Tracking with basic AZgoto mount

[Aenima]

When using my sw explorer on its goto mount (and mostly because i dont really know the fine points of tracking), i have doubts that the az-goto tracks objects accurately, especially if i wanted to image something.

And can anyone shed light on why the image in my newt's eyepeice is not just upside-down but partially tilted (rotated) and i feel this may be a problem when the synscan goto technology finds and tracks objects.

Does the AZ goto track properly? And does it matter that the image is not up-down-left-right, but diagonal?

Sorry if i sound clueless but how does tracking on goto AZ actually work?

Would appreciate anyones advice or opinion, anything - I'm a bit lost on the subject.

Thnx ppl,

rgrds, Aenima

[umadog]

Az tracking tends to be less good than equatorial mount tracking since you're having to make large motions along two axes to keep the object in view. There is always error in these motors. A well aligned equatorial mount more needs to move just one axis. With azimuth goto you need to move both so you're adding up the errors. Plus, these mounts tend to be cheaper so the error magnitudes are larger. The rotated image that you seen in the eyepiece will not affect the tracking.

When you align the azimuth mount you indirectly "teach" the computer where is the celestial pole and the locations of the objects with respect to it. It knows the Earth's rotation rate so it can build a model which tells it how much to move the axes to track any particular point in the sky.

Finally, you can't use az tracking for long exposure imaging because the field of view will rotate. An equatorial mount is tilted to compensate for this.

[Aenima]

Thank you for this reply umadog, i can at least understand now some of the limits to the AZgoto and plan my progress in my very early stages of learning astromomy.

If anyone is able to expand on the tenuous grasp i have on my goto mount regarding tech (to me, anyway) nical functions like tracking (sidereal? backlash? etc) and such, i would be grateful.

Goto systems arent as user freindly as they seem, that much is now clear.

thnx,

jay

[Aenima]

Any further input on the topic? Ta.