R.A and DEC controls

[Emperor315]

Hi All

I am using an EQ2 mount and while I am comfortable polar aligning my scope, I dont feel comfortable finding objects using the axes to find objects.

Given the failrly poor setting circles on the mount, I am not using them. Does anyone have any good advice for getting used to these axes? Do most people use them? Using the AZ and ALT axes seems clumsy.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Adam

[LukeSkywatcher]

I can only speak from my experience of owning an EQ mount (i think it is an EQ1 or 2).To me the setting circles really dont do anything, i think they are just there for decoration and a leftover remnant of times gone by.

With regards to the RA and DEC slow motion controls........once the scope is polar aligned as best as you can get it, there really is no need to even worry about the DEC control. The RA will allow you to track objects. Yes to view objects at different heights, you need to use the DEC control to raise/lower the scope, but once on target the RA is the only one you need to turn.

You can buy fairly cheap a dual axis motor drive for DEC and RA, but most people say that you only need a single axis drive (RA).

Hope this helps.......................but slo-mo controls are fine. They can be a bit of a pain but you get used to them.

[Astro_Baby]

Well if you use the alt az controls you are undoing the polar alignment. The alt az is to set polar alignment with only. The dec and ra is how the s ope moves go targets. Generally unlcok the clutches so the s ope is free go move and then lock them when hou are close to target and use the slo mos from there.

Tip for you, the dec axis is usually more or less reliable. The ra is not.

Thats good because the dec of any given object is always the same for any object whereas the ra is relative. Sooooo you can find an object by setting the dec and then sweep the scope through only the ra motion. So long as the dec is more or less accurate and the polar alignment is close a sweep through the ra axis with a wide eyepiece will generally find an object.

Another way to think lf the ra and dec is they are performing a motion which is like an X sign whereas