Setting up an EQ mount in the Southern Hemisphere

[baggywrinkle]

The last time I had an EQ mount was many years ago in my plooky youth and I lived in Norfolk so I could always use the Pole Star for a good set up.

Sadly the Southern Hemisphere lacks such a bright star and we have to rely on sigma octans, which can be hard to pick out and of course if not on the actual SCP.

My question is if I can set the latitude correctly and get a corrected compass bearing, would that be enough to get a good set up?

What do you good folks do?

[Dark Matter]

Best you join an astronomy club over there. Heaps of info on the Internet too.

Setting the PA of the mount and Az. to 169 degrees is one thing, but you still must do an Equatorial Drift with an illuminated Xhair EYP. afterwards to set the Az and Alt. of the mount correctly.

Like I said, either join a club, or suss the info on the Net. Our northern cousins have it too damn easy setting up an Eq. mount, but if you can hang on for another 10,000 years or so, we'll have a Sth. pole star.

[Scott]

g'day mate,

you'd probably find that's fine for visual observing (with the occasional ra/dec adjustment). for a.p. you'll need to drift align. someone smarter than me will be along soon i'm sure

[Steve Ward]

Drift alignment-wise I've found this method both quick and simple . . . http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=2838

Got me to 60s subs un-guided with the Mak180Pro at 2700mm f/l.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'd imagine its very difficult to align an EQ mount in the southern hemi when you guys down there dont actually have a pole star as such. Crux points you in the direction of where your pole star should be, but there is nothing there but empty space. Not to worry though.

When i used to polar align my EQ mount here in Ireland, i never had an actual view of Polaris (The northern pole star). I just got myself a cheap compass and aligned the tripod leg (the polar axis) to magnetic north. It was fine for visual work.

I just noticed that you have a Celestron 6SE. You dont need to polar align that scope. Do a 1,2 or 3 star align and you are good to go. If you dont even want to do that, you can do a simple solar system alignment using the Moon or a planet. It will keep good tracking .

I see you have an iOptron smart mount on the way. Thats the EQ mount you speak of?.

[baggywrinkle]

Yes the iOptron mount should arrive in the next couple of days, so that is when the fun begins. Just been outside (4:15 am here) and allowed my eyes to adjust so I can try and pick out Sigma Octans.....faint little devil it is too.

I am going to have to learn the drift correction method if I want to use the new mount for astrophotography. The 6SE goto mount is good and mine tracks well but it does not like exposures over 20 secs.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yes the iOptron mount should arrive in the next couple of days, so that is when the fun begins. Just been outside (4:15 am here) and allowed my eyes to adjust so I can try and pick out Sigma Octans.....faint little devil it is too.

I am going to have to learn the drift correction method if I want to use the new mount for astrophotography. The 6SE goto mount is good and mine tracks well but it does not like exposures over 20 secs.

I have the 8SE for just over 16 months now and have never hooked a camera up to it. I think i'd be doing very well with 20s exposures.

[baggywrinkle]

I have found 20 secs or less is the way to go with the 6SE and push the ISO on my cameras.

The other thing I found is that once you have slewed to a new object you need to wait about a minute for the mount to settle down before taking any photo's, otherwise you get trails.

[LukeSkywatcher]

The other thing I found is that once you have slewed to a new object you need to wait about a minute for the mount to settle down before taking any photo's, otherwise you get trails.

Slewing from one object to another does involve vibration. About a 5 second wait for visual, but for imaging i'd imagine a good minute or so.