Basic NEQ6 question.

[ubertank]

I'm sort of embarassed to ask this question as it may be stupid, but if you don't ask you wont find out so here goes and I'm told there's no such thing as a stupid question..

On the NEQ6 pro, does it need a guidescope atached to track? I obtained one recently and perhaps due to my naivety assumed that if it was powered up and aligned, it would move counter to the earth's rotation and hold an image. Yesterday I was having to manually track with the synscan handset when viewing Jupiter.

I couldn't get a three star alignment as I think my polar alignment was off - another question to be posted in another thread. I was having real difficulty in seeing Polaris through the polar scope and in the end conceded that I would just use Alignmaster and EQmod.

[Spikey]

No it doesn't need a guidescope to track.

In it's simplest form to track visually you need a rough polar alignment i.e. pointing North and the mount in sidereal rate - you could then move the object manually with the handset and find it should not drift out of view so rapidly.

For imaging polar alignment is much more critical, as is your pointing model (such as a 3 star alignment). EQmod and apps auch as alignmaster will bring additional complexity to the setup so it's better to persevere and get the basics in place first.

Next time you take the mount out you'll find things a bit easier

[astrosathya]

Hi,

First, go into the utilities section in the handset and dim the polar scope light to 5% from 100%. It makes seeing through the scope easier while just about illuminating the reticule/etching inside. Even if you put polaris in the crosshair and not the off-centred mark it will work just fine. Easy thing to do is to first adjust the latitude/altitude bolts indoors, during the day. Remember to loosen one screw while you screw in the other or else they will force against each other bending atleast one of them.

The softwares you mentioned will only add complexity. The task now for you, as a beginner with a complex mount is to learn the ropes of the mount and not worry about the complexities. I for one stay away from too may confusing things. I used to image without a guidescope. I started with rough polar alignment, then went on to use a polar scope for alignment, later learn to drift align(try this, you don't need a pole star for accuracy), then started guided photography. Took me a total two years for all of this.

Link below shows how to drift align with a DSLR or CCD camera.

http://www.observatory.digital-sf.com/Polar_Alignment_CCDv1-1.pdf

All the best,

Sathyakumar