Finding Polar Scope use difficult

[JohnJ]

So last night was my fist night out with scope and heq5 mount. It didn't go very well, you can read about my troubles in another thread.

My first issue was the view through the polar scope, it was very difficult to see the reticule and circle etc to perform my polar alignment with Polaris.

If I was to squint and not move I could JUST about make out the markings and get aligned but it was almost impossible as obviously it's dark!

Is this normal?

It doesn't help kneeling in wet muddy snow an awkwardly arching my neck!

[matsey]

Hi John,

Hopefully someone with an HEQ5 can come along and help you out further, but in the meantime, have you got the mount powered up and switched on? I'm almost positive that the HEQ5 has an illuminated polar scope in the same way the NEQ6 does - something I didn't realise the first time I tried polar aligning a couple of weeks ago and had exactly the same problem trying being unable to see the lines !!

Hope that helps,

Matsey

PS... hopefully this will also be an option the HEQ5 (don't see why not.. same software I think?), but in the menu system there is an option on the NEQ6 to turn down the illumination setting, it's recommended to have it on 2% (otherwise you'll have the opposite problem - you can't see any stars because the red light is too bright!)

[badgerchap]

I'm thinking the polarsope isn't lit in the heq5 (?) but in my eq5 I've got a couple of wires, a battery and a red LED which is taped to the opening of the polarscope (tucked inside so you're not looking straight at it). That way I can flick the LED on and off to see the markings and alternatively the stars.

[JamesF]

I'm pretty sure the HEQ5 should have an illuminated polar scope. The brightness can be controlled from the handset, so perhaps it's been turned right down?

James

[JohnJ]

I will check to see if I can alter the brightness of the polar scope on the handset.

[Jiggy 67]

I'm almost positive the HEQ5 PRO is illuminated

[badgerchap]

Sorry, I was only guessing, hence the '(?)'!

[skywatcher58gb]

Hi Yes the polar scope is illuminated, but another pain when you first set up is to check if the polar scope is accurately aligned to the mount. To do this center polaris bang in the center of the polar scope, then swing the whole mount through 360 degrees and check that polaris stays bang in the center, if not there are 3 tiny adjusting screws which will bring it central. Once centered you only need to check this occationally.

Dave

[mrjolly]

I had my first go with the HEQ5 synscan last night (and completely failed at alignment!) and there is an option on the handset to vary the polarscope illumination. I had to lower it right down before I could see Polaris and the reticule. At least, I'm pretty sure it was Polaris....!

[JohnJ]

I had my first go with the HEQ5 synscan last night (and completely failed at alignment!) and there is an option on the handset to vary the polarscope illumination. I had to lower it right down before I could see Polaris and the reticule. At least, I'm pretty sure it was Polaris....!

I'm glad I am not alone! I'm sure we'll get there in the end and it will all be worth it.

[matsey]

Definitely not alone ! My polar aligning attempt last night almost ended in failure when Polaris went missing completely from view... until I realised I still had the counterweight bar retracted inside the mount obscuring the view ! Oops !!

[mrjolly]

Definitely not alone ! My polar aligning attempt last night almost ended in failure when Polaris went missing completely from view... until I realised I still had the counterweight bar retracted inside the mount obscuring the view ! Oops !!

Haha! I did something similar, despite practising loads during the last few days, I got out, got it set up and couldn't see a thing. Checked the end cap was off, checked the weight bar, played with the brightness, nothing. It helps if you also rotate the mount 90 degrees through declination too, I'll remember that next time (and probably forget to take the cap off or something)

John, don't worry, no chance of me giving up, a bit more practice and we'll have it sorted - it's all part of the fun! I know what you mean about having to contort yourself to see through it without laying/sitting on a wet floor too!

[KJ Dalley]

The more you practise the easier this gets until you reach a point where you wonder why you ever thought Polar alignment was ever such a mystery. Trust me I went from TOTAL ignorance to being able to Polar align my HEQ 5 PRO more quickly than I ever thought possible. If I can do it then you guys will be fine. Apart from the contortionist skills. Work on those! I would suggest periodically squirting a little WD40 on the alt / azimuth retaining bolts just to make sure they don't lock up. If you have any problems just shout. I wrote a little Polar alignment for dummies type guide that works for me and I love this mount. High end imagers my find my approach too basic for their requirements bit it will get you on target and enjoying your time at the scope.

Clear skies

Kevin

[astrofox]

Why can't some kind manufacture make a right angled polar scope. I gave up trying to squint up my scope same time as I abandonded limbo dancing

[matsey]

Kevin - thanks, and you're right it really does seem like some kind of mystic art to begin with. I've only managed a couple of attempts due to the weather, but I can already feel it getting easier and the "why" of what I'm doing is becoming clearer too, which really helps. Just need some more of those clear nights to really get the hang of it !

astrofox - I had exactly the same thought myself and was actually googling for such a thing yesterday. I did find one out there, but not for Skywatcher mounts unfortunately, they seem to just fit their own mounts - http://www.astro-phy...cc/mounting_acc. Not cheap though.. almost $400 . But then checking out the mount section, the mounts aren't bargains either (though they do look rather beautiful.... look away now, look away now!). Still leaves me with a bit of hope though that maybe other manufacturers will start to catch up, really does seem like such an obvious solution to our contortions!

