Polaralign / EQ5 goto w/3.32 Firmware

[Aenima]

I've just recently flashed to the new EQ 3.32 handset firmware.

However, there are still a few things i'm still unsure of - big shock there

When I set-up each time - i cant have a permanent fixture unfortunately - I often get confused as to how exactly I should go about aligning the mount.

I have heard people say to set the lat for my area (ie 52) , and occasionally its been referred to as a seperate step to getting polaris in the polarscope. This is likely my mistake, but, to my way of thinking, wouldn't getting polaris in the crosshairs of the pol-scope do the same thing as setting my lattitude correctly?

The goal being in both cases to get accurately polar-aligned.?

Which brings me to the other query. After levelling mount and aiming 'N' leg North, then roughly sighting polaris in the P/scope - how would I adjust things to get polaris at the right 'hour' in the reticule? So far I use a combination of adjusting the lat/az bolts and nudging the actual tripod a bit by grabbing the rear two legs while looking through p/scope.

This seems a tad sloppy to me, as the two different ways of adjusting the pole star's position in the reticule might leave room for error, or rather more error than necessary.

Ive not yet tried the new firmware - could anyone be nice and explain the steps so an idiot - thats me btw - can follow them?

Skywatcher actually have quite a good instruction manual for this update on their site, highly recommended, but after a few reads I still need a little clarification.

Regards

Aenima

[Aenima]

Possibly not question of the month - badly worded and rambling - but anyone have any advice as to the correct way to fine tune the polaralignment ie nudging tripod legs versus adjusting the mounts alt/az bolts?

Just a wee bit hazy on the exact method.

Pweese?

[cantharis]

http://www.nightskyi...r_alignment.htm

There are a number of websites explaining how to put Polaris in the right spot and thus be exactly aligned on the North Celestial Pole - one I found useful I have attached. Good luck.

[StuW]

There should be 2 thumb wheels above the north leg to adjust in az similar to how you adjust in alt.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[Aenima]

There should be 2 thumb wheels above the north leg to adjust in az similar to how you adjust in alt.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Ah, oops, my bad. I knew the way i'd phrased the question was strange, sorry!

I'm actually polaraligning ok, and am mainly trying to fine tune the process. As i'm getting 30 to 40 seconds exposure before trails start, its time to make the effort to align properly.

But i'm not sure if the way i'm going about it is wrong or less accurate. - after getting polaris in the cross hairs of Plr-scpe, and say polaris should be at 12,0clock (is that the top? but anyway..) should I resist the temptation to nudge the tripod legs as i'm looking through the polr/scope? and only try using the alt/az bolts? , as the polrscope is v crude and the procedure should be exact - my biggest problem being the set-up is not permanent - so i'm hoping to learn a lot more about the aspects i'm a bit vague on.

Hopefully anyone that has to do it from scratch each time will maybe have noticed certain do's and dont's or that one way works better than another. (?)

(Also, with the new firmware 3.32 - the polar alignment feature is presumably best done a particular way.)

Really sorry for the confusion, often I have trouble being conscise and tend to babble......

Thank u 4 replying anyway

Regards

Aenima

[StuW]

I'm actually polaraligning ok, and am mainly trying to fine tune the process. As i'm getting 30 to 40 seconds exposure before trails start, its time to make the effort to align properly.

That's not bad for non permanent unguided.

But i'm not sure if the way i'm going about it is wrong or less accurate. - after getting polaris in the cross hairs of Plr-scpe, and say polaris should be at 12,0clock (is that the top? but anyway..) should I resist the temptation to nudge the tripod legs as i'm looking through the polr/scope? and only try using the alt/az bolts? , as the polrscope is v crude and the procedure should be exact - my biggest problem being

I'm not understanding a) whether you are polar aligning on on the crosshairs or the tiny circle and why you would move the tripod rather than use the screws that are more accurate and designed for teh procedure.

(Also, with the new firmware 3.32 - the polar alignment feature is presumably best done a particular way.)

Opinions vary on how well the new function works. I myself found it less accurate than the polar scope method.

The best method I've found so far is the Ascom utility, but i'm trying to get AstroTortilla to work so i can try the plate-solve method.

[Aenima]

Many thanks dude,

Appreciate the specific suggestions, its what i need - advice from experience, thank u.

Yeah, i'm starting to try getting polaris in the right area of the reticule by using the HA:polaris clock on the handset, but if I get it wrong its going to be -further- out than just centering it, you know, if its the opposite side through the cross to the other side then my PA is worse than roughly central...- if that makes sense/?

So, to get polaris centered whilst looking through polarscope sometimes i grab the back legs to locate polaris initially, and once centered I often give the back legs a nudge to save wear and tear on those soft alt-az bolts - i'm getting the better ones v soon - but due to the various angles involved in aligning the polr-scpe using the bolts might not be a wise move, hence asking the strange questions.

Thank you for ur input - very grateful.

Regards

Aenima

[StuW]

Yeah, i'm starting to try getting polaris in the right area of the reticule by using the HA:polaris clock on the handset, but if I get it wrong its going to be -further- out than just centering it, you know, if its the opposite side through the cross to the other side then my PA is worse than roughly central...- if that makes sense/?

you can't go wrong with where the little position circle should be if you use something like the free polar finder software.. (http://www.polarfinder.com)

[Aenima]

you can't go wrong with where the little position circle should be if you use something like the free polar finder software.. (http://www.polarfinder.com)

OK. Thats reassuringly simple, though its sometimes confusing when the RA is rotated to where the reticle overlay of cassiopiea and ursamajor line up - is it an accurate estimation or should I go by the hour-angle and place polaris on the circle regardless of whether that little bubble matches up? ie using polarfinder to put polaris on the larger circle without having to get the bubble to that exact position as well?

Again, both thank u 4 the advice and apologies for the rambling ;~)

Edit: your astrobin jupiter is very nice, btw

Regards

Aenima

[StuW]

I find that I can get about 2 minutes unguided by just putting the little bubble as near to where the software shows me as I can. I don't use the setting circles at all as i find they slip too easily.

Thanks for you comment.

[Aenima]

2mins is great.

I think, but not sure, that my mount is not allowing me to improve the exp. times regardless of what I do, but alot of folks have managed at least a couple of mins. I cant complain really untill i've tried to set-up properly rather than roughing it, so basically until my budget allows the mount upgrade there is a challenge for me to tackle

I ordered the revelation 5x barlow, off subject here, how do you think it'll perform on my 200p?

Again, many thanks.

Regards

Aenima

[StuW]

You'll need either extremely good conditions or a camera with high frame rates to get good results, but you may be lucky. I use a 2.5x and a 2x or 1.5x barlows stacked and sometimes with upto 120mm of extension tubes so not too far off 5x. I think the jupiter you referred to was with 2.5+1.5 on my 200p.

[Aenima]

Thats the one, yes - absolutely brilliant. You use extensions to increase power? Didn't think of that, good plan.

Thanks for the help.

Regards

Aenima