Do these video's show PA issues?

[themos]

Besides, you can use Focusmax with an emulated focuser if you must run it! (but of course there's very little point doing that)

[swag72]

Ah, my mistake!! Thanks both. Anyone amy pointers for the software? I'm looking on the net for an idiots guide, unless it's totally push and play! Would be a first, most astro things aren't !!

[Whirlwind]

Hi Sara

Just as another though but how is your rig set up when you polar align. Do you you user the guider to polar align or your main camera - if you you use the guide camera how close to the central mount axis is it; and how far from the dovetail holder on the mount is your scope. Just thinking that if you have some flexure (maybe in the dual bar) as you align that this could result in an error in your polar alignment.

I find PEMPro really useful (but you do have to get used to it) - I set up every night now and can pretty much get alignment finished in 30minutes with PEMPro (down from about 2.5 hours!) . PEMPro should give the same error as Polaralignmax in theory though

The other thing is that given you are using a dual bar just checking you have balanced against all three axes not just the normal 2?

Maybe before you had a really good polar alignment hence not stressing out you guider settings - if it is now worse you maybe showing up non-ideal settings in your set up now. Did you change your guide settings when you 'upset' your mount? Maybe a shorter exposure would help. If you have a too long guide exposure / delay with a worse alignment that could result in your elongated stars.

Ian

[swag72]

Cheers Ian.

A couple of answers - I used the Atik 314L with PEMPro last night to polar align, so hope that will work well. It's fairly intuitive once you suss out how it works, and I'm planning on having a fine tune this evening and then taking it from there.

Dual bar all balanced along the three axes according to information that someone gave on here when I asked about it ages ago. No guide settings have been changed at all during this debarcle. The change that seemed to start the problem was a well aligned guide scope - Then in trying to sort it from there, I probably made it worse in some many different areas. Everything was really tightened up this morning, no cables dragging at all - Maybe it will all be fine later?!!

[swag72]

Just a quick update for anyone reading this now as well as anyone looking at a similar problem and not really knowing where the issue may be.

Thank you for the PEMPro recommendation - An utterly brilliant programme that leaves nothing to chance. I'd used the EQMOD align facility and got the PA spot on. When I went to PEMPro, it was significantly out. PEMPro knocked the EQMOD alignment tool into a tin hat. I would recommend PEMPro to anyone wishing to sort out their polar alignment issues. It is brilliant. PA is now spot on - and it shows. I only managed a couple of 420s subs last night as I had some high cloud and guiding was all over the place, but I had no drift between the subs and the stars were round.

So, thanks to SGL input AGAIN (I am always calling on you guys!!) I can get going again.

My slight worry is how it *suddenly* became so bad, so I shall keep an eye on it and probably have to buy PEMPro (Ouch!!)

At last I am again!!

[SlipperySquid]

Great thread! Think I'm going to have a go with PEMPRO as I myself use EQMOD to PA.Thanks all for the input!

Matt.

[Shibby]

I still don't get it but congratulations on getting results!

[themos]

PEMPro, 150 USD

AlignMaster, 14 Euro

[swag72]

I looked into Alignmaster a while back as I was thinking about something to improve polar alignment. I read some reviews and comments on here where people were less than pleased with it and they found it rather ineffective. I may look at the trial version once PEMPro runs out and see if it's as simple as the alternative. I liked just being able to click a button and PEMPro did all the work and necessary calculations for me. If I have to do them myself, then it won't be happening!