the circle painted black on the lens but how are you ment to see it against a black sky in order to align the pole star at the appropriate point. Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question.

Cheers

[Cornelius Varley]

Buy a cheap led torch and paint the lens red using nail varnish or add marker pen. Shine this across the front opening of the polarscope and the markings will be illuminated.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Mini-Cyba-Lite-Keyring-Torch/dp/B000C74YBW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1328444803&sr=8-3

Peter

[Sierra Golf Mike]

Many thanks Peter.

[Gomtuu]

Not stupid at all. I hit exactly the same issue. My manual doesn't mention this essential point. Once you know it seems obvious, but doesn't everything?

[glowjet]

You can make you own illuminator and I believe this is covered in the Astronomy Shed web site, alternatively you can use a red LED such as the Maplins CJ 66W 3mm type which will run direct off your 12V DC supply, you just need to mount it in a collar which will fit the Polar scope opening in your mount, if you want to vary the brightness then introduce a 470K pot into the circuit HTH

[steppenwolf]

I made an illuminator for my EQ3-2 which works a treat - details in my article here.

[Simms]

Not a silly question at all, I had exactly the same issue with my EQ3/2 when I had it (thankfully the HEQ5Pro has a LED built in). <Sarcasm mode on> You are going to have so much fun looking up through your polarscope, arm reaching around trying to shine a small torch across the opening, not enough to wash out the stars but enough to see the guides, all the while trying to adjust your mount alt & az AND make sure you have Polaris in the right area - I REALLY miss those days <sarcasm mode off> - if you can get someone to help you it will make life so much easier. Good luck!