GEM

[JonnyK]

I think I have just about got my head around one of these mounts!Unfortunately where my garden faces and the house I am unable to see Polaris for alignment, how accurate do you need to be?Can I get away with using a compass?Also I am asuming that when you have it aligned you simply move the scope then lock it off and fine tune with the slow motion controls?This is the first time using a GEM and when I first looked at it I though 'how on earth can you move this in order to see different objects at different positions' but after playing around with I can see how you can cover all of the sky (although god only knows how you would actually stand and look through the ep!).

[zainraza]

I think you do need to be fairly accurate with this, you should try and centre polaris in your scope by using the latitude and azimuth and then unlock the scope to the object with slow-mo controls as you said.

I was also confused on how you could cover the sky at first and it does require you to loosen the OTA rings and turn the OTA quite a bit.

[JamesF]

Assuming you're just using it for visual rather than imaging, using a compass to align to north and setting the latitude on the alt scale should be sufficient. You'll just find that you have to make corrections in DEC as well as tracking RA when you're viewing.

If you want to get more accurate then there are methods that work if you can't see Polaris, but you probably want to get the hang of using the mount first...

James

[JonnyK]

Thankyou for the replies, I will have a go with the compass and see how I get on. I still need to have a look for a decent dark sky site, I mostly get out with the scope when my kids are asleep and the wife is at work so im confined to the back garden for now.