Synscan starting position

[Altomar718]

Hi All

I have struggled to get to grips with a polar scope (found out it is because it rotates and is not supposed to!!) and thanks to other members, I now have it lined up.

Can anyone tell me, once Polaris is aligned in the correct place in the reticule, the mount will have been rotated in the RA to do that.

When using SYNSCAN, do you start from that position or take the mount back to the HOME position before using the SYNSCAN to search for objects.

Thanks.

Chris

[Cornelius Varley]

The home position for the mount is counterweight bar pointing downwards and the telescope pointing at the North Celestial Pole..

[Altomar718]

Thanks Peter - What I mean is, once the polar alignment has been done, the mount / main scope would have been rotated to get Polaris in the circle of the reticule, and once that is done, do you then start searching from THAT position or return the whole thing to the HOME position before entering the coordinates or object you want to search into the Synscan.

[cotterless45]

I've marked a couple of line up arrows on the mount so the home position can be found again after balancing the ota.

She gets quite upset at not starting from the home position. I tend to align and view on one quadrant of the sky for good accuracy.If it's wandering then select escape and align. You can do this at anytime, if for example you've bumped or rotated the ota.

The download is better than the old manual

http://www.skywatcher.com/swtinc/customer_support.php?id=147&class1=1&class2=180

Also found it useful to add a connector and 3 m extension LAN cable for the handset.Cost about £4 , allows me to refer to charts far away.

Nick.

[Jiggy 67]

I think you're asking about the fact that you've had to rotate the mount in RA to open the aperture so the polar scope can view Polaris, is that right??....if so, then yes you do return it to the home position, However you DO NOT alter the alt or dec adjustments, your mount remains pointing at Polaris, you just rotate the mount in RA so that the counterweight bar is pointing down.

video will show you how to get the perfect home position

[Altomar718]

Thanks Jiggy = I have watched lots of Astonomysheds videos and as a beginner, they have been such a help. I could not find anything on the net or YouTube to say if it was all returned to the weight straight down position before you started observing. I sussed out how to set it up, adjust the reticule, line up Polaris but I could not find if once all that had been done (and the RA had been rotated to line up the Pole Star) whether the scope was returned to 'weight down position before you started observing or start observing from the position you had rotated the RA to line up Polaris.

So what you are saying is line it all up on Polaris using the Azimuth bolts etc. and once Polaris is centered in the reticule (after checking its correct position) you return everything to the home position - scope centered and weight bar straight down, then use the Synscan to search for your planet, object etc.

Have I got it right at last !!!!

Chris

[Jiggy 67]

Yes that's right, just don't move the alt and dec adjustment again. Your RA axis will them stay pointing towards Polaris. One other thing, of you are purely visually observing and not imaging there is no reason to be so accurate with polar alignment, there is no need to cal librate your polar scope to the exact position of Polaris. All I do is get Polaris into the centre of the large circle in the polar scope, that's more than enough for visual

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[Jiggy 67]

Sorry, dec should read azimuth

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[Altomar718]

Jiggy - Your a star (get it .... astronomy - a star) I wont give up the day job !!!!!!!!

Thanks for the reply and I think i am set now .... all I have to do is wait 4 months to get a clear night !!!!

I have ordered a cheap webcam to try for some pictures so that is why I wanted to try and make sure things were set up right ...... thanks to those who replied