Problems with accurate polar alignment!

[Andreas]

Alright, I have a lot of things to try now, but I'm going out with my scope now, trying to have the DA axis at 90 degrees and see if it helps.

I can't try the other stuffs tonight I'm afraid since it will cloud up within an hour or two.

I will return shortly!

// Andreas

[kirkster501]

One thing about Polarcam is that the red LED in the polar scope is too bright to see Polaris. And when the LED is too bright the tiniest bits and flecks of dust in the polarscope, that would normally be invisible by eye are very visible to the polarcam. So you'll also soon be looking at a MOD to dim it down

It never ends this tinkering !! That's what makes it such good fun.

[Black Knight]

Alright, I have a lot of things to try now, but I'm going out with my scope now, trying to have the DA axis at 90 degrees and see if it helps.

I can't try the other stuffs tonight I'm afraid since it will cloud up within an hour or two.

I will return shortly!

// Andreas

Well have a great time before the clouds roll-in

[kirkster501]

I also meant to say, a great modification to the Polarscope is to replace the grub screws with some M3 threaded knobs. It make centering the reticule in the polarscope a million times (at least) easier and much more intuitive since you can do two screws at the same time to get precise centering.

I bought some M3x10mm Thumbscrews from Boneham and Turner, Sutton In Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. The part number is TS3-3702 and they fit the HEQ5/6 a treat. They are 85P each plus £3.50 postage. This is one of the best modifications you can make to the HEQ5/HEQ6.

[JamesF]

I've actually just removed the knurled adjusters on my EQ3-2 polar scope and replaced them with grub screws

I found they're too easy to accidentally rub against or knock when polar aligning and mess things up. And it's a one-time job (or at least very rare) so it's not that big a deal to have them hidden away.

James

[Freddie]

You can use your cam to align

http://www.astrophotoinsight.com/public/ccd-drift-method

[Andreas]

Still same as before, but now only 40 secs!

However, I still have a lot of advices to try out when I get the chance again.

I will return as soon as I've tried some of the other advices.

// Andreas

[Andreas]

For those who wonder, there was some trouble with the picture due to some major changes on the server I had it located on and therefore It's removed

I will reupload it ASAP.