Can you simulate Polaris indoors?!

[emadmoussa]

Hola,

Same as testing guiding system indoors...which is quite an unpredictable pain. I was wondering, for the sake of saving a bit of groping-in-the-dark, can you in effect simulate Polar alignment with an alternative to Polaris in the comfort of your home? I hope my question is clear...

One thing I noticed, it's really hard to see the engravings inside the polar scope in order to place Polaris into the little circule at the bottom of the big circle (excuse my kindergarten style description) -- I mean in the dark.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

A few days ago, I took am image of the sun using a 60mm Solarmax Coronado scope on a tracking mount (possibly a Vixen GP2?). Being daylight, I couldn't see Polaris, but alignment-by-compass was perfectly sufficient for my needs. Just turning on that mount causes it to track at sidereal rate. I could easily grab 2,500 frames at a time without the sun drifting out view.

So, I see no reason why you couldn't practise using the telescopes controls indoors using the same method. To check it's pointing in roughly the right direction, you could use Stellarium on a PC or google sky on a smartphone.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Sorry, reading again it sounds like it's the alignment process itself you want to practise, so my previous post probably isn't helpful.

[emadmoussa]

Sorry, reading again it sounds like it's the alignment process itself you want to practise, so my previous post probably isn't helpful.

No worries, mate. My whole point is gaping the 1-3% error margin I sometimes experience in alignment due to bad seeing conditions.

[JamesF]

The mount hand controller should allow you to change the illumination of the polar scope reticle on the NEQ6 so you can see it, but it isn't too bright to see Polaris.

James

[emadmoussa]

The mount hand controller should allow you to change the illumination of the polar scope reticle on the NEQ6 so you can see it, but it isn't too bright to see Polaris.

James

Really?! I didn't have a clue...That's the thing, I was thinking, Gosh, that's too bright...

Sorry, googled it, but still not sure how that works!

[JamesF]

Really?! I didn't have a clue...That's the thing, I was thinking, Gosh, that's too bright...

Sorry, googled it, but still not sure how that works!

It says here ('cos I don't have mine handy to check against) that the polar scope LED brightness control should be in the same place in the menus as the screen brightness and key brightness controls.

Does that help?

James

[emadmoussa]

It says here ('cos I don't have mine handy to check against) that the polar scope LED brightness control should be in the same place in the menus as the screen brightness and key brightness controls.

Does that help?

James

Are you talking about the go-to handset? If so, I don't have it...I use EQMOD.

[JamesF]

Ah, that's going to make that a bit more tricky then

I thought there was an "eqdimmer" application to do the same, but I can't find it so perhaps not.

James

[emadmoussa]

Ah, that's going to make that a bit more tricky then

I thought there was an "eqdimmer" application to do the same, but I can't find it so perhaps not.

James

Mm...I thought so. So the question stays, how do you guys see the engravings without compromising Polaris with the polar scope light??

[chrisshillito]

Eqdimmer is available from the EQMOD yahoo group files section.

Chris.

[emadmoussa]

Eqdimmer is available from the EQMOD yahoo group files section.

Chris.

Thanks, Chris. I joined the Yahoo group...awaiting membership approval.

[jonathan]

Getting back to the original question, how about placing a small light source in a black cardboard box with a pin hole in it, attach box to a wall so that the polar scope points at it. Align away! Or use one of those projection planetariums.

[Stargazer_00]

Explain that one to the wife, i dare you.

[emadmoussa]

Getting back to the original question, how about placing a small light source in a black cardboard box with a pin hole in it, attach box to a wall so that the polar scope points at it. Align away! Or use one of those projection planetariums.

I don't see why not, will give it a go.