Matsey

[Wobbly Bob]

There is a very instuctive vid on YOUTUBE on how to center the retical using a TV aerial in the distance and rotating the head. DONT do what i did and over loosen the little grub screws,because the retical fell out of its seating, so after taking the polar scopoe apart I put the darned thing in back to front, SOOOO when I found a nimble young person who was able to contort himself to look up the polar scope he was disagreeing with all my questions, like " is Cassiopia to the right of the center" reply " NOPE, to the left" me "WHAT !!!!!!!!" after ten minutes it dawned on me what had happened.

If there isnt an illuminated retical present, then place a red torch close to the edge of the hole, this works a treat.

Another BRILLIANT tip I found was to use a green laser pointer at the eyepiece end of the polarscope to locate Polaris, as I found it quite tricky finding Polarise by eye from my light polluted back garden' make syre there are no aifcraft about when you do this as they dont like it up em.

[JohnJ]

Another BRILLIANT tip I found was to use a green laser pointer at the eyepiece end of the polarscope to locate Polaris, as I found it quite tricky finding Polarise by eye from my light polluted back garden' make syre there are no aifcraft about when you do this as they dont like it up em.

Thanks for the tips. Anything to help locate Polaris would be a help with the light pollution where I am.

How exactly are you using the laser pointer at the polar scope eye piece?

Cheers

[astrofox]

Kevin - thanks, and you're right it really does seem like some kind of mystic art to begin with. I've only managed a couple of attempts due to the weather, but I can already feel it getting easier and the "why" of what I'm doing is becoming clearer too, which really helps. Just need some more of those clear nights to really get the hang of it !

astrofox - I had exactly the same thought myself and was actually googling for such a thing yesterday. I did find one out there, but not for Skywatcher mounts unfortunately, they seem to just fit their own mounts - http://www.astro-phy...cc/mounting_acc. Not cheap though.. almost $400 . But then checking out the mount section, the mounts aren't bargains either (though they do look rather beautiful.... look away now, look away now!). Still leaves me with a bit of hope though that maybe other manufacturers will start to catch up, really does seem like such an obvious solution to our contortions!

Matsey

Seriously $400 just for the polar scope For that I'lld want the whole mount

[glowjet]

Thanks for the tips. Anything to help locate Polaris would be a help with the light pollution where I am.

How exactly are you using the laser pointer at the polar scope eye piece?

Cheers

I have not used it myself, but I think the idea is to shine the laser through the Polar scope, you can do the same with your finder scope, you can then see where your mount / scope is pointing.

John.

[madatter]

I use my red dot finder to point at polaris, i then make sure its in the middle off the scope, if its not in your polar scope when you look through it now then you mount isnt setup right.

[JG777]

The polar scope is illuminated but I think very early versions might not be. It is documented in the manual and the following is from the latest manual which is available on Skywatchers site. This is the manual that matches the new directory structure tree with the v3.32 software, the one that also contains the extra polar alignment feature.

8.10 Changing Polar Scope Illumination Level

This function applies only to certain Sky-Watcher’s equatorial mounts that are equipped with a polar scope illuminator.

1. 1. Access the menu "Utility Func \ Polar Scope LED" and press the ENTER key.
   
2. 2. Use the Left/Right direction keys to adjust the illumination level. Press the ENTER key to confirm and exit.
   

HTH

[glowjet]

Just in case some of you do not have the inbuilt device, in the past there have been many DIY topics of building your own with waste water pipe and the use of red diodes available from Maplins, which can run direct off a 12V DC supply, and do not need any resistor in the circuit. The Maplins order code for these is CJ66W 3mm standard brightness or CJ 70M 3mm high brightness. For those interested in adapting your Polar scope to a right angle unit, I have just placed a thread in the DIY section on how this can be achieved, for something less than £30

john.

[matsey]

Thanks John, I'll take a look - certainly cheaper than the $400 option

[Aenima]

I always liked the polarcam idea - I believe its astronomyshed tutorial - where a simple webcam with a rubber tube/adapter that slips on the polarscope so you can see the reticle and polaris quite well from the laptop (providing you use one) screen.

It doesnt have to be in conjunction with any software, just something easy to save the wear on your kneecaps.

A plus 1 for waving a small light source near the polarscpe opening to see the reticle and polaris better (I dont have illuminated on the EQ5) also a quick waggle of a finger to check the dec is rotated enough to not be obstructing the hole in the mount (again, more useful if yours is not illuminated).

A right angled P/scope is a great idea, btw well worth pursuing.

Regards

Aenima

[Astro_Baby]

Any heq5 with synscan should have a polar illuminator. If its old and has a pre version 2 motor control board the LED brightness is fixed. Some fo them have bright LEDs and sme have very dim ones.

Things to check,

You have your weight bar extended

you have the DEC axis rotated so that the polar scope is clear, look down the hold on the front face of the mount and make sure you can see the polarscope.

If you can see the polarscope ypu shpuld also be able to chevk the led is on and working. It doesnt light up until the mount is powered up by the switch on the mount.

The latest verion of the software has the menu tree in the latest manual.

To have polar illumination controlled by the handset u must have. Version 3.27 software on the handset and a version 2 motor control board.