EQ mount and GOTO

[Darkstar_1]

Hi, If one adds goto to an eq5 for example, does the mount still need to be polar alighned?. Reason being behind my house is a park and one of the trees hides Polaris. So i have been stuck to using an alt-az mount. Thanks.

clear skies, Den.

[E621Keith]

Yes, it will still needs polar alignment. I don't think any GEM can work without polar alignment.

However, you don't need Polaris to perform polar alignment. Celestron's Nexstar system has a polar alignment algorithm that is not based on polaris but I don't know whether it has been added to Skywatcher's synscan yet. Drift alignment is a manual polar alignment method that works without polaris.

[Cornelius Varley]

Yes, it will still needs polar alignment. I don't think any GEM can work without polar alignment.

However, you don't need Polaris to perform polar alignment. Celestron's Nexstar system has a polar alignment algorithm that is not based on polaris but I don't know whether it has been added to Skywatcher's synscan yet. Drift alignment is a manual polar alignment method that works without polaris.

There is a beta version of the Synscan firmware (v3.28beta21) which has a polar realignment routine.

Peter

[Darkstar_1]

Thanks for the fast replies.

[Pete Presland]

i found drift alignment easier than polar alignment to be honest.

[Jiggy 67]

There is a beta version of the Synscan firmware (v3.28beta21) which has a polar realignment routine.

Peter

Can you explain this, A lot of people (including me) will find this interesting and where do you get the Beta??

[JamesF]

The beta version of the handset firmware is available for download on the Skywatcher website. It's linked from their news page:

http://www.skywatcher.com/swtinc/news.php?id=27

James

[Cornelius Varley]

http://www.skywatcher.com/swtinc/customer_support.php?class1=1&class2=101

Peter